ID ID - Boise, WhtMale, alias 'William Toomey', cyanide suicide in church, Dec'82

[Cattydcat]

Fascinating case. I'm British and I have researched my family tree and William is a common name in my family. I would say its not been common to abbreviate William to Wm since the 1950s - I think the very latest I saw it was in the early 1970s in a telephone directory. So even in 1980, I would find it an odd abbreviation. Very much feels like someone say it written down like that "Wm L Toomey" in a directory or document or something and that's where the name was from. I doubt it has any meaning other than the desire for a pseudnoym.

If this is James Thomas Cole, he served time in prison in the 1970s. I would assume your fingerprints are on record if you have been to prison in the US? Sure it would be easy to rule him in or out on that basis?

 

[Melt71]

No recent updates or new additions to the ruleouts in Namus. @Tuck or @ProductiveOne did either of you submit Mr Cole and/or get any feedback on that possibility?

 

[ProductiveOne]

No recent updates or new additions to the ruleouts in Namus. @Tuck or @ProductiveOne did either of you submit Mr Cole and/or get any feedback on that possibility?

At the time I submitted James Lewis case in 2022, I was speaking to journalist Alexandra Duggan who had written that article in the Idaho Press. I assumed she had passed this information to law enforcement. I just sent her an email asking if she had submitted their cases. If not, I'll submit the two cases (if someone else hasn't already done by then).

EDIT: It appears she no longer works there. I'll submit their cases.

 

[lolz]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
251DMFL - John Wesley Davis
John Wesley Davis? Went missing the year before from florida. Spent time in Idaho as he went on fishing trips.

 

[Mandala]

I’m still convinced this is James Edward Lewis who went missing in North Carolina in October 1982 he’s the spitting image of Toomey.

From Namus

James Edward Lewis, of Fayetteville, NC, left home on October 3, 1982 in a white Ford Fiesta. He told his family that he was going to Vero Beach, FL to interview for a job ferrying Piper airplanes from the dealer to buyers. Jim Lewis was a recently-retired major with 25 years in the US Army -- a Ranger, founding member of the "Golden Knights" U.S. Army Parachute Team, a highly-decorated and wounded Vietnam veteran, a skilled pilot with commercial and seaplane ratings, as well as a dedicated husband and father. It was his habit on trips away from home to stay in phone contact with his wife; however, after his October 3 departure, he did not call home. In January 1983, Ms. Lewis received a call from a parking-lot attendant at the Fayetteville Municipal Airport informing her that the Ford Fiesta had been parked in the long-term lot since October 6, and was accumulating fees. The family reported the discovery of the vehicle to Fayetteville police, but the car was repossessed by the finance company before authorities investigated. In 1992, reading a news report of remains found in a nearby county, The family contacted the Hoke County Sheriff's Department but the discovered remains were determined to be those of another deceased. Soon after, The family had James Lewis declared legally dead. However, his remains were never found.

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 surprised this one was ruled out. I wonder what evidence they have to make an exclusion. Looked exactly like the John Doe IMO.

 

[summergirl1]

Him and "Christmas Tree Lady" who was identified aren't the only cases where a Doe or former Doe committed suicide around Christmas time/the holidays. There's another on here MA - "Bruce Peck" White Male, Hotel Charles, Springfield, Mass, 19th December 1971

I think it can possibly be a hard time of year for people with family or other issues. Or it may just be coincidence. They really should exhume this guy and get DNA if there's nothing in his file they can get DNA from, and I'm sure they would have done that by now. If he had been cremated, there would be very little chance of identifying him now. But he wasn't, so he can be identified although it will probably take genetic genealogy to do it. But DNA would be a start..

 

[summergirl1]

William L Toomey (unknown-1982) - Find a Grave...

A Place to Die As parishioners were filing into the Boise, Idaho, Sacred Heart Church for the 6:00 mass on the evening of December 4, 1982, Virginia Almquist saw the church's head usher, Leo Leeburn, approaching her with a look of concern on his face. His mother, Grace, had alerted him to a man...

www.findagrave.com

 

[HopeRains]

Article clipped from The Idaho Statesman

Clipping found in The Idaho Statesman published in Boise, Idaho on 12/11/1982.

www.newspapers.com

Article clipped from The Idaho Statesman

Clipping found in The Idaho Statesman published in Boise, Idaho on 12/11/1982.

www.newspapers.com