Overview

Last seen: August 30, 2019, approximately 9:00–9:30 a.m.

Location: Northern Lights Motel/Norwood Trailer Court area, Winter, Sawyer County, Wisconsin, with the last reported direction of travel north toward and along County Highway W.

Circumstances: Dantzman left his motel on foot while visiting Wisconsin for a family centennial celebration. Surveillance footage recorded him leaving the motel, and witnesses subsequently reported seeing an elderly man matching his description continuing north.

Primary concern: Dantzman had dementia and other cognitive difficulties and reportedly did not have his identification or cellphone with him.

Search: Ground teams, canines, drones, aircraft, law enforcement agencies, emergency personnel, family and volunteers participated in searches.

Current status: Missing. Authorities report many tips but no confirmed sightings. A $10,000 reward remains publicized for information leading to his recovery.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Norbert “Tony” Anthony Dantzman: What Happened to the 89-Year-Old Veteran Who Vanished in Wisconsin?

Norbert Anthony “Tony” Dantzman was 89 years old when he disappeared from the small community of Winter in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, on August 30, 2019. A Korean War veteran and former Wisconsin resident, Dantzman had traveled from his home in California with family members to attend a centennial celebration connected to his family and hometown.

His disappearance prompted a Silver Alert and a large, multi-agency search involving ground teams, search dogs, drones, aircraft and community volunteers. Years later, Dantzman remains missing, and Wisconsin authorities continue to maintain his case as an active missing-person case.

The Morning Norbert Dantzman Disappeared

Dantzman was staying with relatives at the Northern Lights Motel, also known as the Strouf Motel, in Winter, Wisconsin.

Surveillance footage showed him leaving the motel at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Friday, August 30, 2019. He was walking north in the direction of the Norwood Trailer Court.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., witnesses at the trailer court reported seeing an elderly man matching Dantzman’s description walking through the area toward County Highway W. The man reportedly continued north along the highway.

At 10:38 a.m., the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a 911 call reporting Dantzman missing.

He had left without his identification or cellphone. Authorities and family were particularly concerned because Dantzman had dementia and other cognitive difficulties.

A Massive Search Begins

The response quickly expanded beyond a routine missing-person search.

Sawyer County deputies, Sawyer County Search and Rescue, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Winter Fire Department, family members and local residents searched the immediate area using canines, drones and organized grid searches.

Search operations continued on August 31 and September 1. Wisconsin State Patrol provided aerial assistance, while the Wisconsin Canine Emergency Response Team, Civil Air Patrol and National Guard later contributed additional resources.

Search dogs reportedly followed Dantzman’s scent through the trailer park, along a dirt road and onto a paved roadway before losing the trail.

The Silver Alert was expanded as authorities considered the possibility that Dantzman might have accepted a ride or attempted to hitchhike away from the area. Law enforcement also notified hospitals, public transportation services, businesses and other agencies.

Despite the extensive effort, searchers found no confirmed trace of him.

What Norbert Dantzman Was Wearing

At the time of his disappearance, Dantzman was approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed about 136 pounds. He had gray or white hair, brown eyes, glasses and a gray beard.

He was reported to be wearing a light or black-and-white checkered shirt, black vest, black pants, black shoes and a light-colored or gray baseball cap. Contemporary descriptions said the cap carried a Marine emblem. He also wore rings, and his crooked fingers and prescription dentures were noted as identifying characteristics.

Possible Sightings Took the Search Across the Country

The disappearance eventually generated tips far outside Wisconsin, although authorities have not confirmed that any of these reported sightings were Dantzman.

In October 2019, a possible sighting was reported at a Love’s truck stop near Benson, Arizona. Cochise County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue responded, including a canine search, after information indicated that a man resembling Dantzman had been seen there.

Family members also investigated other reported sightings. A November 2019 report described potential sightings in Wisconsin and explained that the family was continuing to pursue leads around the country.

In March 2020, attention shifted to Kentucky after family members received reports of a possible sighting at two Interstate 64 truck stops in the Waddy area of Shelby County. The reports involved locations near a Denny’s at a Flying J Travel Center and a McDonald’s at a Love’s Travel Center.

None of these reports has resulted in a publicly confirmed sighting of Dantzman.

Latest Information on the Investigation

Dantzman remains listed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults. The state’s current public listing says authorities have received many tips but that there have been no confirmed sightings.

The family increased its reward over time, and the current Wisconsin missing-person poster advertises a $10,000 reward for information leading to Dantzman’s recovery. The poster identifies his NamUs case as MP59993.

A 2023 WEAU report marking four years since his disappearance said the final known images of Dantzman remained the motel surveillance footage and that what happened after he walked away remained unknown.

Current Wisconsin missing-person records continue to list Dantzman among the state’s missing persons. No publicly confirmed recovery, identification, or resolution of his disappearance was located in the current official records reviewed for this article.

Very Brief Case Summary

Last seen: August 30, 2019, approximately 9:00–9:30 a.m.

Location: Northern Lights Motel/Norwood Trailer Court area, Winter, Sawyer County, Wisconsin, with the last reported direction of travel north toward and along County Highway W.

Circumstances: Dantzman left his motel on foot while visiting Wisconsin for a family centennial celebration. Surveillance footage recorded him leaving the motel, and witnesses subsequently reported seeing an elderly man matching his description continuing north.

Primary concern: Dantzman had dementia and other cognitive difficulties and reportedly did not have his identification or cellphone with him.

Search: Ground teams, canines, drones, aircraft, law enforcement agencies, emergency personnel, family and volunteers participated in searches.

Current status: Missing. Authorities report many tips but no confirmed sightings. A $10,000 reward remains publicized for information leading to his recovery.