I requested, and received, information about Christopher disappearance from Seattle Police. Like, over 60 pages of it?! Also previous juvenile semi-criminal problems he had had, including problems with a specific neighbour (so doing things to the neighbour’s place, neighbour’s kids doing stuff to their place), neighbor feud type of thing involving the whole family. But nothing incredibly serious. Christopher's family stated that the only person they could imagine that could want to do harm to Christopher was this neighbour, but that they did not feel he would actually do anything to him, just that he was the only person that really strongly disliked Christopher.
Will try to write up a summary, but there is a LOT of stuff to get through and the pages aren't actually in order. I'm really surprised they pulled through and gave me information - I had simply asked if there were any details of his disappearance, as there was nothing available online.
Other things: He had four older brothers, and also a sister. Here is the obituary of his father, who died in 1998 (
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980916&slug=2772296), it lists Christopher in West Seattle I think because that was the last place he was known to be alive. At time of disappearance, we living with mother and stepfather. Chris was possibly involved in low-scale marijuana dealing. The police at the time did seem to take his disappearance pretty seriously, and it seems to have been worked on actively up until around 1977, at his mother's insistence he was apparently never classified as a runaway but immediately as missing, as she was convinced that he would not have run away. It's so much to get through!
He was last seen on the 13th of December, but reported missing on the 16th, between those two dates mother first thought he had neglected to call home (which she said had happened once or twice), and then called all relatives to see if he was with them. Then reported to police.
At the time of his disappearance, Christopher also had a billfold with his ID, and had a Washington driving permit.
Original report is that, on the 13th of December, Chris went out with his two best friends to Hiawatha Field House to play some pool. They then stopped at the 7-11 on Admiral Way (and Walker? it says), then parted company at around 21:00, and that was the last time anyone saw him. The friends, apparently, said that Chris was in a good mood and said he was going home and going to take a bath.
As a note, in later interviews one of the friends apparently said that Chris was actually in a bad mood all evening for some reason, but it wasn't clear why.
Chris's mother strongly believed that he would not run away. He did not appear at school in the following days. Christopher was a bad student, but he didn't skip school. According to his mother, he had been better with school and had not gotten in police trouble for about three years (this is accurate based on the juvenile record included). School confirms that they had no problems with Christopher.
Christopher was apparently doing drivers education (paid by his dad), and his mother & stepfather had promised him a car for Christmas if he passed driver's ed - Chris was very excited about this. He did not attend sessions after the disappearance date, but had been doing well.
Christopher's father was a merchant seaman and usually away, but at the time of his disappearance (and at other times) was staying at the same home as Christopher (with the mother & stepfather).
Other details:
His mother died in 1997.
Christopher was described as very careful, and very clean - almost to the point of being obsessed with being clean.
Fond of sports, and a bit of a leader with friends.
Sensitive, but not apt to confide about his problems with others