I voted that he met with foul play. Definitely some conflicting clues here, but it sounded like Charles was too nice of a person to not at least contact his mom, (like when he said "But it's me, Charles!") plus there didn't seem to be any dissention between the two, unless UM is left out vital information again. I think he most likely ran into danger in the bad part of town he was staying in when they tagged him as an outsider. Case bares some resemblances to Adam Hecht.

Good poll question wiseguy. I chose the could go either way one. No doubt Charles did love his mother but at the time he left he seemed to be wanting to break away and assert his independence from his mother and everything else imo. I think thats a big reason why he was hitchhiking across Canada. So I do think its possible he could have initially disappeared on his own I do think he would have eventually contacted his mother so I think he met with foul play later as hitchhiking can be very dangerous. I did find a little about him on the net and it appears he's still missing. :(

http://www.mispers.com/horvath-allan.html

Another thing that puzzles me is the age old question "why wouldn't Lifetime have showed this one". They may have shown it years ago but I had certainly never seen it until I got the tape of this episode recorded off of NBC. He's still missing and UM is seen in many countries so I think it would have been a good one to continue showing in case any new leads or information surfaced.

Anyways, I was able to locate an article about Charles Horvath on the net. Sadly, Charles's grandmother passed away last year without knowing his fate. In more sad news, it appears as if the family has given up hope of him ever being found alive someday. I've become very intrigued by this case as Charles seemed to be a very genuinely nice person.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/city/2006/01/30/1b91b26f-acac-4ba2-97eb-3e61db6a7cc2.lpf

I have no idea why certain UM segments haven't been aired on Lifetime. I would imagine it's a different reason for each case, as opposed to one reason for the whole lot. I know the subject of rare segments has been discussed at length in the past on this forum. Part of me wants to say that the Dr Browning and Gulf Breeze UFO's haven't been shown as they're possible hoaxes, but then again why would they keep showing Anastasia, which was proven a hoax. Bizarre.

Maybe I should write to Lifetime and see if I can get the rare segments aired. Who knows, maybe they'll show Todd Mcafee.

I voted 'could go either way'. I'm split 50/50 on this one.
He could've left willingly, but if that were the case, wouldn't he have at least tried to contact his Mother and told him of his situation?

I am compleatley stumped by this case as from the looks of the poll I'm not alone. This was one of the best missing persons cases UM has profiled and it baffles me that "Lifetime" has never syndicated it. It could easily go either way.

In most cases where an individual has been missing for the length of time that Charles Horvath has been missing, I would assume they are dead. I can't really see Charles being the victim of an abduction although there is a possibilty due to an altercation or a beating, he might be wandering around with impaired memory unable to find his way home.

But coming up on twenty years, I would have to say that Horvath is either dead or doesn't want to be found. The fact that he visited his friend months after he was sighted at a campground where he abandoned his belongings and clearly identified himself as "Charles" leads me to believe that perhaps Horvath simply struck out on his own and chose to abandon his past and start over afresh in North America. What we don't know is the nature of the relationship between Charles and his mother.

Charles' mother indicates that they had a very close relationship but then again Charles' own statements about wanting to "run away and hide" from his family seem to tell a much different tale. While as I previously stated in cases where a person has been missing for this length of time, I usually assume they were dead - in this case however, I would probably lean more towards Charles Horvath being alive as oppose to dead due to the circumstances regarding his disapperance.

A couple more reasons I think he met with foul play:

-His mom received faxes from him for a little while, then the faxes stopped coming. If he had planned not to ever see her again, why would he send faxes then quit

-It's been about 15 years since the last sightings of him.

-CrystalDawn had a good point a couple days ago about tiny details. There's one I just found in this story as I was watching it for the second time: When Charles is playing with the little boy at the campgrounds, Charles asks the father "What should I do with him?" and the father says "You should take him to Hong Kong with you." That leads me to believe that Charles intended to go to Honk Kong, but was prevented. If he didn't have any intentions of going there, it wasn't necessary to tell anybody about it.

^ Good points wiseguy although what still trips me up is since Charles was due in Hong Kong I believe sometime in late August of 1989 - What was he doing still wandering around Canada in July of that year going almost two months without contacting his mom?

If he was robbed of his travel funds or was somehow unable to catch his flight to Hong Kong, surely he could've contacted his mom for more funds or aide in getting to Hong Kong. If the spontaneous visit to his friends' apartment could be discredited or even misdated, I would certainly lean towards the theory of foul play.

However since it was the police who dated this visit as having taken place in July of 1989, it would lead me to believe they have some type of evidence (possibly video or audio tape recordings dated within that time frame) to prove that Charles Horvath did indeed drop by his friends' apartment at that time.

This leads me to believe that Charles Horvath possibly engineered his own disappearance.

Follow-Up: While I still firmly believe that Charles Horvath is likely still alive and engineered his own disappearance, in trying to wrack my brain I've developed a loose and admittedly far-fetched scenerio as to why Charles may have still been in Canada in July of 1989 and was possibly murdered shortly after.

It has been stated that Charles was at least for a period of time staying at a campground in a seedy area of town. While they didn't come right out and say it I would not be surprised if some criminal or drug activity was going down at this site.

It may have been possible due to Charles' naivety he might have been enticed or otherwise forced to participate in some type of illegal activity over a period of time by a group of people staying at these campgrounds. They could've abducted him on the night he vanished, worked him over real good and could have been using him in whatever illegal enterprise they were running with the promise of "if you help us out with this or that, we will put you on a plane to Hong Kong when you're done doing whatever you have to do for us" - Also they could have simply told him "If you don't agree to help us with this or that, we'll kill you".

Its possible that they kept Charles Horvath under very close surveillance during the month of June while he participated in whatever illegal activity they had him doing for them and by July perhaps they assured him he would be going home soon. At this time maybe he visited his friend Joanne possibly to say goodbye because he assumed he'd be leaving Canada within the next day or so. But instead of putting Charles on a plane these same individuals felt they would be in a better position to do away with Charles Horvath due to the knowledge he had of whatever they were doing along with the fact that they basically abducted him from the campsite.

Again this theory has NO BASIS in fact and is just a way of explaining what could've happened to Charles. While it is pretty far-fetched and I would certainly still stick with my original theory of a willful disappearance you hear so many horror stories of people disappearing in foreign countries from women being sold into white slavery to men being captured and forced to run drugs and then never heard from again. So anything is possible with this one

Thoughts?

I go with neither of the above, I think he took himself somewhere remote and killed himself, I think he was tired of the lifestyle he was leading and thought the girl he met was the one for him but I got the impression that although she liked him the love was not requited and the night he went and she would not let him in was the breaking point for him. I don't think he did it right away but probably ended up drinking heavily and became depressed

Follow-Up: While I still firmly believe that Charles Horvath is likely still alive and engineered his own disappearance, in trying to wrack my brain I've developed a loose and admittedly far-fetched scenerio as to why Charles may have still been in Canada in July of 1989 and was possibly murdered shortly after.

It has been stated that Charles was at least for a period of time staying at a campground in a seedy area of town. While they didn't come right out and say it I would not be surprised if some criminal or drug activity was going down at this site.

It may have been possible due to Charles' naivety he might have been enticed or otherwise forced to participate in some type of illegal activity over a period of time by a group of people staying at these campgrounds. They could've abducted him on the night he vanished, worked him over real good and could have been using him in whatever illegal enterprise they were running with the promise of "if you help us out with this or that, we will put you on a plane to Hong Kong when you're done doing whatever you have to do for us" - Also they could have simply told him "If you don't agree to help us with this or that, we'll kill you".

Its possible that they kept Charles Horvath under very close surveillance during the month of June while he participated in whatever illegal activity they had him doing for them and by July perhaps they assured him he would be going home soon. At this time maybe he visited his friend Joanne possibly to say goodbye because he assumed he'd be leaving Canada within the next day or so. But instead of putting Charles on a plane these same individuals felt they would be in a better position to do away with Charles Horvath due to the knowledge he had of whatever they were doing along with the fact that they basically abducted him from the campsite.

Again this theory has NO BASIS in fact and is just a way of explaining what could've happened to Charles. While it is pretty far-fetched and I would certainly still stick with my original theory of a willful disappearance you hear so many horror stories of people disappearing in foreign countries from women being sold into white slavery to men being captured and forced to run drugs and then never heard from again. So anything is possible with this one

Thoughts?

I like the energy DarkDante put into this, but I think, after not being heard from for almost 20 years now, he is and has been dead for nearly all of those 17+ years. I've watched this segment twice now from crystaldawn's DVDs, and I think I agree with James T --- suicide seems likely.

Charles Horvath was on a trip to Canada shortly before his 21st birthday, a trip that seemed to carry partially "spiritual" implications for the kid --- he's backpacking without specific definition, hitch-hiking in a strange land, etc. It has all the hallmarks of the kind of thing a lot of late teen and twenty-something kids do, especially when they come to a point in life when they are done with education but not yet on a specific life path. While in Canada, he tells one set of relatives that he intends to sever himself forever from his mother and his family in England, but then tells a girl he just met that he loves his mother dearly, and even has a few pictures he keeps with him at all times. After meeting this girl, he apparently leaves the town abruptly, even abandoning his supposedly precious photographs, only to return a few months later randomly one night to speak with the girl again. She refuses him, and he disappears again, this time forever. To me, there is an identifiable pattern of "patternless" behavior here --- that is to say, erratic --- that speaks of someone losing control of himself and quite possibly his mind. It wouldn't be at all surprising to find that he, following a final rejection by someone he had built up in his mind as a replacement for the loved ones he had apparently abandoned, took his own life.

I would like to know how the authorities were able to determine that Charles had last spoken with Joanne in July, not May as she claimed --- the very fact they were able to do so suggests that they have some evidence he was somewhere doing something for the intervening time. The question is --- what? I'd also like to know how quickly after finding the body that was not Charles in the river the authorities stopped looking for Charles in the river. How thorough was their search following that event? How thoroughly was the area of the river where a body was found ever actually searched? It's quite possible that there could be more than one body in a location as inviting as that one obviously was for suicides.

My guess is he is somewhere in that river, and has been since 1989.

was just watching this again,,, and I really am wondering if that note about charles being in the river was the truth, but they just didn't find him (maybe the current took him away from the bridge. Whoever had written the note seemed to know exactly where it was (maybe he had helped place him there.) Although, his statements about disappearing are odd.. so it just seems very strange.

Very interesting discussions! I just watched the clip, and enjoyed reading all the theories. I too think it is critical to know how the cops know that Charles called his friend in July instead of May... If that is a fact, the case becomes more complex, but if it is a mistake/bad recollection,etc..., then I believe that Charles met with foul play the night of the "wild party" at the campground, and was killed. I mean, that's the most logical explanation, as he was seen the day of the party, and the next morning after the party, his stuff was there, but he wasn't.

I'm thinking a fight broke out, or somebody/people got drunk and wanted to act tough and things got out of control. The problem, however, is: That damn July visit to the girl. If that is true, hmmmm...

Then I start to think maybe he did want to get away from it all (this is not that uncommon among 20-somethings- even if they are very close to their family); think of all the true cases about this, aka "into the wild", etc. I got the sense his family was well off and maybe he was tired of the materialism and what not that he had been brought up with. That might explain why he was staying in a tent in a seedy part of town... Being naive and wanting to live with "the down and outs." Something tells me he could have stayed wherever he wanted. These are guesses obviously.

Of course then, we have to figure out what happened after he walked away from that door speaker in July? Did he feel rejected and kill himself? Maybe, although I don't think it was because he loved her she said "I'm sorry not tonight, I'm having a family dinner." Perhaps, after months wandering around, he was lonely, and looked her up for just someone to talk to, and after that, realized that he had no one... but then one wonders, why not call his mother, or even the other family members whom he felt close enough to to say he wanted to disappear to get away from his mother.

Because when he mentioned disappearing, it was specifically about disappearing from his mom, not everyone else in his life.

So, if the July sighting is true, than I think he either killed himself at some point not too long after July, or he tried to keep the life up, and ended up meeting with foul play. I do not think he is alive, unfortunately. I do think (of course I don't know the real situation with he and his family) it is cruel for a person to do this to family members... Have the courage to say "I need time away, I'm leaving." Don't just disappear and leave your mom with the agony of not knowing.

On the other hand, isn't it entirely possible that he wasn't trying to disappear at all.. remember: The July call was still one month before he was to go to Hong Kong. So, the faxes stopped... he probably got tired of having to do it all the time, or just got lazy and stopped.... who knows.

I do think at the end of the day, he met with foul play, or committed suicide... And it all took place before he was due to leave for Hong Kong. Very sad case.

was just watching this again,,, and I really am wondering if that note about charles being in the river was the truth, but they just didn't find him (maybe the current took him away from the bridge. Whoever had written the note seemed to know exactly where it was (maybe he had helped place him there.) Although, his statements about disappearing are odd.. so it just seems very strange.

I thought the note was really vague and weird... I mean, "the body is in a lake by a bridge." If you know where the body is and it isn't a hoax, just name the lake and bridge! I always find those vague, ambiguous calls and letters to be unreliable. Esp. since the note said "I just saw your ad in the paper." My guess is it was some one having some sick fun.

Since the friend that Charles went to visit was having a family reunion dinner, maybe they figured out what month it was in based on flights/travel arrangements that her family members had made. That is just a thought, but I agree that it would be interesting to know how they determined that it was definitely July.

Then I start to think maybe he did want to get away from it all (this is not that uncommon among 20-somethings- even if they are very close to their family); think of all the true cases about this, aka "into the wild", etc. I got the sense his family was well off and maybe he was tired of the materialism and what not that he had been brought up with. That might explain why he was staying in a tent in a seedy part of town... Being naive and wanting to live with "the down and outs." Something tells me he could have stayed wherever he wanted. These are guesses obviously.


I think this is a good point, and I'll tell ya, I'm kinda conflicted about what kind of place this campsite was. To hear his mom describe it, it was a frightening place filled with scary people. I was actually under the impression that it was a transient camp, at first, because of the way she described it. But then, we're told a dad and young son were camped out there. Were they homeless at the time? or just camping for fun? if it was for fun, I find it unlikely that a dad would take his little boy to some transient camp that was filled with criminal activity. But then again, who knows? I'd just like to have a better description of the place in general.

If it was indeed a less-than-ideal place to spend time, I can absolutely see a naive young person getting into trouble there.

I really can't make up my mind about what happened to him. I can see a young guy wanting to disappear for awhile, maybe to prove he can handle the world on his own. But to stay gone for twenty years? without even a phone call or note to his mother to let her know that at least he's alive? I know we only got one side of the story in the segment, but he did seem like a nice guy who cared about his family. Would he really want them hurting and searching all these years?

What a sad case, I really hope that his mom finds answers one day.

The fact that his belongings were left behind would indicate fould play of some sort. And that is really the only concrete evidence in this case, to be honest.:confused:

I don't think anyone can make a concrete determination on his fate based on the facts.

Any theory on him is valid, IMH. There is just as much a chance of him being alive as well as dead.

Needle in a haystack case. More evidence needed.

1. UM did a huge disservice in this this case by not saying what the tatoo was on Charles.
2. There is some information on Charles that the I believe is withheld. I'm pretty sure of that. My gut feeling says that Charles may have had a problem with substance abuse. If it was drugs, that answers a lot of questions. There are some members of the family and friends that are not telling the whole story about Charles.
3. If Charles had a "debt" of some sort. That would explain why he left so suddenly. If you have a gambling debt and someone threatened to kill you, you don't wait to pack your things, escpecially since everyone knows where your campsite is.
4. Another thought is that Charles may have thought he was in trouble with the law for some reason.
5. Interpol's abrupt determination on Charles death is puzzling,. I would tend to go with laziness on the detectives. But I wonder if Interpol had a record linked to Charles?

The key to solving this case is to learn more about Charles Horvath's life.

This is an interesting one. While I feel for his mother, it seems clear she was an overprotective, dominant mother whose impression of her son can't neccesarily be trusted.

I tend to agree with Mastermind that Charles leaving his stuff behind is not a good sign. I can accept that Charles might have wanted to get away from his mother's control, at least for awhile, but it makes no sense to not take his gear with, at the very least.

I also agree that the visit to his "friend's" apartment is a key point. If it was in July, that begs the question as to where Charles was for a month or more - and there seems no answer to that other than rank speculation. You would think that if he was, or had been, in any trouble, he would have communicated that in some way. I also wonder what proof police had in fixing this date.

You would presume that he is now dead, having been incommunicato for 20+ years, but then again, if his resentment for his mother was high enough, I could see him not even sending a "i'm ok, leave me alone" letter because he knew his mother would and could not leave him alone.

This might be a shot in the dark but it's worth a try. Does anyone think Charles might have gone off to Hungary? I'm pretty sure Horvath's father was Hungarian, so Charles should have citizenship. If he wanted to disappear, Hungary is a decent choice.

This might be a shot in the dark but it's worth a try. Does anyone think Charles might have gone off to Hungary? I'm pretty sure Horvath's father was Hungarian, so Charles should have citizenship. If he wanted to disappear, Hungary is a decent choice.

He would need a passport to do so. (hell maybe he even needs a visa)
I'm going out on a limb and saying his passport was not taken.

Why would he leave his belongings behind so abrubtly?

No contact since 1989 its obvious he is no longer with us.

I think it could go either way. On one hand, there was a note stating that Charles was murdered. No body was ever found in the area that the note depicted but still someone wrote the note. I understand that it could have been someone just making stuff up, but if its not, then someone out there is claiming to have seen Charles killed. On the other hand, he told someone that he was going to disappear and that no one would ever find him. Very interesting case. I tend to think he is dead. Mainly because if he hasn't been seen or spotted by now, odds are, he has either left the country or is dead. But that's just my opinion.

Watched the case again, so I wanted to bring some points up.

-It's good that Denise Allen (Charles' mother) is still putting the word out about Charles' disappearance. But the fact that there have been no official sightings of Charles in the last twenty years is an ominous sign. One would think that an individual with an English accent would stick out in Canada. If he's alive, why no reports? It's not as though he's lost in the Tibetan mountains.

-What would Charles have gained from leaving his personal belongings? Nothing at all. This is the first red flag as others have pointed out. It's a good indicator that someone might have done something to Charles. I also wonder if someone possibly manipulated Charles. As a very young, English traveler, someone could have seen Charles as easy prey. He was in vulnerable position since he was new to Canada.

-The idea that Charles created a new identity to escape from his mother seems absurd. At the age of twenty, he was traveling alone in Canada. He was already asserting his independence from his mother. Why cut off all ties?

This might be a shot in the dark but it's worth a try. Does anyone think Charles might have gone off to Hungary? I'm pretty sure Horvath's father was Hungarian, so Charles should have citizenship. If he wanted to disappear, Hungary is a decent choice.

Sure, if you speak hungarian, which there's no evidence he did. In 1989, Hungary was just emerging from the iron curtain as well; foreign ex-pats would have stood out just a bit.

Sure, if you speak hungarian, which there's no evidence he did. In 1989, Hungary was just emerging from the iron curtain as well; foreign ex-pats would have stood out just a bit.After watching the case again, I'm inclined to think Charles is deceased. So, yes, Hungary is out of the question.

The last official sighting of Charles was in 1989. Sad to say but Charles is most likely not among the living...:(

After watching the case again, I'm inclined to think Charles is deceased. So, yes, Hungary is out of the question.

The last official sighting of Charles was in 1989. Sad to say but Charles is most likely not among the living...:(

I tend to agree.

No doubt about it something happened to him in that campground. Why else would all of his belongings still be there? And I think the cops were hasty to assume that because they found one body that wasn't Charles then he couldn't be in the lake too. I just wish they would have probed these handwritten notes further...why would someone do that to the guys mother? What motive would anyone have to pull off a hoax like that?

BUT IT'S CHARLES!

Can't believe those idiots didn't let him in :(

BUT IT'S CHARLES!

Can't believe those idiots didn't let him in :(


I always thought that there was something weird about that. From the segment, they made it look like he was practically begging to come in and visit with them, but they wouldn't come to the door and only spoke to him through the intercom, giving him some kind of excuse that they were having a family dinner or something.

It made me wonder if he was making a nuisance of himself and they finally refused to let him in or if there was something else going on that they didn't want to say on TV.

This is a fascinating case and I agree with those of you who say that we aren't getting all of the information that we require from UM here. There are some missing pieces.

Does anyone think that it is possible that Charles himself sent that letter to his mother in her hotel room to try to make her think that he was dead so that she would stop looking for him?

I watched this one again recently. Taking into consideration the amount of time that has passed, I think he is deceased, and has been since he first disappeared. I totally believe that he met with foul play somewhere during his travels.

I think that with hindsight it's easy to say that the folks should have invited him upstairs. But based on the segment, he didn't seem to indicate that he was in trouble or that it was urgent, at least, it didn't seem that way to me. Besides, if they were sitting down to a family dinner, it probably wasn't the best time to have someone just dropping in because he felt like it. Maybe Charles had been making a not-so-cool habit of coming by whenever the mood struck him and it was getting tiring. Perhaps they didn't go into detail about this because Charles was now missing and no one wants to speak negatively of someone at that point.

I think that good manners have to go both ways, and it didn't strike me that they were purposefully trying to neglect Charles.

BUT IT'S CHARLES!

Can't believe those idiots didn't let him in :(

I wonder if Charles and the lady that did not let him in on that evening had a romatic encounter at one time or another? She seemed to have a crush on him.

I wonder if Charles and the lady that did not let him in on that evening had a romatic encounter at one time or another? She seemed to have a crush on him.

It seemed, more to me anyway, that Charles was the one who was infatuated with this girl. Maybe (as others have suggested) he was becoming somewhat of a pest by dropping by unannounced, and they simply did not want to let him in because they were having a family meal. No one wants their dinner interrupted, no matter who it is.

It seemed, more to me anyway, that Charles was the one who was infatuated with this girl. Maybe (as others have suggested) he was becoming somewhat of a pest by dropping by unannounced, and they simply did not want to let him in because they were having a family meal. No one wants their dinner interrupted, no matter who it is.

I once had a roommate who would invite himself along everywhere with my boyfriend (now husband) and I. I'm not kidding, he even managed to tag along on our first anniversary date. He wasn't trying to be rude, he was just rather socially oblivious.

Maybe Charles was lonely being in a new country and got a little too clingy. Doesn't mean he was a bad guy or deserved to turn up missing, but unless he clearly showed signs of needing help, I don't fault the woman for telling him it wasn't an appropriate time.

It seemed, more to me anyway, that Charles was the one who was infatuated with this girl. Maybe (as others have suggested) he was becoming somewhat of a pest by dropping by unannounced, and they simply did not want to let him in because they were having a family meal. No one wants their dinner interrupted, no matter who it is.

That was a troubling scene during the segment, my gut reaction was to feel that they were wrong for turning him away, but ultimately I think you are right, that he probably wore out his welcome at that point. Didn't they say that this occurance when he showed up during their dinner was several months after he disappeared? I thought that was strange. I mean if a drifter showed up after several months, I would be hesitant to let him in as well. Could he have taken the hint, and because he was possibly infatuated with the girl, he decided to leave the country and start a new life? Someone else mentioned that this could have been the breaking point, and I think that may be right.

i hate it when its OBVIOUS SOMEONE knows what happened and send "anonymous" leads but wont give any further details etc.

Besides...This is Canada. No one in Canada is tough. They aren't going to "get" you... lmbo. joke

I just read on his mom's site that Charles (I just watched this segment again today) picked up his paycheck from the Flintstones park May 26 and cashed it later that day at a bank. That's the last confirmed sighting of him. I wonder if he could have been killed for his money?

I wonder why they say he was still alive in July. The only sighting I could find was at a night club in July, which was not confirmed. Where does his lady friend fit into this? How is she certain it was July that she saw him last? How is it she convinced the police to state this was the last time he was 'seen'?

This case has always bothered me, I don't know why. Maybe because he seemed to be a carefree kid, camping in parks and working at places I used to visit as a child. It all just seems so weird. I don't remember Kelowna being particularly bad back then, but maybe I was clueless.

I've thought about this case a lot, it's one of those weird ones where everything seems like a likely possibility. Still, I'm leaning on the side that he actually staged his disappearance. He might have met foul play later on, but I think that he may have deliberately left his things behind to give the impression that he was murdered, and I'm not entirely convinced that he didn't write those notes.

I would probably never believe any of these things I'd written if the police hadn't spoken to his two relatives who said that he told them (not just one, for which I would be skeptical, but two) that he wanted to disappear and no one would ever find him again. I suspect, but there is no way to confirm that Charles may have had some mental health issues, or issues with boundaries. (the guy from the camp ground said he was a little too trusting.) I feel the night that Charles went over to the family's house, he was reaching out in a last attempt to make a connection, perhaps even to say goodbye, and that's what makes it sad - they had no idea of what was going on in his head. I think they were the last people he felt a connection to before he decided to officially disappear.

I'm not blaming his mother, but something was going on in his family for him to say something like that, unless the relatives were lying. Again, because they are relatives and not just friends or acquaintances, it makes me believe they would never have told police that to hurt the mother unless it was true. It seems unbelievably cruel if he kept them wondering all these years, but maybe he felt that if he didn't make a clean break, he never would. Still, I'm not entire convinced that he left the town, perhaps he did get in a fight as the note suggested. But really? A fight with two guys? Was it a robbery? Did he have anything? And they killed him and pushed him off a bridge, in Canada, of all places? Not sure. This is truly an unsolved mystery.

The thing I found weird about the friend was that she was THREE MONTHS off on the last reported sighting of Charles. This is bordering on suspicion for me. Not saying they have anything to do with it but come on, that is odd. As for not letting him in, I hope it was done a little nicer than in the reenactment when she was just like "it's not a good time" and she invited him back at a later date or something. Either way though, he vanished after. I think it was definitely foul play, unconnected to the friend who happened to just be unreliable with dates which threw the original investigation off a bit timeline-wise.

The thing I found weird about the friend was that she was THREE MONTHS off on the last reported sighting of Charles. This is bordering on suspicion for me. Not saying they have anything to do with it but come on, that is odd. As for not letting him in, I hope it was done a little nicer than in the reenactment when she was just like "it's not a good time" and she invited him back at a later date or something. Either way though, he vanished after. I think it was definitely foul play, unconnected to the friend who happened to just be unreliable with dates which threw the original investigation off a bit timeline-wise.


I appreciate your point here Wishful, but I still wonder: why would he say to those relatives that he wanted to disappear without a trace leaving his family behind? I can understand wanting time away from family, I can even see staying out of touch for a while, but I really wonder what motivated him saying that. It makes me think of two things- he had some real resentment towards his family that he felt was justified, that he had some mental illness that the episode the family was covering up, or a mix of both.

What's interesting about the night Charles dropped by is that part of me feels that the family could have at least let him in, told him they were doing a family night thing but that he could stay for a quick drink - but my sense, since he didn't have a way to call (pre-cell phones) and he was living on a camp ground was that they may have feared that if they let him in they wouldn't get rid of him. The way she laughs in the episode and says, we all found that funny that he would assume he would get in because "hey, It's Charles" suggests an intimacy with the family, but also entitlement, and maybe they'd had enough, the way they treated him suggested to me that he'd done this before, and they were like, "We just can't do Charles tonight..." for whatever reason.

Perhaps we'll never know, and I'm not sure how they confirmed that her timeline was wrong, but I'm thinking, if he met foul play, it may have been after he decided to stop contact, not the reason he was unable to communicate. Truly baffling. It's cases like this where I'd love to know what a psychic like Nancy Myers or John Catchings - UM psychics, felt about the case.

I appreciate your point here Wishful, but I still wonder: why would he say to those relatives that he wanted to disappear without a trace leaving his family behind? I can understand wanting time away from family, I can even see staying out of touch for a while, but I really wonder what motivated him saying that. It makes me think of two things- he had some real resentment towards his family that he felt was justified, that he had some mental illness that the episode the family was covering up, or a mix of both.

What's interesting about the night Charles dropped by is that part of me feels that the family could have at least let him in, told him they were doing a family night thing but that he could stay for a quick drink - but my sense, since he didn't have a way to call (pre-cell phones) and he was living on a camp ground was that they may have feared that if they let him in they wouldn't get rid of him. The way she laughs in the episode and says, we all found that funny that he would assume he would get in because "hey, It's Charles" suggests an intimacy with the family, but also entitlement, and maybe they'd had enough, the way they treated him suggested to me that he'd done this before, and they were like, "We just can't do Charles tonight..." for whatever reason.

Perhaps we'll never know, and I'm not sure how they confirmed that her timeline was wrong, but I'm thinking, if he met foul play, it may have been after he decided to stop contact, not the reason he was unable to communicate. Truly baffling. It's cases like this where I'd love to know what a psychic like Nancy Myers or John Catchings - UM psychics, felt about the case.

I bet they confirmed the date by checking her family members' travel itinerary or something (I would guess airline tickets or some such thing) and then discovered that she was way off on the date.

I agree that Charles' comments are intriguing. Why would he say that? Could he have been mad? What rules out the probability that he did this himself, in my mind, is that he didn't take his things. If he'd taken his things and run off, maybe I could have believed it. But he left behind absolutely everything. We don't know how much money he had, but probably not enough for him to feel comfortable doing this to make it look like foul play and throw people off. There was probably something going on in the family that caused him to make these remarks, though. He was young and probably wanted to seem independent, but it's still odd! I totally agree, though, that mental health could have been an issue for all we know.

Does anyone know what state of decay the other body found in the water was in? The man in question went missing in 1985 but I am unsure of what the rate of decomposition is in water.

Does anyone know what state of decay the other body found in the water was in? The man in question went missing in 1985 but I am unsure of what the rate of decomposition is in water.
It had to be really bad if they confused a 65-year-old for a 20-year-old

There was a cargo boat discovered in one of the lakes up near michigan that was down there for a hundred years and because of the the extreme icy waters the bodies were well preserved to what extent I am unsure, but they were in tact enough that the divers recognized the clothing and that the bodies will very recognizable. If the conditions are right, a body can last some time minus the fish taking what they want of course!

His mom has a personal profile and a page of Charles on Facebook. She posts everyday about him. I feel for her. I hope she gets her answers someday. I applaud her for keeping her son's memory alive. She is really the only one left to wonder and mourn about him, since Charles' father died some years ago.

Charle's' mother posted some information that was left out of the UM segment:

http://www.unsolvedcanada.ca/index.php?topic=2099.15

* Joanne (the girl interviewed on the segment) claimed to have last seen Charles at a nightclub in August of 1989, not at the family dinner he'd interrupted the month prior. The sighting is unconfirmed.

* There were two other uncorroborated sightings of a still unidentified man with Charles - one in a bar, the other in a boat.

* The RCMP retrieved some of Charles' belongings from individuals who knew Charles and were using them at the campsite.

Abandoning his things and having individuals that knew him help themselves to his possessions, rather than receiving them from Charles or reporting his disappearance, isn't a good sign at all. There's plenty of speculation to be made about the credibility of Joanne's sightings in July and August, but I think that something happened to him around the time he last was in contact with his family.

The fact that he apparently told two relatives that he was going to strike out on his own and that his mother would never be able to find him is, to me, very strong evidence that that is exactly what he did. These were not some random tipsters or people who met him once at a campground; rather, they were his relatives. This is not to say, however, that he did not meet with foul play at some point after setting off on his own.

I often find these anonymous callers' stories to be suspect at best; why give such vague information if you really want the case to be solved, and you are remaining anonymous anyway? The story that this caller told, however, seems plausible to me. Also, it doesn't bother me too much that the caller just mentioned the bridge on the lake; Lake Okanagan is very well known in the area. I'm not sure how the timeline of that apparent incident works with the visit to his friend in July, though.

Also, I don't fault his friend at all for turning him away that night. If you're having a "family reunion dinner" and your friend turns up out of the blue, you are definitely entitled to say that it's not a good time. "Family time" is just that, especially if you haven't seen your relative in a long time. It also didn't seem as though the friend perceived Charles to be in any sort of distress - just that he was stopping by for a visit.

I would say that he left of his own accord, but that he may have run into foul play after having done so. The onset of some kind of mental illness cannot be discounted, either, possibly leading him to suicide.

I think he wanted a little bit too much adventure. He was drawn into an in-depth exploration of the vast Canadian wilderness and eventually got lost. He was unable to find his way out and eventually succumbed to the elements of nature. Somewhat similar to the David Stone segment.

We don't know how really was his mother... I mean, we have an image made by the segmente of a loving and caring mother, but there is a possibility that she was a very controlling person, a toxic parent and because of that , Charles decided to disappear...

Maybe he decided to vanish and when he become acquainted that his mother was in Canada looking for him, he panicked and decided not to appear anymore...

It's just a possibility. I have a friend with a very toxic mother and if she could dissapear forever, she would do. It's not impossible. Not all the people want to appear to be reunited with family.

I think he wanted a little bit too much adventure. He was drawn into an in-depth exploration of the vast Canadian wilderness and eventually got lost. He was unable to find his way out and eventually succumbed to the elements of nature. Somewhat similar to the David Stone segment.

It's not similar at all to Stone's case except in the sense of romantic symbolism.

My hunch is Charles Horvath might very well be alive and started over. I rarely say that about missing people, but fugitives for murder have been known to go undetected for years.

I get the impression his mother is toxic. Listen to her words. "Charles wouldn't do x and y." How would she know? It's clear she's protecting her worldview and thoughts into his mouth. For an independent spirit like Charles, across an entire ocean, it's not unheard of that he decided to start over. It's even easier in the days before cell phones, on top of his relatives corroborating his desire to get away. Yet his stupid mom says "Charles would never say that" or "He was just joking." Seriously...listen to your kid for once.

Charles Horvath was making himself known to people around this campsite, and around the town as well. He went out of his way to meet people, told them his real name, etc. Now if Horvath was deadset on leaving his family and disappearing, why would he make it known who he was to these people, essentially leaving a paper trail of his whereabouts? And isn't it odd that shortly after he disappears there are no other confirmed sightings of the guy? I think he met with foul play, probably befriended the wrong person who unfortunately killed him.

Charles Horvath was making himself known to people around this campsite, and around the town as well. He went out of his way to meet people, told them his real name, etc. Now if Horvath was deadset on leaving his family and disappearing, why would he make it known who he was to these people, essentially leaving a paper trail of his whereabouts? And isn't it odd that shortly after he disappears there are no other confirmed sightings of the guy? I think he met with foul play, probably befriended the wrong person who unfortunately killed him.

You do raise an excellent point, though in counter, I feel like Horvath (which doesn't help my hypothesis but doesn't hurt it either) might have worked on impulse and that, upon reaching Canada, had no coherent plan until possibly he got into it with his mom. I don't know. People can be weird like that.

My issue with the campsite angle stems from the lack of motive in killing Horvath. With people like him, you take advantage of him; you don't kill him. I think there's a lot of stereotyping going on because those who frequented the campsite were juggalo trash bags. True. But that doesn't make them fit the profile of a murderer. People like that usually kill over sex, drugs, or money - the typical motives in almost all murders. AFAIK (you seem more familiar with the case than I am), none of those variables came to play.

A thought did come to me though. Do you think it's possible Horvath might have been the anonymous caller claiming Horvath was killed? It's not out of the realm of possibility, especially if he felt that it could keep his mother from returning to Canada in searching for him.

A thought did come to me though. Do you think it's possible Horvath might have been the anonymous caller claiming Horvath was killed? It's not out of the realm of possibility, especially if he felt that it could keep his mother from returning to Canada in searching for him.

Possible, but unlikely, IMO.

His last known confirmed sighting was when he cashed a check. Coincidence? I think he was killed for money or some other valuables, probably by someone at the campsite he was staying. He hasn't surfaced at all in over 25 years. I think the line about disappearing from his family was used as hope that he was still alive. But with the passage of time, I think that's unlikely unfortunately.

I stumbled upon a segment of a Canadian show called "Missing Treasures" that featured this case. It had a few interesting facts I don't think UM mentioned.

-Charles was actually born in Canada, but raised in England. The purpose of his backpacking trip was that he wanted to experience the country he was born in.

-His mother sold her beauty shop to fund the initial trip to Canada to look for Charles. And sadly, she was teary-eyed in this piece too.

Now, I'd be curious to know if any *English* missing persons shows have featured this case. That would make at least 3 countries, which may be some sort of world record.

As is my opinion in most cases where someone disappears, never to be seen again, I believe Charles is likely dead. We live in such a technologically advanced world nowadays, that someone is bound to have seen him by now. I think Charles was likely killed after he first disappeared.

I'm not sure whether it was foul play or misadventure, but I'm fairly confident the young man is no longer with us. :(

Good segment. Horvath is likely dead or avoiding his odd mother.

The Horvath case has been one of those UM cases that I've followed over the years, hoping for some sort of update. I've always believed, and still do to this day, that Horvath likely met with foul play during his travels.

The UM segment always gave me an impression of Horvath that he was one of those very trusting, never met a stranger, type of guy. While I always partially envy people like that, because I myself am mistrustful of most people, I also kind of worry about them. We live in a dangerous world IMO, and the more open/trusting you are with people, the more vulnerable you are to those with dishonest intentions.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am in no way blaming Horvath if he did indeed meet with foul play. While it is always my hope that he is living a happy, healthy life out there, that possibility seems less and less likely as the years go by.

The Horvath case has been one of those UM cases that I've followed over the years, hoping for some sort of update. I've always believed, and still do to this day, that Horvath likely met with foul play during his travels.

The UM segment always gave me an impression of Horvath that he was one of those very trusting, never met a stranger, type of guy. While I always partially envy people like that, because I myself am mistrustful of most people, I also kind of worry about them. We live in a dangerous world IMO, and the more open/trusting you are with people, the more vulnerable you are to those with dishonest intentions.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am in no way blaming Horvath if he did indeed meet with foul play. While it is always my hope that he is living a happy, healthy life out there, that possibility seems less and less likely as the years go by.

Good post -- I totally agree with this. I think Charles either trusted the wrong people and/or hung out where he shouldn't have. He may likely have been mugged and murdered, too. I do think he was naive or too trusting and that it likely led to his murder.

I don't think he ran off to start a new life. I think he eventually would have let her know he was alive. I didn't think his mom was odd or overbearing, either. She struck me as a mom who really loved her son and cared about his well-being.

Good post -- I totally agree with this. I think Charles either trusted the wrong people and/or hung out where he shouldn't have. He may likely have been mugged and murdered, too. I do think he was naive or too trusting and that it likely led to his murder.

I don't think he ran off to start a new life. I think he eventually would have let her know he was alive. I didn't think his mom was odd or overbearing, either. She struck me as a mom who really loved her son and cared about his well-being.

Todd, you and I are totally of like mind on this case. I also never got any bad vibes regarding Horvath's mother. She always just struck me as a grieving mother desperate for any information regarding her missing child. Something that I'm sure any loving parent could relate to.

As far as the theory that Horvath simply picked up and started a new life somewhere goes, it never really held any water for me personally. While I'm sure that sort of thing can and does happen on rare occasion, I don't believe it happens nearly as often as LE speculates it does. Just my opinion of course, as I'm certainly no expert on the matter. I also believe that while once upon a time, it may have been a simple matter to lose yourself in the crowd so to speak, I believe it's a much different undertaking today. In our current technology driven, big brotherish culture, picking up and starting a new life from scratch is no easy task IMO.

interesting tidbit.....On one trip to Canada March 1992, Horvath-Allan's mother (Denise Horvath-Allan) received two anonymous letters delivered by taxi whilst staying at The Pandosy Inn Motel, detailing how her son had been partying at Tiny Tent Town with locals and had gotten into a fight where he was killed. His body was then dumped into Lake Okanagan.


there was a search and a body was found turned out not to be his....the authorities didn't even contacted his parents about the id of the body...friends called them when they saw it in the news

interesting tidbit.....On one trip to Canada March 1992, Horvath-Allan's mother (Denise Horvath-Allan) received two anonymous letters delivered by taxi whilst staying at The Pandosy Inn Motel, detailing how her son had been partying at Tiny Tent Town with locals and had gotten into a fight where he was killed. His body was then dumped into Lake Okanagan.


there was a search and a body was found turned out not to be his....the authorities didn't even contacted his parents about the id of the body...friends called them when they saw it in the news

You're absolutely correct Libby. I seem to recall UM making mention of that odd development during their segment. I further seem to recall that after LE made this discovery, Horvath's mother received another written communication advising her that LE was searching the wrong side of the lake. Perhaps my fellow posters can correct me if I'm wrong on that point.

What do we all think of those mysterious letters BTW? Were they on the level, or just some nutter looking for kicks at Mrs. Allan's expense? I've always wondered if maybe those letters were indeed legit, and that maybe the author was looking to assuage his or her guilt without paying any consequences for the crime.

BUMP

I just rewatched this segment today, and jotted down some notes about the timeline of everything.

-Charles arrived in Kelowna on May 3rd, 1989.

-His friend, Joanne, said that the last time she saw/spoke with Charles was in May of 1989.

-Charles's last fax/correspondence with his mother Denise was on May 11th, 1989.

-The anonymous note that Denise received said that Charles was killed on May 26th, 1989.

-This (https://globalnews.ca/news/1169821/still-no-sign-of-charles-horvath-25-years-later/) article says that Charles was last seen alive on May 26th, 1989 cashing a check.

If the notes to Denise Horvath were a hoax, what are the odds that this person just so happens to guess the correct date of the last time he was seen alive? And on the other hand, the RCMP seemed as if they were looking at this case from the standpoint of Charles wanting to start a new life and disappear on his own. Which, naturally, makes me also consider suicide as a possibility. If the note didn't have the correct date of when Charles was last seen alive, I would have definitely leaned towards suicide or accidental death. That note is the key in solving this case, IMO.

BUMP

I just rewatched this segment today, and jotted down some notes about the timeline of everything.

-Charles arrived in Kelowna on May 3rd, 1989.

-His friend, Joanne, said that the last time she saw/spoke with Charles was in May of 1989.

-Charles's last fax/correspondence with his mother Denise was on May 11th, 1989.

-The anonymous note that Denise received said that Charles was killed on May 26th, 1989.

-This (https://globalnews.ca/news/1169821/still-no-sign-of-charles-horvath-25-years-later/) article says that Charles was last seen alive on May 26th, 1989 cashing a check.

If the notes to Denise Horvath were a hoax, what are the odds that this person just so happens to guess the correct date of the last time he was seen alive? And on the other hand, the RCMP seemed as if they were looking at this case from the standpoint of Charles wanting to start a new life and disappear on his own. Which, naturally, makes me also consider suicide as a possibility. If the note didn't have the correct date of when Charles was last seen alive, I would have definitely leaned towards suicide or accidental death. That note is the key in solving this case, IMO.

Agree 100% on the notes. And if his last known action was cashing a check, it is quite possible that one of the people he befriended took him out for the cash. I haven't watched this segment in several years but IIRC, a person in the segment said the campground could attract a rough crowd.

I just realized that if a local paper published a story about Charles, or if a missing persons poster hung up had the detail about May 26th, then the notes absolutely could have been some sort of a sick prank.

There's no new information, but evidently an organization called Locate International will be taking a fresh look at this case.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/u-k-mom-has-renewed-hope-of-finding-her-son-30-years-after-he-went-missing-in-b-c-1.5705896

Quote from Charles's mother, Denise Horvath-Allan:

"It's uplifting. It's such a relief that someone is going to help ... and hopefully in my lifetime resolve the case, and perhaps enable me to bring my boy home."

The Charles Horvath Canadian disappearance is especially poignant/sad. The interview(s) with his mother were difficult to watch; they obviously had a close relationship, and I find it bizarre that he would just cut off all contact with her - unless he was actually dead.

Several points & opinions:

-I do believe that his disappearance happened in May 1989. That was the last time anyone reported definitively seeing him.

-The mention of July 1989 being the last time his friend (who lived with her mother in an apartment) heard from him may have been an error re: the date. Or, maybe the date was correct & someone who claimed he was Charles called her from the downstairs intercom - but it wasn't actually; note that she didn't actually see him, just heard him. Another possibility: she may have mis-identified the person asking to come up to the apt. as being Charles; she had extended family members over & was probably distracted by them/the family dinner.

In any case, I don't find it that plausible that Charles disappeared for two months (from May to July 1989), then came back just to see his friend - then disappeared again.

-There was a note that his mother received which stated that Charles was last seen at a raucous party @ the camp-ground where he was staying in May 1989, and that he was killed at the party - and that his body was dumped in the nearby lake. Even though the body in the lake (that was later found) was not Charles, I still think the note may have been half-true.

-Though the UM segment stated that he was allegedly seen hiking around Canada through 1992, I believe those "sightings" were red herrings.

-I can't understand why he would tell Canadian relatives that he wanted to cut off all contact with his mother & disappear. Strange.

To wrap up, here are my theories as to what possibly happened to him:

1) He met with foul play, either because of an interaction/altercation with some of the people he met at the campground.....or due to some other strangers he met. It's possible that he was mugged & killed in some remote area, which is why his body has never been found.

2) He had a mental break-down & this led to his telling his Canadian relatives that he wanted to break off all communication with his mother & start a new life somewhere, etc. If this possibility is true, maybe he is still alive somewhere...but I somehow doubt this.

I also never got any bad vibes regarding Horvath's mother. She always just struck me as a grieving mother desperate for any information regarding her missing child. Something that I'm sure any loving parent could relate to.

Agree completely with this. It seemed clear that Charles Horvath had a very good relationship with his mother & I never got any other type of impression here. In addition, he & his mother had made plans for him to go to Hong Kong & celebrate a birthday with her & his step-father later in 1989. But, this never occurred given his disappearance.

Definitely one of the saddest cases ever profiled on UM. However, UM was wrong about one thing. The town where that campground was located is anything but "rough". Not sure why they went with that descriptor.

Definitely one of the saddest cases ever profiled on UM. However, UM was wrong about one thing. The town where that campground was located is anything but "rough". Not sure why they went with that descriptor.

I thought that they described the occupants of the campground as "rough" and not necessarily the town or area. Which was odd because one of the occupants interviewed was there with his young son. But I did find this (https://crimeblogger1983.blogspot.com/2019/04/murdered-in-canada-karoly-charles-john.html) article which says that Hells Angel's were at the campground on the night of the party. I am about 95% convinced that something happened to him at that party and he died as the result of foul play, but cannot shake the return visit to his friend's apartment 2 months after he was last seen alive at the campground. Granted, the police could be wrong about this date, but it was also not mentioned on UM (but on the Wiki and other articles) that Joanne also claimed to have seen Charles alive at a nightclub in Kelowna in August of 1989. That throws a wrinkle into the foul play theory.

I think he was either murdered for his money or belongings, or he could've seen something that he wasn't meant to. So sad.

The Canadian TV show Crime Beat did an hour-long program on Charles. There is lots of information UM didn't mention, but equally interesting is how Crime Beat omitted important things that UM did cover!

I am unable to find a streaming link to share with you guys, so just keep your eyes open. It should appear on YouTube eventually, as all of their episodes do.

They also did an extremely in-depth, two hour program on Cindy James.

The Canadian TV show Crime Beat did an hour-long program on Charles. There is lots of information UM didn't mention, but equally interesting is how Crime Beat omitted important things that UM did cover!

I am unable to find a streaming link to share with you guys, so just keep your eyes open. It should appear on YouTube eventually, as all of their episodes do.



Here is the YouTube link to the hour-long program on Charles - with a new interview with his mother Denise Horvath-Allan in 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCsbbcMvCMg

UH it's not available in the U.S

UH it's not available in the U.S

try this one
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8rf9kj

Thank You it works.

try this one
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8rf9kj

Thank you for posting this. I'm watching the episode now.

Well! that camp manager seems like a bit of an arrogant idiot and completely crooked! Now three years deceased so he definitely won't be talking anytime soon.

The so called Police Department of Kelowna really f****d up with this one! :(

Did the Cab Driver who went to collect the second note ever help produce a composite of the letter writer he saw?

That Flintstone theme park looks creepy for some reason from what I've seen on YouTube. It closed for good in 2010.

The pain the poor mother's gone through all these years is beyond heartbreaking. :(

Well! that camp manager seems like a bit of an arrogant idiot and completely crooked! Now three years deceased so he definitely won't be talking anytime soon.
:(

Yeah that dude was highly suspicious.

Also in that Crime Beat episode, you do get to see a little BTS of the crew filming interviews from the UM segment (starting at 37:27).

Charles's mother seemed a bit peeved with Charles's friends who wouldn't let him come up when he rang them on the intercom. (Personally I don't really think they did anything wrong if he didn't say anything about needing help.)

Absolutely heartbreaking to hear her say she's had to stop coming to Canada because she can't lift the suitcases.

I could go either way on this one. One thing that I did find telling though was that in the interview on UM, Charles mother referred to him as a boy. He was a man at this point. So that lends some credibility to his wanting to get away from his mother who possibly wouldn’t let him grow up.

I could go either way on this one. One thing that I did find telling though was that in the interview on UM, Charles mother referred to him as a boy. He was a man at this point. So that lends some credibility to his wanting to get away from his mother who possibly wouldn’t let him grow up.

I don't think that his intent was to run away forever, but I do think his trip to Canada was probably to get away from his mom and find some independence. I imagine that he was homesick and I think being rejected by the girlfriend was a noticeable occurrence that could have sent him into a depressive state. I think the best clues are probably from the campers that said he was drinking with a rough crowd. which means he could have been beaten or maybe he drank too much and did something that caused his own death. I think if he were alive and well at some point he would have made contact with him mom again considering how much she loved him.

I agree. I think someone would have met up with him at some point. And perhaps they did but he did not tell his true identity. Given his lifestyle, and a lot of the people around him, I think it’s likely he could’ve disappeared on his own, then something happened to him.

The easiest answer involves him being killed or having otherwise died at the campground. The people there were members of the bottom rung of society. Lots of drugs and alcohol to fuel his murder, or he accidentally died and it was covered up because people living there didn't want any attention from LE due to their own, unrelated criminal behavior. I have no need to speculate on anything far-fetched here. It just seems like a needless stretch.