Overview

• Full name: Edward Charles Champagne Jr.
• Date of birth: January 22, 1959
• Age at disappearance: 20
• Date last seen: December 1, 1979, according to a secondary missing-person listing
• Last known location: Los Angeles County, California
• City: Not independently established
• County: Los Angeles County
• State: California
• Physical description: White male, blond hair, hazel eyes, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and 135 pounds
• Case classification: Missing person; homicide has not been established
• Investigating agency: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
• Case number: 9130627309
• Current status: Listed in California’s missing-person database; no verified public resolution located

Main circumstances: Champagne was reported missing in connection with Los Angeles County in 1979. Publicly accessible records provide identifying information and an investigating agency but do not establish exactly where he disappeared, what he was doing beforehand, or what caused his disappearance.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Edward Charles Champagne Jr.: The Unsolved 1979 Disappearance in Los Angeles County, California

In December 1979, 20-year-old Edward Charles Champagne Jr. disappeared in Los Angeles County, California. More than four decades later, his case remains a mystery, with limited publicly documented information about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

Champagne is listed in the California Department of Justice’s missing-person records, which identify the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as the investigating agency. His case is associated with law enforcement reference number 9130627309.

Although his disappearance dates back to 1979, important questions remain unanswered: Where was Champagne last seen? What happened after his last known contact? And could information that has never been publicly disclosed help explain his disappearance?

This article examines the verified facts, available investigative information, historical discussion, and current status of Edward Champagne’s missing-person case.

Case Summary

• Full name: Edward Charles Champagne Jr.
• Date of birth: January 22, 1959
• Age at disappearance: 20
• Date last seen: December 1, 1979, according to a secondary missing-person listing
• Last known location: Los Angeles County, California
• City: Not independently established
• County: Los Angeles County
• State: California
• Physical description: White male, blond hair, hazel eyes, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and 135 pounds
• Case classification: Missing person; homicide has not been established
• Investigating agency: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
• Case number: 9130627309
• Current status: Listed in California’s missing-person database; no verified public resolution located

Main circumstances: Champagne was reported missing in connection with Los Angeles County in 1979. Publicly accessible records provide identifying information and an investigating agency but do not establish exactly where he disappeared, what he was doing beforehand, or what caused his disappearance.

Sources: California Department of Justice and SpotCrime Missing Persons.

Edward Champagne’s Background and Life Before His Disappearance

Edward Charles Champagne Jr. was born on January 22, 1959. He was 20 years old when he disappeared in 1979, an age when many young adults are establishing their independence, careers, and personal relationships.

California’s official missing-person database confirms his full name, date of birth, and the law enforcement agency associated with his case.

A secondary missing-person listing provides additional identifying characteristics, describing Champagne as a white male with blond hair and hazel eyes. He reportedly stood approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 135 pounds.

These characteristics could be important when comparing historical missing-person reports with unidentified-person records.

Unfortunately, reliable public sources provide little information about Champagne’s personal life. His occupation, education, family circumstances, and residential history at the time of his disappearance have not been independently established through the records located for this article.

There is also no verified public account explaining whether Champagne lived permanently in Los Angeles County or was visiting the area when he disappeared.

The absence of these details should not be interpreted as evidence that investigators or family members never possessed them. It simply reflects the limited information available in the sources reviewed.

The December 1979 Disappearance in Los Angeles County

The available secondary missing-person listing records December 1, 1979, as Champagne’s last-seen date.

The California Department of Justice identifies his case as associated with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, confirming the law enforcement jurisdiction responsible for the missing-person record.

However, the publicly available information does not establish the precise circumstances of Champagne’s last known movements.

There is no independently verified account identifying the specific neighborhood, residence, business, roadway, or other location where he was last observed.

Likewise, the reviewed sources do not establish whether Champagne disappeared while traveling, meeting another person, leaving home, or participating in another activity.

No reliable account of his clothing, transportation, possessions, or last conversation was located.

These gaps make it difficult to reconstruct his final known hours or determine which circumstances investigators may have considered significant.

The distinction between a documented last-seen date and a detailed, corroborated final sighting is important. Although December 1, 1979, appears in secondary records, the underlying original incident report was not available for independent examination.

Source: Los Angeles Missing Persons Listing.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

The California Department of Justice lists the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as the investigating agency for Edward Champagne’s disappearance.

The official California record provides case number 9130627309, an important identifier for anyone submitting information or requesting records concerning the investigation.

The publicly available state listing does not provide a detailed chronology of the department’s investigative actions.

Consequently, it is not possible to verify whether deputies conducted particular searches, interviewed specific witnesses, examined physical evidence, or pursued particular leads during the original investigation.

No official investigative report describing these activities was located in the sources reviewed.

Physical and forensic evidence

No verified public inventory of physical evidence associated with Champagne’s disappearance was located.

In particular, the reviewed sources do not establish whether investigators recovered personal belongings, fingerprints, biological samples, or other forensic material.

There is also no publicly confirmed case-specific announcement establishing that DNA testing or investigative genetic genealogy has produced a significant development.

This does not prove that such evidence does not exist. It means that its existence and investigative use could not be independently confirmed.

Missing-person databases

Champagne’s inclusion in California’s missing-person records is significant because it provides an official agency association and case reference.

A secondary listing also preserves his reported disappearance date and physical description.

Such records can help researchers and members of the public distinguish Champagne from other individuals with similar names and direct potential information to the correct investigating agency.

Sources: California Missing Person Search and Los Angeles Missing Persons.

Theories, Historical Discussion, and Unresolved Questions

Historical discussion of unidentified remains

A January 2014 discussion on Websleuths mentioned Edward Champagne while participants were discussing an unidentified-person case in California.

One participant referenced a historical NamUs listing and suggested that Champagne may have been tentatively associated with a person reportedly killed in a 1985 vehicle accident. The discussion explicitly acknowledged that no confirmation had been established.

Other participants speculated about possible similarities between Champagne and unidentified remains.

These statements are unverified forum discussion, not official investigative findings.

There is no reliable evidence in the reviewed material establishing that Champagne was the unidentified individual discussed, that his remains were recovered, or that investigators accepted any of these suggested connections.

The discussion is relevant only as a record of historical public interest in his disappearance. It should not be treated as confirmation of a forensic match or investigative breakthrough.

Source: Websleuths Historical Discussion.

Was foul play involved?

The circumstances of Champagne’s disappearance remain insufficiently documented to establish whether he was the victim of a crime.

No verified official source reviewed for this article identifies a homicide suspect, confirms that Champagne was murdered, or describes evidence establishing a criminal cause.

Accordingly, his disappearance should continue to be described as a missing-person case rather than a confirmed homicide.

Questions that remain unanswered

Several questions remain central to understanding the case:

• Where in Los Angeles County was Champagne last reliably seen?
• Who last had confirmed contact with him?
• What circumstances led to the missing-person report?
• Were there contemporaneous witness statements or investigative leads?
• Have investigators compared his case with unidentified remains recovered in California or elsewhere?
• Does the investigating agency possess additional information that has not been publicly released?

These are unresolved questions, not assertions that particular evidence or witnesses exist.

Latest Publicly Available Investigative Updates

As of October 19, 2026, no publicly confirmed recent investigative breakthroughs were located in the sources reviewed for this article.

The California Department of Justice continues to provide a missing-person listing for Edward Charles Champagne Jr., including his identifying information and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department case reference.

The reviewed sources did not establish any recent arrest, criminal charge, identification of remains, confirmed DNA match, genetic genealogy breakthrough, or official resolution.

No verified recent public announcement concerning a newly identified suspect or person of interest was located.

The 2014 Websleuths discussion is historical community commentary. It does not establish a new development in the investigation.

The continued presence of a missing-person listing is also not, by itself, evidence of a newly reopened investigation or fresh investigative activity.

Because some investigative work may remain confidential, the absence of a public announcement does not necessarily mean that authorities have stopped reviewing information.

Source: California Department of Justice.

Conclusion: Remembering Edward Charles Champagne Jr.

Edward Charles Champagne Jr. was only 20 years old when he disappeared in Los Angeles County in 1979.

The passage of time has left substantial gaps in the publicly available account of his disappearance. His last known activities, the original investigative findings, and the reasons he vanished remain unclear.

What can be established is that California maintains an official missing-person record identifying Champagne and associating his case with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Anyone with credible information about Champagne’s whereabouts, his activities in late 1979, or circumstances potentially connected to his disappearance is encouraged to contact the investigating agency.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department: (323) 890-5500

Case reference: 9130627309

Both the agency number and case reference appear in the California Department of Justice’s missing-person listing.

Even after decades, information from someone who knew Champagne, encountered him, or remembers relevant circumstances could potentially assist investigators in clarifying what happened.

His disappearance deserves careful documentation, responsible public awareness, and continued attention to verified information.