Overview

Last seen: April 25, 1977
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Age when missing: 26
Nickname: Rick
NamUs: MP50925
Doe Network: 6010DMWI

Main circumstances: Morrison was reported missing by his brother during April 1977. He may have been distressed about an injury lawsuit involving family members. After his disappearance, his vehicle was found burned near Death Valley, California. Authorities have not publicly established whether Morrison intentionally disappeared, suffered an accident, or encountered foul play. His whereabouts remain unknown.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Richard Wayne Morrison Missing Person Case: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1977

Richard Wayne Morrison, also known as “Rick,” was 26 years old when he disappeared from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in April 1977. Nearly five decades later, his whereabouts remain unknown, and his case continues to be listed among Milwaukee’s long-term missing-person cases. The Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults lists Morrison as missing since April 25, 1977.

Richard Wayne Morrison’s Disappearance

Morrison was reportedly last known to be in Milwaukee and was reported missing by his brother sometime around April 1977. Official Wisconsin records give April 25 as his missing date. Morrison was 26 years old, approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed between 140 and 160 pounds. He had brown hair. Sources differ slightly concerning his eye color, with the Wisconsin poster listing blue eyes while other case summaries describe them as brown or hazel.

At the time of his disappearance, Morrison may have been despondent in connection with an injury lawsuit. Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy reports that the lawsuit involved several members of his family. Publicly available records provide few additional verified details about the lawsuit or what happened immediately before Morrison vanished.

His Burned Vehicle Was Found Near Death Valley

One of the most significant facts in the case emerged far from Wisconsin. After Morrison disappeared, his vehicle was discovered burned out near Death Valley, California, according to the Wisconsin Clearinghouse.

Public case summaries do not provide a verified date for the discovery of the vehicle, its precise location near Death Valley, or a detailed account of its forensic examination. Those missing details remain important gaps in the publicly available chronology.

The discovery raises obvious questions about whether Morrison traveled to California himself, whether someone else transported the vehicle there, and what caused it to burn. However, the publicly available official information reviewed for this article does not establish answers to those questions.

Did Richard Morrison Intentionally Disappear?

Some case summaries state that there has been speculation Morrison may have staged his disappearance or traveled to a Spanish-speaking country to begin a new life. That remains a theory rather than an established fact. The Wisconsin Clearinghouse itself acknowledges this speculation but continues to list Morrison as a missing adult.

There is likewise no publicly established evidence in the sources reviewed here proving that Morrison was murdered. A person identifying themselves on Websleuths as a family friend stated in 2019 that the family had no reason to believe Morrison was a victim of foul play. Because that statement comes from a discussion forum rather than an investigating agency, it should be treated as family-associated commentary rather than an official investigative conclusion.

DNA Comparison and the Delafield John Doe

One notable development involved an unidentified man whose remains were found in Wisconsin in 1977, commonly known at the time as the Delafield John Doe.

In a 2019 Websleuths discussion, a poster identifying themselves as a family friend of Morrison stated that Morrison had been entered into NamUs specifically so that DNA could be compared with the Delafield Doe. According to that poster, the DNA comparison did not indicate a biological match. Later discussion of the unidentified-person case also described Morrison as having been excluded.

Because this information is preserved in community discussion rather than a currently accessible official comparison report, the precise laboratory documentation is not reproduced here.

Recent Activity and Current Investigation Status

Morrison’s case has continued to receive attention decades after his disappearance. His NamUs case is identified as MP50925, and Wisconsin’s official missing-person poster continues to direct information to the Milwaukee Police Department.

The Doe Network added Morrison to its database on December 30, 2023, assigning him case number 6010DMWI. The organization subsequently recorded another update to his case information on June 3, 2024. The Doe Network still lists Morrison among missing males from Wisconsin.

Public interest has continued beyond that database update. In March 2025, a Websleuths participant reported submitting a possible unidentified-person comparison to the Doe Network. Other unidentified-person possibilities have also been discussed by forum members. These are public submissions and theories, not confirmed investigative matches, and the available official sources reviewed here do not report that Morrison has been located or identified.

As of the latest publicly accessible records reviewed, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse still lists Richard Wayne Morrison as missing, and the Milwaukee Police Department continues to include him among its long-term missing persons. No publicly announced resolution of his disappearance was located.

The Questions That Remain

The burned vehicle near Death Valley remains the most unusual publicly known piece of physical evidence associated with Morrison’s disappearance. Yet publicly available sources leave several basic questions unanswered: exactly when and where was the vehicle discovered, what condition was it in beyond being burned, and did investigators find evidence establishing who drove it from Wisconsin to California?

The theory that Morrison deliberately left his former life is also unresolved. While official Wisconsin material acknowledges speculation that he may have traveled to a Spanish-speaking country, no verified sighting or subsequent confirmed contact has been publicly documented in the sources reviewed here.

Richard Wayne Morrison would now be in his seventies. His case remains open to information, and anyone with knowledge concerning his disappearance or the circumstances surrounding his vehicle is asked to contact the Milwaukee Police Department.

Very Brief Case Summary

Last seen: April 25, 1977
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Age when missing: 26
Nickname: Rick
NamUs: MP50925
Doe Network: 6010DMWI

Main circumstances: Morrison was reported missing by his brother during April 1977. He may have been distressed about an injury lawsuit involving family members. After his disappearance, his vehicle was found burned near Death Valley, California. Authorities have not publicly established whether Morrison intentionally disappeared, suffered an accident, or encountered foul play. His whereabouts remain unknown.