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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 (MP123728) and 7 other sources
In the spring of 2024, 59-year-old James Robert Solak II, known to friends and family as Jim, embarked on a long-distance bicycle journey. An experienced traveler, he had previously cycled from his home in Saginaw, Michigan, to Reading, Pennsylvania. After spending the winter in Reading, he set his sights on Florida, with a planned stop in Surf City, North Carolina. On April 8, 2024, his ex-wife received a distressing message from him, sent from the vicinity of Clarksville, Maryland, which is about 20 miles from Baltimore. In the message, he stated that he had accidentally left his backpack by the side of the road and when he returned for it, it was gone. The backpack contained his money, identification, and maps, leaving him in a vulnerable situation.

The contents of the message to his ex-wife grew more alarming as he made a haunting statement about the difficulty of cutting through skin to get to an artery, mentioning he had attempted it multiple times. This communication on April 8, 2024, would be the last time anyone is known to have heard from James Solak II. He never arrived at his planned stop in Surf City, North Carolina, and all subsequent attempts to locate him by pinging his phone were unsuccessful. His case is classified as endangered missing, raising significant concerns for his well-being given the troubling nature of his last known communication.

James is described as a white male with gray or partially gray short hair and blue eyes. He stands at 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs between 160 and 170 pounds. He typically has a mustache and goatee and wears glasses for reading. A distinctive feature is a tattoo of the name "Helen" on his upper left arm. At the time of his disappearance, he was 59 years old. The Central Berks Regional Police Department in Pennsylvania is investigating his disappearance. The circumstances surrounding his case remain unknown, and there have been no significant leads in the search. His family awaits answers, hoping for any information that could lead to his whereabouts.

Last Seen: Apr 8, 2024

Possible Unidentified Matches (3)

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.

80%Moderate
John Doe — Baltimore, Maryland
UP134780 • Found Sep 2, 2024
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 97%Est. 60–70 vs 59
Race 100%White
Location 98%16 mi away, same state
TimingFound 5 months after last seen
Height 75%5'5"–6'0" vs 5'11"
78%Possible
John Doe — Baltimore, Maryland
UP160947 • Found Nov 4, 2025
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 60–70 vs 59 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 98%18 mi away, same state
TimingFound 19 months after last seen
75%Possible
John Doe — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - unidentified case UP151698
John Doe — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
UP151698 • Found Oct 13, 2025
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 59 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 73%111 mi away
TimingFound 18 months after last seen
Height 68%5'6"–5'8" vs 5'11"
Weight 100%150–155 lb vs 160–170 lb
Hair 40%Brown vs Gray
Eyes 30%Hazel vs Blue

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.