WA DIANE SUE GILCHRIST: Missing from Vancouver, WA - 29 May 1974 - Age 14

[Romulus]

3714DFWA - Diane Sue Gilchrist

The image on the right is age-progressed to 54 years.

Name: Diane Sue Gilchrist
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: May 29, 1974
Location Last Seen: Vancouver, Clark County, Washington

Physical Description
Date of Birth: August 8, 1959
Age: 14 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 4'10"
Weight: 100 lbs.
Hair Color: Blond/Strawberry/shoulder length
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance
Per law enforcement, Diane was last seen on May 29, 1974. She left her home to runaway and never returned.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Clark County Sheriff's Office
Agency Contact Person: Detective Dennis Hunter
Agency Phone Number: 360-397-2211
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: S06-17112
NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 20347

Information Source(s)
NamUs
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Doe Network link 3714DFWA - Diane Sue Gilchrist

edited by staff to add media com link

DIANE SUE GILCHRIST has been missing from Vancouver, #WASHINGTON since 29 May 1974 - Age 14

Per law enforcement, Diane was last seen on May 29, 1974. She left her home to runaway and never returned.

www.crimewatchers.net

*CLICK THE REPORT BUTTON IF YOU'D LIKE THIS CASE MOVED TO THE GENERAL DISCUSSION AREA TO BE OPENED FOR COMMENTING.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Dog team picks up search for Southwest Washington girls missing since 1970s

A group of certified handlers with the Texas Star Dog Search and Recovery Team are hoping to solve two cold cases in Southwest Washington.

www.koin.com

Dog team picks up search for Southwest Washington girls missing since 1970s​

A group of certified handlers with the Texas Star Dog Search and Recovery Team are hoping to solve two cold cases in Southwest Washington.

Three women from different parts of the country, and three dogs, will be scouring parts of Clark County, hoping to bring closure to the families of Jamie Grissom, who disappeared in 1971, and Diane Gilchrist, who went missing in 1974.

The two missing teenage girls are believed to have been victims of convicted murderer Warren Forrest who is currently serving a life sentence for killing a teenage girl and a young woman in the 70s.


The search team picking up the case said that the dogs they are using are trained to search for artifacts up to 100 years old.

“We train on training products that are over 100 years,” the searchers said. “So it is feasible, and what the dogs can do is just amazing, you really have to see it to believe what they can do. So we have done up to 30, 40-year-old cases with success.”

 

[Kimster]

Jerri Mitchell thinks about Diane Gilchrist a lot, especially on Aug. 8, which would be their 59th birthdays — if Diane is still alive.


“I miss her, I’ve missed her all these years,” Jerri said. “She was my first real friend.”

<snipped>

For all these years, Jerri has hoped her best friend ran away to live another life.


They were 9th graders at Shumway Junior High School in downtown Vancouver. Both had rough childhoods.


“When Diane came along, she just came out of nowhere,” Jerri said. “I don’t remember her being in school before, we just ended up being friends and we hit it off and then she disappeared.”


Diane and her family lived in a house on Franklin Street. In the spring of 1974, detectives say Diane snuck out the top window and vanished.


But after four decades, Clark County detectives say they now think she was kidnapped and killed by Warren Forrest. If true, she would be his 9th victim — and the 7th who didn’t survive.

Could Diane Gilchrist be Warren Forrest’s 9th victim?

Diane Gilchrist disappeared without a trace 44 years ago when she was just 14 years old. Now, detectives believe she may be a victim of suspected serial killer Warren Forrest.

www.koin.com

 

[Kimster]

AI Update:

Diane Sue Gilchrist remains missing. There have been no new breakthroughs or discoveries directly locating her, though local authorities continue to investigate the broader set of 1970s cold cases connected to her suspected abductor. [1, 2, 3]

Current Case Status

• Unsolved Cold Case. Diane disappeared from Vancouver, Washington, in late May 1974 at the age of 14. She is officially classified by the Clark County Sheriff's Office as a missing teen and suspected homicide victim. [1, 2, 3]
• Suspected Perpetrator. Investigators suspect Diane is one of several local victims of convicted serial killer Warren Forrest. Forrest is currently serving two life sentences in Washington state, though he has never been formally charged in connection with Diane's disappearance. [1, 2, 3]

Recent 2026 Developments

• Broader Cold Case Searches. In February 2026, KATU News reported that the Clark County cold case team is actively reviewing seven homicides and two kidnappings tied to Forrest, including Diane's case. Investigators planned new 2026 searches in Dole Valley for another suspected victim, Jamie Grissim, following a witness tip. [1]
• Ongoing Awareness. Her case remains active on national databases, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) under poster #1216882 and NamUs under case #MP20347. Her family continues to hold out hope for a resolution and maintains a burial plot in her honor. [1, 2, 3, 4]

How to Submit Information
If you or someone you know has information about Diane Sue Gilchrist's disappearance, you can contact the following agencies: [1]

• Clark County Sheriff's Office. Call 1-360-397-2211 (reference agency case #S06-17112 or Master Case #318) or email coldcase@clark.wa.gov.
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Call their 24/7 hotline at 1-800-843-5678 and reference case #1216882.