About This Site

Purpose

Far too often we hear heartbreaking stories of young men who have disappeared without a trace. Some have not received much media coverage. And some have not had an exhaustive search to help locate them in the crucial first hours of their disappearance. 

Often, this is due to the high volume of missing persons cases every year--numbering in the tens of thousands--plus the limited resources of law enforcement. (1) This combination can, as we are seeing on this site, lead to a quick judgement that the young person took his own life or simply walked away from it. This site is one small way to raise awareness for those unlikely to have done this.

(1) Ritter, Nancy. Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains: The Nation’s Silent Mass Disaster. NIJ Journal No. 256, January 2007. Accessed June 7, 2019.

Why the name? 

This site began in 2001 before it was known that so many boys would be found in water. I began writing about the disappearance of Chris Jenkins near my office in Minneapolis. The site got its current name after Scot Radel disappeared in 2006, only leaving behind footprints in the snow near the Mississippi.

The title is not meant to be provocative or upsetting; it is meant to speak toward the mystery of finding clues that seemingly go nowhere, much like footprints that stop at a river.  I hope the name also serves as a reminder not to overlook the obvious, yet also not to draw conclusions until all the facts are in. 

What is it like to have a missing loved one?

Some quotes from families of the missing:

"Then when tragedy becomes personal, someone you love disappears; police seem to be doing nothing. You find that you personally have no control. If you are lucky and find contacts in the world of the missing; if you have support of family and friends; if you have political contacts, then you may be able to find some solace. But the reality is you probably won't get help from those who know what happened to your loved one." (Ross, Donald. December 2011. Where's Opie? Vanished in Chicago. iUniverse. Accessed March 24, 2012.) 

"In a situation like this, you mourn every day because you don't have him with you. There's not that final reconciliation that he's not with us anymore. People have their reasons for saying that to you; they have your best interests at heart. But I find it aggravating as hell. I don't need closure. I need my son." (Iorizzo, Pete. October 19, 2013. Frear's family looks for answers. Times Union. Accessed November 26, 2013.)

"The loss of a loved one never heals completely…the wound is still there and the pain of your loss can fester anytime, sometimes when you least expect it." (Wendy Bosma. June 3, 2012. Wenswritings. Accessed June 3, 2012.)

13 comments:

veronica lee said...

Thank you so much..I never realized how many there were until my brother Jesse Archer was one of them.I enjoy having a place to write about him and hope one day someone will come forward and help my family find out what happened to him. Veronica Lee I pray all these familys either find the answers they are looking for so they can start to heal,or locate there loved one..God Bless you all. V Lee

CyPhy said...

Just read this article about unsolved murders in Madison. WI. Can't help but feel that there is some relation to the mysterious "drownings." Note that the burglarized bar is the "Blue Moon.

"http://host.madison.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/family-of-slain-uw-student-brittany-zimmermann-still-looking-for/article_940c9380-98bf-11e2-8c12-001a4bcf887a.html

The Moulton Family said...

Just out of curiosity have you ever organized a page by state, date of missing and name to see how many guys from what areas went missing?

mnmom0905 said...

Whoever is running this website seems to have lost interest in updating it much. We have 3 missing men in MN. Sadly one was found deceased in a river this afternoon. I am sure other states are facing the same problems. Maybe it would better to have a section where anyone can post missing ones. Just a thought.

mnmom0905 said...

Whoever is running this website seems to have lost interest in updating it much. We have 3 missing men in MN. Sadly one was found deceased in a river this afternoon. I am sure other states are facing the same problems. Maybe it would better to have a section where anyone can post missing ones. Just a thought.

Hagle Family said...

Check out David Paulides, missing 411

Hagle Family said...

Check out David Paulides, missing 411

OneGirl said...

Disappearances from Both soon, Ma area:
* John Daverio, age 49, last seen, 3/16/2003, 8:30 pm
Recovered: 4/14/03 from Charles River
* Dustin Willis, Age 26, last seen, 3/16/2007, around 11pm
Recovered: 3/21/08, Long Wharf, Boston Harbor
* William Hurley: age 24, last seen 10/8/2009, 99 Nassau St Boston north end
Recovered, 10/14/09, 2:30 am, bank of Charles River neat 200 Nassau st.
* Eugene Losik, Age 26, last seen 2/20/2010, 2:24am, CCTV around Marriott Hotel near Boston Harbor.
Recovered: 11/8/2010, near Rowe's Wharf, Boston Harbor
* David Mark, Age 24. Last seen 3/2/2011 leaving restaurant/bar in Fenway around 8 pm.
Recovered: 3/8/2011, Chelsea River near McArdle Bridge
* Franco Garcia, age 21, last seen 2/22/2012 around 12:15am
Recovered: 4/11/2012, bank of Chestnut Hill Reservoir
* Jonathan Daily, Age 23, last seen: 10/2/2012, at his apt. Around 9pm
Recovered: 10/9/2022, Charles river bottom, ties to a cinder block
* Eric Munsell, age 24. Last seen: Market Lounge, Boston. Phone last pinged near Marriott hotel around 11:30 p.
Recovered: 4/23/12 in water near Long Wharf in Boston Harbor
* Josue Quispe, age 18. Last seen 10/7/2015, 4:30 pm, Somerville, Bed, bath & beyond parking lot.
Recovered: 11/12/15, Saquish Beach, Plymouth, Ma
*Dennis Njoroge, Age 21, last seen 11/29/2015 - NE campus, basketball court. Last contact: 11/30/2015, phone call with his mom in AM.
Recovered: Dec. 31, 2015, Charles river, Boston side.
* Zachary Marr, Age 22. Last seen: 2/14/2016, 1:40am, outside bar on union st in north end
ZACHARY REMAINS MISSING.

Please note:
*although alcohol plays a role in many of these cases, not all victims were drunk, and a couple had not even been drinking.
* disappearances seem to be increasing in frequency.

Very tragic! I cannot believe these are all unrelated, and I hope someone puts something together soon and ends this madness!

dreams_in_fog said...

I watched an interesting documentary about a similar situation happening in Manchester, UK. 80+ men have been found drowned in the canals since 2009 and it is still happening. The name of the documentary is "Manchester's Serial Killer?" if you want to look it up and watch. I will post a link to it below otherwise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EACYSOhJUyA

Unknown said...

I have followed this site for years. I think there is a woman serial killer involved. I also believe she could be a traveling nurse. Something's making these men get into ice cold water. My son was premature and they gave me something they call MAG.. I would have jumped into a body of cold water.

Raven said...

I believe this man a long haul truck driver with ties to both the Midwest and East coast. I believe this because he may have a family, but needs to explain his prolonged absences. He has a history of violence, both against others and violence done to him. He may watch his victims, and may harbor jealous tendicy that they have friends and he does not. He often waits until they are alone or somehow off guard before attacking. I believe he has a place that is quiet and requires no neighbors where he takes and holds his victims for weeks at a time. After killing them he trans ports them in his truck to other jurisdictions to confuse authorities. He often leaves them in water to rid body of DNA and trace evidence. believe he is a white male, in his late 20s to early thirties. He is very ordinary looking, would raise no red flag if he approached someone. He is strong muscular and might be into fitness. He is often away from his relatives for months at a time. I believe he is a long haul truck driver, working out of the Minnesota area, with family located in either Boson, Philly or New York.

Raven said...

I also want to add. I believe there is one man in the area who encountered this killer but was able to escape. I think if police went back a year maybe 18 months to their complaints they could find this very lucky man. I believe he is still in area but never spoke to friends or family about it. I do believe however the man did make a report to police.

woody said...

This is not the work of one serial killer. This is a world wide conspiracy that occurs predominantly in the five eye countries. Paulides is finally telling who or what is behind this phenomenon. The authorities are helpless and there is no way of defending yourself if you are marked as prey. Pray relentlessly.