PORTLAND, Ore. — It has been 44 years since Portland native Kristin Tomlin vanished under mysterious circumstances, and her disappearance remains one of the most puzzling cold cases connected to the Pacific Northwest.
The Disappearance
On November 12, 1981, 25-year-old Kristin Tomlin boarded a yacht in the Bay Area of California. According to reports, it was meant to be a casual trip, but she was never seen or heard from again. Her family reported her missing shortly after, launching an investigation that has continued for decades without resolution.
What happened aboard that yacht has remained a haunting mystery. No witnesses have come forward with definitive information, and no trace of Tomlin or her belongings has ever been found.
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Decades of Questions
For more than four decades, Tomlin’s friends, family, and investigators have continued to seek answers. Despite several leads over the years, none have resulted in concrete evidence explaining her disappearance. The case has long been a source of heartbreak for those who knew her, and of fascination for true crime followers intrigued by the strange circumstances surrounding that day.
A Case Revisited
Now, the story is gaining renewed attention through a new book and a two-part episode on the popular podcast Murder in the Rain. The podcast, known for exploring unsolved crimes in the Pacific Northwest, revisits Tomlin’s case with fresh interviews and insights.
Co-host Alisha Holland, along with Tomlin’s best friend Rhonda Vogel, recently appeared on AM Extra to discuss the enduring mystery. They shared personal memories and highlighted how the case continues to affect those who loved Kristin.
Holland noted that revisiting the story after so many years is both emotional and important, saying that keeping Tomlin’s name alive might one day lead to new information or witnesses coming forward.
An Unsolved Legacy
Though time has passed, the disappearance of Kristin Tomlin continues to raise more questions than answers. For her family and friends, the hope for closure remains.
As Holland and Vogel emphasized, sharing stories like Kristin’s helps ensure that unsolved cases are not forgotten — and that justice, even decades later, is still pursued.
Forty-four years on, the mystery of what happened aboard that yacht remains a chilling reminder of how one moment can change everything — and how some questions refuse to fade with time.
