Name: Richard Emanuel Lawrence
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: February 28, 1986
Location Last Seen: Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington
Date of Birth: July 12, 1922
Age: 63 years old
Race: Black
Gender: Male
Height: 5'0"
Weight: 125 lbs.
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Black rim glasses, with prescription lens in the right lens. The left lens was plain glass. 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.
Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Available
Clothing: Black fur type knee length coat, Black Russian style hat, white shirt with tie. Black dress shoes size, 5.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
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.
Agency Name: Tacoma Police Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 253-591-5993
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 86-197 0451
Namus
Oregonian, The (Portland, OR) - October 22, 1987
Added: 12-14-2010; Last Updated: 11-13-2021 - By: Htmlcnvtr
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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