WA WA - Christopher Wells, 16, Seattle, 13 Dec 1972

[Classito]

UID in Kansas found April 1973--Estimated date of death 2 to 4 weeks prior
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...8UMKS-17-20-buffalo-nickel-belt-buckle-Apr-73

Clothing fits, timeline fits, age, height and weight fits, hair color is off but length fits. UID had jewelry. Last photo of Chris looks like he wore some type of necklace although none has been reported. May be worth a comparison

Clothing: Blue jeans with a stop sign patch symbol on the back left pocket, a black leather belt with a large buffalo nickel buckle, waist-length brown Sturdy Wear corduroy hack with a zipper closure (size Small), a green JC Penney long-sleeved button-up shirt (size Small), black leather gloves, a navy blue stocking cap, blue socks, and brown Vomper hiking boots.
Estimated age: 17-20 years old (estimated)
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'8-5'10"; 145-150 lbs. (estimated)
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown wavy, below the ear length hair.

https://identifyus.org/cases/2344

http://doenetwork.org/cases/1088umks.html

Classito

 

[alllads]

UID in Kansas found April 1973--Estimated date of death 2 to 4 weeks prior
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...8UMKS-17-20-buffalo-nickel-belt-buckle-Apr-73

Clothing fits, timeline fits, age, height and weight fits, hair color is off but length fits. UID had jewelry. Last photo of Chris looks like he wore some type of necklace although none has been reported. May be worth a comparison

Clothing: Blue jeans with a stop sign patch symbol on the back left pocket, a black leather belt with a large buffalo nickel buckle, waist-length brown Sturdy Wear corduroy hack with a zipper closure (size Small), a green JC Penney long-sleeved button-up shirt (size Small), black leather gloves, a navy blue stocking cap, blue socks, and brown Vomper hiking boots.
Estimated age: 17-20 years old (estimated)
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'8-5'10"; 145-150 lbs. (estimated)
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown wavy, below the ear length hair.

https://identifyus.org/cases/2344

http://doenetwork.org/cases/1088umks.html

Classito

The time difference also throws me off... There's no details of jewelry for Christopher, but in one post I've laid out what he was known to be wearing (the list was provided to the police I think by his mother). In it, it explicitly lists that he definitely was not wearing any jewelry at the time. So it's not an omission, but more of a statement that he wasn't wearing anything like that. If that makes sense.

 

[sasha17]

UID in Kansas found April 1973--Estimated date of death 2 to 4 weeks prior
KS - KS - Anderson Co., WhtMale 1088UMKS, 17-20, buffalo nickel belt buckle, Apr'73

Clothing fits, timeline fits, age, height and weight fits, hair color is off but length fits. UID had jewelry. Last photo of Chris looks like he wore some type of necklace although none has been reported. May be worth a comparison

Clothing: Blue jeans with a stop sign patch symbol on the back left pocket, a black leather belt with a large buffalo nickel buckle, waist-length brown Sturdy Wear corduroy hack with a zipper closure (size Small), a green JC Penney long-sleeved button-up shirt (size Small), black leather gloves, a navy blue stocking cap, blue socks, and brown Vomper hiking boots.
Estimated age: 17-20 years old (estimated)
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'8-5'10"; 145-150 lbs. (estimated)
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown wavy, below the ear length hair.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

1088UMKS

Classito

According to NamUs, Christopher Wells was excluded as that UID. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Also adding two photos here from Christopher's NamUs page, as it looks like the photos no longer work in the posts above.

Age progression to 57 years old:

 

[theshadow45]

The 47th anniversary of Chris's disappearance passed recently, his updated Charley Project page: Christopher Brian Wells – The Charley Project.

 

[sammyed]

Bumping for Christopher

 

[theshadow45]

Missing for 48 years today.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping for Christopher, today is his birthday.

 

[Diane Redfern]

(...)
At the time of his disappearance, Christopher also had a billfold with his ID, and had a Washington driving permit.
(...)
Christopher was apparently doing drivers education (paid by his dad), and his mother & stepfather had promised him a car for Christmas if he passed driver's ed - Chris was very excited about this. He did not attend sessions after the disappearance date, but had been doing well.

If he was taking driving lessons, how did he have a Washington driver permit? Is it necessary a driving student permit to take the driving lessons in the U. S.?

 

[sasha17]

If he was taking driving lessons, how did he have a Washington driver permit? Is it necessary a driving student permit to take the driving lessons in the U. S.?

Yes. At least in Washington state, you have to get a driving permit before you can take drivers education. This type of permit allows you to drive with a teacher, but not alone, until you pass the test to get a full license.

 

[Diane Redfern]

Yes. At least in Washington state, you have to get a driving permit before you can take drivers education. This type of permit allows you to drive with a teacher, but not alone, until you pass the test to get a full license.

Thank you. Here in Spain it's not necessary.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, today is Christopher’s birthday.

 

[TSL7584]

Over 49 years missing

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, the 50th anniversary of Christopher’s disappearance passed recently.

 

[theshadow45]

Christopher has been missing for 51 years this month.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, today is Christopher’s birthday.

 

[madamx]

Great job on all the info that was found and posted on Chris. Thank you…wish it could find him. 52 years now in a couple of weeks. Bump

 

[theshadow45]

Christopher has been missing for 52 years today.

 

[sunflowermomma]

Has this ever been posted here? From the December 3, 1976 issue of The Seattle Times:

 

[sunflowermomma]

August 19, 1973 issue of The Seattle Times:

 

[DD Byrd]

Going to back to the beginning...I don't see a boy described as obsessed with being clean, and reportedly going home to take a bath after playing pool (but before going back for a card game, per the article) hitchhiking impulsively into the unknown, drunk or not. I find it hard to believe he'd be without clean clothes or facilities on the road for an indeterminate time - to then pop up in CA as any of the sightings. Unless not of his own choice, of course, but I think like most cases, this was close to home. Literally.

I envision something unexpected happening with his friends and/or the 'outsiders,' perhaps a drunken accident or prank gone wrong. If his friends "can't remember" what was purchased at 7-11, my first guess is alcohol, possibly by an of-age outsider. At that point, he may have over-indulged and died in one way or another. (aspirated, cracked his head on a curb). Friends/outsiders may have panicked, esp if he was obviously dead. They may have then kept quiet long enough that when they decided to come forward it was too late without ramifications - i.e. concealment of a body even with accidental death. Let alone the guilt towards the family. His father died right after the disappearance, so I can see the boys weighing whether to double-whammy his mother with Chris's death as well versus letting her think he'd just taken off for a bit. After some time, we're back to keeping quiet for the ramifications and to try to dissociate.

Darker take...since the friends alluded to a dust-up, in a drunken stupor Chris mentioned he was heading home to take a bath - I'm thinking of repercussions of saying that in front of the same people poking with cue sticks. Dramatic leap here - he is taken for a "bath" he doesn't survive...that 7-11 is not far from water in multiple directions. Less dramatic...he died after a fight and to quickly get rid of his body, was thrown in the water (i.e. at the industrial park (straight up Fairmount Ave SW, GMaps "Luna Girl" sculpture, fairly barren even now). He'd sink like a stone and be carried who knows where with that vortex of currents.

All in all, I think he died that night, whether the friends know the specifics or not. I believe the blurred truth is already in the files, either twisted up in fragments on the witness statements and/or insinuated but not actionable, with a dash of lying by omission.