Overview

Mitchell Joseph Teevan is listed as missing from Nome, Alaska, with an estimated disappearance date of January 1, 1973. Investigators note that the exact date is unknown and was likely selected as an approximate date because no one knows precisely when he vanished.

At the time he disappeared:

1. He was 37 years old.
2. He had brown hair and hazel eyes.
3. His height was estimated between 5’8″ and 6’0″.
4. His weight was estimated between 165 and 195 pounds.
5. He may have had a gunshot wound scar on his right hip.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Mitchell Joseph Teevan: The 1973 Alaska Missing Person Case That Remains Unsolved

More than five decades have passed since Mitchell Joseph Teevan disappeared in Alaska, yet his case remains one of the state’s enduring unsolved missing person investigations. With very little evidence available and few publicly released details, investigators continue to classify the case as unresolved. While there is no confirmed evidence that Teevan was the victim of a homicide, the complete absence of contact with family since 1973 has kept the investigation active in national missing persons databases.

Who Was Mitchell Joseph Teevan?

Mitchell Joseph Teevan was a 37-year-old man who had relocated to Alaska around 1965. He reportedly lived in Nome and may have also spent time in the Fairbanks area during his years in the state.

Family members said Teevan maintained regular contact through letters after moving to Alaska. That correspondence continued for several years before abruptly stopping around 1973. From that point forward, no verified contact with family or friends has ever been documented.

Authorities have released very few details regarding the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, making it one of Alaska’s most mysterious long-term missing person cases.

Disappearance

Mitchell Joseph Teevan is listed as missing from Nome, Alaska, with an estimated disappearance date of January 1, 1973. Investigators note that the exact date is unknown and was likely selected as an approximate date because no one knows precisely when he vanished.

At the time he disappeared:

1. He was 37 years old.
2. He had brown hair and hazel eyes.
3. His height was estimated between 5’8″ and 6’0″.
4. His weight was estimated between 165 and 195 pounds.
5. He may have had a gunshot wound scar on his right hip.

Investigation

Because Teevan disappeared more than 50 years ago, much of the original investigative information has either never been publicly released or has been lost to time.

Public records indicate:

1. His family stopped receiving letters around 1973.
2. No confirmed sightings have been publicly reported since.
3. Authorities have never announced evidence of foul play.
4. No suspects have ever been publicly identified.
5. No arrests have been made.

The lack of publicly available information has made the investigation especially difficult. Unlike many modern missing person cases, there are few witness statements, no known digital records, and limited forensic evidence from the era.

Latest Investigation Information

Mitchell Joseph Teevan’s disappearance remains an active unresolved missing person case.

His case continues to be maintained within the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), allowing investigators to compare his information against unidentified human remains located anywhere in the United States.

As of the latest publicly available updates:

1. The case remains open.
2. No publicly announced breakthroughs have been reported.
3. No identified remains have been linked to Teevan.
4. Alaska State Troopers remain the investigating agency.
5. The Charley Project updated the public case file in August 2024 after adding the case to its database, but no new investigative developments were disclosed.

Although Alaska has expanded cold case resources through its Alaska Bureau of Investigation Cold Case Investigative Unit, there has been no public announcement indicating Mitchell Teevan’s case has experienced a significant investigative breakthrough.

Why the Case Remains Difficult

Several factors have complicated the investigation:

1. The disappearance occurred in 1973, decades before modern investigative technology.
2. The exact date Teevan disappeared is unknown.
3. Few publicly known witnesses exist.
4. Limited physical evidence has been released.
5. More than fifty years have passed since his last confirmed contact.

Cases like Teevan’s often rely on advances in DNA technology, forensic genealogy, and the identification of previously unidentified human remains to generate new investigative leads.

Can the Case Still Be Solved?

Yes.

Even after decades, long-term missing person investigations are occasionally solved through:

1. DNA comparisons
2. Identification of unidentified remains
3. New witness statements
4. Previously unavailable records
5. Advances in forensic genealogy

Cold cases across Alaska continue to be reviewed as new technology becomes available, giving hope that longstanding mysteries may eventually be resolved.

Last Seen Summary

Date Last Seen: Approximately January 1, 1973 (exact date unknown)

Location Last Seen: Nome, Alaska

Circumstances at a Glance

1. Moved to Alaska around 1965.
2. Lived in Nome and may also have lived near Fairbanks.
3. Regularly wrote letters home.
4. Family stopped receiving letters around 1973.
5. Has never been heard from again.
6. Remains a missing person with no publicly announced resolution.