Above: Roland, circa 1984
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: May 25, 1984 from Wapato, Washington Classification: Non-Family Abduction Date Of Birth: September 30, 1980 Age: 3 years old Height and Weight: 2'5, 24 pounds Distinguishing Characteristics: Native American male. Black hair, brown eyes. Roland has a scar on his abdomen. His nickname is Do-Boy and he may go by his middle name, Jack. Clothing/Jewelry Description: A long-sleeved red t-shirt with white stripes on the sleeves, brown corduroy pants and tan boots. Medical Conditions: Roland is severely disabled: he is mentally retarded, epileptic and can only walk for about twelve feet without falling. Without medication to control his seizures, he may slip into a coma. He also has hearing loss and a very limited vocabulary; he could speak only the words "Mama," "Dada," and "Do" in 1984.
Details of Disappearance
Roland was last seen in the vicinity of Knight Lane and Campbell Road in Wapato, Washington on May 25, 1984. He has never been heard from again. He is presumed to have been abducted by a non-family member.Curiously, Roland's mother, Celestine, disappeared in 1982 and was found dead under mysterious circumstances two weeks later. Her body was located at the bottom of a gully in a field off McCullough Road along the north slope of Ahtanum Ridge on November 11, 1982. The cause of death was hypothermia and it was ruled an accident. In 2009, the FBI reopened the investigation into Celestine's death, along with the deaths of fifteen other women, most of them homicide victims, who died on or near the Yakama Indian Reservation in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Roland went to live with his great-aunt after Celestine's death. He has been declared legally dead, but his case remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
Source Information
Updated 3 times since October 12, 2004.
Last updated February 27, 2012; details of disappearance updated.
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Yakima Tribal Police Department
509-865-7765
Washington State Missing Persons Search
My Name is Jack, Roland Jack Spencer III
NamUs
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Yakima Herald