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Missing Thomas Eldon Bowman 
Thomas, approximately 1957; Age at the time of disappearance: -progression at Age at the time of disappearance: 60 (approximately 2009); Mack Ray Edwards Date reported missing : 03/23/1957 Missing location (approx) : Altadena, California Missing classification : Endangered Missing Gender : Male Ethnicity : White DOB : 01/06/1949 (72) Age at the time of disappearance: 8 years old Height / Weight : 4'0, 50 pounds Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A blue plaid t-shirt, blue jeans, brown shoes and a belt with a Davy Crockett buckle. Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos : Caucasian male. Blond hair, brown eyes. Thomas's nickname is Tommy. He has gold bands on the back of his teeth and several silver fillings, and two of his teeth are missing. Thomas has a receding chin. His ears protrude. Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Thomas was last seen walking with his cousins and other family members on a trail in Arroyo Cinco Canyon in Altadena, California on March 23, 1957. He told his relatives he was running ahead to the car, and when his loved ones got there later, he was not there. An extensive search produced no clues as to his whereabouts. A week after Thomas disappeared, a letter was mailed to his home which stated he was alive and well and being cared for by an unidentified man. Another letter sent to a newspaper stated that Thomas was living in Oklahoma. It is unknown whether either communication was authentic; neither one lead to Thomas's whereabouts. Authorities believe Mack Ray Edwards was responsible for Thomas's disappearance. In 1970, Edwards pleaded guilty to killing three California children and sentenced to death at his own request. He confessed to killing Brenda Howell, Donald Baker and Roger Madison as well, and authorities believe he was also most likely responsible for the disappearances of Bruce Kremen, Ramona Price and Karen Tompkins. Edwards lead authorities to a site where he said he had buried some of his victims, but no evidence was located. He died by suicide on death row in 1971. A photograph of Edwards is posted with this case summary. His alleged victims ranged in Age at the time of disappearance: from seven to sixteen years old. Thomas's case was reopened in 2007 as authorities renewed the search for the bodies of Edwards's victims. He was employed as a heavy equipment operator in the 1950s and 1960s, and helped construct many highways across the state of California. Investigators believe he may have buried the children's remains under the highways. Other information and links : ncy Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office 323-526-5541 September 2021 updates and sources The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children The Doe Network California Attorney General's Office Pasadena Star News Newspaper Archive The Los Angeles Times The Whittier Daily News A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece. |