Missing Since: 2006-01-05 Location: Bremerton, Washington
Pichler was last heard from at approximately 4:15 a.m. on January 5, 2006 in Bremerton, Washington, when he talked to a friend on his cellular phone. He has never been heard from again. His silver 2005 Toyota Corolla was found on January 9, 2006, near the intersection of Wheaton Way and Sheridan Road in Bremerton, half a mile from Port Madison Narrows. A photograph of the car is posted with this case summary. All of Pichler’s personal belongings were left behind when he vanished, with the exception of his wallet and car keys. His apartment was unlocked and the lights were left on, which is uncharacteristic of him. Pichler is considered to be in danger; he left some poetry indicating he was feeling depressed. He stated he wished he had been a “stronger brother” for his younger brother and asked that his brother be given his belongings. There is no hard evidence that he took his own life, however, and Pichler’s writings did not explicitly state he intended to do so. The friends who last saw him stated he was in good spirits while he was with them. Police theorized Pichler committed suicide by jumping off a bridge into the Port Madison Narrows, but search dogs did not trace his scent to the bridge, and his family does not believe he was depressed or suicidal at the time of his disappearance. His loved ones believe Pichler may have met with foul play. Pichler began acting at age six and lived part-time in Los Angeles, California until 2002, pursuing acting jobs. He has been in many commercials and television shows and has also played significant roles in several movies, including The Fan, the third and fourth movies in the Beethoven series, and Children on Their Birthdays, and he has also done voice-over work. He was reportedly unhappy to have to return to his hometown of Bremerton, but settled in nicely once he got there. He received a significant amount of money from his trust fund after turning 18 and set up his own residence, but was a frequent visitor to his family’s home. Two months prior to his disappearance, he had taken a full-time job as a telephone technician at Teletech. He was also experimenting with drugs and alcohol recreationally. He had given up acting in Bremerton, but was planning on returning to California to restart his acting career once his braces were removed. His family planned to support him in this endeavor. Pichler is a graduate of Bremerton High School, class of 2005. He had a pet guinea pig at the time of his disappearance and enjoyed playing the card came Magic: The Gathering. He likes food from Jack In The Box restaurants and Mexican food, particularly chips and salsa. His disappearance remains unsolved. Investigating Agency Bremerton Police Department 360-473-5228 Source Information NamUs The Kitsap Sun The Seattle Post-Intelligencer The Seattle Times E! Online The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Official Missing Person Website for Joe Pichler America’s Most Wanted !ALERT! Joe Pichler Missing Updated 7 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated March 22, 2023; age-progression updated.