NamUs UP #17575 vs. Venika Williams (no NamUs profile)

By: Shane Lambert

Venika Williams, a missing person, has a Facebook group dedicated to her missing-person's case. Her disappearance was also covered in the news recently. Lastly, she had a NamUs page created in 2019.

The details that I gathered from those sources was that she was last seen on December 22nd, 2017 or the 23rd. She was 28 years old at that time. She is an African-American woman. Her approximate height is 5'3" and her approximate weight is 142 pounds according to a news source. The Facebook group affiliated with her disappearance offered these details:

"VENIKA WILLIAMS WAS LAST SEEN BETWEEN DEC 22-23 2017 . SHE IS FROM NEWARK NJ , FRIENDS SAY THEY BELIEVE SHE WAS IN JERSEY CITY LAST BEING HELD AGAINST HER WILL BY AN UNIDENTIFIED MALE, AS SHE SENT HER LAST TEXT STATING SO ! SHE IS 28 YRS OF AGE , 5’4 , ABOUT 130 LBS. VENIKA WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A BLACK LEATHER JACKET,RED HOODIED SWEATSHIRT AND BLUE JEANS.SHE IS THE MOTHER OF FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN !"

Additionally, according to New Jersey Missing Report there are these details:

"Venika’s last known whereabouts were around the 100 block of Dayton Street in Newark.  She was believed to be traveling from Essex County to Jersey City to do someone’s hair.  She was wearing blue jeans, a black, leather jacket, and red sneakers while carrying a red purse before she vanished."

Comparing Venika Williams to NamUs UP #17575

In my opinion, NamUs UP #17575 should be considered as a rule-out candidate for Venika Williams: that means I think there is enough in common for them to be examined as one and the same person. This is a deceased individual found on March 3rd, 2018 at 10:30am. The deceased individual has characteristics in common with Venika Williams.

Below are six points of comparison that would suggest that Venika and the Jane Doe may be one and the same person:

1. The decedent and Venika have skin color in common: they are both black.
2. The decedent and Venika have sex in common: they are both females.
3. The decedent is thought to have died in either 2017 or 2018. While Venika is not known to be dead, certainly her missing-date matches the death date of this unidentified person.
4. The decedent's weight is estimated to be 133 pounds, which is very close to the weight estimations for Venika.
5. The decedent's height is estimated to be 5'5" which is close to Venika's height of 5'4". Those that are familiar with missing-person's cases know that being one inch off is not relevant.
6. The deceased individual was found in Weequahic Park, which is extremely close to where Venika was last seen as per the news source above. Weequahic Park is adjacent to Dayton Street in Newark (in fact they could be viewed as the same location - see mapped screenshot below)

The green area is the park. The blue line is mostly Dayton Street.

There are certainly some "misses" with this case but they might only be slight. Below are some counterpoints that would suggest that the missing-person Venika Williams and the Jane Doe in Weequahic Park are not the same person.

1. The deceased has short hair while all photos I saw of Venika had long hair. 
2. The decedent had tattoos, none of which clearly match up to Venika.

Both points certainly carry some weight. However, hair length can be changed. I'm not sure if hair deteriorates in water, but the deceased was found in water. Nonetheless, hair length is not a rule-out criterion precisely because it is so easily alterable. Furthermore, I think Venika might have used wigs a lot or else she changed hair color a lot.

With regard to the tattoos, I don't know what to think. When it comes to looking at a deceased person's tattoos it can be hard to make them out. For instance, the Jane Doe that was found in Weequahic Park was in water maybe for several months. They did not take photographs of her tattoos and post them to NamUs, which is what they normally do. Instead, they used an artist's rendition of the tattoos. That tells me that the tattoos might have been hard to see.

The deceased had three stars tattooed on her neck. I couldn't find any clear photos of Venika that had such. However, Venika was into tattoos - this is clear from her photographs. Unfortunately, part of the reason I don't know what to think is that there's some inconsistent reporting regarding her tattoos. For example, one source says that Venika had a "Tanesha" tattoo on her right hand. Another source says the same tattoo was on her left hand. 

The deceased had a tattoo that may have read "Tiana." Some might say that's a different tattoo and it was stated to be in a different location than either hand. But whether the word was clearly legible on a body that is described as decomposed for months is debatable. Even so, the sad truth is that missing person's cases are so riddled with such sloppiness that I wouldn't be too deterred by a tattoo being present or not. Writing as someone that has submitted dozens of clerical-error corrects to NamUs, I won't rule-out someone on the basis of a tattoo.

The Jane Doe and Venika match up closely in other ways. In a way, the presence of tattoos unifies them. But there are the other six points to consider. The deceased is thought to have died at about the time when Venika went missing and in the exact same area. With height, weight, race, and sex aligning then certainly those that know Venika will want to be aware of NamUs #17575. 

Keep in mind that the sketch above was made from an individual deceased and decomposed for months. She was also found in a watery location. The photo to the right is of Venika. If she is wearing a wig, as I suspect she is, then her natural hair would be very short. Furthermore, I think I see the star tattoos in the neck area (see the video below for a closer look at the neck). However, one person that knew Venika said she didn't have such a tattoo.

New to NamUs - Maudie Smith MP #42828

Update: Maudie Smith was found deceased. The body that was found that was mentioned in this article ended up being her's.

Related news.

Maudie Smith's NamUs profile was added yesterday, March 29th, 2018.  She has not been seen since February 22nd of 2017, making the gap between her last-seen time and profile-created time mid-lengthed.

Maudie Smith

• She is a white female
• She was 37 years old at the time of her disappearance
• She is 5'4" to 5'6"
• She is between 130 to 140 pounds
• She has brown hair and blue eyes
• She has an "Austin" tattoo on her left arm in black letters
• She has her daughter's name on her left leg
• She also has a Leo zodiac sign and a Chinese symbol in purple on her neck
• They do not have DNA at the time of writing, meaning any Jane Doe profile is a potential match provided it can't be ruled out in other ways
• According to NamUs she was last seen in Viper, Kentucky walking on Bear Lane* on the right fork of Maces Creek (some Google Map images of that area are below).

*might actually be Bears Lane

There are a few details to clear up from her NamUs profile. They list her as 37 to 38 years old at the time of her disappearance. According to her Facebook profile, she was born August 3rd, 1979 which would make her 37 and not 38 at the time of her disappearance in February of 2017. Also "Bear Lane" might actually be called "Bears Lane." The Google Maps coordinates are 37.163718, -83.179434 for the spot where she was last seen and the area is heavily forested. As far as I can see there are two possibly distinct roads called "Bears Lane" but maybe they are connected through the forest. You can't drop down to street level in this area.

Looking at her Facebook profile

The following details can be found at her Facebook profile, one that is still active at time of writing.

• She had a "single" status
• Her nickname was Blue
• She may associate with the last name "Couch" (the URL for her name is http://facebook.com/maudiecouch)
• She only lists Hazard, Kentucky as a place where she has lived
• If you hover over the last-posting time at her account it shows a posting to the Facebook profile at 8:34pm on February 22nd, 2017; however, someone I spoke to through social media that was close to the missing person said that more than one person had access to her Facebook profile and the posts may not have been manually made by Maudie

They did find human remains in the area of Bears Lane on April 16th, 2017.  They know few details of this Jane Doe except that she was a female, she was 30-50 years old, and she was white. This Jane Doe is NamUs UP #16583. They have the Jane Doe's DNA so a DNA sample from Smith or a family member may help crack this case.

NamUs MP #31134 - Peggy McGuire

By: Shane Lambert

Peggy McGuire is NamUs MP #31134. She went missing on November 16th, 2015 (Monday) and her NamUs profile was created 8 days later. That is a very-short gap between her last-seen time and her profile-created time, an indication that everyone familiar with this case has treated her disappearance as credible (ie. not a voluntary disappearance). As of January 2021 Peggy is still missing and a large Facebook group has been created for the purpose of bringing her home.

Peggy McGuire

According to NamUs, Peggy is missing from Eufaula, Oklahoma. That is a small lake-side town about two hours to the east of Oklahoma City and an hour and twenty minutes south of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Arkansas state border is about 90 minutes to 105 minutes to the east by driving.

Thu, Dec 10, 2015 – 5 · The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) · Newspapers.com

Peggy, according to her NamUs profile, was last seen dropping her son off at school. Her NamUs profile also contains these details, some of which may be slightly off.

• She was 28 years old at the time of the disappearance
• She is a white female
• Her height is about 70 inches (5'10")
• Her weight is 150 to 160 pounds 
• Her shoe size was 10 
• She had blonde/strawberry hair and blue eyes 
• She had a scar on her right knee
• She had a tattoo on her lower back (horseshoe with stars, four leaf clover, and the initials JNS).
• She also had pierced ears
• She last spoke with her stepfather by phone and was supposed to phone back with measurements for a new deck (according to a news report by Rachel Trost of NBC)

Her DNA status is complete. That means that anyone looking at this case involving a Jane Doe should focus on Jane Does where they do NOT have completed DNA tests. The reason for that is that if they have completed tests on a Doe then the computerized systems will make the match.

A case wrought with contradictory information

Amateurs working on this case may have their efforts hurt by the fact that there is contradictory information online regarding her case. In the event that there is a contradiction, you cannot take for granted that NamUs has the correct information.

The poster below, which advertises a large reward, says that Peggy was last seen at "her home in Stidham, OK" (as opposed to at her son's school in Eufala....). There is only a 12-mile difference between Stidham and Eufala, however, they are distinct towns requiring rural highway travel to go between. Another source (Rachel Trost with NBC) says "Monday marks two weeks since Peggy McGuire was last seen dropping her young son off at school outside Eufaula, Oklahoma."

Furthermore, the poster below says that she was 29 at the time of her disappearance (not 28....), it says her hair was blonde (not strawberry blonde....), and her weight is listed as 140 lbs (which is outside the 150 to 160 range....). Hopefully, the police would have correct information but someone has treated accuracy in a frivolous manner regarding this case.

Ahead of clarifying these details use this information:

• 28-29 years old at the time of the disappearance
• 140 to 160 pounds
• Missing from the Eufaula area
• Blonde or strawberry-blonde hair

Anyone with intimate and personal knowledge of this case should make an effort to get NamUs to correct the profile. A profile with incorrect information can throw off any user of the NamUs system. For example, if a decedent woman is found, let's say, 500 miles away from Eufaula and her estimated age range is 29 years old to 39 years old then someone using that search criterion for missing person's would actually miss Peggy's profile because they have her as a 28-year old (an age that I think is wrong).

Despite the fact that McGuire went missing while operating a vehicle, NamUs contains no information regarding her vehicle description. Her vehicle is no longer missing but it is central to a significant lead. It was a Toyota Truck according to one source I read and appears to be white, although footage can obscure color (if you know the make and model or information about the vehicle please post it in the comments, with credentials please).

According to one poster I found, on November 17th, 2015 (1 day after she went missing), Peggy's truck was found at one "T&J's Ice House." This bar has Google Maps coordinates of 35.306088, -95.664516. The poster claims that a man on surveillance was seen parking the truck and then walking away from it at 5am in the morning. This mystery man may certainly be the individual that disappeared Peggy. The matter regarding the truck was covered by Fox News on May 23rd, 2017 (and possibly earlier).

According to the article: "McGuire’s truck was found at an ice house about 10 miles away from her home shortly after she disappeared.

Surveillance cameras captured McGuire’s truck driving into the parking lot. A few seconds later, a figure can be seen getting out and walking away.

Friends and family members say McGuire doesn’t drink, so there’s no reason why she would drive herself to the ice house" (POSTED 10:06 AM, MAY 23, 2017, BY KFOR-TV & K. QUERRY).

Peggy's Facebook profile remains active at time of writing. She described herself as a licensed practical nurse and I've seen a photo of her in a nurse's uniform.

Commentary

In this case, I will presume that the man on surveillance at T&J's Ice House probably disappeared McGuire. Presumptions like that can be dangerous but, unfortunately, conjecture is all that's available.

The man, according to the poster, dropped the truck off at 5am on November 17th. Peggy went missing, according to NamUs, at 10:15 the previous day.

Accordingly, there is about a 19-hour gap between her last-seen time and the drop off of the truck at TJ's. If we assume that the individual that drove the truck slept for at least six hours between her last-seen time and 5am on November 17th then there are 13 hours of activity to account for. That means that during that time the man could not have gotten more than 6.5 hours of driving time away from the last-seen location and TJ's while staying in the company of McGuire, either alive or dead. That could have search-area implications if we assume that McGuire was murdered on November 16th, 2015.

The individual that dropped the truck off need not be affiliated with the ice house. It's possible that he understood that dropping the truck at the local 'dodgy joint' would take the investigation toward patrons of that establishment.

Resemblances to other cases of missing people

Case resemblances do not mean that the cases are linked. However, history does repeat itself. Information from one case might provide food for thought on other similar cases, even across a significant amount of time and space. These cases are meant to facilitate speculation and critical thought.

Jennifer Kesse

There are resemblances between the cases of Peggy Anne McGuire and Jennifer Kesse, the latter being one of the more-famous American missing-person's cases of this century thus far. Jennifer Kesse went missing at the age of 24 in 2006 and she remains missing to date, NamUS MP #1342. Kesse was a blonde, white, female, in her 20s. Kesse, at 5'8" to 5'9", was about the same height as McGuire.

But a more interesting connection to the case is that Kesse's vehicle was discovered a short-time after she disappeared. The individual that parked Kesse's car was seen walking away from it on video surveillance and has not yet been identified. In this way, the case bears a striking resemblance to McGuire's: the identity of the individual in the video-tape surveillance is a frustrating missing puzzle piece in each case.

Holly Cantrell

Holly Cantrell is missing from nearby McAlester, Oklahoma (about 40 miles south of Eufaula). Cantrell went missing in the late morning, like McGuire. Furthermore, Cantrell shared a nursing profession and she went missing at a similar-enough time (ie. January 20th, 2017). Cantrell is missing person #37166 at NamUs. They may have a lead on Cantrell from February 2018.

Rosa Lisowski

Rosa Lisowski is a missing person last seen in San Diego. She dropped her child off at school and has not been heard from since. In Lisowski's case, which is NamUs MP #5548, someone close to her has been central to the investigation.

Joseph Anthony Stuart (NamUs #29973) - 2nd attempt

By: Shane Lambert

Almost two years ago I made an attempt at NamUs MP #29973, an individual named Joseph Anthony Stuart who has not been seen since September 6th, 1991. I considered Stuart as a possible match for NamUs UP #7582 but the match was ruled out based on dental comparisons. Otherwise, a lot of things aligned between the John Doe and the Missing Person #29973: they had similar demographics and the John Doe was found along one possible route that Stuart, the missing person, might have traveled to get to Reno. Word was that he was heading that way to look into a job prospect.

The rule out, as always, was final the moment it came back to me: it's hard to argue with something like dental comparisons. They and fingerprinting used to be sacred in identifying human remains in the era before DNA. But I think I found another candidate for a rule-out attempt on Joseph Anthony Stuart: NamUs UP #2294. Firstly, here's a recap of Stuart's demographics and circumstances.

• He was last seen on September 6th, 1991
• He was 35 years old at the time of his disappearance
• He was a white male
• He was 68" inches, which is 5'8"
• His hair color was brown and his eyes were blue
• He was last seen in Fullerton, California
• His landlord reported him missing on September 26th, 1991
• He seemed to participate in suicidal ideation
• He had told the landlord that he was going fishing
• On September 6th, 1991 Stuart also told a friend that he was going to Reno for an employment prospect

It's the route to Reno, or routes, that have interested me. Earlier tonight, I was reminded of Stuart's case when I looked at NamUs UP #2294. That's mainly because the reconstruction of UP #2294 actually reminded me of the reconstruction of UP #7582. When I looked at the profiles I began to wonder if it could be Stuart.

NamUs UP #2294

UP #2294 was found on July 8th, 2008. He has been ruled-out already against eight different individuals with birthdates ranging from 1950 to 1978. That big range is a pretty big clue that they don't know the UP's age and NamUs suggests that it's anywhere between 25 and 45 years old. For starters, Stuart is dead-smack in the middle of that range which seems promising.

UP #2294 is described this way at NamUs: "a white male adult, estimated to be between 25 and 45 years of age. It is estimated that he was born between 1955 and 1973. He died sometime between 1989 and 1998. The victim is estimated to have stood between 5'6" and 5'9"."

The race and sex match to Stuart. The estimated date of birth matches to Stuart and the estimated date of death is in the range that would match up to Stuart's disappearance and, maybe, his death date. Furthermore, Stuart was 5'8" and that is in the John Doe's height range. 

The John Doe, NamUs UP #2294, was found near highway 15. He was buried and skeletonized. The clothes that he had do not match Stuart's last-known clothes but clothes change all the time. Importantly, this John Doe was found on a route that one might take between Fullerton and Reno. 

The image below shows that I searched for directions between Fullerton and Reno. The blue line is the route that one could take. I didn't include Reno in the map snip because I wanted to include a close-up of the area that the decedent was found in. If you see where it says "Lytle Creek" in the top-right quadrant, that is near where the John Doe was found.

That means there is an alignment between Stuart and the John Doe in several ways:

1. Age
2. Sex
3. Race
4. Height
5. Estimated date of death for the Doe vs. Stuart's disappearance date
6. Stuart could be placed in the area if his friend's comment that he was going to Reno from Fullerton is taken to be accurate.

They have dentals for the UP and I know they have Stuart's because they were a rule-out criterion the last time I submitted. I think I will submit this John Doe again and will let you know how it goes with an update.

NamUs UP #17549 vs NamUs MP #34827 (Stephanie Hunsberger)

In this article, a comparison and contrast will be made between an Unidentified Person (UP) and a Missing Person (MP). Attempts to rule out the possibility that the UP is the MP will be made. That failing, the MP and UP may end up being one and the same person.

NamUs UP #17549

NamUs's UP #17549 is an individual with a very problematic profile. This deceased female was found in garbage bags bound with an electrical cord in Philadelphia. The individual was found on June 2nd, 1980 and her profile was uploaded to NamUs on March 7th, 2018. That's a very large gap relative to many other profiles.

She was found in a vacant house, her head was not recovered, and one or more limbs was not recovered. Although she was found on June 2nd, 1980 she was believed to had died sometime between 1978 and 1980. Her height was estimated at 68 inches (5'8") but the estimation has to be taken loosely based on her decomposed state and the absence of her head and maybe even her legs. Her age range is large, between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. The saving grace of this profile is DNA: they have a sample that is not yet processed.

Commentary

When the head and limbs aren't recovered with a clearly murdered decadent it suggests that the victim's murderer made an attempt to keep the decadent's identity hidden from the authorities. In the 1970s and prior, before DNA was popular, teeth and fingerprints were a common method of identification. Whoever put the decadent in the garbage bags may have been concerned about her identity providing a link to the murderer.

Similar UP case: bones found in two bags in Philadelphia in 1979.

NamUs #34827

When the following search parameters are used, there is only one match in NamUs. 

Date last seen: January 1st, 1978 to April 1st, 1980 (I took two months off the higher date because of the decomposed state)

Age last seen: 18 to 42 (note: I used a larger range by two years in each direction relative to the decadent's information)

Sex: female

Height: 66 inches to 70 inches

State: Pennsylvania

That search criteria only brings up Stephanie Hunsberger, an individual with a very-lengthy profile at NamUs. She also lead what seems to be a high-risk lifestyle at the time, with prostitution and drugs a part of her life. Her official last-seen date is February 25th, 1978 according to NamUs but there are those that have told authorities she was alive in 1979. 

They have a completed DNA sample for Stephanie. If she is the decadent in the corded garbage bags then, once the decadent's DNA is processed, the match will likely be made.

NamUs #22939

Another potential match is NamUs #22939. She is Jennifer Prince, an individual who has been missing since November 18th, 1978. Prince's height is just one inch off of 68" and her age is in the range, She went missing in New Jersey, which is just across the state line from where the decedent was found. She is missing from a city called Brick, about 66 miles away from where the decedent was found. DNA is available in Prince's case as well.

Adam Christopher Patterson Missing Person Case Details - NamUs #MP42783

By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: March 27th, 2018

Adam Christopher Patterson was new to NamUs at the time of writing. However, he has been missing for about 2.5 years as of the publication date. Furthermore, several years have passed since I originally published this blog post. Adam Patterson will soon have been missing for ten years. In the embedded picture below, readers will find his case details.

This is someone who could be lost at sea. The missing person poster above states that the Maine Marine Patrol could be contacted with information. He is missing from Portland, Maine and is believed to have taken a water taxi (he was a licensed captain) out to sea. The boat was later located washed up on a beach in Kennebunk."

The over land distance using highway travel from Portland to Kennebunk is just under 30 miles. Perhaps the nautical displacement or distance traveled is more relevant though. The beach that the boat washed up on was called Parson's Beach as per news coverage from late 2015.

Patterson's last-seen time as per NamUs is November 10th, 2015. However, the news source above says he spoke to his wife at 1:30am on November 11th, 2015 over the phone. Security footage shows Patterson leaving the dock at 3:30am.

Commentary

The authorities believe Patterson to be dead based on weather conditions and the condition of the boat. Lost at sea could actually mean lost for all time. This could be a futile case for online researchers to try and find a clue in. It seems that there is a working idea of what happened to him.

I would think that if he were found, then it would be skeletal remains that others, beside online researchers, would work on. That said, there's no harm in cross-referencing his details against unidentified John Does from time to time.

Adam Christopher Patterson: Detailed NamUs Case Summary

Category	Details
Case Number	NamUs #MP42783
Full Name	Adam Christopher Patterson
Biological Sex	Male
Race / Ethnicity	White / Caucasian
Date of Last Contact	November 10, 2015
Missing From	Portland, Maine (Cumberland County)
Missing Age	30 Years
Current Age	40 Years (as of March 29, 2025)
NamUs Case Created	March 26, 2018
Height	5' 8" (68 inches)
Weight	145 lbs
Hair Color	Brown
Eye Color	Blue (both left and right)
Distinctive Features	Circular scar on back, scar on right cheek
Circumstances	Believed to have taken a water taxi (licensed captain) out to sea; boat later found washed up on a beach in Kennebunk

NamUs MP #38785 - D. Bond (Found)

By: Shane Lambert

Note: this article was originally published in March of 2018. There is recent news as of November 13th, 2019. Sadly, Devin Bond has been found deceased. Condolences are offered to his family and friends and anyone that this tragedy has negatively affected. According to the Facebook page for the group on the evening of November 13th, 2019:

"We are devastated at the loss of our son, Devin. Our goal was to bring Devin home and we are bringing him home, just not in the way we had hoped. Rest In Peace sweet boy and we will be counting the days until we are together again.

Thank you to Detective Pinson, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department and all the searchers that helped locate our son, we are forever grateful."

Devin Bond, a missing person from Tennessee, was last seen on March 30th, 2017. His case details as per NamUs are below:

The circumstances listed at NamUs leave something to be desired: "Missing juvenile. Last seen at home by mother." According to the Facebook group that is dedicated to finding Devin, there are many more details that those looking at this case should be aware of. If the following details could be added to his NamUs profile then it would help any Websleuths* out there get a clearer picture of the situation.

*people that work as amateurs on missing-person's cases or crimes

Answers to common questions according to the Facebook group

(1) Question: Where was Devin last seen? 

Answer: Devin was last seen at home near Thompson Rd and Armstrong Valley. 

(2) Question: Did anyone see Devin?

Answer: There was one possible sighting of Devin on March 31st at 433 am on Barfield Crescent Rd walking in the direction of Veterans Pkwy. 

(3) Question: Have you tracked his phone? 

Answer: Devin's phone pinged at 456 am off a tower near Joe B Jackson known as Tiger Hill but the ping info showed his phone was appx 1.8 miles southwest of that tower meaning he wasn't at the actual tower. 1.8 miles puts the phone near the middle area of Barfield Crescent Rd. There has been no phone activity since this ping which was March 31st. 

Note: I've used the information in those answers to construct a possible explanation for his disappearance. Furthermore, there is also possible footage of Devin after Barfield Crescent Road according to an individual I spoke with online that knows this case very well.

Looking at his walking route

Devin's home was/is near Thompson Road and Armstrong Valley Road in Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Google Maps video below). His last-seen time is listed as 11:30pm on March 30th, 2017 at NamUs (a Thursday night). However, there is evidence of his location afterward as per the answers to the questions above. 

Devin had a cellular phone and, according to the remarks at the Facebook group, it "pinged at 456am off a tower near Joe B Jackson [Parkway] known as Tiger Hill;" importantly, this ping "was appx 1.8 miles southwest of that tower meaning he wasn't at the actual tower" but rather "near the middle area of Barfield Crescent Rd. There has been no phone activity since this ping which was March 31st," exactly 5 hours and 26 minutes after he was last seen at home. There is also a possible sighting of him 23 minutes before the ping time on Barfield Crescent Road. If it was him, then he was "walking in the direction of Veterans Pkwy." The individual that may have seen him was purposeful in noting the correct time because she actually found his presence walking roadside at such a late hour to be suspicious. If anyone can answer to the side of the road he may have been seen walking on, then this is a matter I'd be interested in.

Below is a screen-recording video from Google Maps showing the area that he was last seen in as well as where he might have been if we take the cell-phone ping to be revealing of his location (ie. about the midway point of Barfield Crescent Road). The video shows the most-efficient walking route one would take if one was to walk using roads (ie. no footpath or cross-property shortcuts). It assumes a northbound direction on Barfield Crescent Road because of the possible sighting that states he was heading toward Veterans Parkway and the cell phone ping corroborating that.

Commentary: Suicide May Be a Red Herring

When it comes to a missing-person's case there are always scenarios of (1) murder, (2) suicide, (3) kidnapped and kept alive, (4) disappearance by accident (ie. vehicle accident knocks someone into a hard-to-find-spot), or (5) voluntary disappearance. 

Where Devin fits is not clear but on March 30th, 2017 Devin's girlfriend broke up with him. It's possible that this may have triggered depression. This, in turn, forces one to consider the possibility of suicide. On that matter, the forested areas have to be considered target areas for searching. Furthermore, according to a Podcast episode at thevanishedpodcast.com, Devin may have been in possession of a gun. One that his father owned was discovered to be missing.

But a depressed-and-therefore-suicidal scenario, although impossible to ignore, may still be a red herring. The evidence shows that Devin was walking on a road before 5am in late March in what looks to be a rural area that doesn't have streetlights. According to my research of sunrise times at timeanddate.com the sun rose at 6:33am in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on March 31st, 2017 (see screenshot below).

According to weather.com's archives for the area, it was a cloudy day:

Shows information pertaining to weather on March 31st, 2017 from Weather.com.

When you look at the route that Devin may have taken from the intersection of Thompson Road and Armstrong Valley Road to get to the middle of Barfield Crescent Road (around where his phone pinged) then you notice a somewhat-destinationless route: the route is starting to make a square-like shape. In the Podcast episode, it is suggested that he may have been walking to his then ex-girlfriend's place. However, it was counter-stated that she was out of state at the time and therefore her house wouldn't attract Devin at this point. To me, the point of the walk that Devin was on was only to go for a walk. This would run counter to a different theory.

Screenshot from Google Maps. This walking route is one
I constructed based on the information at the Facebook group.

After all, there is a theory that he ran away. According to a May 17th, 2017 article at Murfreesboro Post:

"An investigation into a missing Rutherford County high school student showed he apparently planned to run away and packed his clothes, a sheriff's detective said."

I'm not generally a fan of run-away theories when it comes to missing people. I think the police are partial to them at times because it's just an easy answer. Family members may be partial to them because they keep hopes alive for a reunion. That two interested parties in a missing-person's case might be partial to a theory that has no substance isn't a great recipe for success. Relentless logic where facts are known and reasonable conjecture where they are not is the route to take.

Using the information at the Facebook group, when I start his walk at the intersection of Thompson Road and Armstrong Valley Road and then connect that to a northbound walking route up Barfield Crescent Road, it seems to me that he wasn't trying to get somewhere (that's the route pictured above). That route doubles back in a northward direction after originally heading south. If he was heading toward an area east of his starting point or north then he certainly took a scenic route. 

What makes sense to me is that perhaps after his girlfriend left him, he felt a compelling need to clear his mind with a long walk. That he left in the very-early morning suggests that he suffered from sleeplessness. It was Spring Break, there was no school to sleep for, and on Thursday maybe he slept in and was therefore well-rested on Thursday night/Friday morning. 

Without a pressing need for sleep at a late hour perhaps he felt a long walk would do him good in an angered state of mind from losing his girlfriend. Perhaps he made his bed up to appear as though he was in it just so no one would worry about him while he was gone. Perhaps he took the gun because it was 3:30am in the morning when he left (according to the mother in the Podcast episode) and the gun made him feel safe.

But Devin was wearing dark clothes as per his NamUs profile. He had a grey t-shirt, brown or black footwear, and a black drawstring backpack. The news article linked above mentions some red clothing as well. The point is that with mainly dark clothes on, in the early-morning pre-sunrise darkness on a cloudy day, he should have been hard to see. 

Walking roadside, it's possible that an early-morning and fatigued driver didn't notice Devin as he walked. In fact, anyone that regularly drove the route in the early morning might have been surprised by Devin's presence, maybe even at a narrowing point in the road or on a bend. Perhaps Devin was involved in a vehicle-and-pedestrian car accident without any witnesses present due to the rural setting and the early hour. That would be more likely to happen, in my opinion, in the northbound lane of Barfield Crescent Road as most traffic would be headed toward the city as commuters in the morning time. If the possible accident happened in the southbound lane then it might have been a drunk driver.

A drunk driver hitting Devin (in either lane) can't be discounted, especially at the Spring Break time of the accident. According to Sabrina Toppa, a writer for Time Magazine, "The Percentage Increase in Traffic Deaths During Spring Break Will Shock You." A car accident might have destroyed Devin's cell phone, thereby preventing any future pings off of the nearby tower. 

So, if this is true, then why didn't this possible accident get discovered? I shudder to write the following statements. 

If amateur websleuths want some food for thought on this case, then consider what one James John Onak allegedly did back in 2011. After allegedly striking and killing a pedestrian, he allegedly drove for miles with him in the front seat. The alleged behavior is not isolated to that case alone. It's possible that someone struck Devin with a vehicle and then attempted to hide his/her crime.

Hypothetical timeline, mixed with known facts and my presumptions

• ~8:30pm on Thursday, March 30th, 2017: Devin's girlfriend breaks up with him over the phone
• ~11:30pm: Devin says goodnight to his mother, the last verified sighting
• Between 11:30pm and 3:30am on March 31st, 2017: Devin deals with the anguish of losing his girlfriend; he prepares his room to make it look like he is sleeping; he takes the missing gun; he leaves the home at 3:30am to go for a walk as he struggles with sleeplessness
• 3:30am to 4:33am: he walks south down Armstrong Valley Road, turns toward Barfield Crescent Road, and walks on the side of that road when he is spotted by someone at 4:33am
• At 4:56am his cellular pings off of the tower
• A short time later maybe he is struck by an early-morning commuter or a drunk driver, an individual that may have tried to cover the accident up; a narrow point in the road or a bend in the road would be more likely to produce this kind of accident
• This could have happened after walking Barfield Crescent Road, noting that some with ample knowledge of this missing-person's case believe he was spotted on a camera after that road (see below)

Conclusions

A vehicle in the area of Murfreesboro that was damaged toward the front on March 31st, 2017 would be interesting in this case. In fact, I would hope the authorities would try to get records of auto body shops in the area. Additionally, broken glass on Barfield Crescent Road or broken reflectors would be interesting finds that might still be present. Lastly, chips of paint on the road could be important. Fans of the Forensic Files series may remember Season 11's Episode 32 "Critical Maneuver" where evidence of a hit and run was linked to a vehicle: both paint chips and reflector glass were key. 

That is not to say that other scenarios aren't possible, including the run-away theory and the possibility of suicide due to depression. But based on Devin's dark clothes, his roadside walking before the light of day hit, and the likelihood that a driver would not expect a pedestrian to be around at such a time of day, I don't think a car accident where the driver decided to try and cover up what he/she did can be discounted because there is precedent for such behaviour.

Ross Owen Peterson (Found): Was MP42768 But Was Found

By: Shane Lambert

Rose Peterson was once a missing person. However, he has since been located and, sadly, was found deceased. The details below are kept for posterity but they became 'old news' when Peterson was found.

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Ross Owen Peterson was added to NamUS on March 23rd, 2018. He only went missing on March 15th of the same month, making for a very short gap between his last-seen time and entry into NamUS. There appears to be at least one error in NamUS but, at time of writing, these were his details:

• White male who was 59 years old at the time of his disappearance
• 5'4" to 5'6"
• Weight between 200 and 250 pounds
• He disappeared while en route to physical therapy, traveling from Taylorsville, Kentucky to Jeffersontown
• Gray hair, balding on top, with hair above ears
• Wore a mustache
• Blue eyes
• Pierced left ear with possibly an earring
• Vehicle information: a black 2013 Toyota Corolla with Kentucky plates 136-RXY 
• May have had a hat; in the photo at NamUS a hat that may be of the Green Bay Packers is depicted

The error in NamUS is that they list his age as 59 years old at time of disappearance. They also state that his age NOW is 58 years old. It's not clear where the data-entry error so his age details will need to be clarified (ie., obviously he hasn't gotten younger). In regard to his weight, a 50-lb range seems large. If there was a way to clarify this then it would be helpful.

NamUS details for MP #42768

The route that Peterson took from his home to his appointment may be relevant. There seem to be multiple routes that could have been taken with similar efficiency. In looking at the routes on Google Maps, the paths are winding but the terrain is pretty flat.

An example of what a black 2013 Toyota Corolla would look like is below. The picture is not the actual vehicle but representative of the make and model.

Taken from Amazon

The following cases are similar by age, sex, race, and keyword "appointment" appearing in NamUS's circumstances:

• Richard Hillman, NamUs MP #41686
• Alan Tuott, NamUs MP #23366
• Richard Redzich, NamUs MP #19246
• George Boardman, NamUs MP #23580
• Robert Black, NamUs MP #4418

The cases of Redzich and Boardman are interesting. In Redzich's case, he was last seen leaving for an appointment. His vehicle was later found in a WOODED AREA; however, Redzich is yet to be found. His vehicle was only found 3-4 months after he was last seen. Boardman's vehicle was found ten days after his disappearance in a PARKING LOT.

New to NamUS - Margaret Holcomb (MP #42733)

By: Shane Lambert

Margaret Holcomb had the details of her missing-person's case uploaded to NamUS a couple of days ago. At the time of writing, it's my understanding that family members are trying to update or correct some of the Missing Person's (MP) details.

Good morning Horry County and beyond.
We need your help locating MISSING PERSON Margaret Holcomb (37 years old, 5'01, 135lbs). Last seen on February 4th on Tigger Loop in Conway.
If seen please call (843) 248-1520.#PleaseShare #HCPD pic.twitter.com/YkegxWrAQJ

— Horry County PD (@horrycountypd) February 21, 2018

There's about a seven-week gap between Holcomb's last-seen time and her entry into NamUS. That is not a long time relative to a lot of other profiles. Margaret was reported missing by her sister on February 17th, 13 days after she was last seen on Tigger Loop in Conway. The day she went missing was the same day as the 2018 Super Bowl. Her sister has remarked that she may have been going to a Super Bowl party, although 10am strikes me as an odd departure time for that.

Here are her vitals:

• 37 years old at the time of her disappearance
• White female
• 5"0 to 5"1
• 130 to 145 pounds (sister estimates Margaret's weight to be much lower at time of disappearance; the correct range might be 100 to 145 pounds)
• Red/auburn hair (sister claims hair may have been blonde at time of disappearance; see photo at the bottom of the page)
• Hazel eyes
• Tattoos as per the photos below
• She used the nickname Meg as opposed to Marg or her proper name, Margaret
• Clothing, according to a family members' Facebook post, when she was last seen: an orange hoodie and black pants

In interviewing a family member online, it appears that there is a discrepancy between NamUS and a detail according to the family member. Margaret, according to her sister, was last seen on February 4th, 2018 in Conway, South Carolina at 10am in the morning. NamUS reports a last-seen time on February 3rd which is contradicted by the family member I interviewed online. Also, the Police tweet above mentions February 4th.

NamUS says that Margaret has a "history of depression," something that a family member elaborated on. But the family member claimed that the detective checked the hospitals. In the past, when Margaret has been away for a while she has told someone where she was going.

The relative I spoke to online offered an opinion on her sister's fate, one that reflects pessimism about the chances of her being found alive. She thinks Margaret may have committed suicide. Websleuths should be aware that her comment is just an opinion and NOT verified fact in the police investigation.

One of her last Facebook posts prior to her disappearance.

However, those that follow cases involving unidentified remains should be aware of an area called Pawley's Swamp. If an Unidentified Person is ever found there she would be a major candidate for a rule-out attempt in Margaret's case based on the MP's familiarity with the area and proximity to it. Margaret's distinctive teeth may help in this case in the future, even though there is a DNA family sample.

That sample comes from the mother. That there is a sample means that if you are cross-referencing this individual's profile with Jane Does then focus on Jane Does where there is no DNA profile. The reason being: that if they have DNA profiles for a Jane Doe then the computerized systems will make the match.

Picture above shows most recent facial pic of Margaret according to sister. Blonde hair is depicted.

Will Google Maps Help With Future Cold Cases?

In the annotated screen-recording video below, I explain how I think Websleuths can enhance their Websleuthing skillset by gaining an increased familiarity with Google Maps. In my opinion, Google Maps may prove to be a valuable resource when it comes to cold cases, if not now then certainly in the future.

If Google Maps keeps documenting the streets and roads of the world then in the future it will be possible to walk through an area on a historical day. When it comes to figuring out historical crimes then that might reduce dependency on finding living witnesses when one needs to get a feel for a certain area. Also, in the event that construction takes place, it may help to know where forests used to be when looking at historical crimes.

Check out the video below for a fuller explanation. While researching a case involving a demolished building, I was able to go back in time and see the pre-demolition building as it was at the time when human remains were found in it. Click the video to play it and then again to make it full screen.

Joshua Maddux Mystery - Missing for Years and Found in Chimney

By: Shane Lambert

Joshua Maddux went missing in 2008 and he spent seven years statused as a missing person. However, in 2015 he was found dead in a chimney not far from where he was last seen. That he was found dead and mummified in a chimney naturally raised more questions.

Was he killed and stuffed there? Or did he attempt to crawl into the cabin through the chimney and got stuck?

Of the two scenarios, the latter is considered to be the best explanation according to the authorities. Coroner Al Born stated that he was probably attempting to get into the rarely-used cabin before he got stuck in the chimney and died.



The case reminds me of the case of another missing person from very early in this century. Eduardo Sanchez, of Winnipeg, Canada, was last seen alive in October of 2002. In December of 2003, he was found between the walls of the nightclub that he was last seen performing at as a DJ.

His death was not ruled a homicide. Rather, it was determined that he died from something called "positional asphyxiation" (Winnipeg Police spokesperson). For some reason, Sanchez crawled into the narrow space voluntarily. Then he reached a point where he was unable to get out. Anyone that has ever put a ring on his or her finger and then had trouble removing it may have experienced something similar. It seems that getting into a tight spot and getting out are completely different matters. The pressure the walls put on the chest then prevented Sanchez from breathing and he died quickly.

Maddux's death and his location in a chimney have sparked some speculation that he may have been murdered. However, like the death of Sanchez "positional asphyxiation" strikes me as a good explanation if Al Born, the coroner, is correct in his belief that Maddux voluntarily entered the narrow chimney. A plausible reason would be to gain access to the cabin as a mischievous or just adventurous teenager.

But perhaps drug use cannot be ignored. In Sanchez's case, it is believed that drugs may have caused him to enter the narrow space. Drugs can cause feelings of paranoia that make you want to find a hiding spot for absolutely no good reason. Furthermore, I remember coverage of Sanchez's death suggesting that he may have taken a particular kind of drug that makes you desire to feel hugged. It seems that two walls would do that.

Whatever happened, it's worth noting that when someone dies from "positional asphyxiation" that the circumstances might not be as suspicious as they look. Determining the cause of death is crucial in cases like these. But a body found trapped in a tight area might be someone that put himself there deliberately, not realizing the trouble that he might be causing himself.

Oregon - Female, 30-45, Umpqua River near Gardiner, Oct 2016 (NamUs UP # 15871)

I read over the case of NamUS up #15871 earlier. I have some thoughts on the case.

Firstly, I wonder if this person met with foul play. That her wallet didn't have anything in it is something I found a little odd. It seems to me that if you died during a hike or committed suicide that everything would remain in your wallet. I wondered if she was robbed and killed. I also wondered if the maple leaves on the wallet suggested Canadian identity, albeit they aren't typical to the one in the Canadian flag

Secondly, I wondered if the bottle of Rescue Remedy was a clue. I researched pictures of the bottle for a little while and found that the wording on the bottle changes slightly between a lot of products. I did find an exact match on the bottle, however, and made a video so that everyone can see the bottle writing really clearly.

I feel like the Rescue Remedy bottle might be a nice lead on finding the date of death or at least narrowing things down. The company that makes the product seems to change the wording on the bottle slightly now and again. Maybe they know when the exact product wording on the labels was in effect and that could pertain to a sell date of the product. When I Googled the code near the top of the bottle I found information that the bottle was out there since at least November of 2011.

There is also the Puget Sound water bottle as the big clue or a big diversion. I found an article online where one Mark O. Martin described himself as "an associate professor of Biology at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington." The article was from 2012 and I noticed a student in the pictures in the article, one of which I felt resembled the composite sketches. However, this could be a red herring for sure. Still, it would be nice if someone did a well-being check on her.