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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 6 sources
Alan Wayne Soper, a 22-year-old recent college graduate, was last heard from on June 7, 1974, when he contacted his family from Sacramento, California. After graduating from Oklahoma State University, Soper had decided to travel the country. His method of travel involved offering to help truck drivers load and unload their cargo in exchange for rides. He had reportedly posted a notice at a truck stop near his home in Oklahoma and received a response from a trucker.

Soper, who was 5'11" and 160 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes, was close with his family and girlfriend and had no history of disappearing. He had several distinguishing characteristics, including a scar on his wrist, a dimple in his left cheek, a cleft chin, and a surgically repaired deviated septum. His family last heard his voice in a phone call where he told them he was in Sacramento. After this communication, he was never heard from again. Foul play is suspected in his disappearance.

Three years after he vanished, on June 8, 1977, a significant but grim discovery was made in Needles, California, a city located in San Bernardino County. Two boys found Soper's clothing and wallet in a desert area near Eagle Pass Wash. The items were weathered, suggesting they had been there for a considerable time. Despite the discovery of his personal belongings, which reportedly contained a large sum of money, no further evidence of Soper's whereabouts was found during a subsequent search of the area. The Tulsa, Oklahoma police department is assisting in the ongoing investigation into his disappearance.

Last Seen: Jun 7, 1974

Possible Unidentified Matches (1)

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.

75%Possible
John Doe — Long Beach, California
UP8840 • Found Jun 18, 1974
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–35 vs 22
Race 100%White
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 11 days after last seen
Weight 90%184 lb vs 160 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.