PA PA - Emerson "Red" Carbaugh, 64, Robertsdale 11 Nov 1985

[Gardener1850]

[h=1]1731DMPA - Emerson Edward Carbaugh[/h]

Name: Emerson Edward Carbaugh
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: November 11, 1985
Location Last Seen: Robertsdale, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
[h=2]Physical Description[/h] Date of Birth: July 30, 1921
Age: 64 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 180 lbs.
Hair Color: Red/Auburn
Eye Color: Brown
Nickname/Alias: Red
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Scars on face from rare skin disease (Pemphigus/Valgarus), High blood pressure controlled by medication
[h=2]Identifiers[/h] Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available
[h=2]Clothing & Personal Items[/h] Clothing: Camouflage coat with a green back, brown duck hunting pants, gray wool sweater, black rubber boots and a blue baseball cap
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Remington 870 pump action shotgun
[h=2]Circumstances of Disappearance[/h] Emerson Carbaugh, of St Thomas, PA and his brother-in-law, Ralph Issett of Saxton, PA went turkey hunting in the mountains of Robertsdale. The men split up, each taking a different path through the woods. In late afternoon, Ralph emerged from the woods alone. He waited for a while but, with darkness quickly descending and thinking that perhaps Red had lost his way, Ralph fired 1/2 dozen rounds into the air. To no avail. His hunting partner was never seen again. Despite exhaustive searches covering a 12-mile radius no evidence to his whereabouts were found.
In 2004, Red Carbaugh's wife was contacted by someone claiming to have information about Red's fate. According to this informant, Red had been killed and buried on a farm in the Robertsdale area. The person also claimed to have dug up a bone on the farm which was turned over to the State Police at Huntingdon, along with the information the person possessed. The State Police turned the bone over to the PA DNA lab in Greensburg, but because the bone was too small - a fragment only - and too degraded, it was impossible to extract any DNA from it.
[h=2]Investigating Agency(s)[/h] Agency Name: Pennsylvania State Police
Agency Contact Person: Trooper Dana Martini
Agency Phone Number: 814-696-6100
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: G03-0262430
NCIC Case Number: M-176018538
NamUs Case Number: 784
[h=2]Information Source(s)[/h] NamUs
PA Missing Persons
Public Opinion - 11/5/05


http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1731dmpa.html

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/784/

http://charleyproject.org/case/emerson-edward-carbaugh

 

[Coffee56]

Emerson “Red” Carbaugh - Strange disappearances in U.S. forests

 

[dulldullmike]

Very odd case. I used to go to the strip mines in that area as a kid to look for fossils with my uncle. This is in the very area I live. While property owners in the area can be hostile if you're caught on their land hunting (and trust me, I've seen a few in my time) I don't see what sort of threat Red could have been to anyone in the area to warrant his murder over a property/trespassing dispute. Given his age and health issues, I would assume IMO that he died of natural causes, and just wasn't found. Given the remoteness of the area, I find it plausible that he could very well have died in those woods and just was not found. There are very thick areas with hard-to-navigate terrain.

I'll put it this way, as a very experienced hunter, I can count on one hand (maybe two) the times I have found a deer skull or bones while hunting. I've never once found a bear skull or bones. Scavengers scatter the bones and drag them into rocks, trees, and holes. Squirrels and rodents chew and gnaw on bones. Time is a factor as well, and with each season the leaves cover, decompose, turn to soil, and eventually consume skeletons of dead critters. It is very possible that his skeletal remains and shotgun are still in those woods.

If an older fella was to try and cut through brush and brambles to get to another area to hunt, had a heart attack, and died in the middle of the thick, it is completely possible they walked right passed him while searching. This was the days before bright orange vests and hats were required. His clothes were described as "Camouflage coat with a green back, brown duck hunting pants, gray wool sweater, black rubber boots and a blue baseball cap". That blue hat was the only thing that would have been noticed from the sky, or by searchers, and had he fallen, laid over that hat, you have nothing but drab colors. I want to look into this more and see if there are any members of the fire department in the area that were in the search, and see if I can get any other info that isn't able to be gathered by an internet search.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Emerson Edward Carbaugh – The Charley Project

 

[Pennysmom2]

Emerson “Red” Carbaugh went missing Nov. 11, 1985, while hunting in the woods near Robertsdale, in Wood Township, Huntingdon County.

Emerson “Red” Carbaugh went missing Nov. 11, 1985, while hunting in the woods near Robertsdale, in Wood Township, Huntingdon County.

www.pennlive.com

<modsnip - not an approved source>

Emerson Carbaugh Missing

Clipping found in Tyrone Daily Herald published in Tyrone, Pennsylvania on 11/19/1985. Emerson Carbaugh Missing

www.newspapers.com

 

[GuyfromCanada]

AUG 26, 2024

On Nov. 11, 1985, 64-year-old Emerson Carbaugh went hunting with a family member along SR913, approximately two miles south of Robertsdale, state police said. He was reportedly last seen around 4:30 p.m. when he and his family member split up and took different paths in the woods.

More at https://www.abc27.com/news/1985-missing-hunter-case-in-huntingdon-county-still-open-can-you-help/

 

[spartanx]

Very odd case. I used to go to the strip mines in that area as a kid to look for fossils with my uncle. This is in the very area I live. While property owners in the area can be hostile if you're caught on their land hunting (and trust me, I've seen a few in my time) I don't see what sort of threat Red could have been to anyone in the area to warrant his murder over a property/trespassing dispute. Given his age and health issues, I would assume IMO that he died of natural causes, and just wasn't found. Given the remoteness of the area, I find it plausible that he could very well have died in those woods and just was not found. There are very thick areas with hard-to-navigate terrain.

I'll put it this way, as a very experienced hunter, I can count on one hand (maybe two) the times I have found a deer skull or bones while hunting. I've never once found a bear skull or bones. Scavengers scatter the bones and drag them into rocks, trees, and holes. Squirrels and rodents chew and gnaw on bones. Time is a factor as well, and with each season the leaves cover, decompose, turn to soil, and eventually consume skeletons of dead critters. It is very possible that his skeletal remains and shotgun are still in those woods.

If an older fella was to try and cut through brush and brambles to get to another area to hunt, had a heart attack, and died in the middle of the thick, it is completely possible they walked right passed him while searching. This was the days before bright orange vests and hats were required. His clothes were described as "Camouflage coat with a green back, brown duck hunting pants, gray wool sweater, black rubber boots and a blue baseball cap". That blue hat was the only thing that would have been noticed from the sky, or by searchers, and had he fallen, laid over that hat, you have nothing but drab colors. I want to look into this more and see if there are any members of the fire department in the area that were in the search, and see if I can get any other info that isn't able to be gathered by an internet search.

The strangest thing about this case is the man who unearthed the bone fragment... Didn't the police go to that farm? Why did he bring back such a small fragment if he knew where the rest of the remains were, excuse the redundancy? I think it was revenge... perhaps the brother-in-law himself could have planned it... anything could have happened...
whatever it is
Rest in peace, Emerson