Bridgeman was last seen in Thurston County, Washington on January 1, 1963. He was having a visitation period with his six-year-old son at the Barrett Motel on Martin Way east when he left the child alone, saying he had go to see his father. Bridgeman never returned and has never been heard from again. Two days later, the hotel manager took the child to his uncle's house.

Bridgeman's children initially believed he had abandoned his family willingly to seek a career in the music industry. At the time of his disappearance, he was a country singer and guitar player, and had a hit song that frequently played on local radio stations. He is no longer believed to have left of his own accord, however. The Social Security Administration reports that he has not had any earnings since 1963, and none of his loved ones have heard from him.

Bridgeman's father claimed to have filed a missing persons report for his son, but there is no record of the report. One was eventually filed decades after Bridgeman's disappearance. Bridgeman's driver's license was later found with his father's belongings. His father, who died in 1993, was known for having a bad temper and possible mental health issues. Some members of the Bridgeman family believe Bridgeman Sr. murdered his son and buried the body in his basement. A 2005 search of the basement, however, turned up only animal bones.

Bridgeman's disappearance remains unsolved. Foul play is suspected.