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

[MelmothTheLost]

Thank you. I never realized Chandler's identify was discovered.

In case you haven't seen the details:

Joseph Newton Chandler III - DNA Doe Project Cases

 

[J. J. in Phila]

In case you haven't seen the details:

Joseph Newton Chandler III - DNA Doe Project Cases

Thanks. Wikipedea has a page on him: Joseph Newton Chandler III - Wikipedia

 

[Owutatangledweb]

unidentified-remains | Georgia Bureau of Investigation

 

[J. J. in Phila]

unidentified-remains | Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Age is about 10 years off. Wiley was about 3 inches shorter.

 

[Ohio Mysteries]

We just released an episode on this case. It's so intriguing! You can look for "The Disappearance of Mel Wiley" on Ohio Mysteries podcast. www.ohiomysteries.com

Personally, I think his intention was to go to San Francisco and commit suicide there. It seems to fit the language he used in the letter that was hidden in the typewriter ribbon. It would also explain why he didn't bother to take his money with him. A real mystery, though!

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Very good. I did not know about him referencing the distance to San Fransisco in his letter.

 

[Richard]

Melvin L. Wiley

Name: Melvin L. Wiley
Case Classification: Missing
Missing Since: July 28, 1985
Location Last Seen: Hinckley Township, Medina County, Ohio

Physical Description
Date of Birth: circa 1938
Age: 47 yrs old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 165 lbs
Hair Color: N/A
Eye Color: N/A
Nickname/Alias: Mel
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Smoker. Solid build, with paunch; skin condition that keeps him out of the sun.

Identifiers
Dentals: N/A
Fingerprints: N/A
DNA: N/A

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: N/A
Jewelry: N/A
Additional Personal Items: N/A

Circumstances of Disappearance
Mel Wiley was the chief of police in Hinckley Township outside of Cleveland until he vanished without a trace on July 28, 1985.

His tan 1980 Toyota station wagon was located on July 30, at Cleveland's Lakefront State Park on Lake Erie. Park rangers noticed it around 4.00. The locked car contained a shirt, trousers, belt, shoes and socks along with Wiley's wallet with 15 dollars in cash, credit cards, his police identification and badge, suntan lotion and a towel. Searches of the park and adjacent waters produced not a hint of Wiley's fate.

A lady friend reported that the chief told her the day before his disappearance he intended to buy a bathing suit at K-Mart and go swimming with an unnamed out-of-town visitor. He never bought a suit, police said, and his friends told investigators he rarely swam.

Investigators initially believed he had drowned in Lake Erie, or was a victim of foul play. They later suspected he may have left voluntarily. He had made no apparent travel plans and no large withdrawals from bank accounts.

Wiley joined the department in 1978 and had run it since 1982. He'd been an FBI fingerprint technician, a background investigator for the U.S. Department of Defense, and an administrator for the Medina County sheriff. He was known as a poet and amateur mystery writer. He was divorced with no children. Wiley was declared dead in 1993.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Medina County Sheriff's Office
Agency Contact Person: Sheriff Tom Miller
Agency Phone Number: 330-725-0028
Agency E-Mail: tpmiller@medinaco.org
Agency Case Number: N/A
Agency Name: Hinckley Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Chief Tim Kalavsky
Agency Phone Number: 330-278-7161
Agency E-Mail: chiefofpolice@hinckleypd.us

Information Source(s)
TIME - Sep 2, 1985
Hinckley Township Police Department
Akron Beacon Journal - June 12, 2000

LINK:

4145DMOH - Melvin L. Wiley

 

[Ozoner]

Personally, I think his intention was to go to San Francisco and commit suicide there. It seems to fit the language he used in the letter that was hidden in the typewriter ribbon. It would also explain why he didn't bother to take his money with him. A real mystery, though!

Snipped

I agree. I don't think he wanted people--especially his mother--to know that he was committing suicide.

If he jumped off of the Golden Gate Bridge or simply swam out to sea until he collapsed, then it's likely that his body was never recovered. It's still worth trying to match UIDs from the Bay area, though.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Snipped

I agree. I don't think he wanted people--especially his mother--to know that he was committing suicide.

If he jumped off of the Golden Gate Bridge or simply swam out to sea until he collapsed, then it's likely that his body was never recovered. It's still worth trying to match UIDs from the Bay area, though.

It is possible, but might not have been immediate.

I would sill treat it as a "walkaway" because he left of his own volition.

 

[Mr Obvious]

He appears a little too old and a little too tall, but has he been ruled out here?
Unidentified White Male, Winneshiek County | Iowa Cold Cases

 

[J. J. in Phila]

He appears a little too old and a little too tall, but has he been ruled out here?
Unidentified White Male, Winneshiek County | Iowa Cold Cases

Too short and too young.

 

[CountSnap]

Hello all.
The ribbon also mentioned possibly coming back Medina some time in the future to look around, though no one would notice.
The police found clumps of hair in his toilet, interestingly pictures were taken.
He took his typewriter and books with him, too.

All makes me believe he was heading "home" as he called it.
I think he likely changed his hair style, possibly even shaved all off before he left to change his appearance.
He "borrowed" some money before he left and also, didn't pay back a loan to another friend... that friend after he was declared deceased.

I'm looking deep in San Fran, and possibly Canada.
The man seemed to reallllly like San Fran.

 

[CountSnap]

I can't find out anywhere the color of Wiley's eyes. Anyone know?

His eyes were hazel/green.