OK OK - Stephen “Steve” Lee Murphy, last seen in Claremore sometime in 1976, not reported missing until July 2022

[Snoangel26]

From my understanding as a follower of this thread since day one, @megs1288 has been so gracious to volunteer @Snoangel26 her help with bringing awareness to her search for answer's and the two are working together to get a video with the VIP details to share on other internet sites. However, I understand the question didn't ask anyone else to respond but I feel like I can assist you with an abbreviated response for what it's worth.
I have come across at least one fb page where the details were carried over to involve more views and reach a larger audience. MOO
ETA I left out the word one in describing the FB page

I'll take any suggestions. Thank you

 

[megs1477]

Thank you @#JUSTICE4WILDER
I've been searching for Steve since the first post went up. I previously did a lot of work on a FB group locating living missing people and doing genealogical research. I was always pretty successful...until I hit this and the Paul Raymond Harrod cases. Which were both around the same time. They have become my "pet projects" for lack of a better term. I have spent hundreds of not thousands of hours searching (except for a small month long break to look at shoe soles) for these two men.
I've used every resource at my disposal. I am fortunate to have a somewhat successful YouTube channel that I want to highlight Steve's case on, but I am still trying to figure out the best way to do it in order to get the most exposure. Paul's video did not get as much attention as I would have liked. You only get one chance at those things!
@jjonez I am not an insider, but I have worked with @Snoangel26 since the start, trying to figure out what else we can try. Many people lose interest in cases when there is no movement, but Steve never leaves the back of my mind. I am always trying to find a way to get his story out there. I'm not giving up until @Snoangel26 has her answer, whatever that may be.
Regarding the Detective. He is waiting for SSA info to come back. It take months (many months). Most of the relatives that are still living have little memory of Steve, as they were very young when he left. Others (ex wife) do not wish to speak about him.
There is a very popular podcast that is considering covering Steve's story. Hopefully that will open the door to get some media attention for his case and we can make some movement. Fingers crossed.
I hope this answers all your questions.

 

[Snoangel26]

Yes. Sadly, it is my opinion that he is alive, hidden, and does not want to be “found”.

I'm a very stubborn person. I will keep digging til I get something

 

[Snoangel26]

Of course.

I just had a crazy idea.
What is the modern equivalent of posting in the newspaper for x number of weeks? Is it something online?
Sometimes, when a person’s records are being poked and prodded, they become aware of that by one means or another. If SM is alive and knows that someone is looking into his business, he may be on alert, fearing that his past may catch up with him. If you were to make public the fact that you intend to have him declared deceased if there is no response in x amount of time, it may push him to take some sort of action.

That's a great idea.

 

[Snoangel26]

Well said @iamshadow21 !
I agree with everything you said and also am in awe of the consistency of @Snoangel26 in responding to each post offering thoughts and advice on other steps to take or look into. There have been times I've wanted to bang my head on my desk for her yet her level headed responding is pleasant to see. I also will be here lurking and hoping for the day I see her search ended in most, if not all of the unanswered questions.
ETA I changed the last if from of

Thank you. I'm going to look into the newspaper and publishing it that way as well

 

[#JUSTICE4WILDER]

You are more than welcome. As I said the question wasn't directed to me but I know that you have been working on this search since day one. Like I said I wanted to provide an abbreviated version just to give jjonez some background. I hoped it wasn't out of line with you or Snoangel26 in responding. You've done exceptional work on Steve's missing information.

Thank you @#JUSTICE4WILDER
I've been searching for Steve since the first post went up. I previously did a lot of work on a FB group locating living missing people and doing genealogical research. I was always pretty successful...until I hit this and the Paul Raymond Harrod cases. Which were both around the same time. They have become my "pet projects" for lack of a better term. I have spent hundreds of not thousands of hours searching (except for a small month long break to look at shoe soles) for these two men.
I've used every resource at my disposal. I am fortunate to have a somewhat successful YouTube channel that I want to highlight Steve's case on, but I am still trying to figure out the best way to do it in order to get the most exposure. Paul's video did not get as much attention as I would have liked. You only get one chance at those things!
@jjonez I am not an insider, but I have worked with @Snoangel26 since the start, trying to figure out what else we can try. Many people lose interest in cases when there is no movement, but Steve never leaves the back of my mind. I am always trying to find a way to get his story out there. I'm not giving up until @Snoangel26 has her answer, whatever that may be.
Regarding the Detective. He is waiting for SSA info to come back. It take months (many months). Most of the relatives that are still living have little memory of Steve, as they were very young when he left. Others (ex wife) do not wish to speak about him.
There is a very popular podcast that is considering covering Steve's story. Hopefully that will open the door to get some media attention for his case and we can make some movement. Fingers crossed.
I hope this answers all your questions.

 

[lesleyNOPE]

I’ve been reading this thread over the last few days so forgive me if I missed this; but have you posted this on the Investigation Connection fb page? I have seen some really wild info found pretty quickly on there sometimes.

Sorry if this is against the rules.

 

[AliceInPain]

I’ve been reading this thread over the last few days so forgive me if I missed this; but have you posted this on the Investigation Connection fb page? I have seen some really wild info found pretty quickly on there sometimes.

Sorry if this is against the rules.

No offense and jmo, I find it a tiny bit disrespectful to suggest snoangel take her search somewhere else after all the work some members have done here, and the info that's been found.

Also, I know someone who was kicked out of that group for unknown reason after she'd asked for help looking for someone, and she now can't access the replies or any new info that may come up.

 

[lesleyNOPE]

No offense and jmo, I find it a tiny bit disrespectful to suggest snoangel take her search somewhere else after all the work some members have done here, and the info that's been found.

Also, I know someone who was kicked out of that group for unknown reason after she'd asked for help looking for someone, and she now can't access the replies or any new info that may come up.

I’m not sure how it’s disrespectful to ask if she has posted in a group of 150k+ people that also help locate missing people in addition to this website. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

ETA there has even been discussion in this thread of a video that is being made with info about this case to be posted on other platforms so I don’t feel I was out of line. It doesn’t discredit what anyone here has done for her.

 

[Snoangel26]

I’ve been reading this thread over the last few days so forgive me if I missed this; but have you posted this on the Investigation Connection fb page? I have seen some really wild info found pretty quickly on there sometimes.

Sorry if this is against the rules.

Yes I have. I have joined so many groups that I had no idea were out there.

 

[Snoangel26]

With the help of @megs1477 got an address for Leonard that I was informed did Tae Kwon Do with Stephen. I wrote a letter and mailed it out today. Hopefully it's the right person , that he responds, and remembers.

 

[MamaSleuth5]

@Snoangel26 I'm so happy for you with each step you take towards finding your father! I'm following your journey closely and if I can do anything to help, I will do my best. Your dedication is truly inspiring.

P.S. Slightly O/T but 6 years ago I got to meet my birth family through the help of my birth mother's friend, who is a "search angel". Sadly my birth mother had passed away but I've been able to build a wonderful relationship with my birth siblings and family. I'm thankful for the chance to have a great adoptive family and now a great birth family. I'd be glad to ask our search angel for any tips she can share, if you'd like.

Keep pressing on! We'll keep cheering you on!

 

[Snoangel26]

@Snoangel26 I'm so happy for you with each step you take towards finding your father! I'm following your journey closely and if I can do anything to help, I will do my best. Your dedication is truly inspiring.

P.S. Slightly O/T but 6 years ago I got to meet my birth family through the help of my birth mother's friend, who is a "search angel". Sadly my birth mother had passed away but I've been able to build a wonderful relationship with my birth siblings and family. I'm thankful for the chance to have a great adoptive family and now a great birth family. I'd be glad to ask our search angel for any tips she can share, if you'd like.

Keep pressing on! We'll keep cheering you on!

I will gladly accept tips and advice. Thank you. I very happy you are able to build a relationship with birth family.

 

[#JUSTICE4WILDER]

@Snoangel26 just a heads up to let you know that your latest attempt to find information about your father on Investigation Discovery (not sure I have that in the right order but YKWIM ) has been seen. I hope you get more information today! I'm proud of you lady.

 

[Snoangel26]

@Snoangel26 just a heads up to let you know that your latest attempt to find information about your father on Investigation Discovery (not sure I have that in the right order but YKWIM ) has been seen. I hope you get more information today! I'm proud of you lady.

I'm sorry, but I'm confused.

 

[#JUSTICE4WILDER]

I'm sorry, but I'm confused.

I don't think I'm breaking rules but whoever posted it, there is a request for information on the Facebook group Investigation Connection asking for help finding Steven. I was just wanting to let you know that I can see it so it's reaching people and I hope that the members in that group are able to dig up some other avenues in searching for the answers. I'm sorry if I wasn't as clear. I'd never want you to feel confused.

 

[devertere]

Somebody probably posted this before but I have no time to go through the whole thread. I found a Stephen Murphy, in a 1992/93 Navy register, that I feel has a lot of resemblance:

EDIT

@buyerninety
Since you apparently won't allow an answer to your unkind private message that called this post "ridiculous", I thought I'd explain my line of reasoning here; where both the persons looking for Steve and you can review it.

It could be that I skipped over it but: The missing Stephen Lee Murphy, from what I skimmed through, had no military MC record after 1976, when he disappeared.

While I admit it isn't the most likely case, I wanted to leave the judgement of this information up to those searching for him. Personally, I see a lot of resemblance in the picture, especially the nose, but I could be completely wrong.

Him quitting/abandoning the MC in 1976 and then (re)joining another military branch a few years later is not out of the realm of possibility. In the 70's/early 80's there weren't wide-spread centralized databases like there are now and a popular name like Steve/Stephen Murphy won't necessarily ring alarm bells.

I have no idea which awards he has on his uniform and am more than happy to admit it is impossible that it is him, if these couldn't be gathered in, let's say, a period between 1980-1992.

In any way, you coming at me like that is completely un-necessary. Websleuths is a kind community and it would be great if we could keep it this way.

 

[megs1477]

Somebody probably posted this before but I have no time to go through the whole thread. I found a Stephen Murphy, in a 1992/93 Navy register, that I feel has a lot of resemblance:

View attachment 432263


EDIT

@buyerninety
Since you apparently won't allow an answer to your unkind private message that called this post "ridiculous", I thought I'd explain my line of reasoning here; where both the persons looking for Steve and you can review it.

It could be that I skipped over it but: The missing Stephen Lee Murphy, from what I skimmed through, had no military MC record after 1976, when he disappeared.

While I admit it isn't the most likely case, I wanted to leave the judgement of this information up to those searching for him. Personally, I see a lot of resemblance in the picture, especially the nose, but I could be completely wrong.

Him quitting/abandoning the MC in 1976 and then (re)joining another military branch a few years later is not out of the realm of possibility. In the 70's/early 80's there weren't wide-spread centralized databases like there are now and a popular name like Steve/Stephen Murphy won't necessarily ring alarm bells.

I have no idea which awards he has on his uniform and am more than happy to admit it is impossible that it is him, if these couldn't be gathered in, let's say, a period between 1980-1992.

In any way, you coming at me like that is completely un-necessary. Websleuths is a kind community and it would be great if we could keep it this way.

He wears glasses and has a mole on his cheek.

I have no idea what your post is in response to, but as someone who has devoted a tremendous amount of time to this case…please think about how others might take your assertion of not having time to get up to speed on the case. If there are more pages of information than you have time to read…please consider that people have spent considerable time and effort searching for answers and have probably already ruled out anything you were able to dig up in a cursory search. Help is always appreciated! But please take a moment to see what has been done, or ask for a summary before diving in. It shows respect for those that have devoted so much already.

 

[devertere]

He wears glasses and has a mole on his cheek.

I have no idea what your post is in response to, but as someone who has devoted a tremendous amount of time to this case…please think about how others might take your assertion of not having time to get up to speed on the case. If there are more pages of information than you have time to read…please consider that people have spent considerable time and effort searching for answers and have probably already ruled out anything you were able to dig up in a cursory search. Help is always appreciated! But please take a moment to see what has been done, or ask for a summary before diving in. It shows respect for those that have devoted so much already.

Oh, thank you, that is something I simply never considered. It isn't something that ever thought of respectless but I follow your line of thinking now and apologize. It wasn't my intention to make it seem I wasn't interested. I'm neurodivergent and have a hard time reading through long threads, so I sometimes start searching instead of getting the full background.

I will keep in mind that my random information dumps are not helpful for threads like this.

Apologies and thank you for calling me out, in a respectful and helpful manner.

 

[FromGermany1]

I once, very long ago, searched for a man, who I thought, could have been the un-registered bio-father of my husband, a prisoner of war in 1943/44, his potential illegitimate child born 10/44. I had a name of the man and the advice, he had sometime left France (and left a family plus a failing business) to live in Northern Germany (searching for his love from war-times), but using an unknown alias. I had photos of him (even a mugshot) and tried to find him, when Internet and Google wasn't yet available. - I didn't find him and gave up, when the young man in France, I had contact with by chance (the illegitimate son of the ex-war-prisoner) committed suicide. It wasn't worth to search along with no result, if I couldn't help him also.
I had written letters to all institutions/companies, which could have had registered "Jay", to ask for him. But nothing. Even a newspaper ad, I posted in a certain newspaper of the region, where he was assumed to be living under his unknown false name, didn't produce any result. Within the ad I told him, that he perhaps would find his unknown son and his 3 grand kids, if he would answer. Nothing.

Nowadays, with the help of the internet, I think, a search would be more successful. And your search, Snoangel, will be successful at the end, I'm hoping! Contact all institutions, that could have somehow registered Stephen (Steve). I know, the problem is the missing SSN, but maybe, you will succeed despite the missing number!

ETA: I searched in Northern Germany for "Jay" at:
Health insurance
Financial institutions
Chamber of crafts
Fast food restaurant, where he was seen once
German Red Cross, responsible for prisoners of war

Of course I know, that little Germany and only the Northern part of it is nothing compared to the US.