William Frederick Woolheater was 22 when he was last seen on February 26, 1981, leaving Albany, New York. He told family he planned to go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and to look for work as a cook, and he phoned his mother shortly after departing, though it is unclear whether he actually reached New Orleans. He had been employed as a cook at the Sign of the Tree restaurant in Albany’s Empire State Plaza and had lived briefly in Long Beach, California, where he was arrested for public intoxication.

Woolheater suffered from bipolar disorder and was taking medication at the time; his family worried he could become disoriented if he missed doses. There are no concrete leads about whether he arrived in New Orleans, and the case remains unsolved. Anyone who knew William, his plans, or movements around February 26, 1981, is asked to share information with investigators.