Full Name: Mark Palmer

Alternative Name: Marky, Markie

Case Status: Missing

Record ID#: 0175

*The names “Jane Doe”  and “John Doe” are English names used when the person’s true name is not known. If used above, the name refers to a person of unknown identity.

Date of Birth*: 1986 or 1987
Birthplace: Dunstable, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
Age at the Time: 32
Age Group: 30s
Biological Sex: Male
Hair: Red, Red-Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Skin Complexion:
Shoe Size:
Ethnicity: Caucasian or White
Nationality: Britain, United Kingdom
Languages Spoken:

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Physical Build: Slim or Thin

Height:

Weight

Distinguishing Marks:

• Beard, Mental Stability Concerns

Medical Condition: Mental Stability Concerns (Potentially Suicidal Thoughts, Depression, Anxiety)
Physical Abnormality:
Dental Condition:
Scars & Other Marks:
Piercings:
Tattoos:

Other Descriptors:

Clothing

• White T-Shirt
• Black DeWalt Pants with white paint marks
• Possibly a Red Jacket

Possessions:

• Possibly carrying a Drawstring Bag
• Possible carrying a Yellow Rope

Date of the Disappearance*: April 27, 2019

Description: In December 2018, Mark Palmer, a 32-year-old British man from Dunstable, arrived in Spain seeking a fresh start and a brighter future. Having battled anxiety and depression, his family hoped the change of scenery would bring healing. At first, Mark seemed to be doing well, immersing himself in the local life of Ontinyent, a small town in Valencia’s Vall d’Albaida district. He had a passion for music and left behind cherished guitars and a piano—a poignant detail that later fueled concern.

However, by early 2019, those close to Mark noticed a troubling shift. His mental state appeared to deteriorate. Friends described him as distressed, even suicidal (GoFundMe). A WhatsApp message sent shortly before his disappearance spoke hauntingly of contemplation of suicide, mentioning drugs, rope, and alcohol, though no such items were later found (ThinkSpain).

On the morning of Saturday, April 27, 2019, Mark was last seen by a friend around 10:30 am at a property in Ontinyent. Colleagues had seen him earlier as well. That day, a tattoo artist who had helped him in the past thought she caught a glimpse of him wearing a red jacket. There were whispers of other possible sightings in nearby towns such as Elda-Petrer and Sax, and even at local railway stations, homeless shelters, and football stadiums, but none led to concrete answers.

The search efforts soared quickly. Police deployed search dogs, helicopters, and drones, while volunteers scoured the difficult terrain around the Clariana River, wooded areas, caves, and more. The flooding in the fall of 2019 made the search even more challenging. Despite their best efforts, no trail pointed definitively to Mark’s whereabouts. His phone and bank accounts showed no activity, and CCTV footage provided no clues.

His family—heartbroken yet determined—have been the driving force behind the ongoing search. They shuttle between the UK and Spain, coordinating with local communities, authorities, and charities like Missing People to keep hope alive. Mark is described as clever, beloved, and talented, and despite fears he may have attempted suicide, his loved ones cling to the possibility that he is wandering, needing to be found.

As the years pass with no new leads, the call remains urgent: anyone who might have seen Mark or knows anything is asked to come forward. His disappearance is a sorrowful mystery that continues to grip family, friends, and the many who wish to see him safe and home once more.

“Each and every death by suicide is preventable, and it’s heartbreaking to lose someone in this way. Even more devastating is to lose someone and not be able to find them, to not have any closure, to be stuck in this limbo” – ’cause it turns out hell will not be found within the fires below, but in making do and muddling through when you’ve nowhere else to go.”

“Less hasty am I than the wind, yet I must go.
We wanderers, ever speaking the lonelier way,
begin no day where we have ended another day;
and no sunrise finds us where sunset left us.”

Claire Elek (Mark’s Sister) (GoFundMe)

Multiple Victims?: No

Rumored or Actual Sightings:

• A tattoo artist who had helped him in the past believed she saw him on the morning of April 27, 2019, wearing a red jacket.
• Two possible sightings near local railway stations—one at a football stadium and another possibly at a homeless center.
• Unconfirmed sightings around Sax and Elda-Petrer on Spain’s Costa Blanca.

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Date the Body was Recovered:

Description: Unknown

Time of Death:

Cause of Death:

Recovered Remains (if partial):

Suspected Homicide?: No

Multiple Victims?: No

DNA Tested (No Match):

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Description:

License Plate:

Description: