Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP19948) and 5 other sources
In the late 1970s, a 36-year-old man named Robert Ronald Tippit vanished, leaving behind a story with few clear details. The last confirmed contact with him was on January 1, 1980, and he was reported missing from Kansas City, Missouri. However, accounts suggest he was last seen by those who knew him sometime in 1977 or 1978. At the time of his disappearance, Robert was described as a white male with brown hair and brown eyes, standing at 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing around 180 pounds. He was also known by the nickname Bob and may have used several aliases, including Richard Allen Lais, Ron Roberts, and Arthur Dewuane Tippit. The circumstances surrounding his last known whereabouts are vague, creating a painful uncertainty for those left behind.

The timeline leading up to Robert's disappearance is fragmented but troubling. It is believed that he may have traveled to California. In 1979, while in California, he testified in a court case against a suspect involved in prostitution. Following his testimony, Robert was reportedly beaten up and had mentioned that people were after him. Shortly after this harrowing experience, he returned to Topeka, Kansas, before moving to Kansas City, where he was last officially located. The connection between his testimony, the subsequent assault, and his ultimate disappearance remains a central, unanswered question in his case.

The years have done little to unravel the mystery of what happened to Robert Tippit. The case was officially created in the NamUs database on April 11, 2013, many years after he was last seen, with the Topeka Police Department listed as the investigating agency. The lack of concrete information and the passage of decades have made the search for answers incredibly difficult. The unsettling events that preceded his disappearance, particularly his involvement in a criminal court case and the violence he endured as a result, suggest a man who may have been in serious danger. His case is a somber reminder of a life interrupted, leaving a void of information and a family without closure.

Last Seen: Jan 1, 1980

Possible Unidentified Matches (5)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

81%Moderate
John Doe — Missouri
UP5021 • Found Apr 22, 1992
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 92%39 mi away, same state
TimingFound 12 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%165 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
80%Moderate
John Doe — Kansas City, Missouri
UP5320 • Found Oct 30, 1995
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%2 mi away, same county
TimingFound 16 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'10"
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
80%Moderate
John Doe — Kansas - unidentified case UP2357
John Doe — Kansas
UP2357 • Found Feb 24, 1983
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Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 86%60 mi away
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"
Weight 98%160 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
78%Possible
John Doe — Kansas City, Missouri - unidentified case UP98236
John Doe — Kansas City, Missouri
UP98236 • Found Jul 3, 2004
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–42 vs 36 when missing
Race 60%Hispanic
Location 100%Same area, same county
TimingFound 25 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"
Weight 89%152 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — Kansas City, Missouri
UP11507 • Found Aug 5, 2013
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 35–55 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%4 mi away, same state
TimingFound 34 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.