AK AK - Vern Stephen Pratt, 22, Anchorage, 6 Nov 1961

[TheArtfulDetective]

Vern Stephen Pratt



Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: November 06, 1961
Location Last Seen: Anchorage, Anchorage Borough, Alaska

Description:

• Date of Birth: circa 1939
• Age: 22 years old
• Race: American Indian / Alaska Native
• Gender: Male
• Height: 5' 10" - 5' 11" (70 - 71 inches)
• Weight: 155 lbs
• Hair Color: Black
• Eye Color: Black
• Nickname/Alias: Unknown
• Distinguishing Marks/Features: Wears eyeglasses. One inch scar on right wrist. One inch scar on left arm.
• Clothing & Personal Items: White shirt. Tie. Charcoal colored slacks. Light gray wool jacket with knit collar and knit cuffs. Black low cut shoes.
• Identifiers: Unknown
• Other: Suffers from extreme myopia and can't see without eyeglasses.
• Other: Tribal Information - Enrolled with Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation.

Circumstances of Disappearance:
Pratt was last seen in Anchorage, Alaska on November 6, 1961. He was involved in a hit and run accident and a witness reported he was in his 1955 Plymouth in the ditch near the Portage Bar between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m. He appeared to be intoxicated and laid down in the front seat of his vehicle and apparently went to sleep. The following day around 9:00 a.m., the witness saw that the vehicle was still in the ditch, but Pratt was no longer in it. He has never been heard from again.

Pratt suffered from extreme myopia at the time he went missing and could not see without his eyeglasses, but his glasses were discovered inside his vehicle. Few details are available regarding his disappearance and his whereabouts remain unknown.

Investigators:

• Alaska State Troopers: (907) 269-5511
  Reference Case#: AK22053972

NamUs Case Number: MP91379
NCIC Case Number: Not available

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[MadMcGoo]

There were several unknown race/sex or partial remains found that could be him. I couldn’t find anything about Portage Bar or it’s approximate location. That’d be nice to know to help rule out these first 3 at least. ETA: This one maybe? Originally built in 1956 as a bar at the end of a 5 mile gravel road which served Glacier Ice Margaritas.

UP50782 On 06/25/18 at 1500 hours, "bones with teeth" were found by an individual walking a dog at Valley of the Moon Park. Subsequent analysis determined the remains were human.

UP13380 Human femur found in park in Anchorage in 2003.

UP81038 Partial skull found near Campbell Creek by civilian in Anchorage in 2021.

UP89843 Partial skull (male under 50) found on a trail near Bear Creek in Hope in 1994.


U13575 Geographically I can’t figure this one out. Anyone else?

UP13454 Part of a human skull (sex/race/PMI unknown) found on beach by beach comber in Kenai in 2000. There are several unk/unk remains found along beaches. These were just the closest. UP12724


A couple of unusual ones found in Anchorage.
UP13432 Skull found in conference room in 2003.
UP13393 Skull with mandible found in office in 2014. Skull had been restored.
UP13399 Found in a closet by a maintenance worker in 2004.

 

[MadMcGoo]

There were several unknown race/sex or partial remains found that could be him. I couldn’t find anything about Portage Bar or it’s approximate location. That’d be nice to know to help rule out these first 3 at least. ETA: This one maybe? Originally built in 1956 as a bar at the end of a 5 mile gravel road which served Glacier Ice Margaritas.

UP50782 On 06/25/18 at 1500 hours, "bones with teeth" were found by an individual walking a dog at Valley of the Moon Park. Subsequent analysis determined the remains were human.

UP13380 Human femur found in park in Anchorage in 2003.

UP81038 Partial skull found near Campbell Creek by civilian in Anchorage in 2021.

UP89843 Partial skull (male under 50) found on a trail near Bear Creek in Hope in 1994.
View attachment 370883

U13575 Geographically I can’t figure this one out. Anyone else?

UP13454 Part of a human skull (sex/race/PMI unknown) found on beach by beach comber in Kenai in 2000. There are several unk/unk remains found along beaches. These were just the closest. UP12724
View attachment 370884

A couple of unusual ones found in Anchorage.
UP13432 Skull found in conference room in 2003.
UP13393 Skull with mandible found in office in 2014. Skull had been restored.
UP13399 Found in a closet by a maintenance worker in 2004.

So if his vehicle was located near Portage and the bar, the Hope remains seem more promising now. I didn’t realize how far the bar was from Anchorage. Unless I’m beyond confused. That is possible!

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Pretty sure this is the same Vern Pratt. Photo from the Haskell Institute Yearbook (now Haskell Indian Nations University) in 1960

 

[MadMcGoo]

View attachment 370918
Pretty sure this is the same Vern Pratt. Photo from the Haskell Institute Yearbook (now Haskell Indian Nations University) in 1960

Kansas! I wonder what brought him to Alaska.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Vern is still missing

Missing Person / NamUs #MP91379

View NamUs missing person case MP91379 for Vern Stephen Pratt missing from Anchorage, Alaska. Date of last contact: Nov 06, 1961. NCMEC case number: --.

namus.nij.ojp.gov

Vern Pratt, Missing from Alaska since 1961.

A blog about the many missing, murdered, and unidentified Native/Indigenous/Aboriginal women of the United States and Canada. Say Their Names!

www.justicefornativepeople.com

DOB: Unknown, circa 1939
Description: Vern was between 5'10 and 5'11 tall and 155 pounds at the time of his disappearance. He has black hair he wears in a crew-cut and black eyes. He has extreme myopia and could not see without his glasses and they were found in his vehicle. He has a 1 inch scar on his left wrist and another 1 inch scar on his left arm. He has a brown mark (possibly birthmark) on the left side of his torso. He was last seen wearing charcoal colored socks, a tie, white shirt, low cut black shoes, and light gray wool jacket with knit collar and knit cuffs. He was driving a 1955 black and blue Plymouth sedan with license plate # 72025.

Tribal Information: Vern is enrolled with the Gila River Indian Community