Erin Marie Gilbert

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Alaska State Troopers (AK)

Missing From:

Girdwood, Alaska

Summary:

Erin Marie Gilbert disappeared on July 1, 1995, aged 24, while attending the Girdwood Forest Fair in Girdwood, Alaska. She was on a first date with David Combs, whom she had met several days prior, and was last seen at the fairground's beer garden at approximately 6:00 p.m. Despite search efforts of family and Alaska State Troopers, no traces of Gilbert have ever been found.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

On July 1, 1995, Gilbert accompanied David Combs to the Girdwood Forest Fair in Girdwood, Alaska. The two left Anchorage at approximately 4:00 p.m. and were last seen at the fair's beer garden with Combs before they left at approximately 6:00 p.m. At the time, she was wearing a black leather jacket, a black and white shirt, mountain boots, and black jeans. By Combs' account, he and Gilbert returned to his car, but found the battery dead as he had left the headlights on. He claimed he told Gilbert he was going to a nearby friends' home to get help, and walked for around two hours, but was unable to locate his friend's residence. When he returned, Gilbert was no longer at the car. According to Combs, he assumed Gilbert had returned to the fair, and found that he was able to start the car engine. Stephanie and her family searched the Girdwood Forest Fairgrounds the following morning, July 2, as well as the surrounding woods, after receiving a phone call from Combs inquiring about whether or not Gilbert had made it home the night before.

Additional Details:

Gilbert had previously resided in California and had moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where she lived with her sister and worked as a nanny. In 1994, Erin lived in San Francisco but relocated to Alaska to join her sister, Stephanie Juarez, and Stephanie's family at Elmendorf Air Force Base. Stephanie's husband was in the military and traveled extensively for work, leaving Stephanie alone with their two children. She asked Erin to live with them. After moving to Alaska, Erin often frequented an Anchorage bar called Chilkoot Charlie's or Koot's to locals. Erin met David Combs at Koot's during the summer of 1995. Alaska State Troopers organized a large search utilizing helicopters and search dogs, but were unsuccessful in recovering any sign of Gilbert in the vicinity of the fair. The Alaska State Troopers conducted a more extensive search involving dogs and helicopters, but turned up no sign of Erin. Lieutenant Randy McPherron, who is the sole investigator in the troopers' Cold Case Investigation Unit, told Dateline they haven't received any leads in several years, but said he would follow up on any that come in. Dave cooperated initially but later refused a polygraph test and ceased communication with investigators. Dave cooperated initially but later refused a polygraph test and ceased communication with investigators. Lieutenant McPherron told Dateline there are no suspects in Erin's disappearance, but said they have attempted to reach Dave Combs multiple times for questioning. Erin's family put up a $35,000 reward in 2017 for information leading to the young woman's whereabouts or the person responsible for her disappearance. Stephanie has started a Facebook page FindingErinMarieGilbert, where people can follow the case or leave tips and leads. "It's been a great outlet to share Erin's story -- to keep her face and name out in the world," Stephanie said. According to Alaska State Troopers, Gilbert's case remains open and is an active investigation. National attention intensified in 2019 with a Dateline NBC episode titled "Sister Seeks Answers 24 Years After," which aired on December 23 and detailed the case through interviews with Gilbert's sister, Stephanie Juarez, who recounted their final interactions and the family's ongoing quest for closure.

Case Last Updated:

Jul 27, 2026