Unidentified Male-Age 10-12-Died 1998-North Carolina

[PonderingThings]

http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/437umnc.html
http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpg
Reconstruction of Victim by NCMEC

Unidentified White Male

* The victim was discovered on September 25, 1998 near Mebane, Alamance County, North Carolina
* Skeletal Remains
* Died sometime during 1998.

Vital Statistics

* Estimated age: 10 - 11 years old
* Approximate Height and Weight: 4'11" (150 cm); 50 lbs (23 kg)
* Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair; unknown eye color.
* Dentals: He had sealant on the surfaces of some of his teeth.
* Clothing: He was wearing "Fox Polo Club" brand khaki shorts, size 3 "2XS Sports" brand black and white athletic shoes, and white tube socks.

Case History
The child's body was found along Industrial Drive near Mebane, NC on September 25, 1998.
He may have been part of a migrant worker group that populates the area every harvest

Please note: The NCMEC did the reconstruction. The Doe Network has the information as he was 10-11 years old when he died in 1998. The NCMEC has him listed in the "age now" field as 10-11 years old! Further in, under "circumstances" they list him as 10-11 yrs old when he was found, in 1998.
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=400069&orgPrefix=NCMU&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US

That would make him 17-18 years old, in 2005, in the "age now" if he's listed as a missing child.

[PonderingThings]

I have found no "aha!" matches. I searched for children reported missing from January 1, 1998 to January 1, 2000. I will list the closest matches... but ALL have problems.

http://www.nampn.doenetwork.us/cases/images/lugo_luis.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpg
Luis in 1998 on left, John Doe on right

For an age progressed pic of Luis go to:
http://www.nampn.doenetwork.us/cases/lugo_luis.html (http://www.nampn.doenetwork.us/cases/lugo_luis.html)

Luis Lopez Lugo

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

# Missing Since: June 20, 1998 from Guayanilla, Puerto Rico
# Classification: Endangered Missing
# Date Of Birth: September 3, 1988
# Age: 9
# Height: 4'5"
# Weight: 90 lbs.
# Hair Color: Black
# Eye Color: Brown/Black
# Race: White/Hispanic
# Gender: Male
# Distinguishing Characteristics: Scar over left eyebrow.
# Clothing: Blue shorts and a white shirt.
# Case Number: NCMC855408

Details of Disappearance
Luis was last seen on June 20, 1998 in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. He may be living in New York State.

***********************

1. The photo of Luis looks like the reconstruction of John Doe
2. Luis is White/Hispanic, John Doe is listed as white - discrepancy
3. Luis is listed as having Black hair (and it does look black in the photo), John Doe is listed as having Brown hair - discrepancy
4. Luis had almost reached his 10th birthday when he disappeared in 1998. John Doe is estimated to be 10-11 - match
5. Luis is listed as 4'5" and 90lbs, John Doe is listed as 4'11 and 50lbs - could this difference be a result of growing/change in activities?
6. Luis was thought to possibly be in New York State. Is it possible that he travelled with migrant workers, and was with them in NC?

[PonderingThings]

Actually I elimated another possibility I had because he'd be too old now.

So that's it. I checked U.S., Canada, and Mexico through NCMEC and either the missing dates don't match up, or the age is way off.

So who is this boy??????? Could John Doe indeed be Luis????

[anthrobones]

I had no idea he was listed on doe network already.

[anthrobones]

2xs sports shoes are sold at Walmart. Not sure where else.

Fox Polo Club I have no clue on.

[PonderingThings]

Could this be the same boy?

http://doenetwork.us/cases/96umfl.html (http://doenetwork.us/cases/96umfl.html)


http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpghttp://doenetwork.us/cases/images/96UMFL.jpg
John Doe on left, boy in photo on right (note bottom of face is reconstructed)

# Unidentified White Male A photograph of this boy was found on June 15, 1989 in Port St. Joe, Florida.

Vital Statistics

* Estimated age: 12 years old
* Approximate Height and Weight: 4'0"
* Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair; blue eyes.

Case History
On June 15, 1989, a Polaroid photo of this boy, bound and gagged in the back of a van, was found in a Port St. Joe, FL convenience store parking lot by a customer. The lower part of the face of the child is reconstructed. The tape was on his face from below the nose to the point of the jaw.
The photo also showed an unidentified girl, also bound. The photo was found where a white Toyota cargo van with no windows had previously been parked.
Investigators are still trying to ascertain the boy's identity, which would allow them to close the case or investigate further.
There have been speculations that the girl in the photo is Tara Calico who disappeared from New Mexico in 1988.

1. The both look a lot alike, if the age is based around when the photo was found then they are the same age.
2. Since the photo was taken sometime before 1989, its possible that it was taken in 1988, when John Doe was thought to have been killed
3. Both John Doe and the boy in the photo had brown hair.
4. John Doe is estimated to be 4'11", boy in photo is estimated to be 4"0"-discrepancy
5. There is no eye color listed for John Doe, but boy in photo had blue eyes.
6. Tara Calico disappeared on September 20, 1988. John Doe's remains were found on September 25, 1998 and they were skeletal, so he would have had to have died sometime before. Boy in the photo - its unknown if he was even a victim as all they found was the photo.

THIS WAS A DATING ERROR-IT CAN NOT POSSIBLY BE THE BOY IN THE PHOTO, PLEASE DISREGARD THIS POST.

[Mr. E]

I know that the general concensus is that Michael Anthony Hughes is dead, but I have always thought that he resembled the unidentified Mebane boy.

Michael: http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/1061dmok.html

Unidentified: http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/437umnc.html

I'm not one to discount anything. It would be a stretch, but what if Floyd gave the child away, and he was later murdered? Their ages match up, and I think they resemble one another.

[anthrobones]

John Doe died in 1998, not 1988.

[PonderingThings]

http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/MAHughes1.jpghttp://doenetwork.us/cases/images/96UMFL.jpg

Good eye Mr. E!

Yes they all look alike... and have brown hair... and would be about the same age. John Doe is unknown eye color, Michael has brown eyes, and boy in photo has blue eyes... so at least one of them doesn't match John Doe... but which one.... or both?

Note: Please disregard boy in the photo on right - dating error, can not possibly be him!

[Mr. E]

Floyd had ties to NC, I think. I recall that Sharon's high school friend got a strange call from Sharon asking her (while at the same time NOT asking her) to come to NC. I might have my states mixed up.

I always wanted to believe that Michael didn't die by Floyd's hand, although I know he has said to some that he murdered the boy, and cadaver dogs did sniff out a scent in the pickup truck shortly after Michael was taken from school. Still, Floyd had a large network of "friends." Maybe he passed the boy on and something happened to him later.

[PonderingThings]

Anthrobones thank you! I got mixed up on the dates when I was looked at the boy in the photo details http://www.websleuths.com/forums/images/smilies/crazy1.gif.... so, since his photo was found in 1989 he can not possibly be John Doe or Michael Anthony Hughes.

PLEASE DISREGARD THE INFORMATION/COMPARISONS TO THE BOY IN THE PHOTO.

All other comparisons though still stand.

John Doe/Micheal Anthony Hughes
John Doe/ Luis Lopez Lugo

[PonderingThings]

I followed up on Mr. E's theory and went through the NCMEC records for all boys:

1. Who would be 9-12 years old in 1998
2. Who had been abducted/diappeared between Jan 1, 1994-Jan 1, 1997 (which covers an earlier period that I hadn't previously searched)
3. Who had brown hair & brown eyes.
4. Please note, most of these boys would have to fall between their actual photos and their age progression photos.

****************************************
http://www.charleyproject.org/images/p/phillips_jack.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpghttp://www.charleyproject.org/images/p/phillips_jack_ap.jpg
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/phillips_jack.html

Left: Phillips, circa 1995; Age 9
Center: John Doe
Right: Age-progression at age 17 (circa 2003)

Jack Daniel Phillips
Date Of Birth: June 22, 1986 (age in 1998=12)-disappeared when he was 9
brown hair, brown eyes



http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/BFHerda.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpghttp://doenetwork.us/cases/images/BFHerda1.jpg
http://doenetwork.us/cases/1168dmwa.html

Left: Herda, circa 1995;Age 7
Center: John Doe
Right: Age-progression to age 17 (circa 2005)

Bryce Florian Herda
Date Of Birth: July 24, 1988, Age in 1998=10, Disappeared at age 6
Brown hair, brown eyes



http://www.missingkids.com/photographs/NCMC809314c1t.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpg
Romero on the left; Age 5
John Doe on the right
Note: no age progression photo

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=809314&orgPrefix=NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US

RENE ALBERTO ROMERO
DOB: Nov 29, 1989 (Age in 1998=9) disappeared when he was 5
Brown Hair, Brown Eyes




http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/RPerez.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpghttp://doenetwork.us/cases/images/RPerez1.jpg
http://doenetwork.us/cases/968dmca.html (http://doenetwork.us/cases/968dmca.html)
Left: Perez, circa 1994; 6
Center: John Doe
Right: Age-progression to age 17 (circa 2005)

Rene Perez Jr.
* Date Of Birth: February 16, 1988 (Age in 1998=10) Disappeared (foul play possible) when he was 6
Brown hair, brown eyes




http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/MLorusso.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpg
http://doenetwork.us/cases/1496dmny.html (http://doenetwork.us/cases/1496dmny.html)

Lorusso on left;age 8
John Doe on right
There is no age progression for Lorusso

Michael Lorusso
Date Of Birth: April 13, 1988, (in 1998 he was 10), family abduction age=8
Brown Hair, Brown Eyes



http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/JoshuaGarcia.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpghttp://doenetwork.us/cases/images/JoshuaGarcia1.jpg
http://doenetwork.us/cases/1375dmor.html (http://doenetwork.us/cases/1375dmor.html)

Left: Garcia, circa 1995; Age 8
Center: John Doe
Right: Age-Progression to age 15

Joshua Garcia

Date Of Birth: September 14, 1987, Age in 1998=12, Family Abduction Age 8 **Has Twin, Brown Hair, Brown Eyes



http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/CalebGarcia.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpghttp://doenetwork.us/cases/images/CalebGarcia1.jpg
http://doenetwork.us/cases/1374dmor.html

Left: Garcia, circa 1995;Age 8
Center: John Doe
Right: Age-Progression to age 15

Caleb Garcia

Date Of Birth: September 14, 1987, Age in 1998=12, Family Abduction Age 8 **Has Twin, Brown Hair, Brown Eyes

[PonderingThings]

I did the same as above, and went through the NCMEC records for all boys:

1. Who would be 9-12 years old in 1998
2. Who had been abducted/disappeared between Jan 1, 1994-Jan 1, 1997 (which covers an earlier period that I hadn't previously searched)
3. Who had brown hair & blue eyes. **I also included blonde hair
4. Please note, most of these boys would have to fall between their actual photos and their age progression photos.



http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/WDShoemaker2.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpghttp://doenetwork.us/cases/images/VDShoemaker1.jpg
http://doenetwork.us/cases/833dmwv.html

Shoemaker on right: Age 5
John Doe: Center
Shoemaker on right, age progressed to age 16

Victor Dewight Shoemaker
Date Of Birth: March 30, 1989 (Age in 1998=9)-disappeared when he was 5
Blond hair, blue eyes





http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/SJMcBride.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpghttp://doenetwork.us/cases/images/SJMcBride1.jpg
http://doenetwork.us/cases/1394dmin.html
Left: McBride, circa 1995; Age 6
Center: John Doe
Right: Age-Progression to age 16 (circa 2005)

Steven Joseph McBride

Date Of Birth: January 21, 1989, (Age in 1998-9), Family Abduction-Age 6
Blond hair, blue eyes


http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/RLanders.jpghttp://www.doenetwork.us/cases/images/437UMSC.jpg
http://doenetwork.us/cases/1151dmin.html (http://doenetwork.us/cases/1151dmin.html)

Landers on left; Age 5
John Doe on right

Richard Landers
Date Of Birth: October 26, 1988, (age in 1998=10), family abduction when he was 5
Brown Hair, Blue Eyes

[PonderingThings]

Ok I'm done posting, for now. My brain and eyes need a break as I'm starting to feel really http://www.websleuths.com/forums/images/smilies/crazy1.gif after all of that counting and checking.

Also I could just http://www.websleuths.com/forums/images/smilies/bang.gif for creating the confusion about the boy in the photo! Oh well... I'm just a http://www.websleuths.com/forums/images/smilies/loser.gifI guess... gotta be one sometime! http://www.websleuths.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[anthrobones]

bumping up post

[SewingDeb]

bumping up post

Bumping again. I lived near Mebane when this John Doe was found and have often wondered if anyone had ever identified him. Since he did not match any missing children from NC, I thought at the time that someone brought his body there from out of state. So sad to think that a family may be looking and not aware of an unidentified body found in NC.

[anthrobones]

Bumping up again

[anthrobones]

Bumping Up. Doe Network added a new reconstruction.

http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/517541.html

Published: Dec 04, 2006 12:30 AM
Modified: Dec 04, 2006 01:50 AM

Dead child found; caregivers missing


Thomasi McDonald, Staff Writer
HILLSBOROUGH - Orange County Sheriff's investigators have a different kind of missing person case.
For more than eight years, they have been trying without success to find the parents and loved ones of a deceased boy. On Sept. 25, 1998, someone cutting grass and underbrush around a billboard near Interstate 85 in Hillsborough discovered the boy's skeletal remains at the edge of a wooded area. Authorities think the child was murdered.
"Someone just dumped his body on the side of the road," Orange County Sheriff's deputy Tim Horne said. "They didn't bury the body or even try to cover it up with anything."
Deputies think the boy was white or Hispanic and between 8 and 12 years old, Horne said.
The brush cutter had last worked in the area in April and had seen nothing unusual. So, investigators think the remains had been in that patch of woods for three to four months. They found a pair of khaki shorts, underwear and white tube socks still inside a pair of black, size three athletic shoes. Medical examiners measured the bones and estimated the child's height at 4 feet 11.
The sheriff's office contacted the news media, talked with Hispanic residents and distributed fliers about the boy, but they couldn't identify him. No missing person report that fit the description was filed locally, and no school authorities reported a student who had suddenly vanished.
Worse still, no one came forward to claim the remains.
In 2001, authorities decided to move the case into the national spotlight by contacting "America's Most Wanted."
"It was supposed to air in 2001," Horne said, "but then the terrorist attacks happened, and it got bumped."
The sheriff's office did receive assistance from the FBI and the Smithsonian Institution, where a series of facial sketches were created based on the child's skeletal structure and DNA.
Sheriff's investigators tried to trace the manufacturer of the child's pants and shoes. They found that the inexpensive 2SX sport shoe is sold at a number of retail outlets. They also learned that the khaki shorts worn by the child appeared to be an Izod knock-off commonly found at the Buckhorn Flea Market, which is near where the child's remains were found.
After examining the clothing, Horne came up with a theory: "This child was with someone who was here illegally. Something happened to this child, and they were scared to contact somebody, so they left the remains."
A team of sheriff's deputies worked on the case. But Horne, who did the forensics work, has been with it since day one. He keeps a box of evidence related to the case under his desk.
Horne wants justice done, if possible, and to help parents who may be out there with no clue about what happened to their son.
"Everyone is alarmed when something happens to a child," Horne said. "There's a universal concern to give the parents closure."
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Orange County Sheriff's Office at (919) 644-3050.
Staff writer Thomasi McDonald can be reached at 829-4533 or tmcdonal@newsobserver.com. (tmcdonal@newsobserver.com)

[Mr. E]

Odd that he had $50 in his pockets. I don't remember that detail from before.

[Meyahna]

I've wondered about this case, doing some lil research I found out that North Carolina had a "seal the state" campaign the year this boy was found for kids from poor families. I read there were about 3000 kids who beneficiated from this campaign, I dk if LE have tried checking the wellness of all the kids who participated to the campaign, maybe 3000 is a lot though but by then they could have asked schools their listings of students it would probably have removed a bunch of them as most probably hadn't moved out of the state. Now it'd be a little to late for that I think. I haven't read that other states organized this campaign. He could very well be from NC. I just don't get the motive of his death. Maybe a violent parent.

[Meyahna]

Though well not it might not be too late yet for that they can always ask the listings of kids who participated to the campaign and the listings of September 1998 students and see who was no longer there. My thought is that generally kid does are from poor families and generally poor families can't afford plastic sealant and that was what didn't make sense to me before but if he participated to the campaign then it makes sense.

[anthrobones]

Updated information:
Reward Offered to Identify Remains Found in 1998



Posted: Feb. 5, 2008
Hillsborough, N.C. — Orange County authorities on Tuesday announced a reward for information that would help them identify the remains of a boy found near Mebane almost a decade ago.
The Carole Sund/Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation (http://www.carolesundfoundation.com/) put up a $5,000 reward to help generate leads in the case, Orange County Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass said.
The skeletal remains were found on Sept. 25, 1998, near the Buckhorn Road exit off Interstate 40/85 by a worker mowing under a highway billboard. The billboard was on Industrial Drive, which parallels the southbound lanes of the interstate.
An autopsy determined the remains belonged to a white or Hispanic boy who appeared to be about 10 years old. He was about 4 feet, 11 inches tall and had dark brown hair about 3 to 4 inches long. White boys briefs, Polo-brand khaki shorts with a rider-and-horse emblem embroidered on cuff of a leg, white athletic socks and a pair of size 3 black-and-white athletic shoes with the brand “2XS” or “ZXS” were found on the remains.


More here: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2396542/

[anthrobones]

An article from 1998:

Young Boy's Body Found in Orange County

http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/news/local/1998/09/27/131331/607792-220x165.jpg

Posted: Sep 27, 1998
MEBANE — Orange County Sheriff's deputies are trying to identify the badly decomposed body of a young boy found Monday. Officials say the Caucasian or hispanic boy was between 10 and 12 years old.
Investigators say there was no sign of blood or trauma, but they suspect foul play.
Deputies say their biggest problem is they have no reports of any missing children in that age group anywhere in the area.

More here: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/131331/

[anthrobones]

Anyone with more fashion sense than me, please clarify--Polo is made by Ralph Lauren which is not exactly cheap?

[forthelost]

Bryce Herda was checked and ruled out. Steven McBride was found a while back. I don't know who else they checked though.

[OceanEyes]

http://missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=823722&orgPrefix=NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US



Maybe if he was held for a while and grew a little?

[anthrobones]

Phillips looks similar to the reconstruction to me

[anthrobones]

Bumping him up

[Seifsister]

Frank Bender did a new reconstruction on this child. It was reveled last night in Raliegh, North Carolina. It looks good.

[teonspaleprincess]

Here is the link to the new construction:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6978528/

[Seifsister]

Frank Bender did a great job. The world will be losing a great person when he is gone. I have admired him for a long time. The group that has been working on this case here in NC are wounderful people. Knowing them makes you a blessed person for all the work that they do.

[SewingDeb]

I hope someone comes forward and this boy is finally identified. He actually had $50 in his pocket...a gift from a grandparent maybe? Someone misses him.

Another article with a picture of Bender's reconstruction:

http://www.news-record.com/content/2010/02/06/article/dying_sculptor_hopes_to_learn_child_s_name

[teonspaleprincess]

Praying that he is identified before Mr.Bender passes away.

[Mr. E]

I didn't realize that the boy had a severe overbite. I don't remember reading that before, or I overlooked it.

I really like Bender's work. The bust and the drawing look very different, though. But I like the sad, lost look of Bender's rendition.