Missing
Dean Alan Thoms
Thoms, approximately 1987; Fred Bowers, approximately 2019
Date and time person was reported missing : 07/31/1987
Missing location (approx) :
Phoenix, Arizona
Missing classification : Endangered Missing
Gender : Male
Ethnicity :
White
Age at the time of disappearance: 21 years old
Height / Weight : 5'4 - 5'7, 155 pounds
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: Caucasian male. Blond hair, hazel eyes. Thoms's left ring finger has been partially amputated.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Thoms was last seen in the area of north 73rd Avenue and west McDowell Road in Phoenix, Arizona at 5:00 p.m. on July 31, 1987. He has never been heard from again.
In 2019, Fred Bowers was charged with Thoms's murder and with conspiracy to commit armed robbery. A photo of Bowers is posted with this case summary. He is awaiting trial in the murder. No information has been released about the evidence against him.
Foul play is suspected in Thoms's case due to the circumstances involved.
Other information and links : ncy
Phoenix Police Department
602-534-3093
September 2021 updates and sources
A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe.
By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends.
Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.
Phoenix Police Department
12 News
October 12, 2004. April 14, 2021; Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : updated.
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
