Jamir Bashir Richardson, also known by the nickname Mear, was 30 years old when he was last seen in Wilmington, Delaware, on May 14, 2012. NamUs lists him as missing from Wilmington with a date of last contact of May 14, 2012, and the case is associated with NamUs number MP14744. Public case summaries describe him as a Black man, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing around 180 to 195 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He had a distinctive gray or white streak of hair near the front of his scalp, stretch marks on the front of both shoulders, dark patches on the backs of both thighs, and a round scar on the front of his right knee.
Richardson was last reported seen in the 1100 block of East 7th Street in Wilmington. According to The Charley Project, he had been taking his three children to day care at about 8:15 a.m. when he disappeared and was not heard from again. LostNMissing gives a similar account, stating that he was last seen around 8:00 a.m.
in that same area while taking his children to day care. He was reported to have been wearing an orange shirt and blue jeans, although The Charley Project notes that some reports listed the shirt as orange or white.
After Richardson disappeared, his truck was found parked near the Christina River. Public case summaries state that his keys and cell phone were found inside the vehicle, a deeply concerning detail for investigators and for those who loved him. LostNMissing also reported coordinates associated with the location where the vehicle was found, and said the vehicle was found adjacent to the Christina River.
Authorities and family members expressed concern for Richardson’s emotional state at the time he vanished. CBS Philadelphia reported in 2013 that Wilmington Police said Richardson had been depressed and had sent text messages to family members indicating that he was considering suicide. The Charley Project similarly states that he had sent a text message to his wife, that he had recently lost his job, and that his family believed he may have been depressed as a result. These details point to a man who may have been in acute distress, while also underscoring the uncertainty and pain surrounding what happened next.
Search efforts focused on the Christina River area. The Charley Project reports that police divers searched the river but found no sign of Richardson. LostNMissing states that the Christina River was searched by a police dive team, that the area was also searched by Delaware State Police helicopter, and that a police K-9 tracked Richardson’s scent from the vehicle toward the river. Despite those efforts, no public source reviewed here reports that Richardson was located.
Richardson lived with his wife and children in Newark, Delaware, at the time of his disappearance, and The Charley Project reports that he worked in construction and had been born and raised in Chester, Delaware. Wilmington Police continued to ask for the public’s help after the first year passed, with CBS Philadelphia reporting on May 30, 2013, that investigators had pursued several leads without success. His case remains a painful unanswered loss for his family, especially his children, who were part of the last known morning of his life before he vanished.Last Seen: May 14, 2012
