Peter Winant
In 1956, engaged couple Peter Winant (US) and Gunnel Gummeson (Sweden) were traveling in northern Afghanistan when they disappeared. Possible sightings suggest Peter was killed and Gunnel was taken as a wife by a local wealthy family. Please contact police, your nearest embassy, or other appropriate officials if you have information that may help in resolving this case.
Details
🧑Identity
Full Name: Peter Winant
Alternative Name: Unknown
Case Status: Missing
Record ID#: 2131
*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.
🪪 Description
Date of Birth*: Estimated 1924
Birthplace: Unknown
Age at the Time: 32
Age Group: 30s
Biological Sex: Male
Hair: Unknown
Eyes: Unknown
Skin Complexion: Unknown
Shoe Size: Unknown
Ethnicity: Caucasian or White
Nationality: United States
Languages Spoken: Unknown
*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
Physical Build:
Height:
Feet and Inches (ft’ in”)
Unknown
Centimeters (cm)
Unknown
Weight
Pounds (lbs)
Unknown
Kilograms (kg)
Unknown
👁️ Distinguishing Features
Distinguishing Marks:
- Unknown
Medical Condition: Unknown
Physical Abnormality: Unknown
Dental Condition: Unknown
Scars & Other Marks: Unknown
Piercings: Unknown
Tattoos: Unknown
Other Descriptors: Unknown
👕 Possessions
Clothing
- Unknown
Possessions:
- Unknown
The Facts
❓Disappearance
Date of the Disappearance*: May 20, 1956
Description: In 1956, American Peter Winant and his Swedish fiancée Gunnel Gummeson were traveling in northern Afghanistan near the Russian border. Gunnel, an experienced traveler, had just returned from volunteering in India, and Peter had previously visited Afghanistan. On May 20, Gunnel sent a letter to her family outlining their travel plans. Shortly after, the couple arrived in Shibarghan, where witnesses reported seeing them leave with another traveler who had rental transport.
In 1963, a Pashtun informant told a priest that during his military service, he learned Peter had been killed, while Gunnel was alive, reportedly held hostage by a wealthy family in Qaisar, Kala Khan, where she was forced into marriage and gave birth to a son. The informant, who later went undercover, claimed to have seen a blonde, European-looking boy but could not confirm Gunnel’s whereabouts.
In 1967, two travelers also reported seeing a similar child, but no link to Gunnel was ever proven, and her fate remains unknown.
Multiple Victims?: Yes
Rumored or Actual Sightings: Peter has not been seen since, but Gunnel may have been seen in Qaisar, Kala Khan in the early 1960s.
*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.
🪦Recovery
Date the Body was Recovered: Unknown
Description: Unknown
Possible Signs Of . . . : Unknown
Time of Death: Unknown
Cause of Death: Unknown
Recovered Remains (if partial): Unknown
Suspected Homicide?: Unknown
Multiple Victims?: Unknown
DNA Tested (No Match): Unknown
*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.
🚗 Vehicle
Description: Unknown
License Plate: Unknown
🧑🤝🧑 Key Person(s)
Description: Unknown
Location
Address: Unknown
City: Sheberghān
Province or State: Jowzjan
Country: Afghanistan
Postal Code: Unknown
Latitude, Longitude: 36.6724782,65.6742475
General Location: Town or City
More Details
Related Cases:
Map of Key Specific Locations:
N/A
Photos
Additional Resources
📓Other Articles:
- N/A
🎥Videos:
📻Podcasts:
- N/A
Contact Police
🏢 Agency: Swedish Police Authority (Polisen)
💻 Website: polisen.se
✉️ Email Address:
📞 Phone Number (#): 77 114 14 00
⚠️ Emergency Phone Number (#): 112
IDD Prefix: 00
Country Code: +46
🔗 Alternative Contact(s):
| Organization | Phone (📞) | Email Address (📧) | Website (💻) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missing People Sweden | info@missingpeople.se | missingpeople.se | |
| Missing Chilren Hotline | 116-000 |
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