Hugh Frederick Harlin, 51, vanished on November 1, 1986 after finishing a two-day construction job in San Simeon, California. He was last seen about 1:30 p.m. leaving the site to drive the 27 miles back to his home in Morro Bay. The next day a friend found Harlin’s blue 1967 Chevrolet utility bed pickup on the side of Highway 1 near Cambria with the hood up, doors locked, and personal items inside — glasses, sleeping bag, backpack, tools and lunch.

Investigators noted the truck’s fuel line had been removed and Harlin’s keys were later found in the grass nearby, prompting a theory that he may have walked off seeking help. A short local search by sheriff’s deputies on November 4 and a larger rescue-team search four days later turned up no trace of him. Harlin’s case is complicated by the unsolved 1982 strangling death of his wife, Dian Harlin, for which he was once a person of interest but was later ruled out.

Friends and some investigators have proposed foul play, possibly linked to the earlier murder, while others point to Harlin’s survivalist skills and past unannounced trips as a reason he might have staged a disappearance. No definitive evidence has emerged. If anyone knew Hugh, his routines, or saw his truck along Highway 1 that week, please share what happened.