John Dolan Phillips

Phillips, circa 1983

  • Missing Since 04/16/1983
  • Missing From San Francisco, California
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 07/28/1947 (77)
  • Age 35 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'10, 150 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description Blue jeans and a watch on his left wrist.
  • Associated Vehicle(s) Mint-condition 1967 Citroen convertible (accounted for)
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes.

Details of Disappearance

Phillips was last seen at his home in San Francisco, California on April 16, 1983. He has never been heard from again. It theorized at the time that he had walked out of his life to escape the stress of having a new baby and problems in his marriage of sixteen years. He lived with his family on Larkin Street.

Phillips disappeared with his mint-condition 1967 Citroen convertible; it's a rare vehicle, with only 1,200 ever manufactured, and was worth twelve to sixteen thousand dollars.

The Citroen resurfaced in July 1985, after a new owner bought it at a lien sale. It had been left in the underground parking lot at an office skyscraper in San Francisco, and accumulated $4,000 in parking fees over the course of eight months before the owners of the parking garage sold it to one of their employees for $200.

The new owner stated when he had opened the trunk of the car, he found some baseball equipment and Phillips's wallet, with contacts intact. A private detective hired by Phillips's family asked the new owner to let him take to the car to be analyzed for clues in Phillips's disappearance, but the owner refused. Eventually the family's lawyer got a court order directing the new owner to hand over the car.

At the time of his disappearance, Phillips worked as an importer of Asian textiles. The private detective who investigated his case looked into the possibility that drugs were involved in his case, but this theory came to nothing. Phillips's disappearance remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency

  • San Francisco Police Department
  • 415-553-0123
  • 415-558-5508

Updated 4 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated March 14, 2019; picture added, details of disappearance updated.