Name: Christine Ann Nelson
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: August 24, 1986
Location Last Seen: Eugene, Lane County, Oregon
Date of Birth: December 14, 1949
Age: 36 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Hair Color: Blonde/strawberry
Eye Color: Blue
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Wears glasses, Scar on right knee, chin, right eye, mole on chin, dimple on right cheek.
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Available
Clothing: Gray pants, striped shirt, black leather jacket, two tone black Nike athletic shoes
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Gold helmet; glasses with wire frames
Nelson was last seen on August 24, 1986 in Eugene, OR.
She was last seen driving a 1973 Honda 500 cycle, with Oregon plates. Foul play is suspected.
Searchers found her Honda 500 parked near a quarry about 15 miles from her Jasper home. But they never found Christine.
Family believe her husband killed her in a fit of rage over their deteriorating marriage. Nelson often showed up to work at the University of Oregon library with bruises. Coworkers said she told them her husband inflicted them, although he was never charged with domestic violence.
They went to Carson City, Nevada, in August 1986 to pick up two Studebakers which the husband had purchased for his collection. Investigators know she made it to Carson City, but the trail ends there. The husband is the only one who says he saw her in Oregon. The husband claims they returned home on August 23.
He told investigators his wife took her motorcycle out the next morning and vanished. But investigators and Christine's family believe that the husband parked the motorcycle at the quarry on Sears Road to make it look like Christine had left him.
In 1993, Christine's mother sued in Lane County Circuit Court to have her son-in-law declared her daughter's killer to prevent him from benefiting from her life insurance and retirement holdings. They reached a settlement, in which Christine's husband did not admit guilt but released any interest in his missing wife's estate.
Christine Nelson was declared legally dead in the process.
Agency Name: Lane County Sheriff's Office
Agency Contact Person: Carl Wilkerson, Detective Sergeant
Agency Phone Number: 541-682-4167; (541) 682-4150
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 86-4050
NamUs Case Number: 888
NCIC Case Number: M-583740990
NamUs
CA DOJ
The Register Guard - Aug. 24, 2006
Added: Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 06/26/2026 - By: kc
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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