Match! FL - Miami, Male, Multiple- 20-45- Yellow metal/pink "sapphire" ring- UP54159- Nov. 3, 1980 - Ronald Gilchrist

[ChatteringBirds]

This case was recently added to NamUs:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Missing Person / NamUs #MP101190
Ronald James Gilchrist
Male, White / Caucasian

Date of Last Contact:
October 28, 1980
Missing From:
Clearwater, Florida
Missing Age: 29 Years
Current Age: 72 Years
Height: 5' 10" (70 Inches)
Weight: 160 lbs

Circumstances of Disappearance:
Ronald Gilchrist was reported missing to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department on 11/3/1980, under case number 80-104630. Family told investigators Ronald Gilchrist left at 3:30 P.M., 10/28/1980. Gilchrist was driving a 1978 navy or dark blue Ford LTD, 4-door, with a light blue interior, 1980 Ontario, Canada plate number MPX868. Gilchrist was scheduled to arrive at the Miami International Airport on 11/3/1980 to pick up family. Mr. Gilchrist never arrived and has not been seen or heard from since. Gilchrist was wearing blue jeans, beige canvas shoes, and an unknown type of shirt. He was wearing brown framed glasses which were broken. Gilchrist wore a gold locket and Pisces sign, a digital watch, and a purple sapphire ring.

Gilchrist was accompanied by a male hitchhiker possibly from Calhoun, GA. The hitchhiker was only known by the first name of George or Eugene.


Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Green

Clothing: Gilchrist was wearing blue jeans, beige canvas shoes, and an unknown type of shirt.

Eyewear: He was wearing brown framed glasses which were broken.

Jewelry: Gilchrist wore a gold locket and Pisces sign, a digital watch, and a purple sapphire ring.

Additional Case Info
Transportation
1978 Ford LTD
Style: Luxury
Color: Blue
License Plate:
MPX868
Expiration Year: 1980

Comments
Ontario, Canada plates.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

I'm pretty much convinced this doe is Ronald. Even the jewelry somewhat matches.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

I'm pretty much convinced this doe is Ronald. Even the jewelry somewhat matches.

Do you think the folks at NamUs are looking into the possible match?

ETA: I hope so. Same state and only a few days apart (!)

 

[GatorFL]

FYI I called Miami Dade about this.

 

[cattymac72]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

I'm pretty much convinced this doe is Ronald. Even the jewelry somewhat matches.

Was just coming here to post this too. Has anyone got any updates?

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Was just coming here to post this too. Has anyone got any updates?

Not that I'm aware of.

 

[iulia]

Robert's NamUs page is down at the moment.

 

[PatLaurel]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Race / Ethnicity- White / Caucasian, Hispanic / Latino

Height 5' 7"-5' 9"(67-69 inches) , Estimated
Weight 177 lbs, Measured

Circumstances of Recovery- The decedent was found deceased on the side of the roadway at the listed location

Inventory of Remains All parts recovered
Condition of Remains Recognizable face

Hair Color Brown
Head Hair Description Short, thinning brown hair with a receding hairline

Facial Hair Description shaven
Eye color Hazel

Clothing
Blue denim trousers, beige khaki shirt (short sleeved), white shirt (short sleeved, grey wool socks.
On the Body

Jewelry
Yellow metal/pink "sapphire" ring
On the Body


0 Missing Person Exclusions

 

[PatLaurel]

UP54159 - Newspapers.com

 

[iulia]

The NamUs page for this Doe has been removed.

 

[GatorFL]

Robert's NamUs page is down at the moment.

So is the Doe's.

 

[GatorFL]

I put a call in to the Miami-Dade detective to see if I could get a verification that Ronald and UP54159 are the same person. Bear with me.

 

[PatLaurel]

Gilchrist's "dental records and physical description have been sent to the Dade County Medical Examiner's office and nothing has showed up"... And yet a John Doe matching Gilchrist's physical description and circumstances of disappearance was "laying" there since Nov. 3 and no one noticed it. How very sad... MOO JMO

I hope Gilchrist's family find some closure.

Ronald Gilchrist - Newspapers.com
Ronald Gilchrist - Newspapers.com

 

[PayrollNerd]

MSN

Miami police reportedly investigated a homicide in November 1980 involving a John Doe. That unidentified man, detectives would later learn, matched a similar description of Gilchrist.

On June 7, 2023, detectives received word from the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office that it had formally identified Joe Doe as Gilchrist.

His death is still being investigated as a homicide by the Miami-Dade Police Department.

 

[PayrollNerd]

It's Ronald Gilchrist.

MSN

Miami police reportedly investigated a homicide in November 1980 involving a John Doe. That unidentified man, detectives would later learn, matched a similar description of Gilchrist.

On June 7, 2023, detectives received word from the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office that it had formally identified Joe Doe as Gilchrist.

His death is still being investigated as a homicide by the Miami-Dade Police Department.

 

[MadMcGoo]

It always seems that much more heartbreaking when it’s confirmed that they were so close all these years. Thanks for everything you all do for these victims!

Rest peacefully now Ronald.

 

[GatorFL]

I actually spoke w the Sergeant in Miami Dade today about this!

 

[GatorFL]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

I'm pretty much convinced this doe is Ronald. Even the jewelry somewhat matches.

Fantastic work @victoriarobinson642!!!!!

 

[MagicCityMan]

Unbelievable! I wonder if the in-laws ever reported the car stolen. They may have hesitated to do so fearing he would get into trouble but in retrospect it may have led to his killer. The obvious suspect is Georgia "Gene" but he could also have been a victim. It's such a shame that it took 42 and a half years to figure this out.

 

[summergirl1]

I looked up Calhoun Georgia and it's not a big place. It was even smaller back in 1980. I did find some obits for men named Eugene from there of a similar generation as Ronald. Gene is usually a nickname for Eugene. Of course that may have been a false name or maybe his middle name. And the hitchhiker may not even have been from Calhoun. It seems an oddly specific location to claim to be from, though, if you weren't at least from that area. "Gene" may still be living. Of course, he may or may not have done it-but he seems the most logical suspect at this point. Yes, he seemed nice and pleasant but one thinks back to the old advice about not picking up hitchikers. If there's truth or some truth in the details he gave back then it maybe possible to determine who he was, whether he's still around or not. The identification of Ronald Gilchrist is definitely an important first step, so it's good that's been accomplished.