• #41
  • #42
img_36865-jpeg.124339

William "Bill" Underhill, age 20, Missing since 1 March 1969
 
  • #43
I'm not sure about this. Was there a mistake or two different UIDs were located the same day in the same county?
One of them was believed to be Native American, but the other one was classified as Caucasian, so... may he be William?
 
  • #44
Bumping this thread up.
 
  • #45
Last updated January 12, 2024; two pictures added.
  • william_campbell_underhill_3.jpg
  • william_campbell_underhill_4.jpg
  • william_campbell_underhill_5.jpg
  • underhill_william6.jpg
  • underhill_william7.jpg
Underhill, circa 1969
  • Missing Since03/01/1969
  • Missing FromSt. Paul, Minnesota
  • ClassificationMissing
  • SexMale
  • RaceWhite
  • Date of Birth07/02/1948 (75)
  • Age20 years old
  • Height and Weight6'2, 175 pounds
  • Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian male. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Underhill has previously dislocated his shoulder. He also suffered polio as a child. His nickname is Bill.
  • 'Underhill was last seen at a party on the West Bank at the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis-St. Paul campus on March 1, 1969. He has never been heard from again. Few details are available in his case.''
 
  • #46
  • #47
Looking back on the history of March 1, 1969, the temperature from when he went missing was about 30 degrees and dropping. A walk home from Dinkytown to St. Anthony Park would take between 10 to 15 mins.
 
  • #48
Charley update. Clothing/jewelry description added, distinguishing characteristics and details of disappearance updated.

  • Missing Since03/01/1969
  • Missing FromSt. Paul, Minnesota
  • ClassificationEndangered Missing
  • SexMale
  • RaceWhite
  • Date of Birth07/02/1948 (76)
  • Age20 years old
  • Height and Weight6'2, 175 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionA brown suede coat, a beige sweater, blue jeans and brown suede boots.
  • Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian male. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Underhill has previously dislocated his shoulder, and he has a small scar on his forehead. His nickname is Bill.

Details of Disappearance​

Underhill was last seen at a party at an apartment near 14th Avenue and 5th Street on the West Bank at the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis-St. Paul campus on March 1, 1969. Most of the guests were friends from high school. At some point, Underhill got up and walked out the door. Another partygoer went outside to look for him but didn't find him.

Between 9:00 and 11:00 p.m., Underhill called his girlfriend and said he was going away and he hoped she would always remain a good person. She interpreted this as a breakup call. She asked where he was, but he wouldn't tell her, and he sounded sad. He has never been heard from again. A few days later, a friend gave Underhill's leather jacket to his parents; Underhill's wallet was inside it. He was reported missing that same week.

At the time of his disappearance, Underhill was studying liberal arts at the University of Minnesota. He lived with his parents and sister in the 1200 block of Raymond Avenue and commuted two miles to school. His disappearance remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency​

  • Minneapolis Police Department 612-673-2345

Source Information​

 
  • #49
Bump

wu.webp
 
  • #50
Here's a screen shot of a 1972 historic aerial map of the area where Bill was last seen. I wanted to see if the location of nearby water features were different from today. The neighborhood also looks pretty much the same.

Link to Google Maps of the area today


Link to Historic Aerials if you want to browse the area on your own.

 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2025-12-14 085844 St Paul Park, MN.webp
    Screenshot 2025-12-14 085844 St Paul Park, MN.webp
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  • #51
Does anyone know if UP4824 has been ruled out? A foot was recovered from bank of the Mississippi River in Hennepin County in August of 1969. Given the facts of Bill's disappearance (he left a party possibly upset after drinking, within minutes walking distances from the river), it seems likely that he could have ended up in the water. The timing is right; estimated year of death is 1969, but little other information is included with the UP report.
 
  • #52
  • #53
His sisters learned that Bill had bought a car from one of his friends a couple weeks before he disappeared. No one knows what became of it and MN auto registration records don’t go back that far.

He was classified 1A for the Army draft and the Vietnamese War was at its height. Bill was at a party with friends, one of whom had just returned from combat. Bill had already taken 2 of his final exams. He stepped outside the party without his coat and disappeared. According to his sisters’ Facebook page for him, he was wearing that brown suede coat along with a sweater, jeans and a pair of suede shoes.

There was 19 inches of snow on the ground that night.

His friends say he was upset by someone or something and left the party abruptly.

Among his possessions was a Bulova watch with an inscription on the back reading “To Bill, Love, Peggy”. The sisters don’t know anyone by that name that he was dating.


It’s tempting to think he might have gone to Canada to avoid the draft, but he disappeared with no coat and never withdrew money from his bank account.

He was a typical college student of the times, understandably worried about the draft. Leaving the party without a coat during a cold Minnesota night is concerning. It sounds like he wasn’t planning to leave that night.

I hope the sisters get some answers. It sounds like they’ve considered the possibility of him ending up in the nearby river that night. That seems the most probable scenario.

The foot found on the West Bank of the Mississippi is a possibility. I wonder if LE has considered it? The sisters have submitted their DNA.
 
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  • #54
The more I read about Bill, the more I think it's possible that he met with foul play. According to quotes from the sisters, Bill had contracted polio as a child. For this reason, he was working to get his Army draft status changed from 1A. JMO, it seems less likely he escaped to Canada or harmed himself over worries about being drafted.


It also seemed the time frame between him stepping outside and his friends looking for him was fairly short. He had money and a job and was doing well in school. It doesn't rule out suicide for other reasons, but it seems less likely. There isn't any mention of him being depressed.


JMO
 
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  • #55
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is the state police agency of Minnesota. They often get involved in Missing Person Cases and maintain the Minnesota Missing Persons Clearinghouse website.

Although there are many missing person cases that do not get featured on their website, William Underhill's case is one which is listed. Here is what it looks like in the table of contents and photos. By going to the link below and clicking on his photo, you can see more information.


Missing Person
William Underhill
William Underhill
Age now: 77
Missing: 3/9/1969
Location: Minneapolis

LINK:

 
  • #56
His NamUs page:
 
  • #57
The Mississippi River has swallowed many people over the years. Many have never been found.
 
  • #58
Does anyone know if UP4824 has been ruled out? A foot was recovered from bank of the Mississippi River in Hennepin County in August of 1969. Given the facts of Bill's disappearance (he left a party possibly upset after drinking, within minutes walking distances from the river), it seems likely that he could have ended up in the water. The timing is right; estimated year of death is 1969, but little other information is included with the UP report.
I checked, and UP4824 is not listed as an exclusion. Submitted to LE.
 

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