OK Searching for my missing father STEPHEN MURPHY: Missing from Tulsa, OK - 2 May 1976 - Age 19

Searching for my father, Stephen Lee Murphy. No one had seen or heard from him 1976. No missing person report was filed until I filed one July 2022. Last anyone had contact with him he was 19 years old. He served in the Marine Corps from 1975-1984 when he was discharged out for AWOL and Misconduct. I tried to get his OMPF with no luck. Detective out of Tulsa Oklahoma is awaiting their request for his military file. If anyone knows him or has had any contact with him, I would appreciate knowing. I appreciate any help and suggestions. Thank you all so much

Help Stephen Murphy's daughter solve the mystery of what happened to her father! Missing from #OKLAHOMA since 1976!

No missing person report was filed until his daughter filed in July 2022. Last anyone had contact with him he was 19 years old. He served in the Marine Corps from 1975-1984

www.crimewatchers.net

 

[Tresir]

Never saw this before either.

Is it typically to actually try to go find AWOL soldiers, and then when they do, call it capturing and to cuff them? Not sure I ever knew that... Were there news reports that he was AWOL, news reports that he was captured and news reports that he escaped in hand cuffs because there should have been if all of this is truly the case. How'd they find him and WHERE had he went as it may give a clue as to where he went or was headed the next time...'Who had helped him if anyone?

One things for sure, IF he truly did escape after capture, he took off like the first time willingly and so almost certainly did the second time as well. Makes you wonder what was going on wrong at the military base he wanted out so badly. TWICE. At what age had he enlisted and had he always been at that base for most of that time?

I suppose we don't know any of these things? I had read the thread back when I last commented but don't recall all details. If I recall, there were few known things.

If it was an escape, he went of his own accord and the handcuffs are long off. He'd need help probably pretty quickly to get them off and not be seen by people in them. My sister and BIL graduated in '76 and were 18 and so they are almost his age, he's a bit older, not much. And they are in their 60s. He likely is still alive but for if he got something like cancer as my brothers did before their 60s, in their 50s.

Anyhow I'd also say he doesn't want to be found because he was in trouble when he left. That's going to make it 1) harder to find him and 2) he may not like finding out anyone is still trying to find him.

it would seem not unlikely he did something like head for Canada as many draft dodgers did. He was not a draft dodger, the draft was over by 76 and if he enlisted at 16 or 17 they couldn't draft him. At 18 or 19 they could but when he was 19 it was over and I am pretty sure it was the year before too. It was years earlier than that young men in high school had to worry when 18, my brothers were part of those years but also I think toward the waning of them and were never drafted.

Just giving some perspective. All families were worried about such and so were the teens as was mine with regard to my brothers. I forget EXACTLY when it ended but pretty know it had by the time he went missing and even a few years before I believe.

Still he was AWOL and then escaped when sitting on charges I'd imagine so he'd want to feel the country quite possibly... Or changed identity and fled the country OR went somewhere remote like Alaska, maybe Montana...

If alive, I'd think he doesn't want to be found to this day. However, it would seem not unlikely some family member knows because I'd think someone helped him out initially and I'd say family would be likely, but could have been a friend too.

Again I'd have to refresh on whether his family claimed to know anything as I don't recall...

I don't inderstand this bit - in the intro at the beginning of the thread it says this.

"He served in the Marine Corps from 1975-1984 when he was discharged out for AWOL and Misconduct."

So he served till 1984 it says. Was it '84 he went missing?

 

[Tresir]

Also, what about submitting DNA to a geneology website? Could that be a way of tracing him ? eg if he had changed his name, for example.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Doe Network: International Center For Missing and Unidentified Persons

Doe Network is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to bringing awareness to missing persons and unidentified persons throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia.

www.doenetwork.org

Name: Stephen Lee Murphy
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: May 02, 1976
Location Last Seen: Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma

Physical Description​

Date of Birth: April 5, 1957
Age: 19 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'2" - 5'9"
Weight: 120 - 190 lbs
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue or Brown
Nickname/Alias: Steve
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Mole on face

Identifiers​

Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Pending

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Stephen Murphy disappeared in 1976. He was originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Stephen is said to have told his uncle not to worry about him, that he would be OK, and he walked away.

According to family, Stephen was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California when he went AWOL. He was captured and escaped wearing handcuffs.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Tulsa Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Det. Campbell
Agency Phone Number: 918-596-9143
Agency E-Mail: tjcampbell@cityoftulsa.org
Agency Case Number: 2022035405

NamUs Case Number: 93708

Information Source(s)​

NamUs
Family Member

@Tresir well that's interesting because here from the doenetwork it says he's been missing since 1976, that @Summer_Breeze posted. To be honest,, I did not have time to go back and refresh so may that was another time or something?

So why he would serve until 1984 when he was missing in handcuffs on the doenetwork since 1976 I have no idea. Did he get out of it go onto serve honorably for many years and went AWOL again?

Something is wrong here.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Also, what about submitting DNA to a geneology website? Could that be a way of tracing him ? eg if he had changed his name, for example.

If this man fears trouble, he may hate if anyone attempts to find him. And there seems to be some confusion on when he went AWOL and served and how many years.

 

[Snoangel26]

Never saw this before either.

Is it typically to actually try to go find AWOL soldiers, and then when they do, call it capturing and to cuff them? Not sure I ever knew that... Were there news reports that he was AWOL, news reports that he was captured and news reports that he escaped in hand cuffs because there should have been if all of this is truly the case. How'd they find him and WHERE had he went as it may give a clue as to where he went or was headed the next time...'Who had helped him if anyone?

One things for sure, IF he truly did escape after capture, he took off like the first time willingly and so almost certainly did the second time as well. Makes you wonder what was going on wrong at the military base he wanted out so badly. TWICE. At what age had he enlisted and had he always been at that base for most of that time?

I suppose we don't know any of these things? I had read the thread back when I last commented but don't recall all details. If I recall, there were few known things.

If it was an escape, he went of his own accord and the handcuffs are long off. He'd need help probably pretty quickly to get them off and not be seen by people in them. My sister and BIL graduated in '76 and were 18 and so they are almost his age, he's a bit older, not much. And they are in their 60s. He likely is still alive but for if he got something like cancer as my brothers did before their 60s, in their 50s.

Anyhow I'd also say he doesn't want to be found because he was in trouble when he left. That's going to make it 1) harder to find him and 2) he may not like finding out anyone is still trying to find him.

it would seem not unlikely he did something like head for Canada as many draft dodgers did. He was not a draft dodger, the draft was over by 76 and if he enlisted at 16 or 17 they couldn't draft him. At 18 or 19 they could but when he was 19 it was over and I am pretty sure it was the year before too. It was years earlier than that young men in high school had to worry when 18, my brothers were part of those years but also I think toward the waning of them and were never drafted.

Just giving some perspective. All families were worried about such and so were the teens as was mine with regard to my brothers. I forget EXACTLY when it ended but pretty know it had by the time he went missing and even a few years before I believe.

Still he was AWOL and then escaped when sitting on charges I'd imagine so he'd want to feel the country quite possibly... Or changed identity and fled the country OR went somewhere remote like Alaska, maybe Montana...

If alive, I'd think he doesn't want to be found to this day. However, it would seem not unlikely some family member knows because I'd think someone helped him out initially and I'd say family would be likely, but could have been a friend too.

Again I'd have to refresh on whether his family claimed to know anything as I don't recall...

The escape story I got from his sister who got it from their mother. So honestly I don't know how true it is. I was able to find out that he is not wanted as a deserter from the military. He enlisted right out of high school, just after he turned 18. The only family living of his, are 2 brothers and one sister. One was 15 years old, one was year old, and the other wasn't born yet.

 

[Snoangel26]

I don't inderstand this bit - in the intro at the beginning of the thread it says this.

"He served in the Marine Corps from 1975-1984 when he was discharged out for AWOL and Misconduct."

So he served till 1984 it says. Was it '84 he went missing?

He went missing in 1976. The military voluntarily discharged him in 1984

 

[Snoangel26]

If this man fears trouble, he may hate if anyone attempts to find him. And there seems to be some confusion on when he went AWOL and served and how many years.

My DNA has been submitted as reference sample to his Namus. He went AWOL/MISSING in 1976. He enlisted in 1975 right after graduation and his 18th birthday. Stationed in Camp Pendleton California. Military discharged him in 1984. He is not listed as a deserter either. So he isn't wanted by the military. His fingerprints have been ran and nothing shows up. His SSN hasn't had activity on it either.

 

[Tresir]

He went missing in 1976. The military voluntarily discharged him in 1984

Sorry for misunderstanding. Thanks for explaining that. I came across a post on Reddit regarding a possible match and wondered if you had seen it?

The DOE was found in August '76 and was clearly murdered but has never been identified so far. There has been one exclusion so far. Were you aware of this?

Warning graphic description of deceased.

 

[Tresir]

My DNA has been submitted as reference sample to his Namus. He went AWOL/MISSING in 1976. He enlisted in 1975 right after graduation and his 18th birthday. Stationed in Camp Pendleton California. Military discharged him in 1984. He is not listed as a deserter either. So he isn't wanted by the military. His fingerprints have been ran and nothing shows up. His SSN hasn't had activity on it either.

I find this strange that the military do not have him listed as a deserter or AWOL. So did he ever officially resign and why was he not officially discharged till '84? Does that mean they know what happened to him?

 

[GrandmaBear]

The escape story I got from his sister who got it from their mother. So honestly I don't know how true it is. I was able to find out that he is not wanted as a deserter from the military. He enlisted right out of high school, just after he turned 18. The only family living of his, are 2 brothers and one sister. One was 15 years old, one was year old, and the other wasn't born yet.

Thanks for the refresh. I'm sure I likely had read some of that but it's been awhile.

I think there should be an out for someone young who enlisted and finds out it just isn't what they expected or is having real trouble in the military.

I find it a bit hard to believe they'd search for and go after someone that age for going AWOL and capture OR charge them. I'd sure hope not anyhow.

I personally know of a few people who enlisted and endured some very life altering awful things and never expected such a thing and yes, it was about impossible to get back out. I know we all think highly of our military and should but there's also another side to it. I have my own personal opinion of such and even the fact it can go on.

So only one sibling would have been old enough or even around to recall anything.

it would seem then no sibling could have helped him if the story is true. You mean the second escape story, after being "captured" right? IF true, the mother could only know this from him I'd think or from the military who may have questioned her when looking for him....

There is the possibility something happened to him when with the military and this is a story... It sure wouldn't be the first time someone went missing while in the hands of the military and it covered up or hushed.

You say the only family living, did he have other siblings at the time who are now passed?

Because if escaping in handcuffs is true, my thought is someone helped him pretty quickly get them off and hide or get away...

I hope you get answers and I'm just trying to get my bearings on all the facts again.

 

[GrandmaBear]

He went missing in 1976. The military voluntarily discharged him in 1984

Okay, that explains that then.

If alive, I wonder if he knows that he is no longer "in trouble" and he was discharged. I guess if he ever looks himself up, he could possibly find threads like this...

 

[GrandmaBear]

My DNA has been submitted as reference sample to his Namus. He went AWOL/MISSING in 1976. He enlisted in 1975 right after graduation and his 18th birthday. Stationed in Camp Pendleton California. Military discharged him in 1984. He is not listed as a deserter either. So he isn't wanted by the military. His fingerprints have been ran and nothing shows up. His SSN hasn't had activity on it either.

Well, it would seem then when he went missing, he'd not want to be found. Do you know if the "capture" story is even true, whether the further escape story is or not, or did he just go AWOL and never was seen again? That's key I think and makes a huge difference of whether he just went missing in '76 never to be seen again or was captured and went missing again and actually escaped.

Again, I don't see them actively hunting someone for doing that. Maybe to a point of trying to determine if okay, family notified perhaps, seeing if he can be easily found with last known whereabouts but not some active search and capture kind of thing... I guess I don't know but further would surprise me.

It's not an easy thing to say but I would not dismiss something happened to him there and they claim he went AWOL/missing. It wouldn't be the first time such has happened or where they just don't "investigate" their own or something happening on base...

On the other hand, if you are AWOL and IF you were caught and escaped in cuffs the next time, you are not going to use your identity nor your SSN, I mean we are talking govt. both with military, the SSN, etc. and if he thought he was in trouble and at such a young age, you certainly would think such imo and he would be in trouble, I don't mean he wouldn't, just how big of trouble or danger, that's more up in the air.

Again key is if he went missing in '76 and was never seen again or was captured and supposedly escaped again. It still would be around the same time period I'd imagine but the depth of trouble he may have thought himself in or if he was never seen again after the AWOL thing or after a capture and escape...

Was he on approved leave when he went AWOL? Or just left base and never came back? Because something simply could have happened to him then. I understand you may not know, just asking in the event you do.

Purposely going AWOL versus something just happened to him and no one knows if something did and so he never came back would lead to different thoughts depending on which. For example, if I was in the military and went out for a night's drinking off base and was allowed to do so, and got into a bar fight and someone killed me and threw me into a river, I did not go AWOL voluntarily. But if I left when I was not supposed to or it is known he intentionally himself did not come back, that changes the direction I'd look at this.

Again, not so fresh on the details but don't recall there being a lot known so you may not know. Just putting it out there.

 

[GrandmaBear]

My DNA has been submitted as reference sample to his Namus. He went AWOL/MISSING in 1976. He enlisted in 1975 right after graduation and his 18th birthday. Stationed in Camp Pendleton California. Military discharged him in 1984. He is not listed as a deserter either. So he isn't wanted by the military. His fingerprints have been ran and nothing shows up. His SSN hasn't had activity on it either.

Just want to say the DNA not being found means there's no body they have DNA on at least that is unidentified, so far. That and fingerprints also means he committed no crimes he has such on record. So not all a bad thing. The SSN makes sense also if he did not want to be found and thought himself in trouble. However, that's a fairly young age to be thinking that wisely but not impossible...

The ceased activity could also sadly mean he was not alive from then on.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Sorry for misunderstanding. Thanks for explaining that. I came across a post on Reddit regarding a possible match and wondered if you had seen it?

The DOE was found in August '76 and was clearly murdered but has never been identified so far. There has been one exclusion so far. Were you aware of this?

Warning graphic description of deceased.

Interesting and sounds like could be a good possibility unless a comparison has already been done and an exclusion.

 

[Regina]

The escape story I got from his sister who got it from their mother. So honestly I don't know how true it is. I was able to find out that he is not wanted as a deserter from the military. He enlisted right out of high school, just after he turned 18. The only family living of his, are 2 brothers and one sister. One was 15 years old, one was year old, and the other wasn't born yet.

What's the source of the info that he isn't wanted as a deserter? And what's the source of the info that he was discharged in '84?

 

[GrandmaBear]

I find this strange that the military do not have him listed as a deserter or AWOL. So did he ever officially resign and why was he not officially discharged till '84? Does that mean they know what happened to him?

I was wondering if they couldn't even be sure he was involuntarily AWOL but then I had forgotten the part about telling an uncle not to worry and supposedly he just walked away. I should have reread the posts but never got around to it and won't until later most likely.

I'd guess they were just cleaning up records at a slow pace and not going to keep it on the books when nothing really serious as far as desertion/AWOL so they gave it a status of discharging him, writing it off, because more is unknown?

Just guessing. So more or less writing it off as hadn't learned more in all those years and wasn't the most serious thing on the military side as far as the desertion/AWOL thing. Meaning it's not like they were looking for someone that committed some awful crime and then went AWOL, just a young man who went AWOL years ago. They aren't going to spend a lot of time on it imo even back then and so I kind of doubt the capture story. It isn't like he was high up in the military and absconded with a bunch of top secret information if you see what I'm saying?

Times were different no doubt but I still don't see it, a capture and cuffs unless he was easily found and nearby quickly after he did not come back.

I need to reread later but I had forgotten about the uncle's statement that he just walked away.

 

[Kimster]

He went missing in 1976. The military voluntarily discharged him in 1984

OK, that makes more sense. Thank you for the clarification!

 

[Kimster]

What's the source of the info that he isn't wanted as a deserter? And what's the source of the info that he was discharged in '84?

If I recall correctly, she got his military records recently.

 

[Snoangel26]

Sorry for misunderstanding. Thanks for explaining that. I came across a post on Reddit regarding a possible match and wondered if you had seen it?

The DOE was found in August '76 and was clearly murdered but has never been identified so far. There has been one exclusion so far. Were you aware of this?

Warning graphic description of deceased.

I sent email about it but no response

 

[Snoangel26]

If I recall correctly, she got his military records recently.

I recieved partial military records which gave me the dates. As for the not being wanted. I found an email regarding deserters and asked