IL IL - Daniel Lee Claeys, 29, East Moline, 5 Oct 2017

[renaebri]

Daniel Lee Claeys

Missing Since: October 5th, 2017
Location Last Seen: East Moline, Illinois

Description:

• Age: 29
• Race: White / Caucasian
• Gender: Male
• Height: 5' 10" - 5' 11"
• Weight: 160 - 170 lbs
• Hair Color: Brown, Full head of hair, Generally kept shorter; Often wore a goatee
• Eye Color: Hazel, left eye has a cloudy appearance due to a corneal hydrops which lead to a loss of peripheral vision
• Nickname/Alias: Danno; Danny
• Distinguishing Marks/Features: Pierced tongue; Pierced ears; Tattoo on neck of "CLAEYS" in script-style writing; Tattoo of "DAN" on left forearm; Tattoo of praying hands on shoulder/upper arm (unknown which)
• Clothing & Personal Items: Unknown
• Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance:

Daniel, 29, was last seen in East Moline, Illinois on October 5th, 2017. He was driving an older model Ford truck whose owner let him borrow it. He never returned the truck and has never been heard from again, and eventually a stolen vehicle report was filed for the truck. It has not been located either.
He has a history of going without contact with his family, although he usually called his mother on birthdays. His mother reported him missing in 2019. Since his disappearance, Daniel has not used his bank accounts or credit cards. There is one person of interest in his case, but no charges have been filed.
He may have traveled to Florida or Arizona after he went missing.

Investigators:
East Moline Police Department
(309)752-1547
Case Number: 2019000881
John Johnson, Detective

Sources:
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Daniel Lee Claeys, 29, October 5, 2017, East Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois
https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/crime/vanished-qc-theres-no-trace-of-him-or-a-stolen-truck/

 

[SluethinAway]

Remains found in stolen truck identified as East Moline man missing since 2019

In September, Big River Rescue and Recovery found a vehicle had been found submerged in the Mississippi River near a boat ramp at Empire Park.

www.kwqc.com

Daniel has been found
Claeys, who was reported missing in 2019, was identified by the Illinois State Police Crime Lab through a DNA analysis. He would have been 36 years old this year.

In September, the East Moline Police Department was notified by Big River Rescue and Recovery that a vehicle had been found submerged in the Mississippi River near a boat ramp at Empire Park.
Police said the pickup truck appeared to have been at that location for a long time as it was buried deep in the mud.

It had been stolen out of East Moline in 2017, police said.

After the pickup was pulled from the river, human remains were found inside. From there, Illinois Crime Scene investigators were called to process the vehicle for evidence.

East Moline investigators said they have worked this case since the discovery and are continuing to investigate circumstances surrounding Claeys' disappearance and death.

 

[airportwoman]

I'm in the region, and wondered if there was a thread here. At least now we know where he is.

 

[HmmMysterious]

Remains found in stolen truck identified as East Moline man missing since 2019

In September, Big River Rescue and Recovery found a vehicle had been found submerged in the Mississippi River near a boat ramp at Empire Park.

www.kwqc.com

Daniel has been found
Claeys, who was reported missing in 2019, was identified by the Illinois State Police Crime Lab through a DNA analysis. He would have been 36 years old this year.

In September, the East Moline Police Department was notified by Big River Rescue and Recovery that a vehicle had been found submerged in the Mississippi River near a boat ramp at Empire Park.
Police said the pickup truck appeared to have been at that location for a long time as it was buried deep in the mud.

It had been stolen out of East Moline in 2017, police said.

After the pickup was pulled from the river, human remains were found inside. From there, Illinois Crime Scene investigators were called to process the vehicle for evidence.

East Moline investigators said they have worked this case since the discovery and are continuing to investigate circumstances surrounding Claeys' disappearance and death.

I knew this was Daniel's fate. It sucks that it was assumed he stole the truck. Rest in peace Daniel.

 

[airportwoman]

I knew this was Daniel's fate. It sucks that it was assumed he stole the truck. Rest in peace Daniel.

judici.com shows that he did have a criminal record.

 

[GraceG]

judici.com shows that he did have a criminal record.

I found the residential burglary arrest (class 2 felony) the forgery charge, and the retail theft Thanks for the judici.com reference, I've always had a hard time finding records in Illinois(I live in Chicago).

What's odd on this one is
(1) timeline. He and the truck went missing in 2017 and when he didn't return the truck to the owner who had alledgedly allowed him to borrow it - it was reported stolen. But he wasn't reported missing (by his mother) until 2 years later in 2019.
and
(2) the homicide investigation. If all they have is remains in a truck in the water that have been there, potentionally, for a long time, what makes this a homicide investigation over a death investigation? Short of obvious gunshot injury to bone easily noted by the ME or evidence that he was already dead when the vehicle went in the water (pretty hard to determine after this much time in the water) I wouldn't think they'd make that call this early, unless an investigation along those lines was already underway. Just my opinion, however.

I'm glad he is found though, so his Mom can be allowed time to find closure.

 

[airportwoman]

I'm guessing that they found spent bullets in the cab, or some other evidence that they haven't released to the public.