Jeffrey Dean Blankinship
Jeffrey, circa 1973; Age-progression to age 43 (circa 2012); Glenn Bagley in 1979; Bagley, circa 2009
- Missing Since 03/27/1973
- Missing From Port Townsend, Washington
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Sex Male
- Race White
- Date of Birth 08/03/1969 (55)
- Age 3 years old
- Height and Weight 3'5, 75 pounds
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes.
Details of Disappearance
Jeffrey and his mother Althea were last seen on March 27, 1973. They resided in Port Townsend, Washington. Their roommate, Glenn Allan Bagley, says he dropped them off at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that day. Althea and Jeffrey planned to travel to Greece to meet her parents, who were vacationing there.
They were supposed to catch a United Airlines flight to New York City and then a connecting flight to Greece. There was no record that either Althea or Jeffrey boarded any flights that day. They never arrived in Greece and have never been heard from again.
Bagley is the prime suspect in the Blankinships' disappearance, as well as the 1976 disappearance of his ex-wife, Esther Gesler. Photos of him are posted with this case summary. Although he claimed Althea and Jeffrey went on vacation to Greece, her cousin found Althea's passport in a relative's home in 2002 and it had no entries in it.
Althea was never issued another passport, making it unlikely she and Jeffrey left the country. As Althea's child, he could have traveled on her passport. Her cousin also found a cache of letters from Bagley to Althea. They had apparently had a romantic relationship.
Bagley moved to the Philippines shortly after Gesler disappeared and worked as a civil engineer in the capital city of Manila for many years. He never spoke to Washington police again, although over the years they tried to build a case against him for murder. He died of cancer in the Philippines in February 2016.
Althea and Jeffrey's cases remain unsolved and foul play is suspected.
Investigating Agency
- Kent Police Department 253-856-5800
Updated 7 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated June 14, 2016; details of disappearance updated.