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 (MP12484) and 4 other sources
In the winter of 2002, a 25-year-old male student at the University of Missouri-Columbia named Marcus J. Daniel vanished. He was last seen in Columbia, Missouri, on December 6, 2002. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as a Black male, 5'10' and weighing 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. A notable characteristic is a birthmark on his forehead, situated above his left eye. His family has not had any contact with him since his disappearance.

The circumstances surrounding Marcus Daniel's disappearance suggest he may have left on his own. He reportedly wrote a goodbye note to his father. Additionally, a few days after he was last seen, he sent a letter to his mother which was postmarked from Chicago, Illinois. However, this letter did not provide any information about his intended destination. It is believed he had a full beard that was neatly trimmed, along with a mustache, at the time he went missing.

Despite the communications left for his parents, the exact reasons for his departure and his subsequent whereabouts remain a mystery. For reasons that are not publicly detailed, Marcus Daniel was not officially reported as a missing person until October 6, 2005, nearly three years after he was last seen. The case remains unsolved with very few details available to the public. The Columbia Police Department is the investigating agency for this case. The lack of new information over the years has left his family with unanswered questions about what happened to him after he left Columbia.

Last Seen: Dec 6, 2002

Possible Unidentified Matches (2)

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.

76%Possible
John Doe — Missouri
UP5029 • Found May 28, 2008
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 23–39 vs 25 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 78%89 mi away, same state
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%190 lb vs 180 lb
75%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129335 • Found Aug 14, 2004
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 25 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 43%323 mi away
TimingFound 20 months after last seen
Height 84%6'0" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%176 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
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.