Barbara Louise Cotton

Barbara, circa 1981; Age-progression to age 54 (circa 2019)

  • Missing Since 04/11/1981
  • Missing From Williston, North Dakota
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Female
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 11/10/1965 (59)
  • Age 15 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'2, 100 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A blouse, jeans and loafers.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Barbara's ears are pierced, and her left ear is slightly lower than her right ear. She has a dark brown mole on the upper right side of her chest. Barbara has a pronounced "S" curve in her spine, which causes her to walk with a slight limp. She smoked cigarettes in 1981. Barbara wears eyeglasses, but left hers behind she disappeared. Her teeth were in excellent condition at the time of her disappearance.

Details of Disappearance

Barbara was last seen leaving a restaurant on Main Street in her hometown of Williston, North Dakota during the evening hours of April 11, 1981. She had dinner there with a friend and her boyfriend and her boyfriend offered to accompany her home afterwards, but she declined and left the restaurant alone. Her boyfriend watched her walk to Recreation Park, which is five blocks from home.

Barbara never arrived at her destination and has never been heard from again. She did not take her clothes, eyeglasses, cigarettes, money, or any other personal belongings with her when she disappeared. She also left behind a paycheck from work. Her younger brother stated he was very close to Barbara and she never told him of any plans to leave home.

Barbara's case was originally investigated as a runaway case and a missing persons report was not filed for several days as a result. Authorities now believe that she may have been abducted, but the prime suspect in her disappearance, a former boyfriend of Barbara's, is now deceased. Her case is considered open and unsolved.

Updated 7 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated July 10, 2020; age-progression updated.