CA CA - Los Angeles, WhtMale 30-45, UP3713, cyanide suicide in hotel room, Oct'93

[Beekarina]

I think John Lee Krafft Should be submitted.

Yes, he was only 21 when this UID was found, and in the photo attached to his case file he looks so much younger/handsome, etc but if he had a serious addiction problem, and was on the road for a year (?), I can see his looks changing. Plus the PM of the UID...such a horrible way to pass.

I wonder where the unconfirmed border stop was alleged to have taken place? (i.e. near Texas, California, Arizona, etc.) All of the comparisons for him in NAMUS are in VA. Odd, unless there are details not available to the public.

There is enough that is similar, IMO for someone to take a look at the two cases.

 

[Beekarina]

Wrong thread. I apologize… this is the one I should have posted but the age is off:

• 
  View attachment 332064

Krafft, circa 1992

• Missing Since 11/02/1992
• Missing From Hutchinson, Kansas
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Age 20 years old
• Height and Weight 5'11 - 6'0, 165 - 175 pounds
• Medical Conditions Krafft may have been suicidal at the time of his disappearance.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Blond hair, blue eyes. Krafft's nickname is Duke.

Details of Disappearance
Krafft was last seen in Hutchinson, Kansas on November 2, 1992. He was supposed to meet his mother for dinner that evening, but he never arrived and has never been heard from again.

Krafft graduated Hutchinson High School in 1990 and enrolled in the University of Kansas (KU), but he became involved with drugs and alcohol while in college and dropped out after only a couple of months. He took a job in a restaurant and enrolled in Hutchinson Community College, then went to live with an uncle in Virginia, then returned to Kansas and re-enrolled in KU.

On the day of his disappearance, Krafft's mother told him he could not stay in her home as long as he continued to abuse alcohol and drugs. They made plans to meet that night for dinner, then parted ways. They never saw each other again.

Krafft's red 1986 Kawasaki motorcycle with the Kansas license plate number CCK09 disappeared with him. There was a report that U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents stopped him on his motorcycle at the Mexican border, but this has not been confirmed.

Krafft's mother had him declared legally dead in 1999. His case remains unsolved.
John Lee Krafft III – The Charley Project
MISSING IN KANSAS: John Krafft, III
4937DMKS - John Lee Krafft III

For additional comparison, a 1989 yearbook photo of John Krafft with shorter hair, via Ancestry.com

 

[John/Jane Doe]

@Caring1 Hey could you post The Current NamUs Exclusion List for this John Doe?

 

[Caring1]

@Caring1 Hey could you post The Current NamUs Exclusion List for this John Doe?

4 Missing Person Exclusions

Missing Person / NamUs #Anthony Dewater
Date of Last ContactNovember 02, 1992
StateOR
County--

Missing Person / NamUs #MP264John Wagner
Date of Last ContactJuly 24, 1993
StateUT
CountySalt Lake

Missing Person / NamUs #MP11867Donnell Love
Date of Last ContactOctober 04, 1993
StateOR
CountyDouglas

Missing Person / NamUs #John Zacher
Date of Last Contact--
StateCA
County--

 

[Tired Professor]

Bump! It’s been over 30 years, surely someone has to be missing this man. Like so many cases here, this seems so solvable

 

[beavt]

How about David Lee Branton, missing from Allentown, PA since January 1993. He was a practicing attorney from a prominent local family there. No mention if he was married, at least in the traditional sense. Much to read about his background and circumstances on the web. Here’s his DoeNetwork profile:

1533DMPA​

Name: David Lee Branton
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: January 7, 1993
Location Last Seen: Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Physical Description​

Date of Birth: July 17, 1960
Age: 34 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers​

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Not Available

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Branton was last seen leaving the Allentown Racquetball Club at Sixth and Union Streets around 11 a.m. in Allentown, Pennsylvania on January 7, 1993. Branton's roommate returned to their apartment at 28 North 16th Street, in Allentown that evening and noticed David's car was parked across the street instead of its usual place behind the apartment. There was no sign of David, yet none of his clothes or his medication was missing. When Branton failed to return after a few days, his roommate called police.

Branton has a history of substance abuse and had left the area previously, but had always contacted friends or relatives to let them know he was all right. No one has reported being contacted by Branton since January 7, 1993. Police searched Branton's car and home and found no evidence regarding his disappearance. Branton is an attorney with a law office at 921 Hamilton Street.

There are copies of a number of news articles from Allentown Morning Call pertaining to Mr. Branton at his Find a Grave memorial site.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Allentown Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Detective Christopher McCarty
Agency Phone Number: 610-437-7741
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 93-2162

NamUs Case Number: 7229
NCIC Case Number: Unknown

 

[caradana]

One would think this case is screaming for genetic genealogy.

 

[beavt]

One would think this case is screaming for genetic genealogy.

I can hear it from here!

 

[UnlicensedPI]

View attachment 545575
How about David Lee Branton, missing from Allentown, PA since January 1993. He was a practicing attorney from a prominent local family there. No mention if he was married, at least in the traditional sense. Much to read about his background and circumstances on the web. Here’s his DoeNetwork profile:

1533DMPA​

Name: David Lee Branton
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: January 7, 1993
Location Last Seen: Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Physical Description​

Date of Birth: July 17, 1960
Age: 34 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers​

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Not Available

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Branton was last seen leaving the Allentown Racquetball Club at Sixth and Union Streets around 11 a.m. in Allentown, Pennsylvania on January 7, 1993. Branton's roommate returned to their apartment at 28 North 16th Street, in Allentown that evening and noticed David's car was parked across the street instead of its usual place behind the apartment. There was no sign of David, yet none of his clothes or his medication was missing. When Branton failed to return after a few days, his roommate called police.

Branton has a history of substance abuse and had left the area previously, but had always contacted friends or relatives to let them know he was all right. No one has reported being contacted by Branton since January 7, 1993. Police searched Branton's car and home and found no evidence regarding his disappearance. Branton is an attorney with a law office at 921 Hamilton Street.

There are copies of a number of news articles from Allentown Morning Call pertaining to Mr. Branton at his Find a Grave memorial site.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Allentown Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Detective Christopher McCarty
Agency Phone Number: 610-437-7741
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 93-2162

NamUs Case Number: 7229
NCIC Case Number: Unknown

David's case is extremely interesting and has a lot of the same circumstances I expect this guy to have. However, it wouldn't explain the UID's BMW key (could be a rental) and wedding ring. I wonder if his roommate was actually his partner.

David's brother wrote a book...There is no mention of this UID having HIV, which would easily rule out David.

https://www.amazon.com/Honor-Killing-David-Branton-Novel/dp/B09RP5K74L

 

[beavt]

David's case is extremely interesting and has a lot of the same circumstances I expect this guy to have. However, it wouldn't explain the UID's BMW key (could be a rental) and wedding ring. I wonder if his roommate was actually his partner.

David's brother wrote a book...There is no mention of this UID having HIV, which would easily rule out David.

https://www.amazon.com/Honor-Killing-David-Branton-Novel/dp/B09RP5K74L

Even though his car is accounted for, I’m curious what make it was. I’m not sure David had HIV other than speculatively. Would it be routine in ‘93 to run labs on a decedent testing for HIV?

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I’m not sure David had HIV other than speculatively.

His brother's book is about the family killing David due to his cocaine addiction, homosexuality, and HIV+ status. I think that's as much confirmation as we could get. Both drug abuse and homosexuality would have been risk factors for HIV.

Would it be routine in ‘93 to run labs on a decedent testing for HIV?

I wonder about this, too. It was still in the thick of the AIDS crisis. Searching the databases, I'm not finding much that comes up for HIV+ UIDs.

 

[beavt]

His brother's book is about the family killing David due to his cocaine addiction, homosexuality, and HIV+ status. I think that's as much confirmation as we could get. Both drug abuse and homosexuality would have been risk factors for HIV.


I wonder about this, too. It was still in the thick of the AIDS crisis. Searching the databases, I'm not finding much that comes up for HIV+ UIDs.

Just to clarify, the book written by David’s brother is a novel and shouldn’t be taken as factual. Who knows where he took liberties and where he embellished to sensationalize and capitalize on his missing family member.

 

[Tired Professor]

View attachment 545575
How about David Lee Branton, missing from Allentown, PA since January 1993. He was a practicing attorney from a prominent local family there. No mention if he was married, at least in the traditional sense. Much to read about his background and circumstances on the web. Here’s his DoeNetwork profile:

1533DMPA​

Name: David Lee Branton
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: January 7, 1993
Location Last Seen: Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Physical Description​

Date of Birth: July 17, 1960
Age: 34 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers​

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Not Available

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Branton was last seen leaving the Allentown Racquetball Club at Sixth and Union Streets around 11 a.m. in Allentown, Pennsylvania on January 7, 1993. Branton's roommate returned to their apartment at 28 North 16th Street, in Allentown that evening and noticed David's car was parked across the street instead of its usual place behind the apartment. There was no sign of David, yet none of his clothes or his medication was missing. When Branton failed to return after a few days, his roommate called police.

Branton has a history of substance abuse and had left the area previously, but had always contacted friends or relatives to let them know he was all right. No one has reported being contacted by Branton since January 7, 1993. Police searched Branton's car and home and found no evidence regarding his disappearance. Branton is an attorney with a law office at 921 Hamilton Street.

There are copies of a number of news articles from Allentown Morning Call pertaining to Mr. Branton at his Find a Grave memorial site.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Allentown Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Detective Christopher McCarty
Agency Phone Number: 610-437-7741
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 93-2162

NamUs Case Number: 7229
NCIC Case Number: Unknown

The resemblance is certainly there! I think you should submit it as a potential match.