Guy with blue shirt - red stripes on sleeves

[Bargle]

I never saw it done back then, but it could be. It could also be a manufacturer's logo.
Looking at the whole pic again, I see the same marking on the lower frame tube. Looking at the details of the bike itself, it looks like this was a fairly upscale model. I tend towards it being the manufacturer's logo.

 

[Sleuthster]

Does this look like writing to anyone else? Silly question, but did people ever write their name on their bikes back then with a marker or something? Thats what it looks like to me?

I googled 70's 10 speeds and the company logo is on the frame there. However, I cant read the name or recognize it (like schwinn huffy etc) it looks foreign to me to be honest. Do we know for sure that this is USA in pic? What are the folage in the background is that pine?

 

[Sleuthster]

The cursive part gets me. It's like a special edition bike. Because there is another name under it also. I looked on ebay at some bikes and some had the name (like Schwinn) and then it had the model (like sea biscuit or something like that). Also, this is definately a 10 speed and I forgot that 5 speeds where in the the early mid 70-s. 10 speeds especially with seats like this where late 70's.

 

[tatertot]

The bike appears to be an Omega and that's the Omega logo on the front under the handlebars.

http://cnnnancygrace.files.wordpress...0/03/01591.jpg

Reference photos (the blue bike halfway down the page, note the closeup of the logo):
http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/tag/omega/

I have to agree, my impression is this was just an awkward teenage guy whose bike ride was interrupted when Alcala photographed him. His expression seems to me to be sort of incredulous, like he's thinking, "this is kinda weird that you want my picture. Take it and go, okay?"

 

[carbuff]

The house has smooth stucco outside and those wide louvers in the windows. Neither are likely to be found in New York or New England. The palmish-looking plant also looks like something that would not survive winters up here.

 

[carbuff]

Feathered hair-1977-1981 Jordache Jeans, i would say from 1977 through 1983 they where most popular. So he would propably have had his pic taken 77-79 from Alcala. He looks 78-79 to me.

I agree, and the ten-speed bikes were just catching on.

I did some experimenting, and when I had my hands shoved in my front pockets, and then just dropped them out like somebody said, "No, don't do that," that's the odd position my hands wound up.

I can almost here Alcala telling him, "No, take your hands out of your pockets. Shoulders back, don't slouch. Pull your chin in just a little..."

 

[DD Byrd]

that was my first impression too...that he was in mid-posture change when the photo was snapped. Alcala telling him to straighten up. Like the girl in the yellow bikini changing her shadow on the sheet behind her.

 

[PMLsmom]

Could it be hickies on his neck?

 

[Donjeta]

Does this look like writing to anyone else? Silly question, but did people ever write their name on their bikes back then with a marker or something? Thats what it looks like to me?

When I squint the first part looks like Howard to me.

 

[Mensch]

The house has smooth stucco outside and those wide louvers in the windows. Neither are likely to be found in New York or New England. The palmish-looking plant also looks like something that would not survive winters up here.

The shrub is a split leaf PHILODENDRON and is common in Texas, Florida, California and in most southern states. I think stucco houses are more common to California and Florida.
http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif

 

[TripleA]

Okay, now you all have me staring at this boy's hands. They do not look right at all, almost like the hands don't match the rest of him.

 

[Filly]

Donjeta was kind enough to post new photographs from WPIX. Over on the thread with The Girls In The Club of which Billy Lee and Redbird have done an awesome job.

Anyway, our boy with the bike is on there. A different pose. Head and shoulders. He's missing what looks to be more than one tooth on the left side. I think it's picture #162.

 

[jessunlil]

Here's the photo Filly mentioned.

 

[Donjeta]

Ouch, he really is missing teeth... wonder why they didn't release this photo in the beginning. It might help identifying him.

I wondered if he'd been in a bike accident or something.

 

[Filly]

Ouch, he really is missing teeth... wonder why they didn't release this photo in the beginning. It might help identifying him.

I wondered if he'd been in a bike accident or something.

Or somebody knocked them out? Or the poor kid never saw a Dentist? The others look O.K. so maybe they were knocked out.

Definately something to go on if the poor child was missing them and then went missing.

 

[Donjeta]

I don't know what to make of his expression. Is his mouth hurting him? But I think there would be more visible injury on his face if he'd just knocked his teeth out. Perhaps it's an old injury and he's a bit self-conscious about the missing teeth. He turns the toothy side forward in the other photos.

 

[HockeyGirl]

I'm mostly likely reading way too much into his pics, but he really doesn't look like he wants to be posing in any of them. Even this one where he is smiling, it looks forced and fake.

 

[carbuff]

I'm mostly likely reading way too much into his pics, but he really doesn't look like he wants to be posing in any of them. Even this one where he is smiling, it looks forced and fake.

That is what boys this age usually look like when you try to take their photo...he does look somewhat more embarrassed than average, but it doesn't seem out of line to me.

 

[Redbird]

This guy was outside, on a bicycle. No indication that he was lured inside or anything. No offense but I think it damages our credibility as sleuths to read a whole lot into every photo and assume every picture was of a victim. To me this just looks like a neighborhood kid that didn't really want his picture taken. Maybe especially if he had teeth missing.

 

[reasypeasy]

In a picture posted on the previous page he appears to have marks on his neck that he doesn't have in the picture posted on this page. He also looks more upset in the picture with the marks. I suspect that at the very least Alcala gave him some hickeys and freaked him out badly. He might be alive though. The chain link fence woman looked like she went from cheerful to disgusted and frightened, and apparently she is still alive.