Gus Henry Hoffman Jr., 20, vanished from San Jose on July 4, 1978. He was last seen leaving his parents’ home about 5:00 p.m. on a recently restored 1966 Harley-Davidson Sportster that he had shown his brother earlier that day. Gus was not a regular rider, but restoring vintage motorcycles had become a hobby.

Witnesses said they saw Gus with two men from a local motorcycle gang who were threatening him with chains, then followed him as he rode away. A lengthy investigation concluded Gus was likely abducted, taken to a garage in San Jose, and brutally tortured and killed by gang members. His body and the motorcycle have never been recovered, and the case remains an unresolved missing person case even though authorities say foul play was involved.

Did anyone in San Jose in 1978 know Gus, his restored Sportster, or those men from the gang and have information to add?