Overview

Last Seen: June 23, 2004
Location: Milltown, Polk County, Wisconsin
Age When Missing: 41
Classification: Missing Endangered Adult
NamUs: MP8095

Main Circumstances: Gary left his Milltown residence on foot at approximately 9:00 a.m. He reportedly said he was going for a walk on the Gandy Dancer Trail. He never returned and has not been heard from since. He was reportedly wearing a green sweatshirt and blue sweatpants. Available case information indicates he had blood cancer and depression at the time of his disappearance.

Anyone with information concerning Gary Paul Bergstrand’s disappearance should contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Department or the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Gary Paul Bergstrand Missing Person Case: What Happened in Milltown, Wisconsin?

Gary Paul Bergstrand was 41 years old when he disappeared from Milltown, Wisconsin, on June 23, 2004. More than two decades later, his whereabouts remain unknown, and his case continues to be listed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice as a missing endangered adult.

Gary Bergstrand Disappears From Milltown

On the morning of June 23, 2004, Gary left his residence in Milltown, a community in Polk County in northwestern Wisconsin. According to available case information, he departed on foot at approximately 9:00 a.m.

Gary reportedly said he was going for a walk on the Gandy Dancer Trail. He did not return home and has not been seen or heard from since.

He was reportedly wearing a green sweatshirt and blue sweatpants when he disappeared.

Who Is Gary Paul Bergstrand?

Gary was born on June 14, 1963, making him 41 years old at the time he went missing. He was approximately 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed about 180 pounds. He had brown hair and brown eyes.

Several tattoos could help identify him. Available descriptions include a heart with wings on his left arm, the word “Mom” on his upper left arm, a cross on his left forearm and the letters “GNU” on his right upper arm. Additional tattoos were reportedly present on his right arm and forearm.

The Charley Project reports that Gary was suffering from blood cancer and depression when he disappeared. His medical circumstances, combined with the fact that he vanished while traveling on foot, contributed to the serious concerns surrounding his disappearance.

The Gandy Dancer Trail

One of the most important details in Gary Bergstrand’s disappearance is his reported destination.

Gary reportedly said he planned to walk on the Gandy Dancer Trail before leaving his Milltown residence. No publicly documented confirmed sighting of Gary after he left home has been identified in the available official case information.

Publicly available records provide few details about the original search, including precisely which portions of the trail or surrounding areas were searched, what evidence may have been collected, or whether authorities developed a specific theory about what happened.

Because those details have not been publicly established, theories concerning an accident, voluntary disappearance, suicide, foul play or other circumstances should not be presented as fact.

Latest Information on the Investigation

Gary’s disappearance remains unresolved.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults continues to list Gary as a missing endangered adult from Polk County. Its current case page directs anyone with information to the Polk County Sheriff’s Department and identifies Investigator Lisa Ditlefsen as the contact associated with the case.

Gary is also listed in NamUs under MP8095.

Another development in the preservation and visibility of the case occurred in 2024. The Doe Network reported that Gary Paul Bergstrand was added to its database on August 1, 2024, under case number 6267DMWI.

Public missing-person awareness has continued as well. Wisconsin community posts in 2025 again circulated Gary’s name and the Gandy Dancer area while encouraging hunters and others spending time outdoors to remain aware of long-term missing-person cases.

No publicly available official announcement located for this article reports that Gary has been found, that remains have been identified as his, that an arrest has been made, or that his disappearance has been reclassified as a homicide.

More Than Two Decades Without Answers

Gary’s case illustrates one of the challenges surrounding long-term missing-person investigations: as years pass, memories fade, landscapes change and witnesses who once considered a detail insignificant may never realize its potential importance.

Even seemingly minor information about Gary’s activities, people he spoke with, his intended route, sightings around Milltown or the Gandy Dancer Trail, or circumstances surrounding the morning of June 23, 2004 could potentially be relevant to investigators.

Authorities continue to request information from anyone who may know what happened to Gary Paul Bergstrand.

Very Brief Case Summary

Last Seen: June 23, 2004
Location: Milltown, Polk County, Wisconsin
Age When Missing: 41
Classification: Missing Endangered Adult
NamUs: MP8095

Main Circumstances: Gary left his Milltown residence on foot at approximately 9:00 a.m. He reportedly said he was going for a walk on the Gandy Dancer Trail. He never returned and has not been heard from since. He was reportedly wearing a green sweatshirt and blue sweatpants. Available case information indicates he had blood cancer and depression at the time of his disappearance.

Anyone with information concerning Gary Paul Bergstrand’s disappearance should contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Department or the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults.