ND ND - Bruce Aaron Falconer, 21, Bismarck, 20 Feb 1981

[TheArtfulDetective]

Bruce Aaron Falconer



Case Classification: Lost/Injured Missing
Missing Since: February 20, 1981
Location Last Seen: Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota

Description:​

• Date of Birth: July 16, 1959
• Age: 21 years old
• Race: White/Caucasian
• Gender: Male
• Height: 5' 10" - 5' 11" (70 - 71 inches)
• Weight: 150 lbs
• Hair Color: Blonde
• Eye Color: Brown
• Nickname/Alias: Unknown
• Distinguishing Marks/Features: A two-inch scar above right eye. Tattoo of a dragon in unknown location.
• Clothing & Personal Items: A tan shirt with braided trim, a pile-lined blue denim jacket, white corduroy pants, and brown & white cowboy boots.
• Identifiers: Not available.

Circumstances of Disappearance:
Falconer was last seen in Bismarck, North Dakota on February 20, 1981. He he had joined the Marines at age 16 and was recently promoted to sergeant. He was at home in Bismarck on leave, about to be transferred to Yuma, Arizona.

That evening, Falconer went out with a childhood friend, Tim Jewell. They went to some bars, and afterwards drove Falconer's Chevrolet Blazer to an area south of Bismarck along the Missouri River. A few days later, the vehicle was found stuck in the mud and abandoned. There was no sign of Falconer or Jewell at the scene, but nearby were cigarette butts and the remains of a campfire.

There was speculation that Falconer had gone absent without leave (AWOL) from the Marines, but his mother never believed this because he was happy with his military career. He also left behind some paychecks. Early on, his mother suspected he had probably died shortly after he went missing.

A hunter discovered Jewell's skeletal remains in the area in 1992. Authorities determined he likely died of exposure. Falconer has never been located. The Marines declared him legally dead five years after he went missing. His whereabouts remain unknown.

Investigators:

• Burleigh County Sheriff's Department: (701) 222-6651
  Reference Case #: NDM10115

NamUs Case Number: MP17905
NCIC Case Number: N/A

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Bruce Aaron Falconer – The Charley Project
3699DMND - Bruce Falconer

 

[TheArtfulDetective]

After I submitted this case, I thought about how maybe it isn't as clear cut as it seems. Most agencies report that Bruce was a Lost/Injured case which makes total sense. But how do we know he wasn't ambushed? Or abducted? Or, although doubtful, really did go AWOL?

Bruce was a young, healthy, military sergeant in his prime, trained to handle all sorts of situations. I would imagine him being a pretty tough guy.

• Did they walk too far away where he did actually die of exposure?
• Perhaps there was an injury or accidental death?
• Maybe they were hiking around and Bruce got injured and Tim tried to return but also died in the process?
• Or maybe Tim was the injured one and Bruce went missing while going for help.
• Not implying anything, and it's very doubtful, but could Bruce have had something to do with Tim's death, even accidentally, in which he would flee?

So the vehicle was stuck in the mud. Was it on an off-road, off of a main road? One would think they would have gone for help by walking back in which they came, towards a main road. Otherwise why would they have chosen to go into the wilderness instead? Even if the vehicle was far from a main road, it still seems like the best bet to walk back the same way. Maybe they went looking for something to put under the vehicle's tires to help get it out of the mud and then died of exposure in the process?

• Did Tim stay behind while Bruce walked back to the road (or somewhere) to get help and then something happened to Bruce?
• Why didn't Bruce and Tim just walk back together? Instead, they clearly split up for whatever reason.
• How did Tim die of exposure when he could have just sat in the vehicle? He must have tried to walk to get help at some point and got too far away from it perhaps?
• On that note, how far away was Tim's remains located from where the vehicle had been stuck, years before?

The fact that there were cigarette butts and a campfire doesn't scream urgency by any means. It seemed like a casual evening that somehow went very wrong.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

A Marine and his friend vanished in 'The Desert.' The mystery lingers despite discovery of the friend's bones

Marine Sergeant Bruce Falconer was last seen driving away from a North Dakota bar with Timothy Jewell in the winter of 1981. Falconer's remains were discovered nearby in 1993.

www.dglobe.com

 

[Pennysmom1]

archived article: https://archive.ph/HdLBI (originally The Bismarck Tribune 2008

 

[Pennysmom1]

A Marine and his friend vanished in 'The Desert.' The mystery lingers despite discovery of the friend's bones

Marine Sergeant Bruce Falconer was last seen driving away from a North Dakota bar with Timothy Jewell in the winter of 1981. Falconer's remains were discovered nearby in 1993.

www.inforum.com

 

[Ciriii57]

The vehicle was found approximately here (red pin):

Google Maps

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Pretty out of the way, but not so out of the way that 2 heathly young men couldn't walk back into town. It's not that heavily forested and although not a road as such the tracks look quite well worn today, they must have been back then too for them to get the car that far off the road.

The weather report for that day was cold, but not killer cold, especially for a marine who had built a fire. About 40F, no rain and a light breeze.

Bismarck, ND Weather History | Weather Underground

I wish we knew where Jewell's body was found as then we could tell how far from the car they were. But I doubt that either of these men were killed by exposure. Sure it was cold, but with a fire or walking to reach civilisation they shouldn't have perished at all.

I am surprised the death of a well-respected marine wasn't investigated more thoroughly.