Right: circa 1938
Right: circa 1938
Name: Alfred Edwin Beilhartz
Case Classification: Missing
Missing Since: July 3, 1938
Location Last Seen: Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado
Date of Birth: circa 1934
Age: 4 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Unknown
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown
Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Alfred and his family traveled to the Rocky Mountains for a weekend camping trip for the Independence Day weekend. At around 8 a.m. on Sunday, July 3, 1938, while hiking along the Roaring River with his father, Alfred disappeared.
Park rangers and a search team were brought in to find Alfred. Tracking dogs were able to trace Alfred's scent a half mile up the trail before it disappeared.
A dam was constructed on Fall River to divert the water in an effort to locate Alfred and searches were conducted along the trails and forested area, but no trace of Alfred was found.
At 1:00 p.m. on the same day of his disappearance, six miles away and 3000 feet higher along the Old Fall River Road, a couple claimed to have spotted a small boy sitting on a rock near the top of Mount Chapin in an area called The Devil's Nest. When the couple climbed to the point near the rock, the child disappeared. After reporting the sighting to park authorities and expressing their belief a child could not have reached the spot without assistance, a search was made of the area. No evidence of Alfred was found at this elevation. This sighting has been expanded and sensationalized over time.
Eight days later, a woman in Nebraska saw a man walking with a boy along a northwestern Nebraskan highway. After seeing a photo of Alfred in the paper, the woman was "positive" he was the boy she saw. Nebraska officers investigated the sighting, but the man and boy were not found.
Five months after his disappearance, Alfred's parents received a ransom note demanding $500 for his return. Police investigated two suspects and dismissed the letter as a hoax. The suspects were never charged.
Despite extensive searchers, Alfred has not been located. His parents firmly believed he was abducted from the park by a tourist and was still alive. Investigators believe Alfred fell into the river, was swept downstream, and drowned.
Agency Name: The Doe Network
Agency Contact Person: Colorado Area Director
Agency Case Number: 5816DMCO
The Waco News-Tribune - Jul. 5, 1938
The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, CA) - Jul. 5, 1938
Greeley Daily Tribune (Greeley, CO) - Jul. 8, 1938
The San Bernardino County Sun - Jul. 12 & Dec. 1, 1938
Corpus Christi Caller-Times - Nov. 30, 1938
Missing 411: Western United States and Canada by David Paulides
Added: 7/13/22; Last Updated: 7/13/22 - By: hb
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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