OH OH - Edward Vannatter, 38, Lake County, 2003

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/6893/26/




Last seen in 2003
Known Meth user

Per Captain Ron Walters, Lake County Sheriff's Office, he has examined Vannatter's dental records and found that he has had dental work done and also has at least two missing teeth. (This is not listed in the NamUs profile).

He has been ruled out as compared to John Doe https://identifyus.org/cases/1984

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155454

Edward has been missing for 12 years now.

Charley Project



Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
• Missing Since: October 2003 from Eastlake, Ohio
• Classification: Endangered Missing
• Date of Birth: July 4, 1971
• Age: 32 years old
• Height and Weight: 5'5, 160 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Vannatter's nickname is Eddie.
• Clothing/Jewelry Description: Possibly blue jeans, a t-shirt and a gray pullover sweatshirt.
• Medical Conditions: Vannatter is addicted to methamphetamine.

Details of Disappearance
Vannatter was last seen in early October 2003. He was living with a roommate, John Caputo, in a rental home on east 345th Street in Eastlake, Ohio. A photograph of him s posted below this case summary. Caputo said Vannatter came home with a man named Mark, whom Caputo hadn't met before, and the two men had drugs and drug paraphernalia. Mark's last name is unknown. Caputo was on probation and didn't want drugs in the house. There was a minor physical altercation between the three men, and Vannatter and Mark left the residence. Vannatter has never been heard from again.

Vannatter's family was unconcerned by his absence at first. He had dropped out of sight before for as long as a month at at time due to his drug addiction, and his relatives believed he was probably staying with friends temporarily. When Thanksgiving came and went without his loved ones hearing from him, his mother and stepfather reported him missing. His mother stated it would be uncharacteristic of him to run off with someone he'd just met.

After Vannatter's disappearance, Caputo quickly disposed of all his belongings; he later said he'd done it because he was angry at Vannatter. Police believe Caputo may know more about Vannatter's disappearance than he's disclosed, but no suspects have been named in the case. In 2012, Caputo called Vannatter's mother and left a message on her machine saying he was going to commit suicide and wanted her to know he had had nothing to do with her son's disappearance. Caputo did not, in fact, take his life; instead, a week later, he turned himself into the police to face charges that he had robbed four banks in Lake County, Ohio.

Vannatter's family describes him as a good-hearted man who loved animals and children. Foul play is suspected in his disappearance; it remains unsolved.


Above: John Caputo in 2012

My thoughts are with his family, sad to read about

As little as there is to go on, I wonder if this John Doe is a possibility - https://identifyus.org/en/cases/12047

I wonder if they've checked him against this young man?
****WARNING! GRAPHIC****

https://identifyus.org/cases/6780

Investigation indicates that missing Ohio man's remains may be in West Virginia

Remains may be somewhere in West Virginia

Family has Facebook page for Eddy. It's believed by many in the area that John Caputo knows more than he is saying about what happened to him. I live in the same county and am familiar with the communities and police departments. I'd bet they have more knowledge or are biding their time too. Pray Ed's family has closure and justice soon. Addicted or not, he didn't deserve to be a victim and his family doesn't deserve this heartache all these (18) years now.

Also this story gives more detail about John and likelihood what happened, it's just a matter of time and growing of a itty bitty piece of a conscience...?
Mother seeks closure in cold case with ties to West Virginia

Bumping case up with his NamUs profile:

Circumstances of Disappearance:
Vannatter was reported missing by his mother on 01/09/04 and has not been seen or heard from by his family since. Was last seen in Eastlake, Ohio. Whereabouts are unknown.

Height: 5' 5" (65 Inches)
Weight: 160 - 170 lbs
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Photo from NamUs:

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Vannatter, circa 2003

<<Caputo did not, in fact, take his life; instead, a week later, he turned himself into the police to face charges that he had robbed four banks in Lake County, Ohio. He is still incarcerated for that.

Captuo has a lengthy criminal record for crimes including burglary, kidnapping, theft, stalking, receiving stolen property, and drug and weapons offenses. Not long after Vannatter disappeared, he told his ex-wife he'd committed a crime that had no statute of limitations.

He has ties to West Virginia and investigators think he could have disposed of Vannatter's body there; he had once said West Virginia would be a good place to hide a body. At one point, Caputo tried to negotiate through his attorney to lead police to Vannatter's remains, but the deal never went through.

Vannatter's family describes him as a good-hearted man who loved animals and children. Foul play is suspected in his disappearance; it remains unsolved.>>