Disappearance of Sean Flynn (California)
Sean Flynn, a 28-year-old American photojournalist, and Dana Stone, 30, were last seen on April 6, 1970, riding motorcycles towards a Viet Cong checkpoint on Highway 1 in Cambodia after leaving Phnom Penh. As of May 23, 2026, "Tours of Duty" announced plans to send a veteran-led recovery team to Cambodia to investigate leads regarding Flynn's disappearance using modern forensic technology. Flynn's mother, Lili Damita, had him declared legally dead in absentia in 1984 after extensive searches, and she passed away in 1994 without learning the full truth or locating his remains. In March 2010, possible remains found in Cambodia were confirmed not to be Flynn's after forensic testing by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. It is widely believed Flynn and Stone were held captive and executed by the Khmer Rouge.
Timeline
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May 2026 — 1 developments
Sean Flynn Disappearance: New Recovery Team to Investigate Leads in Cambodia
"Tours of Duty" announced plans in January 2026 to send a veteran-led recovery team to Cambodia to investigate leads regarding Sean Flynn's disappearance using modern forensic technology. Flynn, a photojournalist, vanished in Cambodia on April 6, 1970.
June 2010 — 1 developments
Test results confirm remains not Sean Flynn
Test results on the remains found in March 2010 were released and confirmed not to be those of Sean Flynn.
March 2010 — 2 developments
Sean Flynn's possible remains found, sent for forensic testing in March 2010
In March 2010, possible remains of Sean Flynn were found and sent to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command for forensic testing.
British team searching for Flynn's body in Cambodia uncovers remains of Western hostage
A British team searching for Flynn's body in Cambodia uncovered the remains of a Western hostage.
January 1994 — 1 developments
Lili Damita, Sean Flynn's Mother, Dies Without Knowing Son's Fate
Sean Flynn's mother, Lili Damita, passed away, never having learned the full truth about her son's disappearance or located his remains.
January 1984 — 1 developments
Lili Damita Declares Son Sean Flynn Legally Dead In Absentia After Extensive Search
Sean Flynn's mother, Lili Damita, had him declared legally dead in absentia after spending a significant amount of money searching for him.
January 1973 — 1 developments
Khmer Rouge executed Flynn and Stone in Cambodia
It is widely believed that Flynn and Stone were held captive for a period and then executed by the Khmer Rouge, a radical communist movement in Cambodia.
April 1970 — 2 developments
Sean Flynn and Dana Stone last seen riding motorcycles towards Viet Cong checkpoint
Sean Flynn, 28, and Dana Stone, 30, American photojournalists, were last seen riding motorcycles towards a Viet Cong checkpoint on Highway 1 in Cambodia, after leaving Phnom Penh to cover a press conference in Saigon. They intended to investigate the capture of other journalists at the checkpoint.
Viet Cong and Khmer Rouge captured or killed ten journalists on highway
Over the next two weeks following Flynn and Stone's disappearance, ten other journalists were either captured or killed along the same stretch of highway occupied by Viet Cong and factions of the Khmer Rouge.
January 1966 — 1 developments
Flynn arrived in South Vietnam as freelance photojournalist for Paris Match and Time Life
Flynn arrived in South Vietnam as a freelance photojournalist, working for various publications including Paris Match and Time Life.
May 1941 — 1 developments
Sean Leslie Flynn born in Los Angeles to actors Errol Flynn and Lili Damita
Sean Leslie Flynn was born in Los Angeles, California, to actor Errol Flynn and actress Lili Damita.