The Unclaimed Persons Database (UPD) @ NamUS

Kimster

Former Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
58,124
Reaction score
405
Website
www.ufo2001.com
The UnClaimed Persons database (UCP) contains information about deceased persons who have been identified by name, but for whom no next of kin or family member has been identified or located to claim the body for burial or other disposition.

https://claimus.org/

ETA: Members can alphabetize the list by clicking "thread" at the top left area of the index page where it says "thread/thread starter".
 
Welcome to the Unclaimed Forum.

The Unclaimed are names of the dearly departed and their family is unknown.
Our goal is to bring closure to the families that do not know there loved one has passed. If you see a loved ones name or have a missing loved one that you need help with or just have questions please feel to contact me. We are here to help and bring closure to families.

You can search our forum here

Unclaimed Persons - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community
 
Is the NamUs unclaimed kept up to date? I have googled several names from there only to find that WS has a "match" listed here.

I am wondering about this as well, but also for the California unclaimed database. I worked on several of these a while back and see some have been marked as "Match" or "Resolved" here, but the databases all show the cases as still open. Same for some other ones that I read through recently. The case links give no indication the cases are closed, but Websleuths has them marked as "Match" or "Resolved"?
 
I occasionally come back to this part of the forum just to check to see if any more of the "Match" and "Identified" flagged threads are reflected the same way in ClaimUs or elsewhere like the California database. It's beginning to worry me that it seems quite a few still show as open. I understand if LE or points of contact are slow to update, but so many? Is this an issue where the threads need to be followed up on and the case contacts re-contacted? Given how much research work has been put in by volunteers like LittleMissSunshine, Pink Panther, and sallen, it would be a pity to see all that research go to waste. On the other hand, if these are all matched and identified, and it's all just LE and the points of contact being slow, I'll feel much better that these people were reunited with family. Anyone have any guidance on this?
 
I've come across the same thing (I posted on James Raymond on here). He was marked matched in 2012, but still has an active case on claimus.org. I am a registered user on claimus/Namus so u have submitted a message to his contact/case manager over there. If I get a response, I'll let you know!
 
From Bessie: "Match" means a WS member was responsible for helping to ID the decedent, though s/he remains "unclaimed" by a family member.
 
From Bessie: "Match" means a WS member was responsible for helping to ID the decedent, though s/he remains "unclaimed" by a family member.
Thanks for the clarification, windstorm! Does this mean those cases should still be worked? Unclaimed cases seem to be where the decedent is already known, but next of kin needs to be identified. If the family member(s) identified by a WS member doesn't claim, it seems to make sense to search for other next of kin or perhaps more up-to-date next of kin contact information?
 
Thanks for the clarification, windstorm! Does this mean those cases should still be worked? Unclaimed cases seem to be where the decedent is already known, but next of kin needs to be identified. If the family member(s) identified by a WS member doesn't claim, it seems to make sense to search for other next of kin or perhaps more up-to-date next of kin contact information?

Hello Tifflee. Matched means the next of kin or "kins" is known and it's basically in the MEs hands at that point. Oftentimes, if next of kin is known, but the person us still Unclaimed, the next of kin has chosen not to claim the body for whatever reason. You will often see those cases in Claimus with an * by their name indicating next of kin (NOK) is known. There really isn't anything more we can do with those cases.

At the present time, I am working on cleaning up the Unclaimed forum, so I have moved several cases into the "Matched/Resolved" sub forum because I need to fix links or something on the thread. So, there are several in there that aren't actually matched or resolved.

All threads in the main Unclaimed section of the forum need worked on. Just jump in!
 
I've worked cases where one part of the family knew about the death, but another part of the family didn't, and were notified. Also, it varies state to state whether or not you have to pay to claim the unclaimed remains, and some families want to claim the person's remains but can't afford to pay the fees being requested. Sometimes the M.E. believes the family hasn't been notified and they already know. And some of the older cases, the ME has to make official notification to close their case even if the distant relative doesn't want to claim the remains. So there's no set answer to the question "should these cases be worked?" In my experience (I've resolved 64 cases in the last two years, 2/3 of them in Washington state) it varies state to state and case to case.
 
I am unsure where to put this post because I do not want to make a separate thread for each one of these gentlemen. I have submitted information on the following from NamUS and want to make their names searchable so that people do not duplicate efforts. These gentlemen are as follows:

UC Case Number ME/C Num First Name Last Name Date Found Year of Birth
2474 14-1564 Leo Hoffner 2014-10-17 1927
2249 HO16-06 Donald Brooks 2016-01-30 1931
2476 14-1708 Arnold Holm 2014-11-13 1935
2482 15-0123 Clifford Locklin 2015-01-19 1935
2247 11SN2146 Richard Howe 1938

Thank you,
Kate
 
CAN SOMEONE HELP ME OUT... OK SO THERE 3 YEARS AGO WAS A PERSON IN UNCLAIMED FROM MY UNSOLVED CASE... AT THAT TIME I JUST BEGAN WORKING BUT NOW AS I LOOK AT UNCLAIMED I CANT FIND HER... I KNOW SHE WAS NOT PICKED UP BY HER FAMILY MEMBERS.. SO WHAT DO I DO ? I ASSUME THERE WAS A HUGE BURIAL FOR ALL UNCLAIMED BUT WHO DO I TALK TO NOW ABOUT HER?? DOES ANYONE KNOW???
 
As far as I can tell the claimus.org site is no longer working. The original NamUs.gov site has a "Unclaimed Persons" section.
 
Are any of you still working unclaimed cases? I'd just like to get an idea of how many of us there are and which cases are already being/have been worked. I know NamUs hasn't been updating the cases that I sent them family info about yet so it'd be good to know if this is the case for other people. I guess I also want to be sure that I don't spend time on a case that someone else is working.
Thanks!
 
Hey vandeeje, complete newbie here but I’m interested in working unclaimed cases if possible!
 
Hey vandeeje, complete newbie here but I’m interested in working unclaimed cases if possible!
Awesome! There's an Unclaimed Persons section on NamUs.gov as well as cases listed in the Unclaimed Persons thread. Cases that have been matched by WS members and cases that have been resolved by the medical examiner are in Matches & Resolved. It's always a good idea to do a search for the case in that thread before starting. NamUs hasn't been updating a whole lot, at least in my experience. I'm working some cases in Iowa and have those cases pretty much covered and another member is likely going to work NYC cases, but other than that you can choose any case for any reason. I'm not extremely experienced but if you have any questions feel free to ask, I'm just hoping to get some more people to help out. If I can't help I'll find someone who can.

Welcome to WS!
 

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
173
Guests online
2,144
Total visitors
2,317

Forum statistics

Threads
589,962
Messages
17,928,373
Members
228,020
Latest member
DazzelleShafer
Back
Top