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 (MP138891) and 3 other sources
In the autumn of 1972, John Dewayne Burrell, a 35-year-old man from Horatio, Arkansas, embarked on a journey that would ultimately lead to his disappearance. He left his home on November 4, 1972, traveling to McCurtain County, Oklahoma, in the company of another individual. With blond or strawberry-colored hair and standing between 5 feet 7 inches and 6 feet tall, Burrell was a noticeable figure. The specifics of his time in Oklahoma are not widely known, but it is understood that he was in the area for over a year before he was last seen.

The last confirmed sighting of John Burrell was on December 12, 1973, in a rural area west of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. Following this last sighting, information suggests that he may have been taken to the Little River Bridge, which is located approximately two miles south of Horatio, Arkansas, in Sevier County. This critical piece of information shifted the focus of the search back to his home state. In the days and weeks that followed, several searches of the Little River were conducted in an attempt to locate him, but unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful.

Since that winter day in 1973, there has been no record of John Dewayne Burrell. His case remains an unresolved and troubling mystery. The investigation into his disappearance is under the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, Southeast Regional Office. The circumstances surrounding his last known movements, particularly the journey from Oklahoma back to the Little River Bridge in Arkansas, are central to the questions that still linger. The lack of any contact or evidence of his whereabouts after December 12, 1973, has left his family and investigators without answers for decades. This case represents a profound loss and a puzzle that has endured through the years, leaving a community with the lingering uncertainty of what happened to John Burrell.

Last Seen: Dec 12, 1973

Possible Unidentified Matches (7)

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 — Broken Bow, Oklahoma - unidentified case UP4929
John Doe — Broken Bow, Oklahoma
UP4929 • Found Apr 18, 1983
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 97%23 mi away
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'7"–6'0"
Weight 100%145 lb vs 150–185 lb
77%Possible
John Doe — Bethel, Oklahoma - unidentified case UP5061
John Doe — Bethel, Oklahoma
UP5061 • Found Feb 17, 1989
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–37 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 92%40 mi away
TimingFound 15 years after last seen
Height 100%5'4"–5'9" vs 5'7"–6'0"
77%Possible
John Doe — Malvern, Arkansas - unidentified case UP3123
John Doe — Malvern, Arkansas
UP3123 • Found Oct 18, 1984
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 77%93 mi away, same state
TimingFound 11 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"–6'0"
Weight 100%167 lb vs 150–185 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
77%Possible
John Doe — Prescott, Arkansas
UP2924 • Found Jun 27, 1983
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Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 45–70 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 87%57 mi away, same state
TimingFound 10 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'7"–6'0"
Weight 100%170 lb vs 150–185 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
77%Possible
John Doe — Fort Smith, Arkansas
UP2848 • Found May 12, 1983
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 75%100 mi away, same state
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"–6'0"
Weight 100%143 lb vs 150–185 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
75%Possible
John Doe — Dallas, Texas
UP17688 • Found Jan 9, 1981
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–35 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 63%162 mi away
TimingFound 7 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"–6'0"
Weight 65%105 lb vs 150–185 lb
Hair 100%Blond vs Blond
75%Possible
John Doe — Little Rock, Arkansas
UP6297 • Found Nov 25, 1983
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 45–55 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 69%130 mi away, same state
TimingFound 10 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"–6'0"
Weight 100%155 lb vs 150–185 lb

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.

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