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Case File 4369DMWA


Richard Emanuel Lawrence
Missing since February 28, 1986 from Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington
Classification: Endangered Missing
Vital Statistics
-
[*]Date Of Birth: July 12, 1922
[*]Age at Time of Disappearance: 63 years old
[*]Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'0"; 125 lbs.
[*]Distinguishing Characteristics: Black male. Black hair; brown eyes. Black rim glasses, with prescription lens in the right lens. The left lens was plain glass.
[*]Clothing: Black fur type knee length coat, Black Russian style hat, white shirt with tie. Black dress shoes size, 5.
[*]Medical: He had suffered a heart attack a year before, and wore a pacemaker. He had experienced memory lapses just before his disappearance. He was depressed about his physical condition. - DNA: Available
Circumstances of Disappearance
On the last day of February 1986, the Reverend Richard Lawrence of Portland, who was in Tacoma with his wife for a religious conference, left his motel room to put gasoline in his car. The Lawrences were in Tacoma for a three-day meeting of the Pacific Northwest District Council of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. Lawrence was a district elder of the church.
He became lost while driving in Portland two weeks before the Tacoma trip and again in Tacoma the day before he vanished, according to family and police reports.
His vehicle was located on a logging road in the town of Vader, Lewis County, WA on April 28, 1986, 80 miles south of Tacoma.
It is believed that Lawrence was headed home to Portland, Oregon when he left Tacoma. His vehicle was out of gas when it was located. Lewis County sheriff's deputies found a page from The Oregonian dated the day he left Tacoma near the car. In his handwriting, a note on the newspaper read: ``Will pick up car tonight or tomorrow.''
A search of the area where the vehicle was located produced no clues as to the whereabouts of Richard Lawrence. After the car was found, authorities checked the area and found two residents who had seen a man fitting his general description on the logging road the day after Lawrence left Tacoma. In both cases, the man did not indicate that he needed any help.
Following a hearing, a Multnomah County Circuit Judge declared Richard Lawrence dead as of July 24, 1987.
Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Tacoma Police Department
253-591-5993
Agency Case Number: 86-197 0451
Source Information:
Namus
Oregonian, The (Portland, OR) - October 22, 1987
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/4369dmwa.html
https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/8789/