Overview

Full name: Gary Vaughn Sizemore

Age at disappearance: 38 years old

Date last seen: January 1, 1979

Last known location: Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California

Date of birth: February 1, 1940

Case classification: Missing person

Current case status: Unresolved; remains listed in the California Department of Justice missing-person database

Investigating agency: Hawthorne Police Department

Police case number: 1114581

Physical description: White male, approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighing 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes

Distinguishing characteristic: Scar on left forearm

Dental records: Dental X-rays listed as available

Circumstances: Sizemore was last seen in Hawthorne on January 1, 1979. The official public record does not explain where he was going, whom he may have been with, or what occurred immediately before his disappearance.

These details are documented in the California Department of Justice missing-person record.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Gary Vaughn Sizemore: The Unsolved 1979 Disappearance from Hawthorne, California

On January 1, 1979, 38-year-old Gary Vaughn Sizemore was last seen in Hawthorne, California, a city in southwestern Los Angeles County. More than four decades later, his disappearance remains an unresolved missing-person case in California’s official records.

The California Department of Justice continues to maintain a missing-person profile for Sizemore, identifying the Hawthorne Police Department as the reporting agency. Although his disappearance dates back to 1979, publicly available records provide remarkably little information about the circumstances surrounding his last known whereabouts.

What happened to Gary Vaughn Sizemore remains unknown. The available evidence does not establish that he was the victim of homicide, that he disappeared voluntarily, or that any particular person was responsible for his disappearance.

Source: California Department of Justice – Gary Vaughn Sizemore.

Case Summary

Full name: Gary Vaughn Sizemore

Age at disappearance: 38 years old

Date last seen: January 1, 1979

Last known location: Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California

Date of birth: February 1, 1940

Case classification: Missing person

Current case status: Unresolved; remains listed in the California Department of Justice missing-person database

Investigating agency: Hawthorne Police Department

Police case number: 1114581

Physical description: White male, approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighing 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes

Distinguishing characteristic: Scar on left forearm

Dental records: Dental X-rays listed as available

Circumstances: Sizemore was last seen in Hawthorne on January 1, 1979. The official public record does not explain where he was going, whom he may have been with, or what occurred immediately before his disappearance.

These details are documented in the California Department of Justice missing-person record.

Gary Vaughn Sizemore’s Background and Disappearance

Who Was Gary Vaughn Sizemore?

Gary Vaughn Sizemore was born on February 1, 1940. He was 38 years old when he was reported last seen on January 1, 1979, approximately one month before his 39th birthday.

According to California’s official missing-person database, Sizemore stood approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighed about 160 pounds. He had brown hair, brown eyes, and a scar on his left forearm. This scar is a potentially important identifying feature because it could help distinguish him from other individuals in historical records or unidentified-person investigations.

Little verified biographical information about Sizemore is publicly available. The official listing does not identify his occupation, marital status, children, family relationships, or residential address at the time of his disappearance.

Without reliable documentation, those details cannot responsibly be reconstructed.

The Disappearance on January 1, 1979

The central confirmed fact in the case is that Gary Vaughn Sizemore was last seen in Hawthorne, California, on January 1, 1979.

Hawthorne is located in Los Angeles County, within the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. However, the state listing does not provide a street address, neighborhood, business, or other specific location associated with Sizemore’s last reported sighting.

It also does not establish whether he was traveling, working, visiting someone, or carrying out an ordinary activity when he disappeared.

Several significant details remain undocumented in accessible official records:

• The time of day he was last seen.
• The identity of the last person known to have seen him.
• The clothing he was wearing.
• Whether he had access to a vehicle.
• Whether he left behind personal belongings.
• When his disappearance was first reported to police.
• Whether there were circumstances suggesting immediate danger.

The absence of these details from public records should not be interpreted as proof that investigators never obtained them. Historical investigative files can contain information that has not been released publicly.

Why the Date Matters

January 1, 1979, is the date of last sighting recorded by the California Department of Justice.

It should not automatically be interpreted as the date of a crime, the date of death, or the precise moment Sizemore vanished. No publicly verified evidence establishes any of those conclusions.

The distinction is especially important in a historical missing-person investigation, where the original reporting circumstances may not be fully documented in publicly accessible records.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

Hawthorne Police Department Investigation

The California Department of Justice identifies the Hawthorne Police Department as the agency associated with Gary Vaughn Sizemore’s missing-person case.

The state record lists police case number 1114581 and provides a contact number of (310) 349-2720.

This official listing confirms that Sizemore’s disappearance has an identifiable law enforcement record. However, the public profile does not provide a detailed investigative chronology.

There is no verified information in the consulted records establishing the dates of police interviews, searches, investigative assignments, or other specific investigative actions.

It would therefore be inaccurate to claim that authorities searched a particular property, questioned a named suspect, or recovered evidence without additional documentation.

Physical Identification and Dental Evidence

One potentially important detail in Sizemore’s official missing-person record is the notation that dental X-rays are available.

Dental records can assist forensic specialists in comparing missing individuals with unidentified human remains. Dental structures, restorations, and other distinctive features may help establish an identification when appropriate records exist for comparison.

However, the existence of dental X-rays does not establish that a comparison has been performed in Sizemore’s case.

The publicly available record does not identify any specific unidentified remains that have been compared with his dental information.

His scar on the left forearm may also be useful in evaluating possible matches, although such a feature alone would not ordinarily establish a conclusive identification.

DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy

Modern missing-person investigations may use DNA profiles, family-reference samples, and forensic genetic genealogy to help identify unidentified remains or investigate unresolved disappearances.

For Gary Vaughn Sizemore, however, no publicly verified source located in this research establishes that DNA testing or investigative genetic genealogy has been performed.

A community listing reproduced by Crimewatchers reports DNA information as unavailable, but that secondary listing should not be treated as a current laboratory or law enforcement confirmation.

There is also no verified public announcement of a DNA match, genetic genealogy identification, or forensic breakthrough associated with Sizemore.

Source: Crimewatchers – Historical Missing-Person Listings.

Public Missing-Person Documentation

Sizemore’s case appears in more than one publicly accessible missing-person resource.

The California Department of Justice maintains his official missing-person profile, while the Doe Network’s historical update archive documents the addition of his case to its listings on October 29, 2016.

The Doe Network entry identifies the case as 5026DMCA, a database reference rather than a police case number.

That 2016 addition was a public documentation event. It is not evidence of a newly discovered lead or investigative breakthrough.

Source: Doe Network – 2016 Update Archive.

Theories and Unresolved Questions

Because the circumstances surrounding Sizemore’s disappearance have not been publicly established, several possibilities remain unanswered. None should be presented as a confirmed explanation.

Could His Disappearance Have Been Voluntary?

Some missing-person cases involve individuals who leave their previous lives intentionally. However, no verified evidence establishes that Sizemore planned to disappear, traveled to another location, or deliberately severed contact with people he knew.

A voluntary disappearance is therefore only a general possibility, not a documented investigative finding.

Could an Accident Have Occurred?

Accidents can sometimes leave missing individuals undiscovered for extended periods, particularly when there is insufficient information about their last movements.

In Sizemore’s case, no publicly verified vehicle recovery, accident report, search location, or unidentified-remains connection supports a particular accident scenario.

Was Foul Play Involved?

The possibility of criminal involvement cannot be definitively excluded based on the limited information available.

Nevertheless, there is no publicly confirmed evidence identifying a homicide, abduction, suspect, motive, or crime scene in this case.

Sizemore must therefore continue to be described as a missing person rather than a confirmed homicide victim.

The Most Important Unanswered Questions

Among the unresolved questions are where Sizemore was last seen within Hawthorne, who last had contact with him, what prompted the original missing-person report, and whether investigators have information that has never been made public.

Another important question is whether his identifying information has been compared against modern unidentified-person databases.

These questions identify gaps in the public record. They do not establish that police have overlooked evidence or failed to investigate particular leads.

Latest Publicly Available Investigative Updates

Research reviewed through October 18, 2026

As of October 18, 2026, Gary Vaughn Sizemore continues to appear in the California Department of Justice’s publicly accessible missing-person database.

No publicly confirmed recent investigative developments were located establishing his whereabouts, identifying his remains, announcing an arrest, or confirming a resolution of his disappearance.

The following developments and records provide the most relevant available context.

October 29, 2016: Doe Network Documentation

The Doe Network’s archived website updates show that Gary Sizemore’s disappearance was added to its missing-person listings on October 29, 2016, under reference 5026DMCA.

This represents a documented expansion of public awareness of the case, not a confirmed investigative discovery.

2024: Online Discussion of a Possible Comparison

A Websleuths discussion concerning unidentified remains found in Arizona includes a reference to Gary Vaughn Sizemore and a potential comparison. The discussion was edited in May 2024.

This is community-generated information, not an official investigative announcement. The publicly accessible discussion does not establish that the remains belonged to Sizemore or that a forensic identification was made.

No official confirmation of a match was located, and the discussion should not be presented as a breakthrough.

Source: Websleuths – Arizona Unidentified-Person Discussion.

2026: California Missing-Person Resources

On May 29, 2026, the California Department of Justice announced a statewide missing-person resource initiative intended to connect families with investigators, advocates, and forensic specialists.

The announcement described the state’s use of physical identification, dental comparisons, and missing-person DNA resources.

However, this was a statewide initiative, not a case-specific development involving Gary Vaughn Sizemore. There is no verified public evidence that his case was reviewed or advanced through that event.

Source: California DOJ – Missing-Person Resource Fair.

Current Investigative Status

The most reliable current case-specific information remains the official California Department of Justice listing.

No verified public announcement was located documenting an age-progression image, newly identified suspect, arrest, criminal charge, genetic genealogy result, or recovery of Sizemore’s remains.

This does not establish that no investigative work is occurring. It means that no such developments could be independently confirmed through the publicly available sources reviewed.

Conclusion: The Search for Answers in Gary Vaughn Sizemore’s Disappearance

Gary Vaughn Sizemore was 38 years old when he was last seen in Hawthorne, California, on January 1, 1979.

His disappearance has remained publicly unresolved for more than 47 years.

Although the available records contain only a limited account of the circumstances, they preserve identifying details that could remain important, including his date of birth, physical description, left forearm scar, and available dental X-rays.

The absence of publicly confirmed answers leaves fundamental questions about what happened to him.

Anyone with credible information about Gary Vaughn Sizemore’s disappearance, his whereabouts after January 1, 1979, or circumstances that could assist in identifying him is encouraged to contact the Hawthorne Police Department.

The California Department of Justice lists (310) 349-2720 as the contact number associated with his case. The Hawthorne Police Department also publishes its main telephone number, (310) 349-2700.

Information can additionally be provided to the California Department of Justice at 1-800-222-FIND (1-800-222-3463).

Even information remembered from decades ago may help investigators clarify a historical timeline or evaluate a lead. Anyone with relevant information should report it directly to authorities rather than attempting to investigate independently.

Gary Vaughn Sizemore’s disappearance deserves continued attention, careful reporting, and an evidence-based effort to determine what happened.