Account
Nov 07, 2013
May 31, 2023
John
Akkerman
64
27
72 inches
160 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
On a summer night in Spokane, Washington, the course of a young man's life took an irreversible and mysterious turn. John Allen Akkerman, a 27-year-old taxi driver, vanished during his shift on August 7, 1987. The day was not just another workday for John; it was his fourth wedding anniversary with his wife, Aleta, with whom he shared a two-year-old son. Just after midnight, at 12:20 a.m., John radioed his dispatcher at Checker Cab Co. to report that he was picking up a male customer at Fifth and Wall, near Deaconess Medical Center. He stated the destination was Spokane Valley, and with that, all communication from him ceased. Approximately two hours later, a fellow cab driver discovered John's taxi abandoned at the intersection of Fifth and Madison, merely four blocks from where he had picked up his last fare. The cab was found in a peculiar state: parked at an odd angle, unlocked, and with the windows rolled down. John was described as a white male, standing at 6 feet tall and weighing 160 pounds, with collar-length brown hair and hazel eyes. He wore glasses with brown plastic frames and had long sideburns and a mustache at the time he went missing. His appearance was further distinguished by several tattoos, including a heart with the initials "AJ" and a lightning bolt on his forearm, and another heart with a sword through it on his left shoulder. He also had a six-inch vertical scar above his navel. On the night of his disappearance, he was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with a red and blue checked pattern on the collar and cuffs, new blue jeans, and black low-cut tennis shoes with velcro closures. He also wore a gold-colored necklace with a brass ring and a silver digital wristwatch. The scene inside the abandoned cab offered few clues but painted a troubling picture. There were no immediate signs of a struggle, yet items of significance were both left behind and missing. A knife John carried for protection was found on the seat, but both of his wallets—one for personal use and another for cab fares—were gone. The cab's meter was off, but it showed a fare of $28.55, suggesting a significant distance may have been traveled after he picked up his final passenger. John was regarded as a dependable and good-natured employee by his boss, and his wife firmly believed he would not have left his family and responsibilities voluntarily. The identity of the man he picked up that night has never been determined, and despite searches and police investigations, no substantial leads have emerged. The case of John Akkerman's disappearance remains an unsolved mystery, leaving his family with decades of unanswered questions about the fate of a husband and father who vanished into the night.
Aug 07, 1987
Spokane
Washington
Spokane County
No
14495
Spokane Police Department
Spokane
Washington
Spokane County
99260
Mark Burbridge
Detective
1100 West Mallon Ave, Washington
5096254100
Local
Law Enforcement
87-51746
1987-08-07
Spokane Police Department
Brown
Hazel
Hazel
06/19/2026
