Case Details
- Photo URLs:
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- Missing Since:
- Missing Since 05/23/1971
- Missing From:
- Missing From Nevada City, California
- Classification:
- Classification Lost/Injured Missing
- Gender:
- Male
- Race:
- Race White
- Date of Birth:
- Date of Birth 08/16/1926 (98)
- Age:
- Age 44 years old
- Height and Weight:
- Height and Weight 6’0, 150 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description:
- Clothing/Jewelry Description A denim jacket, Frisco jeans and boots.
- Distinguishing Characteristics:
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Graying red hair, blue or brown eyes. Welch’s nickname is Lew. He has a thin build and is balding.
- Details of Disappearance:
- Lew Welch was a poet in the 1960s Beat movement, known to other famous Beat writers like Jack Kerouac (who even wrote about him!). After college, Welch struggled with mental health issues, moving around and trying to find his place. He was a talented writer, but his problems kept him from reaching his full potential.
By 1971, he was very depressed and drinking a lot. One day in Nevada City, California, he left his friend’s house with a gun and a note saying he was feeling hopeless and leaving. The note also gave instructions about his belongings and money. He disappeared and was never found. While it’s believed he took his own life, his body was never discovered.
- Agency:
- Nevada County Sheriff’s Department
- Source Links:
This person was missing Missing Since 05/23/1971