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 (MP12280) and 2 other sources
In the spring of 1999, a then 37-year-old man named Jose Jesus Mondragon Soto vanished from Phoenix, Arizona, leaving behind a life and a family. He was last seen on May 2nd of that year, a day that would become the starting point of a long and painful period of uncertainty for his loved ones. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as a Hispanic male with black hair and brown eyes, standing at 5'7' and weighing around 170 pounds. He had a mustache and was known by the nickname Chuy. The last time anyone saw him, he was wearing a short-sleeved black t-shirt, blue Levi's jeans, and white tennis shoes.

The circumstances surrounding Mondragon Soto's disappearance remain shrouded in mystery, with very few details available to the public or to the investigators working on his case. After he was last seen, he was never heard from again, creating a void of information that has persisted for decades. The lack of leads and the passage of time have made the search for answers increasingly difficult. The Phoenix Police Department has been handling the investigation, but without new information, the case has grown cold. He may have used the alias Javier Fernandez.

The case of Jose Mondragon Soto is a somber reminder of the many individuals who go missing each year, their stories left unfinished and their families in a perpetual state of limbo. With no new developments, his case remains an open and unresolved missing persons investigation. The Phoenix Police Department continues to be the point of contact for any information regarding his whereabouts. The absence of closure in cases like this highlights the profound and lasting impact of a person's disappearance on their community and loved ones.

Last Seen: May 2, 1999

Links to Additional Sources (2)

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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.

81%Moderate
John Doe — Phoenix, Arizona - unidentified case UP1971
John Doe — Phoenix, Arizona
UP1971 • Found Apr 7, 2001
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 60%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 23 months after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%160 lb vs 170 lb
Hair 60%Brown vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
79%Possible
John Doe — Phoenix, Arizona - unidentified case UP819
John Doe — Phoenix, Arizona
UP819 • Found Aug 2, 2007
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 60%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 84%5'9" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%155 lb vs 170 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
78%Possible
John Doe — Maricopa, Arizona - unidentified case UP8769
John Doe — Maricopa, Arizona
UP8769 • Found Sep 18, 2010
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–45 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 95%27 mi away, same state
TimingFound 11 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
78%Possible
John Doe — Casa Grande, Arizona - unidentified case UP6369
John Doe — Casa Grande, Arizona
UP6369 • Found Jul 22, 2009
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–40 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 92%41 mi away, same state
TimingFound 10 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
78%Possible
John Doe — Tucson, Arizona - unidentified case UP6743
John Doe — Tucson, Arizona
UP6743 • Found Dec 15, 2007
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 29–43 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 74%106 mi away, same state
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
Weight 91%145 lb vs 170 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
78%Possible
John Doe — Casa Grande, Arizona - unidentified case UP4938
John Doe — Casa Grande, Arizona
UP4938 • Found Sep 24, 2007
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 35–55 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 92%41 mi away, same state
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"
Weight 56%119 lb vs 170 lb
Hair 60%Brown vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
78%Possible
John Doe — Vaya Chin, Arizona - unidentified case UP5395
John Doe — Vaya Chin, Arizona
UP5395 • Found Jul 26, 2006
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 22–36 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 81%77 mi away, same state
TimingFound 7 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
Hair 100%Black vs Black
78%Possible
John Doe — Stanfield, Arizona - unidentified case UP5451
John Doe — Stanfield, Arizona
UP5451 • Found Aug 15, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 35–55 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 92%40 mi away, same state
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
Hair 100%Black vs Black
78%Possible
John Doe — Avra Valley and Marana, Arizona - unidentified case UP5445
John Doe — Avra Valley and Marana, Arizona
UP5445 • Found Jun 2, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 22–36 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 80%83 mi away, same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
78%Possible
John Doe — Arivaca, Arizona - unidentified case UP6488
John Doe — Arivaca, Arizona
UP6488 • Found May 14, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 26–44 vs 36–37 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 68%136 mi away, same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%161 lb vs 170 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.

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