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The Disappearance of Dennis Dillinger
● Remains Located
Adult Male
Arizona / Utah
Dennis Keith Dillinger | Missing Since 2023
| Full Name | Dennis Keith Dillinger |
| Age | 54 |
| Height | 5'10" |
| Weight | ~160 lbs |
| Eyes | Hazel |
| Hair | Short, strawberry blonde |
| Last Wearing | Dark blue jacket, tan pants, black hat |
| Sister | Sheri Mersinger |
About Dennis
Dennis Keith Dillinger
Dennis Keith Dillinger was 54 years old and lived in Page, Arizona, a small city on the Arizona-Utah border near Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell. He loved the outdoors and was a frequent visitor to Lake Powell, particularly Lone Rock Beach. His family described him as someone who had often spoken of renting a houseboat on the lake and sharing that experience with them.
Dennis was last seen on December 1, 2023, at the Family Dollar Store in Kanab, Utah, a small town approximately 75 miles north of Page near the Utah state border. He had left Page with plans to visit Lake Powell, and possibly the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix. He drove a silver and dark gray 1991 Dodge Dakota pickup truck with Arizona license plate YSA3AN and a metal cab high topper over the bed.
His sister Sheri Mersinger said she had always believed Dennis was at Lake Powell. "He loved that place," she said. "He loved Lone Rock. It was a place he said brought him peace."
Dennis's 1991 Dodge Dakota — Arizona plate YSA3AN — last seen in Kanab, UT
01
Background
What We Know
Dennis Dillinger was last seen on December 1, 2023, at the Family Dollar Store in Kanab, Utah. He had left his home in Page, Arizona, with plans to visit Lake Powell, and possibly the Superstition Mountains area east of Phoenix. He was traveling in his 1991 silver and dark gray Dodge Dakota pickup with a metal cab high topper, Arizona plate YSA3AN. He was not heard from again after leaving Kanab.
Page Police Department opened a missing person case. Coconino and Kane County personnel assisted with search and rescue efforts. The family offered an $11,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts. In December 2024, Page PD noted investigators believed Dennis may have returned to Page or the surrounding area, but no confirmed sightings emerged.
Over Labor Day weekend 2025, recreators at Lone Rock Beach within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area observed a vehicle just below the visible waterline in Lake Powell. National Park Service personnel located the vehicle on September 2 and identified it by VIN as Dennis's 1991 Dodge Dakota. The vehicle was extracted from the water on September 3. Human remains were found inside. Lake Powell water levels had dropped nearly 30 feet since September 2024, likely exposing the submerged truck. The remains were transported to the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office. Formal identification and cause of death were pending as of the most recent reports.
02
Case Timeline
How It Unfolded
December 1, 2023
Last Seen — Family Dollar, Kanab, Utah
Dennis is seen at the Family Dollar Store in Kanab, Utah, approximately 75 miles north of his home in Page, Arizona. He is traveling in his 1991 Dodge Dakota and has told others he is heading to Lake Powell, with the Superstition Mountains also a possible destination. He is not heard from again.
December 2023 — 2024
Missing Person Investigation — Reward Offered
Page Police Department opens a missing person case. Coconino and Kane County personnel assist with search and rescue. Dennis's family creates a Facebook page dedicated to finding him and offers an $11,000 reward for information. In December 2024, Page PD indicates investigators believe Dennis may have returned to Page or the surrounding area, but no confirmed sightings are made.
Labor Day Weekend 2025
Vehicle Spotted in Lake Powell
Recreators at Lone Rock Beach within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area notice a vehicle just below the visible waterline. They report it to law enforcement. Dropping Lake Powell water levels, which had fallen nearly 30 feet since September 2024, had made the submerged truck visible for the first time.
September 2, 2025
Vehicle Identified as Dennis's Truck
National Park Service personnel locate the vehicle and obtain the VIN from the dashboard. Records confirm the vehicle belongs to Dennis Keith Dillinger. The Page Police Department and Kane County Sheriff's Office are notified.
September 3, 2025
Vehicle Extracted — Human Remains Found
The vehicle is extracted from Lake Powell. Human remains are found inside. They are transported to the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office for identification and to determine the cause of death. The Kane County Sheriff's Office handles the death investigation. Formal identification and cause of death are pending. Dennis's family says they believe the remains are his and that they have found some personal resolution.
03
Investigation
The Investigation
The missing person investigation was led by the Page Police Department in Arizona, with support from Coconino County and Kane County in Utah. Investigators considered two possible destinations: Lake Powell and the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix. The main roads through the Superstition Mountains area are U.S. Route 60 on the south side, Route 88 on the northwest side, and Route 188 on the northeast side. No confirmed sightings along any of these routes were established.
The discovery of Dennis's truck at Lone Rock Beach in Lake Powell confirmed he had traveled to the lake as believed. Dropping water levels, which fell nearly 30 feet between September 2024 and Labor Day weekend 2025, exposed the vehicle for the first time since it entered the water. The cause of death and circumstances of how the truck ended up submerged are under investigation by the Kane County Sheriff's Office. The NPS dive team from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area assisted with the vehicle recovery.
The investigation is described as open and ongoing. The Utah State Medical Examiner's Office is responsible for formally identifying the remains and determining cause of death. No further public information has been released about the circumstances of Dennis's death.
04
Contact
If You Have Information
The death investigation into Dennis Dillinger's case remains open and ongoing. If you have any information about the circumstances of his disappearance or death, please contact the relevant agencies below.
Page Police Department
(928) 645-2463
Page, Arizona — Original Missing Person Case
Kane County Sheriff's Office
(435) 644-2349
Kanab, Utah — Death Investigation
In Memoriam
He Is Not Forgotten
Dennis Dillinger loved the outdoors. He loved Lake Powell. He had talked about renting a houseboat there and bringing his family, about sharing that place with the people he cared about. When his truck was pulled from the water at Lone Rock Beach, his sister Sheri said she was not surprised. She had always believed that was where he was. She said it was a place he had told her brought him peace.
His family waited nearly two years for answers. The investigation into how he died is still ongoing. He is not forgotten.
"I had a knowing in my spirit that he was at Lake Powell. He loved that place. He loved Lone Rock. It was a place he said brought him peace."
Sheri Mersinger, Dennis's sister — September 2025
Sources
Page Police Department | Kane County Sheriff's Office | ABC4 Utah (multiple reports 2023–2025) | Fox 13 / Salt Lake Tribune | KUTV | KSL | St. George News | NamUs #MP114370
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