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Case Description

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Alvin Edwin "Bud" Matlock, a 21-year-old Army veteran, was last seen in March 1951 in Spokane, Washington. At the time, he lived alone in a cabin on Brownes Mountain in Spokane County. His family initially believed he had moved to Alaska after his disappearance, but when he failed to attend a family Thanksgiving gathering later that year, they grew concerned and began searching for him. His cabin was found abandoned, and Alvin has never been heard from again.

There were rumors ...Read More
Last Seen: Mar 01, 1951

Victim Details

Jan 19, 2012

Jun 19, 2023

Alvin

Matlock

94

21

66 inches

145 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the spring of 1951, a 21-year-old Army veteran named Alvin Edwin Matlock, known to his loved ones as "Bud," disappeared from his home in Spokane, Washington. He was living a quiet life in a cabin on Brownes Mountain in Spokane County at the time he was last seen. The exact date of his disappearance remains uncertain, but it is believed to have been around March 1, 1951. His family was initially unaware that anything was amiss. It was not until he failed to arrive for their Thanksgiving celebration in November of that year that concern began to grow. This absence was out of character for Alvin, prompting his mother to drive to his cabin to check on him. Upon her arrival, Alvin's mother discovered the cabin was empty, and both he and his vehicles were gone. The family was initially told that he had packed his belongings and moved to Alaska. For a time, his younger brother, Clyde, who was only 12 when Alvin vanished, held onto the hope that this was true. However, as years turned into decades with no word from Alvin, the family's hope turned to fear, and they began to suspect that he had met with foul play. The initial belief that he had relocated to Alaska delayed the family's realization of the gravity of the situation. Over the years, rumors have circulated regarding the circumstances of Alvin's disappearance. One persistent story suggests he was involved in an affair with a married woman. According to this rumor, the woman's husband discovered the affair, leading to a confrontation during which Alvin was allegedly shot by the woman. It was even whispered that he had been left to die without any aid. Despite these serious allegations, the story has never been officially confirmed, and no arrests were ever made in connection with his disappearance, largely because his body was never found. The case remains an unsolved and painful mystery for his family. His brother has provided DNA samples in the hope that one day his remains might be located and identified, bringing some measure of closure to a decades-long search for answers. The investigation into Alvin "Bud" Matlock's disappearance remains open, a silent testament to a young life cut short and a family left to grapple with the unknown.

Mar 01, 1951

Spokane

Washington

Spokane County

No

11246

Spokane County Sheriff's Office

Spokane

Washington

Spokane County

99260

Mike Ricketts

Detective

1100 West Mallon Avenue, Washington

5094772240

County

Law Enforcement

07-801045

Spokane County Sheriff's Office

Brown

Brown

Brown

06/19/2026


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