IL IL - James 'Jimmy' Howell, 9, Sterling, 28 May 1969

[Nikki95]

Hi,
I have a vague connection to Jimmy. My dad Jim Root was Jimmy's foster parent. My parents always felt guilty for not fighting for custody of Jimmy. His disappearance happened shortly after he was returned to his mother.
I was told that he disappeared on his way home from school.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Hi,
I have a vague connection to Jimmy. My dad Jim Root was Jimmy's foster parent. My parents always felt guilty for not fighting for custody of Jimmy. His disappearance happened shortly after he was returned to his mother.
I was told that he disappeared on his way home from school.

Do you think there was more than one version of what happened being told? Who told your parents that version?
Or do you think the discrepancy is just due to innocent but incorrect assumptions?
It's sad that your parents felt guilty.

 

[Nikki95]

I was told the story when I was young. It could have been just how I interpreted the information. My dad didn't talk about it much. It has only been in the last few months that my mom had mentioned it and made me curious if there was ever any other information out there on this case.

 

[agapoyesoun]

My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Jimmy Howell. x

 

[Richard]

James Richard Howell

James, circa 1969; Age-progression to age 50 (circa 2009)

• Missing Since 05/28/1969
• Missing From Sterling, Illinois
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 10/28/1959 (60)
• Age9 years old
• Height and Weight 4'5, 79 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A white t-shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers.
• Medical Conditions James is hyperactive and takes mild tranquilizers to control his condition.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes. James's nickname is Jimmy.

Details of Disappearance

James was last seen playing with his sister, outside of their family's home in the 1300 block of west 13th Street in Sterling, Illinois on May 28, 1969. They were going to build a cage for James's birds, and his sister went inside for tools.

When she returned, the boards James was going to use to make the birdcage were scattered along the street and James had vanished. A neighbor reported his disappearance to police at approximately 10:35 p.m. that same day, after his parents spent the whole day searching for him.

James had a somewhat chaotic childhood. He has two brothers and one sister. He and his siblings were sent to an orphanage after their parents divorced in the early 1960s. Two of the Howell children were later sent to live with an aunt, and James and one of his brothers went to a foster home.

All the children had gone to live with their mother and stepfather by 1968. James's mother stated she did not believe he would have run away from home. He liked animals in 1969, and he was afraid of bugs and the dark. He was in the third grade at school.

There were several reported sightings of James after his disappearance, but he was never found. Searchers looked in gravel pits and water areas, particularly Elkhorn Creek and Rock River. His family members all took polygraph exams and were cleared of suspicion in his disappearance in 1998.

James's case remains unsolved; the circumstances surrounding his disappearance are unclear.

Investigating Agency

• Whiteside County Sheriff's Office 815-772-4044

Source Information:

• The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children
• The Doe Network
• Still Looking For You James
• Sauk Valley News
• James Richard Howell – The Charley Project

 

[MackGorman]

I am impressed this thread lasted something like three years. I'll bring it into 2021. I live on the West End of Sterling and have an interest in the details of this case. I'm wondering if a Freedom of Information Act has been filed to try to obtain any information not currently available? Seems that many of the details on this thread are pulled from existing web pages/news stories.

 

[Richard]

I am impressed this thread lasted something like three years. I'll bring it into 2021. I live on the West End of Sterling and have an interest in the details of this case. I'm wondering if a Freedom of Information Act has been filed to try to obtain any information not currently available? Seems that many of the details on this thread are pulled from existing web pages/news stories.

Strange as it might seem, often the news media (at least back in the day) was a major source of information known about these old cases. Many of the really old cases that I post come from old newspapers or magazines - at least initially. Once a thread is started, of course, many other sources get included - often from the internet and other sites.

The Freedom of Information Act (of 1974) can be a good source of details, but there are limitations and difficulties sometimes. For instance, the act mainly refers to Federal Records, and a regular reason for turning down a request is the closely related "Privacy Act", which prevents agencies from releasing personal information to just anyone.

Also, when a law enforcement agency receives a request for information on a cold case, they might deny it or "sanitize it" because it is considered an "ongoing investigation". That said, I have often spoken with cold case officers about specific cases and they are usually pretty open about discussing them - especially if you have some information or insight to share with them.

Some of the threads in this forum have been around for much longer than three years. And quite a few of them have been solved after a very long time. Keeping these cases alive by posting information, photos, links, and discussions goes a long way in their eventual resolutions.

 

[StarrChance]

Some of the old links aren't working
June 1969

 

[StarrChance]

June 19

69

 

[SueBuyers]

Jimmy, are you out there? I'm your cousin. You went missing 52 years ago today on May 27, 1969. I remember where I was and what was going on when my mom told me. I was 11. I can't believe after all these years no one has found you. You were a cute little kid and I remember playing with you when we were younger. If you are out there, please contact someone. Love,

 

[Satch]

These links to Jimmy's case should work:

Charlie Project: James Richard Howell – The Charley Project

Doe Network: The Doe Network: Case File 239DMIL

Satch

 

[Richard]

James Richard Howell

James, age 9, circa 1969; Age-progression to age 50 (circa 2009)
Missing since 28 May 1969

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Cold Case Corner...
James Richard Howell, 09
MISSING: May 28, 1969
Sterling Illinois
Whiteside County
PLEASE SHARE! One tip... One call... That's all it takes!!
#WaitingForJustice
Missing FIFTY-THREE YEARS today!!
James Richard Howell, nickname "Jimmy" was nine years old when he disappeared. Jimmy was last seen outside his home.

James was last seen playing with his sister, outside of their family's home in the 1300 block of West 13th Street in Sterling, Illinois on May 28, 1969. They were going to build a cage for James's birds, and his sister went inside for tools.

When she returned, the boards James was going to use to make the birdcage were scattered along the street and James had vanished.
A neighbor reported his disappearance to police at approximately 10:35p, that same day, after his parents spent the whole day searching for him.

James had a somewhat chaotic childhood. He has two brothers and one sister. He and his siblings were sent to an orphanage after their parents divorced in the early 1960s. Two of the Howell children were later sent to live with an aunt, and James and one of his brothers went to a foster home.

All the children had gone to live with their mother and stepfather by 1968. James's mother stated she did not believe he would have run away from home. He liked animals in 1969, and he was afraid of bugs and the dark. He was in the third grade at school.

There were several reported sightings of James after his disappearance, but he was never found. Searchers looked in gravel pits and water areas, particularly Elkhorn Creek and Rock River.
His family members all took polygraph exams and were cleared of suspicion in his disappearance in 1998.
Current age: 62, DOB: 10.28.1959
Description at disappearance.. Approx 4'05", 75 lbs, brown eyes, brown hair.
It’s been FIFTY-THREE YEARS today, and justice needs to be served, in the memory of James. His family needs answers for his disappearance, and justice served to assist with the closure.
ANY information regarding Jimmy's disappearance, please contact:
Whiteside County Sheriff's Office
815-772-4044
OR
NCMEC
800-843-5678
Sharing generates AWARENESS,
Awareness generates SUPPORT,
Support generates HOPE!!
#JamesRichardHowell #JamesHowell #JimmyHowell #Missing #Child #Sterling #Illinois #WhitesideCounty
Sources & Other Resources:
NCMEC
Case: # 872770
https://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/872770/1/screen
NamUs
Case: # 6194
https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/6194
The Charley Project
https://charleyproject.org/case/james-richard-howell

https://www.facebook.com/ChiMissingCases/

 

[John/Jane Doe]

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/239dmil.html

 

[Ciriii57]

Can anyone tell me if Jimmy had just 1 bird or several. At first reading I thought he was making a birdhouse for an injured pigeon and then it became a cage for his birds.
I could believe the sighting of him walking through a field with a pigeon under his arm if it was 1 bird.
If it was 1 bird, what became of it?
And does anyone know if the dog ever returned?

I found the stepfathers sighting slightly odd. He said he saw him looking for wood after he supposedly disappeared. How did he know it was after he'd disappeared?

Lots of differing info to work out here. Some of the linked are no longer available so I apologise if I'm repeating things.

 

[DD Byrd]

His third grade teacher said,"It is not like James, something has either happened to him, or someone is encouraging him to stay away."

Ok, what? I find this a very telling statement, particularly since teachers can become quite close to students who might have issues at home. Either way, that is a strong opinion to be quoted on, and curious semantics. "Encouraging him" sounds likes a genteel way of saying "keeping him"...away. I guess the good news is it implies the teacher, at least, felt he may have been alive at the time. But something led her to say that, and not leave it at "...something happened to him..." Linguistically, "OR" negates the first part (something happened to him), meaning (at least to me) right off the bat she had other scenarios in mind. Regardless, she called him "James," so if I were to do an unqualified assessment, I'd say this was a woman who used calculated words given thought, and didn't just blurt out her gut-feeling on "someone."

Regarding 'scattered' wood, was it IN the road or "along" the road. It could point to an abduction or (less likely IMO) an accident right there. But it could simply be threw down the wood and headed elsewhere for some other supplies, i.e. or across the street to get a friend's help., etc. "Scattered" is so subjective, I wish there were pictures of the spacing, and how many pieces we're talking about.

I'd like to know where the birds were right then, during the project. Did he have some sort of primitive aviary set up? Because then there's a chance one flew off and he went after it. That would explain not only scattered wood with him leaving the area in a hurry, but also a sighting of him with a pigeon later on. They are homing birds after all, so they're more likely to interact with humans and stick around the area. He'd likely be successful in trying to retrieve it, and knowing that may have tried to do just that and left.

A lot of pieces in this one, some of which might be totally unrelated.

 

[DS2021]

Bump

 

[Keiri]

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[Richard]

Bumping this thread up.

 

[DD Byrd]

If the earlier post regarding the man who was Jimmy's foster parent is accurate, he disappeared shortly after being returned. Even more telling, if true, is that foster parent feeling guilty for not keeping him. From him having been in foster case at one point and mentions of a chaotic childhood, to his teacher's strong statement, he was having a rough time at home.

Meanwhile, unless the hammer and nails were in the front hall and ready, I don't see his sister popping in and out of the house in a minute. Kids can run everywhere so I guess it's possible, but more sinister would be she was gaslighted into believing that later. She may gone in the house, gone to the bathroom, spoken to whomever and then gone out. But I think whatever happened, it started at home. We need to know whether either parent was home during this.

If he left the property, to follow a bird or any reason, and wasn't supposed to a lot of things make sense. He could have been seen in a field, being seen having some interaction with another man in/around that field, not been declared missing until the nighttime, etc. I'd like to know where his sister was, and with who, from the second she went back outside and he wasn't there. Was the wood "scattered," then or not until later...and did SHE note it was scattered any more so than when she went inside.