Stanley Allen Strole, 37, of Aberdeen, South Dakota, was last seen on March 15, 1979, at the Palm Garden restaurant at 602 S. 3rd St. in Aberdeen. According to police documents, Strole had argued earlier that day with a sister over her refusal to buy him beer because of his diabetes. He then left home, withdrew all of his money from his bank account, and went to the Palm Garden, where an employee later told Strole's sister that Strole had been flashing his money around and drinking beer. In a 2009 follow-up interview, the sister told police the employee had also said Strole got into a red pickup truck with three other men. Strole was an insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetic and left his insulin behind at his home when he disappeared. He was not reported missing until June 1979. Strole is white, male, 5'11"–6'1", 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, and has a burn scar on one shoulder. He typically wore button-up shirts, slacks with a belt, and dress shoes; his clothing on the day he disappeared is not documented.
The Aberdeen Police Department is the lead investigating agency. The Palm Garden employee who was the source of the flashing-money account, when directly interviewed by police, denied having said that. Over the years, several unidentified remains discovered elsewhere were compared against Strole's case, but DNA and fingerprint comparisons excluded him each time. As of the most recent public reporting (2021), no new information on Strole's whereabouts has surfaced and the case remains open as an active cold case with the Aberdeen Police Department. Strole is listed with NamUs (#MP23483) and the Doe Network (5378DMSD). All immediate family members (parents and all four sisters) are deceased; no next-of-kin contact remains active as of 2021 reporting, though a nephew has since come forward as a family point of contact. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Aberdeen Police Department at 605-626-7000.
