IL IL - John Katsilieris, 17, Oak Park, 15 Aug 1985

[Richard]

John P. Katsilieris, 17, missing 15 August 1985 from Oak Park, IL

John Katsilieris
Missing 15 August 1985
From Oak Park, IL

Vital Statistics

Age: 17
DOB: 4 February 1968
Sex: Male
Hair: Light Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 6 ft 2 in
Weight: 160 lbs

Source
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Hotline: 1-800-843-5678

 

[twofourniner]

Hi everyone-

This is my first post here, and I just wanted to check if anyone has seen these?

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2009/04/investigators-still-trying-to.html

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/mpch/UnidentifiedDetails.asp?id=U8710001

Both pages are about a "John Smith" that was found dead in 1986 at a motel in Dallas, TX. The person that was found matches a lot of John P. Katsilieris' description and I thought the forensic sketch even looked like him.

Here's his missing in California page with pics: http://missingincalifornia.com/johnkatsilieris1985.html

Came across this case the other day on the center for missing and exploited children website, and noticed he(John K.) left his house and took five guitars with him. Sounds like he was going to try to go to California to start up a career in the music business. It has been said on some sites that he was seen in Orange County, CA a day or so after he left Illinois...but by who?

Seems like a lot of details are missing. Has anyone else been following this one, or know anything else?

 

[Cubby]

Welcome to WS twofourniner! :welcome:

I thought I recalled discussing or seeing John discussed here previously. Though, I'm probably recalling another case not far from Oak Park, IL.

In any case, John was brought up for a possible match to this UID back in 2010. I just don't know if he was ever submitted.

Here is the link to the thread discussing John as a possible match to the TX UID.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106156&highlight=Katsilieris

You can inquire on the above thread.....

I am going to see if I can find this UID on NamUs to see if John is listed as a rule out.

 

[Cubby]

Here is John's NamUs page:

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/6255/0/

According to NamUs his dna is on file.

There are two cases out of Dallas on male UID's in 1986. Both have so little information they are listed as little possibility of identification and neither have any rule out's listed. Will have to try and find some other means of looking for more info. I think it looks like a very good possibility. Especially due to the initials on the wallet. A lot of monograms had the first initial being the largest in the middle. I don't know what the initials looked like on this wallet, but it's possible someone gave the wallet as a gift and did the initials the same way some shirts and rings are monogramed.

 

[twofourniner]

Thanks so much! I read through the other thread that you posted the link for as well and there were indeed others who thought the same thing I did about that motel UID being Katsilieris, but there wasn't any clear indication of anyone in there submitting it for comparison to any law enforcement agencies.

I was going to post something in there until I saw your post here just now. I really do think there could be a connection even though the UID was in Texas and not California. He(Katsilieris) could have been trying to get away from a failed music career in California, didn't want to disappoint his family, went as far away from California as whatever money he had could take him, and committed suicide in that motel.

I don't know how John Katsilieris arrived in California, or if he was with anyone else, so I don't know if anyone is aware of who saw him in California as many reports suggest. My question is, if he was seen there(Orange County, CA), does that mean he was seen by someone he knows whom he was to stay with and then disappeared after that? Or does it mean he was seen by someone in an airport terminal, motel, or something like that?

If we knew that it may be a little easier to theorize what could have happened to him.

 

[twofourniner]

Just found out in a round about way that apparently John was ruled out by DNA for that particular unidentified person we are talking about here found in TX.

Here is the link:
http://z10.invisionfree.com/usedtobedoe/index.php?showtopic=52107

Anyone on here from Oak Park that knew John? Perhaps a friend of a friend knew him? I would think someone else is wondering what happened to him..I mean... am and I'm a complete stranger! Just seems like a case worth looking
into. He left for California with some guitars and never came back or made contact with anyone(family/friends) again. Is there more to the story?

For instance-

Did he travel to California by plane, train, bus, car?
Was he with anyone?
Who saw him in Santa Ana and was that a confirmed sighting? Such as, did this person speak with him or something to that effect.
Why did he go to California?
Did he go to California against the wishes of his family/parents?
Was he going on a trip to visit someone and stay in California for awhile or did he travel there to stay more long term and live on his own? Was someone expecting him in California?

These items that could help in a case like this are missing in the details. At least in the info that is available to average folks it is. I'd have to say the answers to some of those questions are known by someone.

 

[madamx]

I JUST came across the John Doe in the Hotel that Hung himself today and said omg he looks like the missing IL guy!!!.. even the initials on the Wallet are close... I really think they should do DNA testing again.. or ask his Family if they remember the wallet.. he had only left not even 1 year. Do they have any postmortem photos or photos of his belongings available. I don't know.. I know that they have been cases that things go wrong or things get mixed up.. but I really believe the Hotel John Doe Smith Is actually John Katsilieris. is there any more information on this? does anyone else believe the hotel John is the same as this John? who submitted the DNA?

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1244umtx.html

 

[BelMarduk]

I JUST came across the John Doe in the Hotel that Hung himself today and said omg he looks like the missing IL guy!!!.. even the initials on the Wallet are close... I really think they should do DNA testing again.. or ask his Family if they remember the wallet.. he had only left not even 1 year. Do they have any postmortem photos or photos of his belongings available. I don't know.. I know that they have been cases that things go wrong or things get mixed up.. but I really believe the Hotel John Doe Smith Is actually John Katsilieris. is there any more information on this? does anyone else believe the hotel John is the same as this John? who submitted the DNA?

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1244umtx.html

I believe Katsilieris has been ruled out in that case.

 

[cowboysalem]

Hi this is my first post and I know this is really reachy but I can't help but suspect that he is the 1986 Ontario John Doe (or alternatively the 1986 San Bernardino John Doe). I live in a town neighboring Ontario and even though the heights and weight don't match up quite perfectly it's worth a suggestion. Mr Katsilieris was going to travel to California with guitars and well this John Doe may have been unidentified because Mr. Katsilieris was originally from Oak Park, Illinois. Mr. OJD was found pretty decomposed and died from a beating. I don't want to make a suggestion yet but I feel its not too bad of a guess. The only real thing holding me back is dental records, the OJD had kind of messed up teeth but there aren't any dental records available for Mr. Katsilieris and the height difference. Thank you for reading.

 

[HayLouise]

Bumping

John Katsilieris

Missing Since - Aug 15, 1985

Missing From - Oak Park, IL
DOB - Feb 4, 1968
Age Now - 50
Sex - Male
Race - White
Hair Color - Lt. Brown
Eye Color - Blue
Height - 6'2"
Weight - 160 lbs

Age Progressed

John's photo is shown age-progressed to 41 years. He was last seen at his home in Oak Park, Illinois on August 15, 1985. He left home with his five guitars and is believed to have traveled to California, however, he has not been heard from since he left home.

Have you seen this child? JOHN KATSILIERIS

bbm

NamUs #MP6255

Clothing - Blue jeans

Footwear - Tennis shoes

Missing Person Case

 

[sammyed]

Bumping for John, missing 35 years last seen at Oak Park IL home. So much missing information, how he got to CA, where he stayed, who saw him, any family or friends. No UIDs have apparently been him. No search efforts or publicity back then?

 

[sammyed]

I have made contact with John's brother Nick via Facebook where he has his email listed. I've asked him to join this thread if he is comfortable doing so.

 

[sammyed]

A year has passed and I've seen no further activity in John being found or new information but I'm disappointed to realize 1) NAMUS has him missing from Oak Park IL and 2) all missing posters and information has Santa Ana CA police as law enforcement jurisdiction. So I think "what gives" with this guy's scenario of reportedly having left (we don't know how he left his home-what mode of transportation) his family home, who he lived with, who reported him missing, who last saw him and how Santa Ana CA became the jurisdiction. Is it assumed he was there in CA, or was he actually witnessed to be there? Did John call home and say that's where he was? I'm thinking this is a very cold case and John could very well be alive, well and anywhere. However, there is said to be DNA provided according to NAMUS-so family did provide that at LE request (I'm glad to see.)

I'm disappointed his brother NK didn't choose to join us here but wish him and John peace as this is 36th year of John's disappearance tomorrow and he would be 53 years old.

 

[Nate_Bro]

Is there any indication that any of the guitars were in a case? If he was travelling as a musician of sorts, he could have ended up anywhere, at any time... including Canada. This unidentified case in Canada has some similarities, wonder if it is worth looking into further? The guy also wore a band shirt, and the tour was in Michigan in 84, only a couple hundred miles from Johns hometown...

"On February 7th, 1994, the remains of an adult male (25-50 years old), 5'10-6'0 tall, with a thin build, were located by land surveying students in a wooded area near the village of Anmore. The investigation determined the cause of death to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A black guitar case was found near the remains. He went missing sometime after May 1992."
Canada's Missing | Case details

 

[spartanx]

The life of musicians is like that... from city to city going through hardships but doing what they like... his art of singing... maybe they made him some musical offer he let himself be carried away by adventure and recognition... maybe it was robbed and killed...
rest in peace

 

[Quiteage]

Missing 38 years today. Reminds me of James Egan. They were both from other states and then were in California so the location they disappeared from is ambiguous.

 

[beavt]

Any thoughts on UP14307 being John? Oak Park is less than 10 miles to Chicago and UP was found deceased on 8/15/1985 (struck by train) the very same day that John was last seen. I’m not going to get caught up in the minutiae, but I think it prudent at the very least that he be ruled out due to timing and proximity alone. Third pic is sketch of UP;

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Any thoughts on UP14307 being John?

It's a possible match. I would be surprised if it's never been submitted. Do they have the same verifier available to compare, though?

 

[beavt]

It's a possible match. I would be surprised if it's never been submitted. Do they have the same verifier available to compare, though?

I do not know, as NAMUS didn’t list what identifiers/verifiers are on file for either. However, the UP has no rule outs listed, and MP has 14 rule outs noted. So I’m thinking they have DNA for MP

 

[meanmaryjean]

Stands out to me how hard it would be to drag around five guitars. Maybe his first stop was to pawn some of them for traveling money?