The skeletal remains of 14-year-old Michael Rainey were found in a shallow grave in a desert area near Lake Mead Boulevard in Las Vegas on November 2, 1996. He had been missing since August 20, 1996, after running away from his Henderson home following a disagreement with his parents. Initial confusion over the remains’ appearance led some to think the victim might be a young girl, complicating identification.

A sketch from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, shown on America’s Most Wanted, and comparison of dental records produced a positive identification in 1999. Investigators determined Michael had been shot. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department lists the case as an unsolved homicide; no suspects have been publicly named and no arrests have been announced.

If anyone knew Michael, saw him after August 20, 1996, or has information about his death, please come forward.