Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP32608) and 8 other sources
Cary Michael Silverstein was a 64-year-old man from Chicago's West Ridge neighborhood who went missing under tragic circumstances in December 2015. He was last seen on December 10, 2015, at a birthday party he was hosting in his own apartment located in the 6500 block of North Hoyne Avenue. Concern for his welfare grew when he missed a couple of meetings and uncharacteristically failed to make his daily phone call to his sister. His sister officially reported him missing to the Chicago Police Department on December 16, 2015. The subsequent investigation into his disappearance would soon uncover a brutal and fatal assault that occurred within the walls of his home.

The investigation took a dark turn when detectives discovered blood evidence in Cary's kitchen and bathroom, pointing towards a violent struggle. It was revealed that an argument had broken out during the birthday party. Prosecutors stated that one of the attendees, Alexander Robinson, accused Cary of making derogatory remarks to his girlfriend, Shatrara Lehman. This led to a physical altercation where Robinson initially punched Cary and left the apartment to cool down, only to return a short time later with two other individuals, Shawndre Lehman and a juvenile. The three then proceeded to punch, kick, and beat Cary to death, using a metal frying pan as a weapon.

Following the murder, the four individuals—Alexander Robinson, Shatrara Lehman, Shawndre Lehman, and the unnamed juvenile—worked together to conceal the crime. They attempted to clean the blood from the apartment with bleach and water, washed the frying pan used in the attack, and removed Cary's clothing. They then placed his body into a makeshift body bag fashioned from two garbage bags taped together. His remains were then callously discarded in a nearby dumpster. Despite the arrests and confessions of those involved, Cary Silverstein's body has never been recovered. Authorities faced the grim reality that the contents of the dumpster had been taken to a suburban landfill, making the chances of locating his remains exceedingly slim. The case transitioned from a missing person investigation to a homicide, with four individuals ultimately being charged in connection with his death, facing charges that included first-degree murder and concealing a homicide.

Last Seen: Dec 10, 2015

Possible Unidentified Matches (3)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

81%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP16642
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP16642 • Found Jan 14, 2017
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 60–69 vs 64 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%Same area, same county
TimingFound 13 months after last seen
Height 52%5'5" vs 5'9"–5'11"
Weight 58%127 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
81%Moderate
John Doe — Waukegan, Illinois - unidentified case UP163526
John Doe — Waukegan, Illinois
UP163526 • Found Apr 8, 2026
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–65 vs 64 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 93%35 mi away, same state
TimingFound 10 years after last seen
Height 84%5'7" vs 5'9"–5'11"
Weight 88%151 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
80%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP51609
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP51609 • Found Jun 28, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 45–65 vs 64 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%Same area, same county
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'3"–5'8" vs 5'9"–5'11"

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.