Name: Francis Tan
Case Classification: Missing
Missing Since: October 22, 1962
Location Last Seen: Toronto, Ontario
Date of Birth: October 22, 1938
Age: 24 years old
Race: Asian
Gender: Male
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 130 lb.
Hair Color: Black, straight
Eye Color: Brown
Nickname/Alias: Tan Ton Hian
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Occasionally wore glasses
Dentals: Unknown; described as "good"
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown
Clothing: Dark blue blazer with "McGill University" crest on the pocket; white shirt
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Francis Tan was last seen by co-workers at Penn Controls Ltd, on Friday, October 19, 1962. Francis' sister received a letter from him dated October 21. He wrote he had a meeting with the Immigration Department on becoming a permanent resident scheduled for October 22. Francis did not attend the meeting or return to work that Monday.
Francis arrived from Kowloon, Hong Kong in 1959, and enrolled at McGill University in Toronto. He graduated fourth in his class in mechanical engineering in 1961 and began employment with Penn Controls.
Francis regularly wrote and called his family while living in Canada. When communication stopped in late 1962, his father contacted police.
According to Francis' landlady, Francis left the boarding house located at 200 Tower Drive in Scarborough to drive to Montreal with two Asian automobile dealers from whom he had just bought a car. Francis stated they were headed to Montreal to pick up his clothing. Later during the trial, Francis' sister stated all his belongings were in Toronto.
In 1968, Francis' landlady was charged with forging and cashing three checks from Francis' bank account during October of 1962. During her trial, the bank manager stated the landlady's bank account had been nearly dormant for two years and contained 30 cents when she attempted to cash the first check. The landlady testified the checks were a repayment for a loan she gave Francis to buy a car. She was convicted on three charges of cashing the checks, but the forgery charges were dropped. Crown Counsel stated they believe the landlady invented the story of Francis leaving with two men up so she could continue to write checks on Francis' bank account. No one has been charged in Francis' disappearance and the forgery and cashing trial did not bring to light the whereabouts of Francis.
Francis' family has not heard from him since his disappearance and foul play is suspected.
Agency Name: Toronto Police Service
Agency Contact Person: Missing Persons Unit
Agency Phone Number: 416-808-7411
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 1962-63504.D41
RCMP
The Montreal Star - Jan. 16, 1963 & Jul. 8, 1964
The Windsor Star - Jan. 16, 1963 & Oct. 29, 1968
The Toronto Star - Feb. 2 & Apr. 18, 1968
Added: 01/27/2024; Last Updated: 01/27/2024 - 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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