Douglas Lakin was traveling around the United States in 1980. He often called his relatives and let them know his location. Lakin was in Corona, California near the Mexican border during Easter weekend in April, 1981. He phoned his family in Michigan and asked them to wire money so he could return home. Lakin has never been seen or heard from again. One of Lakin's daughters actively searched for her father until 2000, when she decided to initiate the process of declaring him legally deceased. There has been no activity on Lakin's Social Security number since 1981. Lakin was declared deceased in Nebraska in September 2001.