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Forum Posts for Ellis List Jr.:
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Does anyone know the name of the medical conference he was supposedly attending in Scottsdale? There was information that he may have left some of his belongings in the hotel in Scottsdale... I was wondering if he was planning on returning there and flying back home from the Phx Airport.

As of available public information and missing persons records, the specific name of the arthritis-related medical conference List attended in Scottsdale, Arizona in late October 1986 has not been disclosed. However, here are some considerations and possible steps:

  • Professional Affiliations: Given his roles (general practitioner, medical director, and GM medical division head), he likely attended a conference hosted by a major medical association, such as:
  • The American College of Rheumatology
  • A state-level Arizona medical society or continuing education event
  • Timing: The conference would have likely taken place just prior to October 29, so narrowing it to the week of October 26–29, 1986 may help pinpoint the event.

Possible Next Steps:

  • Research archived Scottsdale-area conference center schedules or hotel bookings from October 1986.
  • Contact major rheumatology or general practitioner organizations for conference records from that time.


Ellis Worthington List Jr., 53, disappeared after a short trip from Scottsdale to Globe, Arizona, in the autumn of 1986. A physician and family man from Ohio, he attended a medical conference on arthritis in Scottsdale and checked out of the Copper Hills Inn in Globe in the early morning hours of October 29, 1986. He was driving a rented gold 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier sedan with Colorado plate ZAY-278, which has never been found.

On October 29 he phoned family to ask about renewing his malpractice insurance. The next morning, October 30 at 7:00 a.m., he made a final call saying he expected to return home November 1 or 2 but did not say where he was. Some personal items were reportedly left behind in his Scottsdale hotel room. He was a general practitioner, medical director for nursing homes, and head of a plant medical division, and was described as devoted to his family and community.

No significant leads have been reported and the Gila County Sheriff’s Office is the investigating agency. If anyone knew Dr. List, his travel plans in late October 1986, or saw the pictured rental car, please share what you know.