Overview

Date last seen: May 16, 2004
Last seen location: Chena Pump Road area, Fairbanks, Alaska

Main circumstances:

• Seventeen-year-old Kristopher Sean Kelly disappeared alongside his father, Robert Harris Kelly Sr.
• Their home was later found unlocked with the family dog left unattended.
• Their abandoned vehicle was discovered at Bentley Mall in Fairbanks.
• Neither has been seen or heard from since.
• The disappearance remains an active unsolved missing persons investigation.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Kristopher Sean Kelly Disappearance (2004): Father and Son Vanished Without a Trace in Fairbanks, Alaska

Brief Summary

Associated case: Father: Robert Kelly Sr.

Date last seen: May 16, 2004
Last seen location: Chena Pump Road area, Fairbanks, Alaska

Main circumstances:

• Seventeen-year-old Kristopher Sean Kelly disappeared alongside his father, Robert Harris Kelly Sr.
• Their home was later found unlocked with the family dog left unattended.
• Their abandoned vehicle was discovered at Bentley Mall in Fairbanks.
• Neither has been seen or heard from since.
• The disappearance remains an active unsolved missing persons investigation.

Kristopher Sean Kelly Disappearance

On May 16, 2004, 17-year-old Kristopher Sean Kelly vanished with his father, Robert Harris Kelly Sr., after the two were seen leaving their home off Chena Pump Road in Fairbanks, Alaska. More than two decades later, neither has ever been located, and investigators continue to classify both disappearances as suspicious.

Kristopher was born on December 23, 1986, and was 17 years old when he disappeared. He was described as a white male standing approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing about 115 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Authorities have never announced a confirmed destination or reason for the pair’s departure.

The disappearance was not immediately discovered. On May 29, 2004, another of Robert Kelly Sr.’s sons visited the residence after becoming concerned. He found the home unlocked and the family’s dog left unattended, prompting him to report both men missing.

Investigators soon located the family’s white 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass, bearing Alaska license plate CDV242, abandoned at Bentley Mall in Fairbanks on June 1, 2004. Despite processing the vehicle, authorities found no sign of either Kristopher or his father, nor any publicly released evidence indicating what happened after they parked the car.

Only days after the vehicle was recovered, Robert Kelly Sr. failed to appear in court on a charge of driving with a suspended license, leading authorities to issue an arrest warrant. While some have speculated that he may have voluntarily fled to avoid legal issues, investigators have never publicly concluded that either Robert or Kristopher intentionally disappeared. Instead, both remain classified as missing under suspicious circumstances.

One of the enduring mysteries is why Kristopher, who was still a minor, also vanished. No verified evidence has surfaced indicating whether he willingly accompanied his father, became the victim of foul play, or met another fate after leaving home.

Investigation

The Alaska State Troopers remain the primary investigating agency.

Over the years, few publicly released investigative updates have emerged. Authorities have not announced any confirmed sightings, forensic breakthroughs, arrests, or identified suspects. Likewise, no human remains have been publicly linked to either disappearance.

Kristopher’s case continues to be listed in national missing persons databases, and investigators encourage anyone with information to come forward.

Latest Investigation Information

As of 2026:

Authorities have not publicly identified any persons of interest or disclosed evidence explaining what happened after the vehicle was abandoned.

The disappearance remains unsolved.

Both Kristopher Sean Kelly and Robert Harris Kelly Sr. are still listed as active missing persons.

No arrests have been announced.

No confirmed sightings have been publicly verified.