WA WA - Spokane - WhtMale 40-60 - UP483 - Known as 'Slow Harold' - Jul'81

[Dee-El-See]

Hello all. It makes me so sad to see these types of cases go unsolved for so long.

I have some thoughts about the circumstances of this particular case:

1. Mental challenges (caused by illness or injury) is very common among the transient population. That combined with the nickname "Slow Harold" makes me think this is definitely a factor that needs to be considered seriously in this gentleman's circumstances.
2. If there is a mental injury involved, it is quite possible that "Harold" could potentially be a mispronounciation (or misunderstanding by others) of another similar sounding name.
3. While the name "Klene" was found written on a clothing tag, I'm not convinced it actually points to his identity. Clothing is often donated to homeless shelters and organisations for those living the transient lifestyle and this could simply be the surname of the previous owner. Same goes for the dry cleaning tags found.

Taking these points and what we know about this gentleman into consideration, my feeling is that he could be John Haywood Barreto:

• WebSleuths: FL - FL - John Haywood Barreto, 35. Miami, 20 Jan 1977
• NamUs: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
• Doe Network: 4301DMOR - John Haywood Barreto
• Charley Project: John Haywood Barreto – The Charley Project

John was originally from Virginia but was last seen in Lake Oswego, Oregon. He was an army veteran who experienced mental issues allegedly caused by taking LSD while serving. This caused him to wander "in an aimless manner" usually in warmer places, and he would occasionally call his mother and have her wire him money from his army pension. She last heard from him on 20 January 1977 when she wired him money in Miami, Florida.

My thoughts on this:

1. John went missing four and a half years before this gentleman's remains were discovered in a transient camp in Spokane, Washington.
2. Given John's history with mental challenges, it is conceivable that he either could have suffered a mental breakdown or accident that further impacted his mental capacity to the point where his speech may have been somewhat impaired. This would likely contribute to the "Slow" part of this gentleman's nickname.
3. Following on from the third point, John's middle name is Haywood. If you slur your speech while saying that name, it could very easily be mistakenly heard as Harold.
4. While John apparently preferred wandering in warmer climates, he clearly also wandered in colder locations considering he was last seen in Oregon. It is conceivable that he could have made his way back to the PNW where things are more familiar.
5. While no mention is made about the condition of John's teeth in anything I could find, it is very possible that he could have lost all of his teeth due to neglect by 1981 especially if he had been transient for quite some time before his disappearance.
6. Following on from the fifth point, I found a link on Ancestry for a John's military service that confirms the DOB listed for him on the Doe Network's link and that he served in the US Army from 9 August 1964 to 7 April 1967. If he was discharged from the Army in 1967 due to the mental issues he had, it is very conceivable that he had been living a transient lifestyle for close to a decade at the time he disappeared: https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/2441/records/12743690
7. The above-mentioned Ancestry listing also lists a date of death as 21 January 1984. I suspect this is just when he was declared deceased considering the social security claim for him was issued in Virginia where his family lived: https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/3693/records/3101101
8. The above-mentioned Ancestry listing also indicates that his last known residence was in Portland, Oregon. This is a stone's throw from Lake Oswego, which is generally considered to be part of Portland anyway.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on this potential lead. Cheers!