NV NV - Roy Frisch, 46, Reno, 22 Mar 1934

[Coffee56]

Demographics
Missing Age46 Years
Current Age132 Years
First NameRoy
Middle NameJ.
Last NameFrisch
Nickname/Alias--

SexMale
Height5' 8" - 5' 9" (68 - 69 Inches)
Weight175 - 180 lbs
Race / EthnicityWhite / Caucasian

Circumstances
Date of Last ContactMarch 22, 1934
NamUs Case CreatedDecember 31, 2014
Last Known Location Map
LocationReno, Nevada 89501
CountyWashoe County

Circumstances of DisappearanceAt the time of his disappearance, Roy Frisch lived with other family members at 247 Court Street and was employed at the Riverside Bank as a cashier. He was scheduled to testify for the government against two people alleged to be involved in organized crime. At 7:45 pm on the evening of his disappearance, Roy Frisch left his home walking to the Majestic Theater, where he watched the movie, Gallant Lady. After the movie, he was seen by a friend at the corner of Sierra and Court Streets. Roy Frisch never made it home and he has not been seen since. He is believed to have met with foul play. [Per the Reno Gazette Journal] In 1996, the Reno Police Department reopened his missing persons case. Disappearance of Reno banker is 80-year-old mystery
Physical Description
Hair ColorBrown
Head Hair Descriptionlight brown, straight combed to the left side
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye ColorHazel
Right Eye ColorHazel
Eye Description--
Distinctive Physical Features
Item
Description
Scar/mark
pit scars on the right side of his upper lip, large burn scar on left forearm

Other distinctive physical characteristic
walked very erect and had a peculiar very noticeable swing to his body when he walked, shoulders thrown back and feet swing forward ahead of his body when he walked.


Clothing and Accessories
Item
Description
Accessories
light gray Fedora hat with wide black band (Usually Dobbs brand), initials in hat band.

Clothing
dark gray suit Society Brand with name Burks and Short, size 16.5 shirt with collars. Chest measured 41", waist measured 38.5". Name Roy Frisch or Roy J. Frisch on label inside pocket on inside coat

Footwear
Stacy Adams vici kid black oxfords, size 9, rubber heels, narrow (A or AA)

Jewelry
Suspenders

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Frisch House | Reno Historical

Roy Frisch, Nevada's most famous missing man, disappeared March 22, 1934

Disappearance of Reno banker is 80-year-old mystery

 

[glamourkitty1922]

This is very interesting! He just walked off the face of the Earth!

 

[doyle.archer]

From my research, its highly likely he was murdered. He was a bank manager and the bank was being used to launder money. Reno back then was mob-run. The bank owner --Mr George Wingfield-- was close with the mob, including Lester Gillis AKA Baby Face Nelson.

There are loads of old mine shafts in the area, one theory being he was dumped into one. Another theory is that he was buried in Wingfield's back yard.

 

[Richard]

Roy J. Frisch, 46, Missing 22 March 1934

 

[CastlesBurning]

Just out of curiosity, I Googled Witness Protection - turns out the program as we know it today didn't start til 1970. That said, I'm thinking there surely might have been some kind of protections in place for people in Frisch's position back then? Or the city itself could have offered some kind of sheriffs/law enforcement to look out for him during that time. Wiki tells me that 1930s Reno had about 20,000 people.

 

[Richard]

Missing for 88 years...

 

[Pennysmom1]

Frisch House - The disappearance of bank cashier Roy Frisch in 1934 is one of Reno's enduring unsolved mysteries. | Reno Historical

Gangsters. Murder. Mystery. Who would ever guess that a lovely but unassuming house, built in 1908 near downtown Reno, would be tied up with a sordid tale that remains one of Reno’s most enduring intrigues? The year was 1934 and Roy Frisch lived here at 247 Court Street with his mother and...

renohistorical.org

After 80 years, missing Reno banker still mystery

Eighty years after Roy Frisch’s disappearance, the fate of the former Reno city councilman and the head cashier of the Riverside Bank remain unknown.

www.reviewjournal.com

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Roy J. Frisch – The Charley Project

 

[Richard]

This March 22nd will mark 90 years since Roy Frisch went missing.

 

[Molly's Mom]

This sure sounds like Roy was "disappeared" on purpose. I would love to see it solved just to clear another one off the books. What an interesting story!

 

[dotr]

Reno property searched in 90-year-old missing person case

Police found no evidence, but called it a successful collaboration with the University of Nevada, Reno Anthropology Department, the city of Reno Sewer Department and Peace River K9.

www.kolotv.com

May. 23, 2024
''RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -The Reno Police Department searched a Court Street property Wednesday and Thursday as part of a 90-year-old missing person case.''

''While police are not saying who the subject was in this missing person case, the police department on its website lists the case of Roy Frisch who went missing on March 22, 1934.
Frisch lived at 247 Court Street. He was a cashier at a bank owned by Reno businessman George Wingfield, who also lived on Court Street''.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Roy J. Frisch – The Charley Project

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Roy Frisch - 6 of Spades, Nevada - The Deck

Dubbed “the most famous missing man in Nevada” by local press, Roy Frisch was a bright light during an otherwise dark, lawless time in 1930s Reno.

thedeckpodcast.com

 

[dotr]

Roy J. Frisch – The Charley Project

From link, thank you.

Roy J. Frisch – The Charley Project

''Last updated January 16, 2024; casefile added.''

Roy J. Frisch​

• 

Frisch, circa 1934

• Missing Since03/22/1934
• Missing FromReno, Nevada
• ClassificationEndangered Missing
• SexMale
• RaceWhite
• Date of Birth04/01/1887 (137)
• Age46 years old
• Height and Weight5'8 - 5'9, 175 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionA dark gray Society suit with the label "Burks and Short" and Frisch's name on a label inside the inner pocket of the suit coat, a size 16.5 shirt with a collar, suspenders, a light gray fedora hat, vici kid black Stacy Adams oxford shoes with rubber heels, in a size 9A or 9AA. Frisch's chest measurement was 41 inches and his waist measurement was 38.5 inches.
• Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian male. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Frisch has a large burn scar on his left forearm and pitted scars on the right side of his upper lip.

Details of Disappearance​

Frisch was last seen in Reno, Nevada on March 22, 1934. He left his home in the 200 block of Court Street at 7:45 p.m. and walked to the Majestic Theater, where he saw a movie. After the film a friend saw Frisch at the corner of Sierra and Court Streets. He never arrived home and has never been heard from again.

At the time of his disappearance, Frisch lived with his mother and two sisters and worked for Riverside Bank of Reno as a cashier. He was supposed to testify against William Graham and James McKay in an upcoming mail fraud case. Graham and McKay were noted in the area for their involvement in organized crime. In January 1934, Frisch had testified against four other suspects thought to be involved in the fraud case. He disappeared before he could testify against Graham and McKay, however.

The gangster George "Baby Face" Nelson is a possible suspect in Frisch's disappearance. He was a former driver for Graham and frequently visited Reno. He is known to have arrived there on March 20 and to have left on March 22, the dsame day Frisch disappeared, and later said he had "done a job" for Graham and McKay.

In 1935, one of Nelson's associates, John Paul Chase, confessed he was with Nelson and witnessed Frisch's murder. He said Nelson waited for Frisch on the street, then beat him on the head with his pistol, took him to a garage and shot him in the head. Chase tweice tried to direct FBI agents to the mine shaft where he said Frisch's body had been dumped, but it was not found. He was brought to New York to testify about the murder before a grand jury, but refused to repeat his story in court.''

Nelson was killed in a gun battle with the FBI on November 27, 1934. Graham and McKay were convicted of mail fraud in 1938 and sentenced to nine years in prison. Several years later they were pardoned and returned to Reno. They were never charged in Frisch's case.
Authorities believe Frisch was murdered to prevent his testifying. His body has never been found.''

Roy Frisch - 6 of Spades, Nevada - The Deck

Dubbed “the most famous missing man in Nevada” by local press, Roy Frisch was a bright light during an otherwise dark, lawless time in 1930s Reno.

thedeckpodcast.com