Blake Nex was born on May 20, 1955. Raised in California with two siblings, Blake spent most of his life in the Claremont area.

He attended Oakmont Elementary (Claremont), Western Christian School (Covina), El Roble Junior High (Claremont), and Claremont High School. In 1982 and 1983, he attended Dallas Baptist University.

Blake had a passion for restoring old beach cruiser bikes and was incredibly good at it - meticulous, creative, and hands-on. That same eye for detail showed in other hobbies, too. He once painted a motorcycle gas tank to match the red flames on his beloved ’56 Chevy. He even built a miniature model of the car, carefully attaching tiny engine cables with tweezers and thread! You can spot the Chevy and one of the bikes in the photo gallery.

Around the time of his disappearance, Blake was working for a company that sold specialized oil filters. He'd alto taken an interest in bodybuilding. He was reportedly the co-owner of a gym located in an industrial complex in Claremont. We're interested in identifying and speaking with the person who co-owned the gym with Blake, as well as anyone who may have invested in the business.

Blake wasn't married and didn't have kids, but he had a close bond with his longtime friend Steve and Steve's family. His daughters even called him “Uncle Blake", showing just how much he meant to the people in his life.

A Life Interrupted

Blake Nex lived alone in a in the quiet Padua Hills of North Claremont, California. Friends and family knew him as intelligent, fastidious with his home and tools, meticulous with his work, and gifted with his hands. He restored and customized beach cruiser bicycles, sourcing rare parts and building each one with precision. He was also deeply committed to physical fitness and, for a time, co-owned a gym. Though he valued independence, Blake had relationships with women, some long-term, and he remained closely connected to his family, particularly his mother.

A Period of Upheaval

The years before Blake's disappearance included both personal growth and legal trouble. Though he never used drugs himself, in the mid-1980s, Blake was arrested in an alleged connection with a cocaine-related operation at a Claremont Birkenstock store where he worked.

In June 1987, the Claremont Courier reported on the arrest of Blake following a police raid on his home near Padua Hills. According to the article, Claremont police had been watching the property for nearly a year, acting on information from multiple informants and leads. The article described the seizure of cocaine, cash, and firearms, and conveyed the impression that the arrest was the result of a lengthy and serious narcotics investigation. Read on its own, the article suggests that Blake was part of something larger and that law enforcement believed they were building a significant case.

Article about Blake's arrest in Claremont Courier, June 3, 1987

Blake's court record, however, shows that his case was of a much smaller scale.

Count 1 (the sole count) of the charging document, listing the quantities of cocaine alleged

Blake was arrested on June 3, 1987, and released on bond. Over the following months, the case moved through the normal early stages of a felony prosecution, with Blake out on bond for extended periods rather than continuously in custody. In early 1988, Blake was held to answer. Formal charges were filed under California Health & Safety Code §11351 for possession or purchase of cocaine for sale. The amounts in question were modest: 28.5 grams (1 ounce) of cocaine hydrochloride, and 57 grams of a substance containing cocaine. Blake was represented by attorney J. Michael Gunn. In April 1988, Blake pleaded guilty as part of a plea bargain. There was no trial. In August 1988, he was sentenced to a two-year term, with the court ordering a total of 300 days to be served in custody. At sentencing, the court credited Blake with 105 days of time served and 35 days of conduct credit for good behavior. Blake was ordered to serve the remaining custody time in the Pomona jail.

In January 1989, he was released and placed on probation. His probation was terminated and the case formally closed in 1990.

Questions About Oversight and Police Leadership at the Time The gap between the Claremont Courier article and the court record raises questions: The article describes nearly a year of surveillance and multiple informants, yet the actual case involved a single defendant, a relatively small quantity of drugs, no co-defendants, no conspiracy charges, and no documented follow-up prosecutions.

If the police believed they were uncovering a larger operation, did they pursue it? If they did not, why not? And why did Blake become the endpoint of an investigation that initially appeared much broader?

At the time of Blake's arrest, the Claremont Police Department was led by Chief Dexter Atkinson, who had been appointed chief in 1986. Less than a year after Blake's arrest, Atkinson resigned in 1988 following a city investigation into his administrative practices. The investigation centered on Atkinson's decision to allow a convicted drunk driver to work off a court-ordered jail sentence by performing renovation work at the police station and other city buildings, rather than serving the mandated time in custody.

Police Chief Atkinson Accused (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-01-ga-4344-story.html)

1988: Police Chief Atkinson Resigns (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-12-07-me-862-story.html)

These events raise additional questions when viewed alongside Blake's case. In a department whose leadership was later found to have exercised unusually broad discretion in the handling of criminal sentences, it is reasonable to ask how investigative and prosecutorial decisions were made at the time. Why did Blake's case end where it did, and who made that determination?

Blake's Final Chapter

Following his release, Blake rebuilt his life, focusing on fitness, bicycles, and a quieter way of living. Around the time of his disappearance, he talked about his work for a company selling oil filters, and he co-owned a gym with another man.

In the spring of 1993, at age 37, Blake seemed to be standing at a crossroads. He spoke of plans to leave the country. Thailand fascinated him for its culture and the promise of a different kind of life. His interest in Thailand may have reflected a desire for change, but no firm travel plans were ever confirmed. Then, without warning, he disappeared.

When Blake Went Missing

On March 20, 1993, his family grew concerned when he failed to return calls. Inside his home, everything appeared intact. Fresh groceries were in the kitchen, $500 cash were found in the house, and Blake's two cats had been left behind. Blake was gone, and so was his truck.

Deeply unsettled, family members contacted law enforcement, but inconceivably, no formal report was taken at the time, and no investigation followed.

Shortly after Blake's disappearance, someone broke into his home and stole his answering machine, his valuable toolbox, and three expensive beach cruiser bicycles. The family quickly identified the man who stole the bikes and the tools, confronted him, and retrieved the bikes. It is unknown who took the answering machine as these were two separate break-ins.

Clues at the Airport

Roughly two weeks after Blake's disappearance, his tan Toyota pickup

was located in the long-term parking lot at Ontario Airport in California. Family members checked outgoing flight records and confirmed Blake had not left under his own name. If he departed by plane, it was under an alias. Some people have speculated that Blake left the country to start over, but the known facts point in another direction. Blake had never abandoned his responsibilities before. He had spoken openly about a large amount of cash he carried, referring to at least $30,000. He had made no effort to tie up loose ends and to make arrangements for his cats. The circumstances suggested a sudden and suspicious disappearance.

LASD's Neglect

The failure of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to act in 1993 set a disheartening pattern. Blake's brother has been sharply critical of the department's handling of the case. He recalls, “My mom was convinced right from the start this was a homicide, and she told law enforcement that. They never even called or interviewed me! They only spoke with my sister, who had a tendency to give inconsistent statements and claimed Blake left voluntarily. The Sheriff's Department just accepted that without question and took the easy way out! When I confronted them, they flippantly told me ‘It's not a crime to disappear.’ They blatantly refused to file a missing persons report!”

Danger and Unanswered Leads

The possibility of foul play remains strong. Blake had requested early repayment in cash on a $10,000 business investment in the weeks leading up to his disappearance, possibly hinting at pressure or unsafe associations. He had also mentioned a deal in Las Vegas and was rumored to have been involved in steroid sales.

One unresolved lead is a man named Larry, a fireman who reportedly co-owned the gym with Blake around 1992 and was involved in financial dealings with him. Several people close to Blake recall this man's association with him, yet there's no evidence Larry ever contacted friends or family after Blake’s disappearance. Locating and identifying Larry remains a key priority for anyone exploring this case.

Challenging LASD's Inaction

With the passing of their stepfather and their mother in need of support after a severe accident, Blake's brother was occupied with family matters while LASD still took no action. Royse recalls, "It took me fighting hard to get them to file a missing persons report after the law changed in 2010." Today, renewed efforts to find answers are building momentum. The ceaseless neglect by LASD has left the family frustrated, yet Blake's brother, supported wholeheartedly by his family and friends, continues to raise public awareness. Media interest has grown, especially with the release of two episodes of the podcast The Vanished featuring Blake's case and contributions from family and close friends. This renewed focus opens a promising door to revealing the truth and achieving justice.

Three Decades of Waiting It has been more than 30 years since Blake Nex disappeared. Those who loved him, including his brother as his closest living relative following the loss of their mother and recent passing of their sister, have not stopped wondering what happened. They have not stopped believing that someone, somewhere, holds the missing piece.

This person will be found, and the truth will be brought to light.