Found Deceased AK - Joseph Clayton, 48, from Oregon, hiking, items found, Juneau, 20 Aug 2021

[GuyfromCanada]

The Juneau Police Department is attempting to locate 48-year-old Joseph Clayton. He was
last seen around 7:30 AM on 8/20/21, leaving his father’s residence for a hike. His car was found at the Auke Lake boat launch.

Mr. Clayton is not from Juneau, nor is he familiar with Juneau or the trail systems. It is believed he was alone when he went missing.

Mr. Clayton, who goes by the name “Joe”, is a white male, 6’2” tall and weighs about 220 pounds. He was last seen wearing a t-shirt and jeans, carrying a light colored backpack. A recent photo of Joe Clayton is attached.

If anyone sees Mr. Clayton, or has information on his whereabouts, please contact the Juneau Police Department at (907) 586-0600.

A Silver Alert has been activated through the State of Alaska and search efforts are underway.
Silver Alert is a voluntary partnership between law enforcement agencies, state and local government, and Alaska’s media and broadcasters to alert the public when a vulnerable adult is missing and believed to be in serious danger.

The system uses media and broadcast releases, email, social media, and the State’s transportation 511 system to distribute a description of the missing adult.
Silver Alert Hotline: 855-SILVR99 - (855-745-8799).

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*** Updated 08/25/21 ***

On 08/24/21, family members searching for Joe Clayton came across an old abandoned campsite, believed to have been visited recently by him. The campsite was located in the wooded area between Mendenhall Loop Road (Back Loop) and Auke Lake Way, about 100 feet off the roadway. Although the campsite was old and broken down, there amongst the various items left on the ground were personal items belonging to Joe Clayton, including his backpack. It didn't appear that Mr. Clayton had used the campsite, but had walked through the area at some point since going missing. Why the belongings were left there in the woods is currently unknown.

SEADOGS responded to the area to conduct a search, but Mr. Clayton was not found.

The family is still asking community members assistance in keeping an eye out for Joe Clayton and they are offering a reward for his safe return.

JPD – PSA Individual View – City and Borough of Juneau

His keys, backpack and binoculars were found Tuesday in a wooded area off Mendenhall Loop Road, commonly known as Back Loop, between the University of Alaska Southeast main entrance and the Auke Bay roundabout.

Searchers find belongings of missing hiker in Juneau

 

[azure]

I can't get a read on whether the location where his belongings was found was remote or not. It doesn't look particularly remote on Google Maps, though there is a ton of water nearby.

I wonder why he's considered a vulnerable adult.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

The weather is expected to be about 52 degrees at night today.

 

[GraceG]

I can't get a read on whether the location where his belongings was found was remote or not. It doesn't look particularly remote on Google Maps, though there is a ton of water nearby.

I wonder why he's considered a vulnerable adult.

This article had a statement that said "he has anxiety that may force him to retreat." if approached suddenly.
Officials suspend search for Oregon man missing in Juneau

 

[Unsolved]

Another article from September 2 mentions this:

(BBM)

The sister of Joseph Clayton, a 48-year-old Oregon man that went missing in Juneau on Aug. 20, thinks that Clayton might have boarded a ferry to Haines after he went missing. She has asked that Haines residents keep an eye out for Clayton and post flyers around town.

A Juneau police department representative said there is “no information” leading officers to believe that Clayton, who goes by Joe, snuck onto a ferry.

Haines Borough police chief Heath Scott on Monday said he hasn’t been contacted by Juneau law enforcement about the matter. He had not heard speculation that Clayton boarded a ship to Haines. “If it was more than a rumor, they probably would’ve contacted us,” Scott said. “That would’ve been an all-hands-on-deck effort to try to find a missing person.”

Michelle Lyman, Clayton’s sister, said Clayton really enjoyed the ferry ride from Bellingham, Washington, to Juneau and that it’s possible “he crawled into the back of a boat or truck” on a ferry to Haines or Skagway.

“The dogs picked up his scent the heaviest right near the ferries” at Auke Bay, Lyman said, referring to a Southeast Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search (SEADOGS) survey of the area.

Family wonders if missing relative came to Haines; police say no evidence

 

[Knox]

Another article from September 2 mentions this:

(BBM)

The sister of Joseph Clayton, a 48-year-old Oregon man that went missing in Juneau on Aug. 20, thinks that Clayton might have boarded a ferry to Haines after he went missing. She has asked that Haines residents keep an eye out for Clayton and post flyers around town.

A Juneau police department representative said there is “no information” leading officers to believe that Clayton, who goes by Joe, snuck onto a ferry.

Haines Borough police chief Heath Scott on Monday said he hasn’t been contacted by Juneau law enforcement about the matter. He had not heard speculation that Clayton boarded a ship to Haines. “If it was more than a rumor, they probably would’ve contacted us,” Scott said. “That would’ve been an all-hands-on-deck effort to try to find a missing person.”

Michelle Lyman, Clayton’s sister, said Clayton really enjoyed the ferry ride from Bellingham, Washington, to Juneau and that it’s possible “he crawled into the back of a boat or truck” on a ferry to Haines or Skagway.

“The dogs picked up his scent the heaviest right near the ferries” at Auke Bay, Lyman said, referring to a Southeast Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search (SEADOGS) survey of the area.

Family wonders if missing relative came to Haines; police say no evidence

Interesting they picked up his scent near the ferries, but not in the area his belongings were found?

 

[Rush4087]

Interesting they picked up his scent near the ferries, but not in the area his belongings were found?

Has it been established that his scent was not in the area where his belongings were found?

 

[JerseyGirl]

[URL="https://www.ktoo.org/2021/10/08/joseph-clayton-doug-farnsworth-missing-in-juneau/"]With no official confirmation, two recent missing persons cases remain open in Juneau
[/URL]
Joseph Clayton has been missing since he went on a hike on Aug. 20. Four days later, some of his belongings were found at an abandoned campsite near the University of Alaska Southeast.

Volunteers searched for him for days and Alaska State Troopers used dogs to search the area, but they were not able to find Clayton.

There has been no update from the Juneau Police Department on that case since. The silver alert activated for Clayton was canceledon Sept. 22.

 

[Darling136]

Unfortunatelly found deceased

Juneau police confirm missing Oregon man's body has been found

 

[azure]

Unfortunatelly found deceased

Juneau police confirm missing Oregon man's body has been found

How sad. He was right there all along, it sounds like.

 

[evilwise]

Hm. This article lacks the usual "No initial indication of foul play" phrase found in suicides. Although I often am the one that reminds users of it almost always being suicide in cases of people abandoning their belongings and heading into the woods where they are later found dead, this one doesn't quite convince me. I would like to see a picture of this "abandoned campsite" to get an idea if it is less a campsite and more of a clandestine gathering place.