Overview

Date last seen: July 12, 1990
Location last seen: Donkey Creek Lake area near Talkeetna/Mount Yenlo, Alaska

Main circumstances:

• Bradley Jay Kephart disappeared from his remote residence near Donkey Creek Lake.
• He was 35 years old at the time of his disappearance.
• The exact circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unclear.
• No confirmed sightings have been reported since July 12, 1990.
• The case remains an active missing person investigation.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Bradley Jay Kephart Disappearance (1990): Alaska Cold Case Remains Unsolved

Very Brief Summary

Date last seen: July 12, 1990
Location last seen: Donkey Creek Lake area near Talkeetna/Mount Yenlo, Alaska

Main circumstances:

• Bradley Jay Kephart disappeared from his remote residence near Donkey Creek Lake.
• He was 35 years old at the time of his disappearance.
• The exact circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unclear.
• No confirmed sightings have been reported since July 12, 1990.
• The case remains an active missing person investigation.

Bradley Jay Kephart’s 1990 Disappearance

Bradley Jay Kephart vanished under mysterious circumstances on July 12, 1990, from the remote Donkey Creek Lake area near Talkeetna, Alaska. More than three decades later, investigators have never determined what happened to him, and the case remains one of Alaska’s enduring missing person mysteries.

Kephart, who was 35 years old, lived in an isolated area near Mount Yenlo. According to investigators, he was last known to be at his residence before disappearing without explanation. Unlike many wilderness disappearances in Alaska, authorities have never publicly identified a definitive cause or scenario that explains his disappearance, leaving open the possibilities of an accident, foul play, or another unknown event.

At the time he disappeared, Kephart was described as standing approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing around 155 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He may have been wearing a full beard. Despite extensive publicity over the years, no confirmed trace of him has been located.

The remote terrain surrounding Donkey Creek Lake and Mount Yenlo presents significant challenges for search efforts. Dense wilderness, rugged mountains, lakes, and unpredictable weather can complicate investigations and reduce the likelihood of locating physical evidence after long periods of time.

Because there has never been enough evidence to determine what occurred, the Alaska State Troopers continue to classify Kephart’s disappearance as an unresolved missing person case. His information remains published in national missing person databases in hopes that new information or advances in forensic technology could eventually provide answers.

Latest Investigation Information

As of 2026:

His case remains active in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under Case MP26396, allowing investigators to compare his case with unidentified remains discovered throughout the United States.

Bradley Jay Kephart remains listed as an active missing person.

No public announcements have identified suspects or persons of interest.

No human remains have been publicly linked to his disappearance.

Investigators continue to encourage anyone with information to contact the Alaska State Troopers.