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 (MP14252) and 3 other sources
In the autumn of 1980, a young woman named Merryl Wendy Horowitz, aged 26, disappeared from Valley Stream, New York. The last time anyone reportedly saw her was on November 1st of that year. Her disappearance followed a heated argument with her mother, after which she walked out of their home. Tragically, she was not permitted to take her one-year-old son with her. Since that day, there has been no contact from Merryl, and her whereabouts remain a mystery. At the time she went missing, she was described as being between 5'5' and 5'7' tall and weighing between 140 and 170 pounds. She had brown hair, which was sometimes described as sandy, and brown eyes that were occasionally noted as hazel.

The years turned into decades with no significant developments in her case. Her son, now a grown man, has been left with a lifetime of questions about what became of his mother. The family has lived with the painful uncertainty, believing that she may no longer be alive. Despite their enduring hope for answers, concrete information about Merryl's fate has remained elusive. The passage of time has only deepened the void left by her absence and the unanswered questions surrounding that day in November.

The case of Merryl Horowitz is a poignant story of a family torn apart by a sudden and unexplained departure. The official record of her disappearance notes the fight with her mother as the precipitating event, a painful detail that underscores the emotional turmoil of her last known moments. The Nassau County Police Department has maintained a case file for her disappearance, but without new leads, the investigation has faced significant challenges. The narrative of her life abruptly ends after she walked away from her home, leaving a legacy of sorrow and a search for closure that continues to this day for her loved ones.

Last Seen: Nov 1, 1980

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.

83%Moderate
Jane Doe — Hoboken, New Jersey - unidentified case UP1454
Jane Doe — Hoboken, New Jersey
UP1454 • Found Feb 9, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 24–34 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 98%18 mi away
TimingFound 24 years after last seen
Height 100%5'4" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 100%166 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
83%Moderate
Jane Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP5768
Jane Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP5768 • Found Mar 13, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%12 mi away, same state
TimingFound 21 years after last seen
Height 100%5'5" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 100%138 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
83%Moderate
Jane Doe — Staten Island, New York - unidentified case UP6955
Jane Doe — Staten Island, New York
UP6955 • Found Sep 6, 1989
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 18–30 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 96%24 mi away, same state
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 100%5'4" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 81%110 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
82%Moderate
Jane Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP7726
Jane Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP7726 • Found Apr 23, 1994
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 85%Est. 20–40 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%12 mi away, same state
TimingFound 13 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 100%140 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
82%Moderate
Jane Doe — Queens, New York - unidentified case UP8339
Jane Doe — Queens, New York
UP8339 • Found Jul 21, 1992
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 85%Est. 30–50 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%6 mi away, same state
TimingFound 12 years after last seen
Height 100%5'5" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 100%170 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
81%Moderate
Unidentified Person — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP5639
Unidentified Person — Brooklyn, New York
UP5639 • Found Nov 6, 2005
View case
Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%13 mi away, same state
TimingFound 25 years after last seen
Height 100%5'5" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 100%147 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
81%Moderate
Jane Doe — Bronx, New York - unidentified case UP8507
Jane Doe — Bronx, New York
UP8507 • Found Aug 23, 1990
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 85%Est. 30–50 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%15 mi away, same state
TimingFound 10 years after last seen
Height 100%5'5" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 94%120 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
80%Moderate
Jane Doe — Brielle, New Jersey - unidentified case UP2274
Jane Doe — Brielle, New Jersey
UP2274 • Found Jun 15, 2008
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 18–30 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 91%43 mi away
TimingFound 28 years after last seen
Height 100%5'4" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 98%123 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 60%Hazel vs Brown
80%Moderate
Jane Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP6124
Jane Doe — New York, New York
UP6124 • Found May 8, 1999
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 98%16 mi away, same state
TimingFound 19 years after last seen
Height 84%5'3" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 100%125 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
79%Possible
Jane Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP107089
Jane Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP107089 • Found Aug 10, 2023
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 88%Est. 17–25 vs 26 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%12 mi away, same state
TimingFound 43 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'5"–5'7"
Weight 79%202 lb vs 140–170 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown

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.

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