Debra Vowell Missing Person Case

Debra Vowell, aged 21, disappeared on January 24, 1979, off the coast of San Diego, California. She was aboard a 41-foot fishing boat, the *Armistice*, along with her husband, Dennis Vowell, and a friend, Gary Newton. The trio was last seen as they set off on the boat, but they never returned. An extensive air and sea search by the United States Coast Guard, spanning from San Luis Obispo to Ensenada, Mexico, failed to locate the boat or any trace of the occupants.

Authorities later linked the *Armistice* to a large-scale marijuana smuggling organization, raising suspicions that the boat's disappearance could be connected to illegal activities. Two years after Debra went missing, her grandfather, a sergeant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, received a late-night phone call. The voice on the line, which the grandfather believed to be Debra, said, "It's Debbie. I am trying to go to California." However, the call was abruptly disconnected, and no further contact has been made.

Despite the eerie phone call and the investigation into potential criminal connections, Debra, Dennis, Gary, and the boat remain missing, leaving the case unresolved after decades of investigation. Authorities reopened the case in 2003, and it is now considered part of a larger cold case investigation.
Last Seen: Jan 24, 1979

Debra Lee Vowell | State of California - Department of Justice - CA.gov

Debra Lee Vowell - The Charley Project

2206DFCA - Debra Lee Vowell - Doe Network

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