Ricky A. Peterson, 16, disappeared from Washington, Missouri, with the last confirmed sighting on January 7, 1981. His car was found abandoned on the Highway 47 bridge over the Missouri River, which prompted concern that he may have jumped into the river. At the time he was described as a white male, 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 140 pounds, with brown hair.

The Washington Police Department opened an investigation (case file 81-26) that remains unsolved. His case is listed in NamUs as MP36957. No witnesses or recovered remains have been reported, so the idea that he took his own life is a presumption based on the vehicle’s location rather than a confirmed fact.

Are there any readers who remember Ricky, his routine around Washington in January 1981, or who have information that could help close this case?