Rory Neal Shoemaker

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Snohomish County Sheriffs Office (WA)

Missing From:

Everett, Washington

Summary:

Rory Neal Shoemaker, a 34-year-old Native American man, disappeared on September 1, 1995, while driving from Everett, Washington to meet friends at Red Bridge Campground near Granite Falls for a Labor Day camping trip. He never arrived at his destination and both he and his white 1979 Datsun 210 have never been located. The case remains unsolved.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

On September 1, 1995, Rory Shoemaker left his parents' home in South Everett, Washington early in the day to meet friends for a camping trip at Red Bridge Campground located east of Granite Falls. He was driving a white two-door 1979 Datsun 210 with Washington license plate 205-AKX. The vehicle had distinctive features including a black louver, damaged left front quarter panel, black and white checkered seat, and a cracked windshield. Shoemaker was wearing a short-sleeved gray t-shirt, black low-top sneakers, a red baseball cap, and possibly blue jeans. He never arrived at the campground and did not return home. His vehicle has never been found.

Additional Details:

Shoemaker had planned to move to Montana with his mother just a few days after the camping trip and had already packed their belongings. Family members stated it was uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning. Over the years, investigators received multiple tips suggesting Shoemaker was murdered and buried in his vehicle, but this information has not been confirmed. Homicide detectives conducted excavations in swampy areas of Granite Falls using a backhoe approximately five years prior to 2008 without locating the vehicle or remains. In 2008, Snohomish County Sheriff's Office created a cold case playing cards deck and featured Shoemaker on the Nine of Hearts card to solicit tips from prison and jail inmates. His sister, Delores Campbell, was quoted in 2008 stating he was 'a very kind, loving kid.' In recent years, online investigators using technology and mapping have claimed to possibly locate the vehicle in the Granite Falls area, though official confirmation has not been made. The case is investigated by the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office and remains active.

Case Last Updated:

Sep 30, 2026