The Fateful Day: July 12, 2009

Jacob Alden Larson, a 22-year-old from Nikiski, Alaska, vanished on July 12, 2009, during the annual Talkeetna Moose Dropping Festival. Witnesses reported that Larson and two companions were jumping off railroad pilings where the Alaska Railroad crosses the Talkeetna River. During one of these jumps, Larson was swept away by the river's current. His friends attempted to follow him along the riverbank but lost sight of him as he disappeared around a bend into the Susitna River.  

The Moose Dropping Festival: A Day of Chaos

The Moose Dropping Festival, typically a family-friendly event benefiting the Talkeetna Historical Society, turned chaotic that year. Alaska State Troopers described the town as becoming "unglued" due to multiple disturbances, fights, and gang-related activities. Troopers were diverted from the search for Larson to address these incidents, which included reports of campers being harassed and assaulted.  ...Read More