Cold Case Investigators Seek Information on 1996 Missing Person Case

Washington County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Detectives are seeking information regarding the 1996 disappearance of a man known as Paul Evers St. Claire and the unsolved murder of David Larry Stroh. Investigators believe the two cases are connected.

At the end of April 1996, Paul St. Claire, age 52, was reported missing under suspicious circumstances. Neither Paul nor the car he was last seen in have ever been found. The investigation uncovered that Paul was born Lloyd Adam Buzzard and had lived under the assumed name of Paul Evers St. Claire since the early 1970s. As Paul St. Claire, he moved to Oregon and established himself in the Portland Metro area. Paul was involved in various businesses and became affiliated with a man known as Frank Tidwell.

Investigators determined that Frank Tidwell was one of many aliases used by Robert Stroh. Robert Stroh was reputed to be a violent and dangerous person with an extensive criminal past. It is believed Robert was a silent partner in multiple businesses throughout the Portland area and outside of Oregon.

Robert had a female relative who lived with him, with whom Paul became close friends. Investigators believe this friendship may have contributed to Paul’s disappearance. Reportedly, Robert Stroh was the last person to see Paul.

About a week after Paul was reported missing, Washington County Sheriff’s Office detectives began investigating the sexual assault of a teenage girl. The suspect was a man known as Marshall Bond. Detectives determined that Marshall Bond was one of many aliases used by David Stroh, a younger brother of Robert Stroh. Like his brother Robert, David Stroh had an extensive criminal past and was described as a violent and dangerous person. Detectives also learned that Paul St. Claire may have had a friendship with David’s estranged wife.

Shortly after the sexual assault was reported, David Stroh disappeared, and Robert told investigators that David may have moved to Wyoming. The case was presented to a Washington County grand jury, and David Stroh was indicted for the sexual assault. An arrest warrant was issued for David, but local and Federal authorities could not locate him.

Detectives later spoke with a person who remembered driving David to a business in Clackamas, Oregon. When they arrived, Robert was waiting there, and then David Stroh was never seen again.

In November 1997 and May 1998, skeletal remains were found in a remote area of Grant County, south of John Day, Oregon. It was determined that the remains were of a male who had died by homicide, but his identity was not known. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office investigation estimated that the body had been at the recovery location since May or June of 1996.

Due to advances in genetic genealogy, the victim was identified in 2019 as David Stroh.

Robert Stroh (also known as Frank Tidwell) died in 2013.

Investigators would like to hear from anybody with information related to the disappearance of Paul St. Claire (formerly known as Lloyd Buzzard) or the murder of David Stroh. Please contact Detective Tim Miller at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2690.

References:

Paul St. Claire/ Lloyd Buzzard: WCSO Case: 96-008691

National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUS) case: MP20041

David Stroh: Grant County Sheriff Case #97-427 (PH: 541-575-1131)