Overview

Last Seen: August 6, 1998
Location: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Age When Missing: 33
Status: Missing; unresolved

Main circumstances: Robin disappeared shortly before emergency personnel responded to a fire at a multi-family residential property on August 7, 1998. His vehicle was found in the garage, but Robin was not located during the search of the residence. The fire was reportedly determined to be arson. Robin has not been located, and publicly available information does not establish what happened to him after his last known contact.

Anyone with information that could help investigators determine what happened to Robin Latham should contact the Eau Claire Police Department.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Robin Latham Missing Person Case: Disappearance After 1998 Eau Claire Fire

Robin Latham was 33 years old when he disappeared from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in August 1998. More than two decades later, his whereabouts remain unknown, and the unusual circumstances surrounding his disappearance — including an intentionally set fire and the discovery of his vehicle at the scene — continue to make the case especially puzzling.

Latham was last known to have been in Eau Claire on August 6, 1998. Available missing-person records describe him as a White and American Indian/Alaska Native man with brown hair and brown eyes. He stood approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed about 190 pounds. What clothing he was wearing when he disappeared has not been publicly documented.

The Disappearance of Robin Latham

The last documented contact with Robin occurred on August 6, 1998. The following day, August 7, law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel responded to a structure fire at a multi-family residential apartment complex in Eau Claire.

The fire was extinguished, and authorities searched the residence. Robin was not found inside. His vehicle, however, was located in the garage. Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy reports that investigators determined the fire had been intentionally set and classified it as arson. Robin was never located after the fire.

An Abandoned Vehicle and an Arson

Robin’s vehicle being left behind is one of the most significant publicly known circumstances in the case. Although his vehicle was discovered at the property following the fire, there was reportedly no sign of Robin when emergency personnel searched the residence.

Publicly available case summaries provide few additional details about the arson investigation. They do not identify a publicly named suspect in Robin’s disappearance, explain where investigators believe he went after August 6, or establish that Robin was inside the residence when the fire began.

Because Robin’s remains have never been recovered and authorities continue to list him as missing, it would be inaccurate to describe his disappearance as a confirmed homicide based on the information currently available to the public.

Robin Latham’s Missing Person Description

Robin was 33 years old when he disappeared. Available records describe him as approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and 190 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. His racial and ethnic description is listed as White/Caucasian and American Indian/Alaska Native.

No reliable public description of the clothing Robin was wearing at the time of his disappearance has been located.

The Case Gains Renewed Attention

For many years, very little information about Robin’s disappearance appears to have circulated publicly. That began changing as missing-person researchers and advocacy communities brought renewed attention to the case.

A Websleuths discussion dedicated to Robin was created in July 2024. In December 2024, a contributor reported submitting Robin’s case to the Doe Network. The Doe Network’s own 2024 update archive confirms that Robin Latham, case 6550DMWI, was added to its missing-person database on December 15, 2024.

Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy subsequently published a dedicated case profile in February 2025, identifying the Eau Claire Police Department as the agency to contact with information.

Community Interest Continues

Robin’s case continued receiving public attention in 2025. A September 2025 Reddit post in the Eau Claire community highlighted older local missing-person cases and specifically called attention to Robin’s disappearance.

Some online researchers have discussed possible addresses, photographs, unidentified remains, and other theories. Those discussions can sometimes generate useful leads, but they should not be treated as established investigative findings unless confirmed by law enforcement or another authoritative source.

Latest Information on the Investigation

Robin Latham remained publicly listed as missing in information available in 2026. Wisconsin reporting during Missing Persons Awareness Month continued to identify Robin as one of the state’s unresolved missing persons, noting that he was last contacted on August 6, 1998 and that his vehicle was subsequently discovered at the scene of the Eau Claire structure fire.

No publicly announced arrest, identification of Robin’s remains, or resolution of his disappearance was located in the sources reviewed for this article as of September 2026.

The case has nevertheless received substantially more public exposure in recent years. Robin was added to the Doe Network in December 2024, received a dedicated Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy profile in February 2025, and continued appearing in community awareness efforts and statewide missing-person coverage afterward.

The Eau Claire Police Department remains the principal law-enforcement contact identified in public information concerning Robin’s disappearance. The department’s current official contact information lists 715-839-4972 as its non-emergency number and 715-839-4978 for the Investigations Bureau.

Very Brief Case Summary

Last Seen: August 6, 1998
Location: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Age When Missing: 33
Status: Missing; unresolved

Main circumstances: Robin disappeared shortly before emergency personnel responded to a fire at a multi-family residential property on August 7, 1998. His vehicle was found in the garage, but Robin was not located during the search of the residence. The fire was reportedly determined to be arson. Robin has not been located, and publicly available information does not establish what happened to him after his last known contact.

Anyone with information that could help investigators determine what happened to Robin Latham should contact the Eau Claire Police Department.