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 (MP35215) and 7 other sources
In the late summer of 2015, a sense of unease settled over a family in West Babylon, New York, with the disappearance of 57-year-old Mark Baranek. On August 11, 2015, the longtime Babylon-area resident was last seen at his place of work, an adult entertainment store called World II on Kean Street, where he was the manager and also frequently lived. At the time he vanished, Baranek was described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing about 140 pounds, with blue eyes and graying hair. The last time anyone saw him, he was reportedly wearing blue jeans, a tan vest, and a blue New York Giants football sweatshirt.

The circumstances surrounding Mark Baranek’s disappearance are perplexing and contain conflicting details. One account suggests he told someone he was running an errand and would be right back, but he never returned to the store. It was also mentioned that he had been speaking with an unidentified person at the store shortly before he left. His brother, however, has stated that Mark worked his shift as usual, closing the shop at midnight, and that it was unusual for him to have been there early the next morning. Adding to the mystery, personal items that one would expect him to need, such as his spare clothes, cigarettes, and pain medication for a back condition, were all left behind. His brother has emphasized that Mark was a hard-working man who was very set in his ways and would never have just walked away from his life.

In the years following Mark Baranek's disappearance, the case has grown cold, leaving his loved ones without answers. Initially, his family had requested privacy and did not seek media attention, but as time stretched on without any sign of him, they changed their minds and appealed to the public for help in the investigation. The Suffolk County Police Department has investigated the case, but no substantial leads have surfaced to explain what happened to him. The lack of information has been a heavy burden for his family, who continue to hope for a resolution. The case remains an unsolved mystery, a quiet but persistent question mark in a busy industrial area of Long Island, leaving a family to wonder what happened to a man who, by all accounts, simply vanished from his life one day.

Last Seen: Aug 11, 2015

Possible Unidentified Matches (10)

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.

82%Moderate
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP86656
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP86656 • Found Nov 14, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 65–90 vs 57 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 97%22 mi away, same state
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'8"
Weight 92%120 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
82%Moderate
John Doe — Staten Island, New York - unidentified case UP75898
John Doe — Staten Island, New York
UP75898 • Found Jul 3, 2020
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–65 vs 57 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 94%33 mi away, same state
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'8"
Weight 100%145 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
80%Moderate
John Doe — New Rochelle, New York
UP109779 • Found May 4, 2023
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 58–72 vs 57 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 97%22 mi away, same state
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'8"
Weight 28%82 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
79%Possible
John Doe — Queens, New York - unidentified case UP81157
John Doe — Queens, New York
UP81157 • Found May 26, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 84%Est. 35–55 vs 57 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%15 mi away, same state
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'8"
Weight 95%168 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 40%Brown vs Gray
Eyes 30%Hazel vs Blue
79%Possible
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP80386
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP80386 • Found May 2, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 55–80 vs 57 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 97%23 mi away, same state
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 84%5'6" vs 5'8"
Weight 47%198 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
79%Possible
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP17506
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP17506 • Found Feb 5, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 55–75 vs 57 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 97%22 mi away, same state
TimingFound 2 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'8"
Weight 63%190 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
79%Possible
John Doe — New York - unidentified case UP16245
John Doe — New York
UP16245 • Found May 25, 2016
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 50–70 vs 57
Race 100%White
Location 99%15 mi away, same state
TimingFound 9 months after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'8"
Weight 83%177 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 40%Black vs Gray
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
79%Possible
John Doe — Newark, New Jersey - unidentified case UP144221
John Doe — Newark, New Jersey
UP144221 • Found Dec 29, 2024
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 48–62 vs 57 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 94%34 mi away
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 84%5'6" vs 5'8"
Weight 100%142 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 40%Black vs Gray
78%Possible
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP75991
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP75991 • Found Nov 19, 2020
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 50–75 vs 57 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 97%23 mi away, same state
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'8"
Weight 100%143 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 40%Brown vs Gray
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
78%Possible
John Doe — Elizabeth, New Jersey
UP69068 • Found Apr 17, 2020
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–60 vs 57 when missing
Location 93%36 mi away
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8"–5'9" vs 5'8"
Weight 100%150–160 lb vs 140–150 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray

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.