Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP126704) and 6 other sources
In the winter of 2002, a man named Claude L. Williams vanished, leaving behind a life and a community in Paterson, New Jersey. At the time of his disappearance, he was 50 years old. The last time he was definitively seen was in February of that year. Accounts suggest that he was embarking on a trip from his home in Paterson with the intention of traveling to the bustling streets of New York City. The journey is not a long one, but for Claude Williams, it appears to have been a journey from which he never returned. The specifics of his planned trip, such as his intended destination within the city or the purpose of his visit, remain unclear, adding to the unsettling ambiguity of his case.

The day he was last seen, Claude L. Williams was dressed in a brown leather jacket and blue jeans, a common and unremarkable attire that would have allowed him to blend into any crowd. He also wore a Timex watch and a single earring, small personal details that offer a glimpse into the man who has now been missing for years. He was a man of average build, standing at five feet seven inches tall and weighing around 130 pounds. He had brown hair and brown eyes. There has been no indication of his mode of transportation to New York City, whether he was driving, taking a bus, or using another means of travel, which leaves another gap in the timeline of his last known movements.

The disappearance of Claude L. Williams is a case marked by a profound lack of information in the public sphere. After he was reported missing, the Paterson Police Department took on the investigation. However, years have passed without any publicly reported leads or developments in his case. His family and friends were left with unanswered questions and the enduring pain of not knowing what happened to him after he set out for New York City. The case remains a quiet and somber mystery, an overview of a life interrupted, with the trail growing colder with each passing year. The hope of bringing closure to his loved ones rests on the possibility that someone, somewhere, may have information about what happened to him on that February day.

Last Seen: Feb 15, 2002

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.

85%Strong
John Doe — Newark, New Jersey - unidentified case UP1747
John Doe — Newark, New Jersey
UP1747 • Found Jun 2, 2003
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 42–57 vs 50 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 99%13 mi away, same state
TimingFound 16 months after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%128 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 40%Gray vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
83%Moderate
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP5774
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP5774 • Found Apr 23, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 50–70 vs 50
Race 100%Black
Location 97%20 mi away
TimingFound 2 months after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
Weight 98%144 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 40%Gray vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
82%Moderate
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP91564
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP91564 • Found May 6, 2022
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–65 vs 50 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 97%22 mi away
TimingFound 20 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%139 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 70%Gray vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
82%Moderate
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP86788
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP86788 • Found Nov 22, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 60–75 vs 50 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 97%20 mi away
TimingFound 20 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%143 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 70%Gray vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
82%Moderate
John Doe — Yonkers, New York
UP16260 • Found Mar 24, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 38–52 vs 50 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 98%16 mi away
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 84%5'5" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%138 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
82%Moderate
John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP5537
John Doe — New York, New York
UP5537 • Found Apr 27, 2007
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 45–55 vs 50 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 98%17 mi away
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
Weight 45%174 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
82%Moderate
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP5533
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP5533 • Found Jan 24, 2007
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 35–55 vs 50 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 97%20 mi away
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%139 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
82%Moderate
John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP5635
John Doe — New York, New York
UP5635 • Found Oct 15, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 50–70 vs 50 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 98%17 mi away
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"
Weight 92%148 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
82%Moderate
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP5624
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP5624 • Found Jun 24, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 50 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 97%20 mi away
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%140 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 40%Gray vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
81%Moderate
John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP12401
John Doe — New York, New York
UP12401 • Found Jul 1, 2013
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 50 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 98%17 mi away
TimingFound 11 years after last seen
Height 84%5'5" vs 5'7"
Weight 83%154 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 60%Black 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.

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