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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 (MP1126) and 9 other sources
John Len Taylor was a 48-year-old man who disappeared from Gary, Indiana, on May 21, 1999. On the day he went missing, he was at his girlfriend's residence, where he reportedly had an argument with someone. Following the disagreement, he stated he was going for a walk to get some fresh air and was last seen walking in the vicinity of the 3900 block of Adams Street. John was known to enjoy walking and had a regular route he would take between Glen Park and the Dorie Miller housing projects, which was near Broadway and 21st Avenue where his girlfriend lived. He reportedly enjoyed these walks so much that he would decline offers for rides. When he left for his walk on that May evening, he never returned and has not been heard from since.

At the time of his disappearance, John was described as a Black male with black hair and brown eyes, standing at 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing approximately 150 pounds. He had distinct surgical scars on his abdomen and the back of his neck. He wore glasses with wire frames. On the day he was last seen, he was wearing a blue jacket, a multi-colored or blue and white shirt, and blue or gray pants. He was also wearing a silver watch. His case is classified as an endangered missing person, in part due to a violent incident that occurred the year prior to his disappearance.

A disturbing element of John's story is that in 1998, he was shot from behind during one of his walks and left for dead. He survived the attack but required surgery, which resulted in ongoing medical problems. The person who shot him was never identified. Authorities have suspected that foul play was involved in his disappearance, but it remains unclear if the 1998 shooting is connected to his vanishing a year later. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unresolved, and the Gary Police Department continues to list him as a missing person. The investigation into what happened to John Len Taylor after he went for a walk on that spring day in 1999 has unfortunately grown cold over the decades, leaving his loved ones without answers.

Last Seen: May 21, 1999

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.

84%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129248 • Found Nov 5, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–65 vs 48 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 96%26 mi away
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"
Weight 97%133 lb vs 150 lb
Hair 60%Brown vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
84%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129101 • Found Jun 27, 1999
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 48
Race 100%Black
Location 94%33 mi away
TimingFound 5 weeks after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 85%124 lb vs 150 lb
Hair 40%Bald vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
83%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129338 • Found Apr 7, 2004
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 45–65 vs 48 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 96%26 mi away
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%137 lb vs 150 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
82%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129206 • Found Nov 17, 2000
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 48 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 96%24 mi away
TimingFound 18 months after last seen
Height 100%5'7"–6'1" vs 5'10"
82%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP129099
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129099 • Found Jul 15, 1999
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 48
Race 100%Black
Location 97%21 mi away
TimingFound 8 weeks after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 54%196 lb vs 150 lb
Hair 40%Gray vs Black
82%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP141667 • Found Mar 31, 2010
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 55–65 vs 48 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 98%17 mi away
TimingFound 11 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%137 lb vs 150 lb
Hair 70%Gray vs Black
80%Moderate
John Doe — Cicero, Illinois
UP129240 • Found Apr 16, 2003
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 50–70 vs 48 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 95%28 mi away
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 72%114 lb vs 150 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
79%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP12581 • Found Apr 21, 2014
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 48 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 96%25 mi away
TimingFound 15 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 92%129 lb vs 150 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
79%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP11180 • Found Jul 11, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 45–65 vs 48 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 96%25 mi away
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%156 lb vs 150 lb
78%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP60200 • Found Aug 15, 2019
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 40–55 vs 48 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 98%17 mi away
TimingFound 20 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6"–6'0" vs 5'10"

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.