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MISSING: Reed Jeppson

Episode Summary

Reed Jeppson, a Salt Lake City teen, went outside to feed his dogs one Sunday afternoon in 1964 – and vanished, with the dogs, into thin air. Decades later, his heartbroken family still has so many unanswered questions.

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For our friends in the Deaf and Signing community, you can view an ASL version of this episode HERE.

Episode Info

If you have any information about Reed, please contact Salt Lake City police at 801-799-3000.

If Reed is alive today, he’s 74-years-old. He’s white, with medium blond hair and blue eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was 5’6 and 140 pounds, and he had braces on his top and bottom teeth.

Reed Jeppson in his high school sophomore class picture.

Photo Source: Courtesy, Salt Lake City Police Department

Reed Jeppson.

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This is how Reed might look at 60-years-old.

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Reed and one of his beloved dogs, Bess.

Photo Source: Courtesy, Salt Lake City Police Department

Reed's dog, Bess.

Photo Source: Courtesy, Salt Lake City Police Department

An aerial of Jeppson’s neighborhood in 1965.

Photo Source: HistoricAerials.com; edited by audiochuck staff

A historic topographic map of Salt Lake City from 1963 shows the location of the former St. Mary of the Wasatch School.

Photo Source: edited by audiochuck staff

Aerial view photograph of the grounds of St. Mary of the Wasatch.

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Neighbors of the Jeppsons found what investigators say are the bones of two dogs buried in their yard in 2009.

Photo Source: audiochuck staff

Decades after Reed went missing, the Jeppson’s neighbors found bones -- which investigators say are the bones of two dogs -- wrapped in plastic bags and buried in their yard.

Photo Source: Courtesy, Salt Lake City Police Department

A picture that the Jeppson’s neighbors took of bones they found buried in their yard, which investigators say are the bones of two dogs.

Photo Source: Courtesy, Salt Lake City Police Department

A picture that the Jeppson’s neighbors took of bones they found buried in their yard, which investigators say are the bones of two dogs.

Photo Source: Courtesy, Salt Lake City Police Department

The Jeppson’s neighbors asked another neighbor, a doctor, to look at the bones they found buried in their yard.

Photo Source: Courtesy, Salt Lake City Police Department

Hikers found a human skull in Millcreek Canyon in 2010. Reed’s sister initially thought it might be her brother’s.

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The Millcreek Canyon remains were eventually identified as belonging to Daniel Noe, who went missing around September 1978 while hitchhiking from Washington to his home state of Illinois.

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The backyard of the (now-former) Jeppson property as of 2023.

Photo Source: audiochuck staff

Salt Lake City PD Lt. Cody Lougy and Cordon Parks, a retired homicide investigator, walk around the former Jeppson property.

Photo Source: audiochuck staff

Cordon Parks, a retired homicide investigator, in the (now-former) Jeppson backyard.

Photo Source: audiochuck staff

Episode Source Material