GA GA - Atlanta, Wht Male UP633, 18-30, suicide in Omni Hotel lobby, Oct'76

[madamx]

And this guy he went missing April 1976

NY - NY - Frank Passafiume, Brooklyn, 14 April 1976

I have not checked NJ or CT

 

[carbuff]

Huh. He would be promising except for the date discrepancy.

 

[carbuff]

Huh. DeMaria would be promising except for the date discrepancy. Not so sure about Passafiume.

Wish we had a sketch or something of the decedent.

 

[fred&edna]

'Just throwing this out...Could he be a hockey fan from DC?

Atlanta Flames hockey team vs Washington Capitals on 10-5-76 which I believe was played in the Omni Arena.

 

[carbuff]

I found Bryce Roberts Houpt, who disappeared from Sunnyvale California in September 1976. He's a bit on the tall and thin side for our UID, and his hair is reddish rather than brown. But his age is in range, he wears glasses (rather geeky ones), he looks to be well dressed, and he has previous suicide attempts. He would have had about six weeks to get from California to Georgia.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[madamx]

Huh. DeMaria would be promising except for the date discrepancy. Not so sure about Passafiume.

Wish we had a sketch or something of the decedent.

I Know!!!!!!

 

[glamourkitty1922]

I found a pic of the watch in white gold. It seems rather rare.

 

[BigKeyManatee]

I found a pic of the watch in white gold. It seems rather rare.

Great find!
If LE identified the watch specifically as branded “Tiffany & Co.” it was undoubtedly marked as such. I looked it up to verify and found a yellow gold version (pic insert). I would be almost certain that T&Co. kept customer records of the serial numbers of their watches and who the buyer was.
If you all get the sense that this is no longer an active case and the decedent was identified, perhaps this could have helped Atlanta police trace him down.
Since this gentleman was apparently well-off and suicide the likely manner of death, the family could have had the means to tamp down further reporting on the case.

 

[carbuff]

Great find!
If LE identified the watch specifically as branded “Tiffany & Co.” it was undoubtedly marked as such. I looked it up to verify and found a yellow gold version (pic insert). I would be almost certain that T&Co. kept customer records of the serial numbers of their watches and who the buyer was.
If you all get the sense that this is no longer an active case and the decedent was identified, perhaps this could have helped Atlanta police trace him down.
Since this gentleman was apparently well-off and suicide the likely manner of death, the family could have had the means to tamp down further reporting on the case.

In the case of suicides, LE usually respects the family's wishes even if they don't have money.

I wonder if it's worth contacting the LE agency and asking if he was identified.

 

[BigKeyManatee]

In the case of suicides, LE usually respects the family's wishes even if they don't have money.

I wonder if it's worth contacting the LE agency and asking if he was identified.

You are absolutely correct re: publishing about suicides- distracted posting on my part.
It prompted me to go back and looked more carefully at this gentleman’s Doe Network and NaMus profiles. I really don’t see any reason to believe that he has been identified. His NamUs was updated as recently as 2019. It is curious that there seems to be absolutely no activity, with zero comparison rule-outs listed for him.
The Doe Network profile mentions fingerprints obtained at one point, but no dentals. No bio-identifiers are mentioned on NamUs, and neither have facial reconstructions. This gave me a horrific thought - could it be possible that the elevator managed to crush his skull at the lower portion, to the point where dental X-rays could not be obtained? This might be the reason that facial reconstructions were not attempted- too labor intensive. Reconstructions even if crude, are often a good prompt for people to submit comparisons.

 

[BigKeyManatee]

Bump

 

[BigKeyManatee]

Zero rule outs.
It’s like he is completely forgotten

 

[BigKeyManatee]

A sad case.
Did anyone actually see him jump?
I don’t see any evidence of witnesses, correct?
His page is still up on NamUs. Still no exclusions listed.
This man is a mystery, and his case haunts me.
He clearly was not an unhoused person.
He did not dress himself so as not to be noticed, especially by his socioeconomic peers.
He was young. Not yet 30.
He appeared either independently successful, or perhaps he came from a successful family. Possibly though, he wore the trappings of wealth that did not rightly belong to him.
One would think that someone must be missing him, or at the very least, someone must have noticed his absence.
Was he estranged from his family?
But also from friends or acquaintances? As well as neighbors, landlord, employer, employees, co-workers?
Could he have been so isolated by choice, or by chance?
Maybe he was visiting the United States from another country?

How did he become such a ghost, both in life and beyond?

Because this case is so vexing Ive been worrying over it for years. I have written out a possible scenario where the manner of death could be a homicide rather than a suicide.
It is purely hypothetical and rather long so I won’t include it here. I will post it under “conversations” and if anyone has an interest in reading it, let me know, and I’ll add you as a recipient. Cheers.

 

[madamx]

A sad case.
Did anyone actually see him jump?
I don’t see any evidence of witnesses, correct?
His page is still up on NamUs. Still no exclusions listed.
This man is a mystery, and his case haunts me.
He clearly was not an unhoused person.
He did not dress himself so as not to be noticed, especially by his socioeconomic peers.
He was young. Not yet 30.
He appeared either independently successful, or perhaps he came from a successful family. Possibly though, he wore the trappings of wealth that did not rightly belong to him.
One would think that someone must be missing him, or at the very least, someone must have noticed his absence.
Was he estranged from his family?
But also from friends or acquaintances? As well as neighbors, landlord, employer, employees, co-workers?
Could he have been so isolated by choice, or by chance?
Maybe he was visiting the United States from another country?

How did he become such a ghost, both in life and beyond?

Because this case is so vexing Ive been worrying over it for years. I have written out a possible scenario where the manner of death could be a homicide rather than a suicide.
It is purely hypothetical and rather long so I won’t include it here. I will post it under “conversations” and if anyone has an interest in reading it, let me know, and I’ll add you as a recipient. Cheers.

A sad case.
Did anyone actually see him jump?
I don’t see any evidence of witnesses, correct?
His page is still up on NamUs. Still no exclusions listed.
This man is a mystery, and his case haunts me.
He clearly was not an unhoused person.
He did not dress himself so as not to be noticed, especially by his socioeconomic peers.
He was young. Not yet 30.
He appeared either independently successful, or perhaps he came from a successful family. Possibly though, he wore the trappings of wealth that did not rightly belong to him.
One would think that someone must be missing him, or at the very least, someone must have noticed his absence.
Was he estranged from his family?
But also from friends or acquaintances? As well as neighbors, landlord, employer, employees, co-workers?
Could he have been so isolated by choice, or by chance?
Maybe he was visiting the United States from another country?

How did he become such a ghost, both in life and beyond?

Because this case is so vexing Ive been worrying over it for years. I have written out a possible scenario where the manner of death could be a homicide rather than a suicide.
It is purely hypothetical and rather long so I won’t include it here. I will post it under “conversations” and if anyone has an interest in reading it, let me know, and I’ll add you as a recipient. Cheers.

Love to hear your theory. I still keep thinking this guy had a connection to NY and was into hip hop breakdancing as he had the b-boy dress code. I wonder if there was some music event or breakdancing hip hop event going on. I mean this guy was early early with the Lees and Addias look that Run DMC pretty much put on the map.

Classic Albums: 'Run-D.M.C.' by Run-D.M.C.

Run- D.M.C.'s self titled debut album caused a paradigm shift in rap music, and defined the template for the rap full length album

rockthebells.com

 

[madamx]

https://dlg.usg.edu/record/geh_luce_158

 

[madamx]

I came across this guy. The stats seem to fit

CANADA - Canada - Richard 'Ricky' Jones, 18, Brantford, Ont, Oct 1975

I agree. I think Richard is Sumpter Doe. His DNA was not a match. I am his sister.

www.websleuths.com

 

[madamx]

This is really interesting info about the workers at the Krofft amusement park. Gives you more of an insight of the park and the people. The park officially closed on November 7, 1976. I wonder if the guy was part of the amusement park.

A snip it from the article talking about an elevator malfunction:

Puppeteers were forbidden from "riding the rides" following an unfortunate incident (below) when the cast was trapped in the elevator down to the sub-basement. Their Lidsville show was delayed until they were rescued from their own Living Island Adventure.

ATLANTA WORLD OF SID & MARTY KROFFT LIDSVILLE THEATRE (1976)

Puppeteers (bottom to top) Gary Griswell, Richard Wilson, and Scott Anthony play a frenzy of strings in the exquisitely-equipped Lidsville m...

vintagetheatrecatalogs.blogspot.com

 

[BigKeyManatee]

I came across this guy. The stats seem to fit

CANADA - Canada - Richard 'Ricky' Jones, 18, Brantford, Ont, Oct 1975

I agree. I think Richard is Sumpter Doe. His DNA was not a match. I am his sister.

www.websleuths.com

Height and hair color match. Ricky might even be described as having a Mediterranean appearance was mentioned for the Omni Doe. I do see some subtle red flags:
1. Ricky was 18 when he went missing, so he’d be 19 or so in 1976 when the Omni Doe was found. I personally think that the Doe was at the older end of the age range- late twenties, pushing 30. Why? My hunch about his age is based on his clothing and watch. I get a kick that you are generous with your assessment of the Doe’s style as “fashion forward”, evoking the retro Hip Hop look favored by NY’s emerging artists. ….I don’t know, Madame X, usually I bow to your expertise on fashion and all things NY, but I’ve got to disagree. I think that our Doe is rocking some mid-70’s suburban “Dad style.” That tan windbreaker from Saks? Paired with a Lacoste golf shirt? These seem almost fuddy-duddy, and, while a safe fashion choice for someone his age, I don’t see this apparel (and that watch!) as being worn by the missing Canadian teenager. Could be wrong though.
2. The hair doesn’t add up. Ricky has some of the fullest, most luxurious locks that could ever grace a guy, while the Doe’s hairline is listed in his NamUs as showing frontal receding. Again, not a total dealbreaker, but..
3. Ricky is not described as having any identifiable or distinctive marks, while Omni Doe has a scar “over the posterior aspect of his left tricep.” As being “over”and not simply “on” his triceps muscle, this sounds like a substantial scar, IMO.
4. I believe that I read in one of the news articles that the Omni Doe was described as “somewhat paunchy” (measured at 230 lbs) while Ricky is described, and depicted as slimmer.

Hair can recede, pounds and scars can all be gained in a year’s time. The good news is that Ricky Jones can be definitely ruled out if LE takes initiative. His DNA is on file, and his sister is very determined to find him!

Thank you for posting the Omni Doe on Ricky’s page.

 

[madamx]

Height and hair color match. Ricky might even be described as having a Mediterranean appearance was mentioned for the Omni Doe. I do see some subtle red flags:
1. Ricky was 18 when he went missing, so he’d be 19 or so in 1976 when the Omni Doe was found. I personally think that the Doe was at the older end of the age range- late twenties, pushing 30. Why? My hunch about his age is based on his clothing and watch. I get a kick that you are generous with your assessment of the Doe’s style as “fashion forward”, evoking the retro Hip Hop look favored by NY’s emerging artists. ….I don’t know, Madame X, usually I bow to your expertise on fashion and all things NY, but I’ve got to disagree. I think that our Doe is rocking some mid-70’s suburban “Dad style.” That tan windbreaker from Saks? Paired with a Lacoste golf shirt? These seem almost fuddy-duddy, and, while a safe fashion choice for someone his age, I don’t see this apparel (and that watch!) as being worn by the missing Canadian teenager. Could be wrong though.
2. The hair doesn’t add up. Ricky has some of the fullest, most luxurious locks that could ever grace a guy, while the Doe’s hairline is listed in his NamUs as showing frontal receding. Again, not a total dealbreaker, but..
3. Ricky is not described as having any identifiable or distinctive marks, while Omni Doe has a scar “over the posterior aspect of his left tricep.” As being “over”and not simply “on” his triceps muscle, this sounds like a substantial scar, IMO.
4. I believe that I read in one of the news articles that the Omni Doe was described as “somewhat paunchy” (measured at 230 lbs) while Ricky is described, and depicted as slimmer.

Hair can recede, pounds and scars can all be gained in a year’s time. The good news is that Ricky Jones can be definitely ruled out if LE takes initiative. His DNA is on file, and his sister is very determined to find him!

Thank you for posting the Omni Doe on Ricky’s page.

Omg. BigKeyManatee … I love it.. your cracking me up. Funny how people can see something completely different from looking at the same thing! Oh this is funny thank you so much for breaking it down like you did.. ok I can see the Fuddy Duddy Dad now and can’t unsee it ever again hahaha! Thank you on your explanation on why it’s also not Ricky! Your contributions to the threads are always great Thank you!
Now we are back to square one. He does not match anyone ugh.

 

[EuropeanSearcher]

Maybe there was not anyone alive to report him missing...William Bishop?