Account
Aug 23, 2017
Apr 17, 2024
Thomas
Goodell
38
31
72 inches
195 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
In the waterfront city of Oak Harbor, Washington, a sense of unease settled over the community in the summer of 2017. Thirty-one-year-old Thomas James Goodell, a local man known for his extensive and distinctive tattoos, had vanished. On or about June 23, 2017, Thomas was last seen in Oak Harbor, but the circumstances surrounding his disappearance were anything but ordinary. Before he went missing, he took the unusual steps of selling his personal vehicle and his boat. The last known communication from him was a text message to a friend, a brief and somewhat cryptic message stating that he had "paid the rent" and "went to Baker Lake." This message, coupled with the sale of his prized possessions, painted a puzzling picture for his loved ones and the authorities. The initial days following Thomas’s last contact were filled with a growing sense of dread and confusion. Approximately a week after he was last heard from, his work vehicle was discovered abandoned near his place of employment, adding another layer of mystery to the case. The discovery of the truck, without any sign of Thomas, only deepened the fears of those who knew him. Friends and family were left to grapple with the conflicting pieces of information: the planned nature of selling his belongings and paying his rent, against the unsettling abandonment of his work truck and his sudden silence. The community was left to wonder if his trip to Baker Lake was a planned getaway or something more permanent. The investigation into Thomas Goodell’s disappearance was launched by the Island County Sheriff's Office, but the case quickly grew cold. Despite the circulation of his description, including his notable tattoos—full arm sleeves featuring a mermaid and Poseidon, a pirate ship, and various other personal markings—no credible sightings were reported. His case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under the number MP39601. The overview of the case remains one of profound mystery. A man who seemingly tied up loose ends by settling his rent and selling his major assets, also sent a final, ambiguous message before disappearing, leaving his work vehicle behind. The question of what happened to Thomas Goodell after he left Oak Harbor, and whether his journey to Baker Lake was a destination of choice or a path to an unknown fate, continues to be unanswered, leaving a void in the lives of those he left behind.
Jun 23, 2017
Oak Harbor
Washington
Island County
98277
No
33952
Island County Sheriff's Office
Coupeville
Washington
Island County
98239
Laura Price
Sgt.
101 Northeast 6th Street, Washington
3606784422
County
Law Enforcement
17-i11376
2017-06-23
Island County Sheriff's Office
Blond/Strawberry
Blue
Blue
06/24/2026
