OH OH - Police Chief Mel Wiley, 47, Hinckley Twp, 28 July 1985

[Magnum P.E.]

I don't think so. Sounds more like MW had vitiligo and was gilding the lily a bit. I never heard of radiation scars that required staying out of sunlight. Vitiligo does get worse from UV exposure. (Note that he left sunscreen in his car.) Did he ever really serve at the Nevada test site, and if so what was he doing there, carrying plutonium around in a wheelbarrow? Seems like an injury/exposure to that degree would lead to followup/treatment/disability from the VA. Never heard of that in MW's case.

I think MW as this UID is worth looking into. Unfortunately the UID has no prints to compare and MW has no dna to compare, as far as I know. And they hate to do dna anyway because it costs money.

And can anyone tell me if MW had the same color eyes as this UID? If the eyes are a different color, no match. Having different blood types would mean no match also. When it comes down to it, for a police chief with all that info available there is little physical info available online.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

The John Doe is 4 inches shorter. If you want to e-mail the Hinckley Township Police.

 

[Magnum P.E.]

I am debating. I'd probably turn it in on th UID end, it's a newer case. Problem is I see no way to make the match even if it is him. I would like to find ways to NOT make the match, such as eye color or blood type. There just isn't that info out there on MW. MW covered his tracks well, like Ray Gricar. Heck they could be posting on this very forum.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I am debating. I'd probably turn it in on th UID end, it's a newer case. Problem is I see no way to make the match even if it is him. I would like to find ways to NOT make the match, such as eye color or blood type. There just isn't that info out there on MW. MW covered his tracks well, like Ray Gricar. Heck they could be posting on this very forum.

A 4-5 inch height difference would be enough to rule out both men. I will agree that both men could be posting.

 

[Magnum P.E.]

A 4-5 inch height difference would be enough to rule out both men. I will agree that both men could be posting.

Well JJ, the thing about heights is that they are usually self reported. If MW was 5'11" in his police boots, accounting for height loss due to age (my mother in law has lost 5 inches in height but that is extreme) and the UID's measurement being an actual one by the ME, it is not out of the question. And if you look at the pic of MW from Weekly World News, he surely does resemble the UID, particularly around the mouth and nose.
It would be interesting if the UID DID turn out to be the Chief. Here they are scratching their heads because multiple IDs and removed prints would seem to indicate an escaped convict or at least a miscreant of some kind, but no prison recognizes him. It could be that the UID was not a criminal, but a cop who walked away.

I think it was probable that LE felt early on that MW had disappeared himself and while doing all that was required, they did not necessarily do everything they could have. He had not committed any crime so maybe they decided to leave him in peace. I hate to say it but remember that his friends were in charge of the investigation.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Well JJ, the thing about heights is that they are usually self reported. If MW was 5'11" in his police boots, accounting for height loss due to age (my mother in law has lost 5 inches in height but that is extreme) and the UID's measurement being an actual one by the ME, it is not out of the question. And if you look at the pic of MW from Weekly World News, he surely does resemble the UID, particularly around the mouth and nose.
It would be interesting if the UID DID turn out to be the Chief. Here they are scratching their heads because multiple IDs and removed prints would seem to indicate an escaped convict or at least a miscreant of some kind, but no prison recognizes him. It could be that the UID was not a criminal, but a cop who walked away.

I think it was probable that LE felt early on that MW had disappeared himself and while doing all that was required, they did not necessarily do everything they could have. He had not committed any crime so maybe they decided to leave him in peace. I hate to say it but remember that his friends were in charge of the investigation.

The UID probably did want to conceal his identity and I will admit to a facial resemblance, but even accounting for shrinkage due to age, 5 inches is a lot. If that was Wiley, he was 67-68; that's not a lot of time for shrinkage.

Still, contact them. I'd love to do a "Mel Wiley found" blog.

 

[Boomeroreo]

Bumping.

Could Mel Wiley be this UID?

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/966umtx.html

This UID is a bit shorter and seems to be a bit older that Wiley would have been, but much fits. The Chief looked a lot older than his age anyway.
The best pic of Wiley is from, of all things, Weekly World News. I think with the passage of 20 years and shrinkage it sure looks like him. Note the shape of the chin and the nasolabial crease.

What do you think?

NO Chief Wiley if it was him, would of only been 67 yrs old in 2005, this guy it says he was between 70-90 and by the looks he is about 75 in that picture

 

[Boomeroreo]

Ok I guess I'll have to write this. Right after Chief Wiley disappeared, my Brother was questioned outside of my parents home and YES in Hinckley where I used to live. And my Mom and I were in the kitchen when they questioned my brother in my parents back yard and they asked Did you kill Melvin Wiley and bury him in your parents yard? Of course my brother said NO WAY. THAT was their exact words and I heard it from my parents kitchen window. Since than I have been searching this case since my brother was questioned. I really believe that Chief Wiley met up with Ray Gricer later, and both are very much alive, because of similar stories when I talked to with Detective Virginia Yates and she was a friend of mine before she left Hinckley Police, I have no idea where she is today or if she retired. Right now I'm just finishing a case log of Chief Wiley and Ray Gricer. Chief Wiley would be 75 yrs old today.


I'll keep you all in suspense.... until next time I'm on here.

 

[Solvit]

It sounds like he just wasn't satisfied with the way his life was, so he left to start a new one. He planned it JMO, making it easy on every one to take care of what he left behind. If he was aloof, he probably didn't feel connected to anyone or figures they would be alright without him. He is, or was probably keeping an eye on his mom from a distance IMO.

 

[Shamrocker99]

Ok I guess I'll have to write this. Right after Chief Wiley disappeared, my Brother was questioned outside of my parents home and YES in Hinckley where I used to live. And my Mom and I were in the kitchen when they questioned my brother in my parents back yard and they asked Did you kill Melvin Wiley and bury him in your parents yard? Of course my brother said NO WAY. THAT was their exact words and I heard it from my parents kitchen window. Since than I have been searching this case since my brother was questioned. I really believe that Chief Wiley met up with Ray Gricer later, and both are very much alive, because of similar stories when I talked to with Detective Virginia Yates and she was a friend of mine before she left Hinckley Police, I have no idea where she is today or if she retired. Right now I'm just finishing a case log of Chief Wiley and Ray Gricer. Chief Wiley would be 75 yrs old today.


I'll keep you all in suspense.... until next time I'm on here.

Has it been established that Wiley and Gricer actually knew each other? Also, trying not to get too personal Boomeroreo, but did your brother and Chief Wiley have an acrimonious relationship?


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[J. J. in Phila]

Has it been established that Wiley and Gricer actually knew each other? Also, trying not to get too personal Boomeroreo, but did your brother and Chief Wiley have an acrimonious relationship?


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No, and it is unlikely they ever met. They were in separate counties when both were in Ohio, there was about a 15 year age difference and Wiley disappeared 6 years after Gricar moved to PA.

Gricar expressed an interest in the case, however, at least 7 1/2 years after Wiley disappeared.

 

[Shamrocker99]

Thanks J.J.--thought maybe I had missed that info about them knowing each other. I wonder what brought on Gricar's interest?


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[J. J. in Phila]

Thanks J.J.--thought maybe I had missed that info about them knowing each other. I wonder what brought on Gricar's interest?


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Some of was that Hinckley Twp. is in the greater Cleveland area (though not in the same county). Some of it might be a desire to disappear.

 

[snowleopard]

Hi JJ. I enjoy your posts on the Gricar thread and I was wondering if you've ever spoken with author James Renner. He's from the Cleveland area and has written some true crime and fictional accounts of Mysteries in the Ohio among other things. I follow his blog on the Maura Murray case and asked him about Wiley....he only said he's thinking about a trip soon to California to investigate. I thought you might want to touch base with him if you get the chance.

http://mauramurray.blogspot.com/

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Hi JJ. I enjoy your posts on the Gricar thread and I was wondering if you've ever spoken with author James Renner. He's from the Cleveland area and has written some true crime and fictional accounts of Mysteries in the Ohio among other things. I follow his blog on the Maura Murray case and asked him about Wiley....he only said he's thinking about a trip soon to California to investigate. I thought you might want to touch base with him if you get the chance.

http://mauramurray.blogspot.com/

Yes, RFG was interested in the case. I did communicate with James Renner a few years ago.

 

[Boomeroreo]

No Shamrocker about my brother and Chief Wiley. As far as James Renner, I found out that he also worked with Stephen King. On a movie together. I would have to find the article on that and get back with you.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Fyi re the UID REFERENCED IN THIS THREAD, was ruled out by DNA as Elmer Crawford. So, IMO, he remains an option for MW.

 

[AngelaH]

It's weird. I just googled his name and there are only 1 or 2 articles on his disappearance since 1985 articles. There's more info on here than anywhere else - that I can find. Did anyone ever write any books about his disappearance? This is very intriguing.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

It's weird. I just googled his name and there are only 1 or 2 articles on his disappearance since 1985 articles. There's more info on here than anywhere else - that I can find. Did anyone ever write any books about his disappearance? This is very intriguing.

There were a few more, including a now defunct blog entry looking at Gricar's interest in the case.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Found other articles. The UID MENTIONED IN THIS THREAD IS NOT Elmer Crawford.