The Missing
Joseph Gutierrez
Sanborn Township, Michigan
🌊🕯️ Lost Along Lake Huron: The Disappearance of Joseph “Joey” Gutierrez 💔
Joseph Michael Gutierrez, known as Joey, was just 15 years old when he vanished during an overnight camping trip near Alpena, Michigan, on September 3, 1983. More than four decades later, his whereabouts remain unknown, and his family is still without the answers they deserve.
Joey and his 16-year-old friend, Christopher Jedra, were both from Detroit. The boys had met through the Sea Cadets, a pre-Navy program, and planned to spend the night camping in the South Point area along the shores of Lake Huron. Christopher’s parents dropped them off on September 3 and planned to return the following day.
When they arrived at the campsite, however, both boys were gone.
Their tent remained standing in the woods, approximately 50 feet from the shoreline. Their T-shirts and underwear had been hung over the tent, while their pants were left on the ground outside. Their boots and unrolled sleeping bags were still inside. Their dog was tied to the tent with water available, but its food dish was empty. The boys had brought three cans of dog food and had used only one.
An extensive search involving ground teams, boats and aircraft followed. On September 19, Christopher’s body was discovered floating approximately half a mile offshore near North Point. Joey was never found.
Authorities believe the boys may have attempted to swim to Bird Island, located about half a mile from shore, and drowned. Joey was reportedly not a strong swimmer. Despite the extensive search, Lake Huron never gave investigators the answers they needed, and his remains have never been recovered.
Joey was a student at St. Florian High School in Detroit. He was described as a Hispanic male with a dark complexion, brown hair and brown eyes. He also had a brown birthmark on the back of his thigh. At the time, he may have been wearing swimming trunks or cut-off jeans. A pocketknife sheath was reportedly found among his belongings, suggesting he may have carried a knife.
💔 Joey was a teenager who went camping with a friend and never made it home. His disappearance has left a family with decades of uncertainty, and his story deserves to be remembered.
🔎 Missing Person Details
• Name: Joseph Michael Gutierrez
• Nickname: Joey
• Date Last Seen: September 3, 1983
• Missing From: Sanborn Township, Alpena County, Michigan
• Age at Disappearance: 15-16 years (sources differ)
• Current Age: 58
• Sex: Male
• Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic / Latino
• Height: Approximately 5’9”
• Weight: Approximately 150-180 lbs
• Hair: Dark brown
• Eyes: Brown
• Distinguishing Feature: Brown birthmark on the back of his thigh
• Possible Clothing: Swimming trunks or cut-off jeans
• Possible Item: Pocketknife
📞 Anyone with information about Joey’s disappearance is urged to contact:
Michigan State Police-989-354-4101
Even after all these years, information from someone who remembers that September weekend could help bring answers to a family that has waited too long.
Sources:
Have you seen this child? Joseph Michael Gutierrez
Michigan Missing Person Database – Missing People and Unsolved Cold Cases
Joseph Michael Gutierrez – The Charley Project
Missing Person / NamUs #MP20466 | NamUs
Joey Gutierrez | International Missing Persons Wiki | Fandom
Missing: Joseph Gutierrez | Sanborn Township, MI | Uncovered
Christopher Jedra (1967-1983) – Find a Grave Memorial
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