Eli Robert Sharclane was 19 when he vanished from Juneau in late September 1977; NamUs records list September 23, 1977, as his last contact while some court records describe a critical confrontation on or shortly after September 25, creating a discrepancy of about two days. He was described as an American Indian/Alaska Native male, approximately 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, 145 to 165 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, last seen wearing a brown coat and brown dress shoes.

Court records describe a confrontation on the Juneau-Douglas Bridge in which Peter Castillo struck Eli, chased him across the bridge and later told police he had thrown Eli over the railing. No eyewitness saw Eli go over the railing and his body was never recovered. Castillo was indicted and ultimately convicted of attempted murder; the Alaska Supreme Court affirmed that conviction on July 11, 1980. Investigators checked travel records and contacted communities where Eli had ties but found no confirmed departures or reliable postdisappearance sightings.

Does anyone have information about Eli’s last known movements in Juneau or memories of that bridge area in September 1977?