January 1, 1993

01/01/93: Vernon "Cameron" Kent Jones, 23, New York City, NY


Cameron Jones
 Vernon "Cameron" Jones is still missing.

After graduating from the University of North Carolina, 23-year-old Vernon Kent Jones set his sights on the the big city. Cameron, as his friends called him, was bright, energetic and handsome. He moved to New York City, aspiring to be an actor.

Cameron spent New Year's Eve 1993 partying with friend Mark Zimmerman and a couple, Margaret Miller and Paul Williams, in an apartment in Manhattan's Lower East Side (East Village). At around 12:30 a.m., while Cameron and Paul remained at the apartment, Margaret and Mark walked across the street to the grocery store to buy paper towels. They were gone approximately 5 minutes. When they returned, Cameron was gone. Mark speculated that Cameron must have put on his coat and left, probably to go home.

From the apartment where the party was held, the subway is 8 blocks in one direction and the East River is 2 blocks
in the other. If Cameron left on foot, it is not clear which way he went. It appears that Paul, who was at the apartment with Cameron, also did not see Cameron leave and may not have been in a condition to be able to provide any details as to what happened. Margaret and Mark say they did not see Cameron leave the apartment as they exited the grocery store.

Cameron has not been seen since.

"Vern" graffiti in East Village
shortly after Cameron disappeared
Shortly after Cameron disappeared, his family came to New York to search for him and discovered the name "Vern" spray painted around the East Village. It is unclear who put it there. It is the only potential clue that has ever been found in the case. The family has hired private investigators and nearly two decades later, they are all still searching for answers.

It has been reported that Margaret Miller and Paul Williams left town within weeks of Cameron's' disappearance. Family and friends suspect they know more than they are saying; and Jones' mother posted has urged them to speak up.

If you have any information regarding this case, call the New York City Police Department at (212) 374-6920.

Facts of Interest
Name: Vernon "Cameron" Kent Jones, 23
DOB: 5/2/69
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Last seen: 1/1/93, 12:30 a.m., East Village, Manhattan, New York
Physical description: white, 6'0" 170, brown hair, brown eyes, medium complexion
Last seen wearing: White T-shirt, blue jeans, gray sweater, tan jacket, and brown hiking boots.


Posted: 10/11/09. Revised 11/2/12.

5 comments:

Monique777 said...

Seems pretty unusual his friends don't know anything. There were only 4 people together that night yet no one saw Cameron walk away? This wasn't a huge party, just a small gathering of 4-how could no one have seen him???

I also question if the two friends left the apartment at 12:30 a.m. on New Years to get paper towels when one can always use napkins, a sponge, dish towel or rags. What was so important about getting paper towels while celebrating New Years Eve that they needed paper towels? I could understand drink mixes or possibly drugs, but paper towels?

Monique777 said...

I do hope his family finds some answers to what happened to him.

I hope the friends are questioned further.

My prayers are with all those that have been through this horrible tragedy and have never recieved any type of closure. God Bless.

Doc Conjure said...

Monique777:

That's a good observation on the paper-towel things. I wonder if the store had cameras that they could corroborate or disprove their story?

Lisa said...

I think I failed to mention that someone at the party, possibly Cameron, had gotten sick, and two people went to the store across the street to get paper towels to clean up the mess.

Monique, it does seem odd to me that they didn't just use napkins or something else to clean it up.

Anonymous said...

Oh, he got sick? Maybe while they were gone he choked to death on his own vomit/died of alcohol poisoning, and in their intoxicated state his friends weren't thinking straight, panicked, and somehow made the decision to dispose of the body instead of calling 911. There were probably drugs at the apartment. Maybe one of the friends was a drug dealer and didn't want cops around. I can only imagine if this is the case then his body is weighted down in the East River somewhere.