This page will outline unsolved child homicide cases that have no suspect(s) or arrests. A phone number for the police agency involved will be published with each case as well. If a case is resolved and a suspect(s) is identified, please send a link to the email administrator@rcccmcc.com, thank you.
Case File #1 – Brittany Lynn Locklear
Above images: Brittany, circa 1998
Missing Date: January 7, 1998
Body Discovered: January 8, 1998
Location: Raeford, Hoke County, North Carolina
Case Type: Kidnapping/Homicide
Cause of Death: Drowning/Asphyxiation
Age: 5 years old
Date of Birth: October 14, 1992
Clothing Description: Brittany was wearing a purple school backpack, a pair of green overalls, and Pocahontas pink/white sneakers. She was also carrying a purple backpack at the time of her abduction
DNA (suspect): Available for testing
Details: Brittany was reported missing after she was abducted by an unidentified male assailant from her bus stop on Grainey Road in Raeford, North Carolina on January 7th 1998 shortly after 7:00 am. A neighbor witnessed an unidentified white male in a full-size brown pick-up truck grab Brittany and force her into the vehicle before speeding away. She was never seen again. Hours after the kidnapping, Brittany’s purple backpack was discovered on a road two miles away from where she disappeared from. Her overalls and sneakers also turned up later on. The next morning, searchers discovered Brittany’s body in a drainage ditch three miles away from her bus stop. She had been sexually assaulted and then drowned in the water in the drainage pipe. Her murder remains unsolved and her abductor remains unidentified.
Anyone with information on the kidnapping and brutal murder of Brittany Lynn Locklear is asked to contact the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation at (800) 334-3000. There is currently a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for Brittany’s murder.
Sources:
North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation
Rocky Mount Telegram 01/08/1998
Case File #2 – Patrick R. Cress
Above Images: Patrick, circa 1983
Missing Date: April 30, 1983
Body Discovered: May 18, 1983
Location: Kirkland, King County, Washington
Case Type: Homicide
Cause of Death: Multiple Blows to the Head
Age: 13 years old
Date of Birth: August 30, 1969
Clothing Description: Patrick was carrying a transistor radio and his wallet with him at the time of his murder
DNA (suspect): Unknown status
Details: Patrick was reported missing when he failed to meet his parents at a Safeway Grocery Store to get picked up from a friends sleepover in Kirkland, Washington on April 30th 1983. One of the friends he slept over with later told police that he saw Patrick get into a grey 1970s vehicle that could’ve been an unmarked police car. He was never seen again. On May 18th 1983, Patrick’s body was found partially submerged in a water-filled ditch by an electrical worker on a construction site located at Northeast 132nd Street and 116th Way Northeast. He was killed by two blows to the head. His radio and wallet were found buried under leaves and debris. His murder remains unsolved.
Anyone with information on the murder of Patrick R. Cress is asked to contact the King County Sheriffs Office at 206-296-3311 or you can anonymously submit information through 1-800-222-TIPS. There is a $5,000 reward for information leading to the individual(s) responsible for Patrick’s death.
Sources:
Help solve the 1983 murder of 13yr old Patrick Cress in Kirkland WA
Case File #3 – JonBenét Patricia Ramsey
Above Images: JonBenét, circa 1996
Missing Date: December 25, 1996
Body Discovered: December 26, 1996
Location: Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado
Case Type: Homicide
Cause of Death: Asphyxiation by Strangulation and Blunt Force Trauma
Age: 6 years old
Date of Birth: August 6, 1990
Clothing Description: JonBenét was wearing a white knit long-sleeved collarless shirt with a silver star in the middle that was decorated with sequins, she was also wearing long white panties, a gold cross was on her neck and she was wearing a ring on her right hand
DNA (suspect): Available for testing
Details: JonBenét was reported as kidnapped by her mother, Patricia “Patsy” Ramsey, after she woke up at 5:30 am on December 26th 1996 to discover her daughter missing and a ransom note on the stairway of their home in Boulder, Colorado. JonBenét was last seen the previous night when she was put to bed. The ransom note demanded $118,000 for her safe return. The police came and searched the home but were unable to locate the child. Her body was discovered in a storage room in the basement of her home shortly after 1:00 pm the same day. Her father and a friend found her body in the room which hadn’t been searched. JonBenét was found to have been bound with a white string and had duct tape on her mouth. She was killed after being strangled by a piece of white string that had a broken piece of a paint brush to serve as a garrote. Her skull was also fractured in addition to her being strangled. There was also evidence that JonBenet was sexually assaulted. Her murder remains unsolved.
Anyone with information on the murder of JonBenét Patricia Ramsey is asked to contact the Boulder County Police Department at 303-441-1974 or you can submit information through BouldersMostWanted@bouldercolorado.gov.
Sources:
Case File #4 – Basil Abdul’Faruq
Above Image: Basil, circa 1990
Missing Date: April 16, 1990
Body Discovered: April 19, 1990
Location: Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia
Case Type: Kidnapping/Homicide
Cause of Death: Stabbing/Stab Wounds
Age: 8 years old
Date of Birth: April 26, 1981
DNA (suspect): Not Available
Details: Basil was reported missing on April 16th 1990 in Richmond, Virginia. He was last seen by his mother, Tambra Ellis, at 2:30 pm when he and his younger brother, Jamal, asked to go play outside their home in the 1700 block of Clarkson Road. She took a nap since she worked the night shift at her job and woke up some time later. She was unable to find her sons and contacted the police to report them both missing. Three days later, Basil’s fully clothed body was found in the Shoosmith Brothers Inc. landfill after a trucker noticed his body protruding from a garbage bag. The location was ten miles away from their home. Basil had been gagged and bound with duct tape. He was killed by two stab wounds to his back but investigators also noted that he suffered a skull fracture after he died. There was no sign of Jamal at the scene and he’s never been located.
For more information on Jamal, read up on his case as he’s listed as a missing child on this website.
Anyone with information on the kidnapping and murder of Basil Abdul‘Faruq is asked to contact the Richmond Police Department at 804-780-6748 or the Metro Richmond Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.
Sources:
Stolen Brothers: Who Took Basil and Jamal?
Case File #5 – Erica Marie Botello
Above Image: Erica, circa 1990
Missing Date: August 23, 1990
Body Discovered: August 25, 1990
Location: San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Case Type: Kidnapping/Homicide
Cause of Death: Unknown
Age: 7 years old
Date of Birth: October 22, 1982
DNA (suspect): Status unknown
Details: Erica was abducted by a stranger as she played on a playground at the West End Baptist Manor Apartments on August 23rd 1990 in San Antonio, Texas at 12:30 pm. She had been playing with another girl who eventually went inside of her own apartment. The girl told police she looked out a window and saw Erica talking with an unidentified man. She turned from the window and heard a loud scream. Erica was gone when she looked back out the window. She was reported missing and search efforts immediately commenced. Her body was discovered by a searcher two days after she disappeared. She was found in a storm drain several blocks away from her home. She had been bound and some of her clothing was missing. Three suspects were arrested for her kidnapping and homicide but the charges were later dropped. Erica’s murder remains unsolved.
Anyone with information on the kidnapping and murder of Erica Marie Botello is asked to contact the San Antonio Police Department at 210-207-7635 or Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP.
Sources:
Erica Marie Botello – Find a Grave
New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung 08/26/1990
Abilene Reporter-Times 08/27/1990
Case File #6 – Gary Lee Grant Jr.
Above Images: Gary, circa 1984
Missing Date: January 12, 1984
Body Discovered: January 14, 1984
Location: Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Case Type: Homicide
Cause of Death: Blunt Force Trauma
Age: 7 years old
Date of Birth: March 8, 1976
DNA (suspect): Not Available
Details: Gary was reported missing when he failed to return home on January 12th 1984 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He reportedly had no school that day due to a teachers conference and he told his mother that morning that he had an “appointment” at 2:30 pm that day. The nature of this is unknown. Gary told his mother he would be back home by 4:00 pm but he never returned home. Two girls he was known to play with told his mother that they did play with him on the day he disappeared but left around 4:30 pm to go home. He was reported missing when neither of his parents were able to find him. Two days later, Gary’s body was discovered in a weed infested vacant lot two blocks away from his home. He had been beaten to death and wrapped in a gold colored rug. A small pipe found nearby is believed to have been used to kill Gary. A suspect initially confessed to his murder and was charged but the case was later dismissed when the confession could not be confirmed. Gary’s murder remains unsolved.
Anyone with information on the murder of Gary Lee Grant Jr. is asked to contact the Atlantic City Police Department at (609) 347-5779.
Sources:
Gary Lee Grant Jr. – Find a Grave
Case File #7 – Leticia “Tita” Hernandez
Above Images: Leticia, circa 1989
Missing Date: December 16, 1989
Body Discovered: March 9, 1991
Location: Oceanside, San Diego County, California
Case Type: Kidnapping/Homicide
Cause of Death: Unknown
Age: 7 years old
Date of Birth: December 13, 1982
Clothing Description: Leticia was wearing a red tank top, a pair of red shorts, white socks, and a pair of white sandals when she was abducted in 1989
DNA (suspect): Available for testing
Details: Leticia was apparently kidnapped in Oceanside, California on December 16th 1989. She was playing in the front yard of her Oceanside Apartment Complex in the 1300 block of Bush Street at 5:00 pm while her mother did laundry in the laundry room. When she returned approximately ten minutes after last seeing her, Leticia was gone. Following her disappearance, there were multiple reported sightings of the child. She was supposedly accompanied by an unidentified couple during these reports. However, the sightings led nowhere. Almost two years after she vanished, Leticia’s skull and the red shorts she was wearing were located off County Highway S16. This was twenty three miles away from where she disappeared. Leticia’s abduction and murder remain unsolved.
Anyone with information on the kidnapping and murder of Leticia Hernandez is asked to contact the Oceanside Police Department at (760) 435-4900.
Sources:
Leticia “Tita” Hernandez – Find a Grave
San Marcos Times-Advocate 12/20/1989
Case File #8 – Eric Coy
Above Image: Eric, circa 1987
Homicide Date: January 24, 1987
Location: Martinez, Contra Costa County, California
Case Type: Homicide
Cause of Death: Stabbing/Stab Wounds
Age: 9 years old
Date of Birth: 1978
Clothing Description: Eric was wearing a black jacket and a pair of grey sweatpants at the time of his death
DNA (suspect): Status unknown
Details: Eric left his home on Warren Street in Martinez, California at approximately 11:05 am to visit his aunt who lived a few blocks away from him at the time. He was riding his Motocross bicycle at the time and was known to take a route through the grounds of Martinez Junior High School at the time. Eric’s parents told him to call them once he reached his aunts house but he never did so they searched for him around town and in other areas. At 11:15 am, several neighborhood boys discovered Eric’s body and bike on Arreba Street near the footbridge that crosses Alhambra Creek to the west end of the Junior High School. His death was initially believed to be a biking accident but an autopsy determined Eric had been stabbed 11 times in his upper torso. His murder remains unsolved.
Anyone with information on the murder of Eric Coy is asked to contact the Martinez Police Department at (925) 372-3450.
Sources:
Case File #9 – Jennifer Renee Odom
Above Images: Jennifer, circa 1993
Missing Date: February 19, 1993
Body Discovered: February 25, 1993
Location: St. Joseph, Hernando County, Florida
Case Type: Kidnapping/Homicide
Cause of Death: Blunt Force Trauma
Age: 12 years old
Date of Birth: August 25, 1980
Clothing: Jennifer was wearing a white zip-up “Hooters” sweat jacket with orange lettering on the left sleeve, a red long sleeve pullover sweater, possible cashmere or angora, a white turtleneck shirt, white denim pants and black lace-up style boots. Jennifer was also carrying a book bag and her cousin’s clarinet case at the time of her abduction
Details: Jennifer was abducted by an unknown individual after she got off the school bus on Jessamine Road at 3:00 pm in St. Joseph, Florida on February 19th 1993. She said goodbye to her friends and was last seen walking home which was 200 yards away from the stop. She never made it home, however and her parents reported her missing at 4:30 pm. Witnesses reported seeing a full-size, older unknown model blue pick-up truck following her as she walked. Six days later, a man and a woman searching an abandoned orange grove discovered Jennifer’s body. The location was ten miles away from where she disappeared. Jennifer had been sexually assaulted and killed by blunt force trauma to her head. Her body was nude and her clothing hasn’t been recovered. On January 5th 1995, a couple hunting for scrap metal in a rural area of Hernando County discovered Jennifer’s missing book bag and her cousins clarinet case. The location was approximately 12 miles away from where Jennifer’s body was found.
UPDATE: On July 27th 2023, police announced that they had made an arrest in the unsolved 1993 abduction and murder of twelve year old Jennifer Odom. The suspect was identified as Jeffrey Norman Crum who is already serving a life sentence for another kidnapping which occurred in 1992. He faces charges of kidnapping, sexual battery, and murder in the case and is awaiting court proceedings.
Anyone with information on the kidnapping and murder of Jennifer Renee Odom is asked to contact the Hernando County Sheriffs Office at 352-754-6830.
Sources:
Jennifer Renee Odom – Find a Grave
Case File #10 – Derrick Lamount “Lump” Jackson
Above Image: Derrick, circa 1990
Homicide Date: September 23, 1990
Location: Vernon, Wilbarger County, Texas
Case Type: Homicide
Cause of Death: Shooting/Gunshot Wounds
Age: 12 years old
Date of Birth: March 4, 1978
DNA (suspect): Not Available
Details: Derrick was sleeping in his apartment in Vernon, Texas during the early morning hours of September 23rd 1990 when he was shot by an unidentified assailant. His older brother, James Edwards, was also shot and so was their mother. Derrick and James were both killed in the shooting but their mother survived and managed to fight off the suspect. She sustained several gunshot wounds. The oldest child, Layman Jackson, was unharmed and escaped through a window during the shooting. The suspect fled the crime scene on foot. Police have described the killer as being a black male who stood between 5’8″ and 5’10” and had a heavy build. The suspect might have ties to the Austin area. Derrick and James killer has not been arrested or identified.
Anyone with information on the murders of Derrick Lamount Jackson and James Wesley Edwards Jr. is asked to contact Texas Crime Stoppers at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). There is currently a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect responsible for Derrick and James’ murder.
Sources:
Texas Department of Public Safety
Derrick Lamount “Lump” Jackson – Find a Grave
Case File #11 – Neely Shane Smith
Above Images: Neely, circa 1981 and at age 2
Missing Date: February 18, 1981
Body Discovered: April 11, 1981
Location: Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Case Type: Kidnapping/Homicide
Cause of Death: Unknown
Age: 5 years old
Date of Birth: December 30, 1975
Clothing: A blue shirt
DNA (suspect): Available for testing
Details: Neely was kidnapped while playing outside her apartment complex on Green Oaks Lane in Charlotte, North Carolina on February 18th 1981. She went up to the door of her best friend and knocked on it. The girl was unable to play with Neely that day since she was sick and it was raining. Neely left to go find other children to play with. She never returned to her own apartment and was never seen again. Her parents reported her missing and a large search commenced. Almost two months after her disappearance, Neely’s partial remains were located at 6701 Union Road near Allen Black Road. In 2004, a witness came forward stating he and Neely were playing with each other on the day she went missing when a man approached them in a white van and told them he was sent to them by they’re parents to pick them up. Neely got into the vehicle but the boy ran away to his home. Investigators suspect Neely was killed by Fred Howard Coffey Jr. but they have not charged him in her abduction or murder. Neely’s case is considered unsolved presently.
Anyone with information on the kidnapping and murder of Neely Shane Smith is asked to contact the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at 704-336-2358. There is currently a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect(s) responsible for Neely’s kidnapping and murder.
Sources:
Neely Shane Smith – Find a Grave
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Case File #12 – James Wesley Edwards Jr.
Above Image: James, circa 1990
Homicide Date: September 23, 1990
Location: Vernon, Wilbarger County, Texas
Case Type: Homicide
Cause of Death: Shooting/Gunshot Wounds
Age: 14 years old
Date of Birth: July 31, 1976
DNA (suspect): Not Available
Details: James was sleeping in his apartment in Vernon, Texas during the early morning hours of September 23rd 1990 when he was shot by an unidentified assailant. His younger brother, Derrick Jackson, was also shot and so was their mother. James and Derrick were both killed in the shooting but their mother survived and managed to fight off the suspect. She sustained several gunshot wounds. The oldest child, Layman Jackson, was unharmed and escaped through a window during the shooting. The suspect fled the crime scene on foot. Police have described the killer as being a black male who stood between 5’8″ and 5’10” and had a heavy build. The suspect might have ties to the Austin area. Derrick and James killer has not been arrested or identified.
Anyone with information on the murders of James Wesley Edwards Jr. and Derrick Lamount Jackson is asked to contact Texas Crime Stoppers at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). There is currently a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect responsible for James and Derrick’s murder.
Sources:
Texas Department of Public Safety
James Wesley Edwards Jr. – Find a Grave
Case File #13 – Antonella Mattina
Above Images: Antonella, circa 1984
Missing Date: July 16, 1984
Body Discovered: November 26, 1987
Location: Flushing, Queens County, New York
Case Type: Kidnapping/Homicide
Cause of Death: Stabbing/Stab Wounds and Strangulation
Age: 12 years old
Date of Birth: June 18, 1972
Clothing:
DNA (suspect): Not Available
Details: Antonella was reported missing in Flushing, New York on July 16th 1984. She was last seen at 11:00 am at the Citibank branch in the Linden Vue Shopping Center at Willets Point Boulevard and Parsons Boulevard. She had gone there to make a deposit for her parents but she never returned home. On November 26th 1987, Antonella’s skull was discovered in a wooded area 40 feet off Taconic State Parkway in Yorktown, New York. The rest of her skeletal remains were recovered in a second search of the area on December 3rd. She had been stabbed multiple times in the chest and she also appeared to have been strangled. Investigators believe she was abducted and killed. Two strong suspects have been named in the case but have not been charged. Antonella’s murder remains unsolved.
Anyone with information on the kidnapping and murder of Antonella Mattina is asked to contact the New York Police Department at 646-610-6914.
Sources:
New York Daily News 12/14/1987
Case File #14 – Robert Scott “Bobby” Gutkaiss
Above Image: Robert, circa 1983
Missing Date: June 30, 1983
Body Discovered: July 8, 1983
Location: Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York
Case Type: Homicide
Cause of Death: Unknown
Age: 15 years old
Date of Birth: May 20, 1968
DNA (suspect): Status unknown
Details: Robert started his first day of working on a berry picking farm known as “Pease Farm” in Stephentown, New York on June 30th 1983. He worked from 4:30 pm until 6:00 pm that day. His employer last saw him leaving the farm and walking in a northerly direction along State Route 22. He was supposed to return later that evening to get his pay but he never returned. His mother reported him missing at 10:40 pm when he didn’t return home. On July 7th 1983, police received a call about a bad odor near a logging road in the same town. The next day, Robert’s decomposing body was discovered near the logging road off East Road in Stephentown. Investigators believe Robert was sexually assaulted and then murdered. Several suspects have been named in the case but none have faced criminal charges. Robert’s murder remains unsolved.
Anyone with information on the murder of Robert Scott Gutkaiss is asked to contact the New York State Police at (518) 783-3212 or through email at nysvicap@troopers.ny.gov.
Sources:
Robert Scott “Bobby” Gutkaiss – Find a Grave
Case File #15 – Laura Ann Parker
Above Images: Laura, circa 1984
Missing Date: May 23, 1984
Body Discovered: September 10, 1984
Location: Lindenhurst, Suffolk County, New York
Case Type: Homicide
Cause of Death: Unknown
Age: 14 years old
Date of Birth: July 26, 1969
DNA (suspect): None
Details: Laura woke up for school at 5:30 am on May 23rd 1984 in Lindenhurst, New York and left her home to go there. She attended her first few classes but did not arrive for fifth period that day. She never showed up for softball practice after school and didn’t return home that evening. Her parents filed a missing persons report the next morning. She was classified as a runaway, however, and her parents were left to search for her. On September 10th 1984, Laura’s skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area off North Monroe Avenue, just blocks away from the school. Her death is considered a homicide and her case remains unsolved.
Anyone with information on the murder of Laura Ann Parker is asked to contact the Suffolk County Police Department at (631) 854-8100
Sources:
Laura Ann Parker – Find a Grave