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 1 source
In the autumn of 1997, a young man's life took a turn into unsettling uncertainty. On October 6th of that year, 23-year-old Nathan Hines was last seen in the bustling borough of the Bronx, New York. In the days and weeks that followed, what began as a question of his whereabouts slowly crystallized into the painful reality of a missing person case. The vibrant energy of the city seemed to swallow whole the traces of the young man, leaving his loved ones to grapple with a profound and unanswered void. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance were, and have remained, distressingly vague, offering few clues for investigators to follow and even fewer answers for a family left in agonizing suspense.

The initial investigation into Nathan's disappearance was met with a frustrating lack of leads. Details that are often crucial in the early stages of such cases—the clothing he was last seen wearing, his state of mind, or any unusual activities in the days leading up to his disappearance—were not widely reported or have been lost to the passage of time. This scarcity of information created a challenging environment for law enforcement to piece together a timeline or a plausible narrative of what might have happened to him. The days turned into weeks, the weeks into months, and then into years, with each passing moment deepening the mystery and the anguish of those who held out hope for his return.

The case of Nathan Hines is a somber reminder of the many individuals who vanish without a trace, their stories becoming whispers in the vast expanse of unsolved cases. Over the years, his case has been noted in databases of the missing, including the Doe Network as case number 2166DMNY, a silent testament to a life interrupted. Despite the passage of more than two decades, the core questions of where Nathan went and what fate befell him remain unanswered. The lack of public information and media attention over the years has left his story largely untold, a quiet and sorrowful chapter in the annals of New York's missing persons. The overview of this case is one of profound and enduring mystery, a young man who seemingly vanished from a busy city, leaving behind only the lingering question of his existence and a family forever marked by his absence.

Last Seen: Oct 6, 1997

Links to Additional Sources (1)

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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 — New York, New York - unidentified case UP6087
John Doe — New York, New York
UP6087 • Found Sep 19, 2000
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–40 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 90%140 lb vs 165 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
79%Possible
John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP5638
John Doe — New York, New York
UP5638 • Found Nov 2, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 84%6'0" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%167 lb vs 165 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
77%Possible
John Doe — Grand Island, New York - unidentified case UP62589
John Doe — Grand Island, New York
UP62589 • Found Aug 16, 1998
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 18–35 vs 23
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 10 months after last seen
Height 84%6'0" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%168 lb vs 165 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
77%Possible
John Doe — Queens, New York - unidentified case UP5801
John Doe — Queens, New York
UP5801 • Found Dec 22, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 18–30 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 68%5'7" vs 5'10"
Weight 85%136 lb vs 165 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
77%Possible
John Doe — Queens, New York - unidentified case UP5811
John Doe — Queens, New York
UP5811 • Found Apr 13, 2001
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 18–28 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'10"
Hair 60%Brown vs Black
76%Possible
John Doe — Bronx, New York - unidentified case UP96243
John Doe — Bronx, New York
UP96243 • Found Dec 6, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 35–55 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 24 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%172 lb vs 165 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
76%Possible
John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP82201
John Doe — New York, New York
UP82201 • Found Jul 4, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 24 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"
Weight 97%146 lb vs 165 lb
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
76%Possible
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP5994
John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
UP5994 • Found Jan 12, 2001
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 67%Est. 30–50 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%170 lb vs 165 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — Manhattan, New York - unidentified case UP122547
John Doe — Manhattan, New York
UP122547 • Found May 13, 2024
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 16–23 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 27 years after last seen
Height 84%5'8" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%150 lb vs 165 lb
Hair 60%Brown vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — Manhattan, New York - unidentified case UP121067
John Doe — Manhattan, New York
UP121067 • Found Apr 25, 2024
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 25–45 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 27 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%171 lb vs 165 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.