Overview

Date Last Seen: October 1, 1981

Location Last Seen: Laurene Street, Fairbanks, Alaska

Circumstances at a Glance

• Left his residence on Laurene Street in Fairbanks.
• Has not been seen or heard from since.
• Publicly available information about the disappearance is extremely limited.
• The investigation remains open with the Fairbanks Police Department.
• Richard continues to be listed as an active missing person by the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Richard Raymond Omelak: The 1981 Fairbanks, Alaska Disappearance That Remains Unsolved

On October 1, 1981, 18-year-old Richard Raymond Omelak disappeared from Fairbanks, Alaska, and has never been found. More than four decades later, his case remains open and is still listed by Alaska authorities as an active missing person investigation. Despite the passage of time, very little publicly available information has been released about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, leaving investigators and Richard’s family without answers.

Richard Omelak was born on April 20, 1963, and was an Alaska Native. According to publicly available records, he was approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed about 150 pounds, and had brown hair at the time he vanished. Authorities state that he left his residence on Laurene Street in Fairbanks on October 1, 1981, and has not been seen or heard from since. No verified sightings have been publicly reported after that date.

Unlike many long-term missing persons cases, few investigative details have been released publicly. Law enforcement has not disclosed whether foul play is suspected, whether Richard was believed to have been traveling with anyone, or whether any significant evidence has been recovered. The lack of publicly available information has made the case especially difficult for researchers and the public to evaluate.

Richard’s disappearance continues to appear in the Alaska Department of Public Safety’s missing persons reports, indicating that the case remains active rather than closed. The case is also cataloged in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), providing investigators and the public with a centralized reference for information.

Latest Investigation Information

As of the most recent Alaska Department of Public Safety missing persons reports, Richard Raymond Omelak remains listed as an active missing person. No public announcements have indicated that his case has been solved, that remains have been identified, or that arrests have been made. Likewise, no publicly released investigative updates have identified new suspects or disclosed significant new evidence. The Fairbanks Police Department remains the investigating agency, and anyone with credible information is encouraged to contact law enforcement.

Last Seen Summary

Date Last Seen: October 1, 1981

Location Last Seen: Laurene Street, Fairbanks, Alaska

Circumstances at a Glance

• Left his residence on Laurene Street in Fairbanks.
• Has not been seen or heard from since.
• Publicly available information about the disappearance is extremely limited.
• The investigation remains open with the Fairbanks Police Department.
• Richard continues to be listed as an active missing person by the Alaska Department of Public Safety.