Clarence “Charly” Wayne Richards was last seen alive on August 21, 1992. He was a cook at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Southwest Portland and was seen leaving work alone around 8 p.m.
It is believed that his 1989 black Ford 4x4 pickup truck was involved in a minor crash at Southwest Washington and Park streets about 9:30 p.m. Witnesses told detectives they saw two men in a pickup truck that sped away from the crash.
Richards’ truck was last seen around 10:25 p.m. in downtown Portland, near Southwest Park Avenue and Stark Street.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s detectives found Charly’s truck parked near Southeast 30th Avenue and Salmon Street on August 22.
Richards was reported missing by his father on August 23. Richards lived with his dad, Jim, in Vancouver, Washington. Jim told police his son was responsible and would not disappear without notifying family members.
Charly graduated from Mountain View High School in Vancouver in 1987. He had a passion for cooking and hoped to attend culinary school in New York. At the time of his death, he was a Clark College student and working in the kitchen at the Veterans Affairs hospital.
Charly was an U.S. Army reservist. He served in the military police in the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
A hiker found Richards’ body on Aug. 31 in a wooded area known as Thousand Acres. The area is north of Interstate 84 and east of the Sandy River. Richards suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest.
Report a tip to 503-988-0560 or by email tips@mcso.us.
Additional photos provided by his family.
