MA MA - Furman Joseph Byrd, 18, Boston, June-July 1968

[ColdCase_061]

Some additional genealogical information:

The elder Walter Byrd appears to have been married (to Stella) and had one daughter (Oneida born in 1930) and a son (Willie Thomas Isaacson born in 1926), according to the 1930 census. Walter and Ouida’s mother Sally could be the same woman and Oneida and Ouida could have been the same person and the names were recorded incorrectly. Oneida Byrd would have been 20 in 1950, the same age as Ouida. The elder Walter died in 1967.

Ouida Byrd was listed in the 1974 Cleveland directory as residing on La Rose Ave. She died in 1990, leaving several children. Furman is not listed as one of these.

Walter Byrd, son of Walter and Sally Powers (originally of SC, and who died in 1943 of pneumonia from exposure) of 97th St died in 1951. His death certificate identifies his occupation as “student” and his cause of death appears to be a medical condition. There is no indication whether or not he is Furman’s father.

 

[sunflowermomma]

I came across Furman's NAMUS today while looking for matches to a recently updated DID.


Missing Since 07/01/1968
Missing From Boston, MA
Sex Male
Race Black
Date of Birth 02/01/1950 (75)
Age 18 years old
Height and Weight 5'10, 170 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics African-American male. Black hair, brown eyes.

Byrd was last seen in Boston, Massachusetts on July 1, 1968. He was possibly an art student in the city at the time. He has never been heard from again.

For unclear reasons, Byrd wasn't reported missing until 2016, nearly fifty years after his disappearance. His case remains unsolved. Cleveland, Ohio police are investigating.

Furman Joseph Byrd – The Charley Project

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

 

[sunflowermomma]

I messed up the title and it's just Massachusetts, not Michigan too!

A few thoughts:

• He looks like a little kid in the only photo on NAMUS/Charley Project so I wonder what he looked like closer to when he went missing especially if he was an art student, he could have had a unique style or look
• This DID piqued my interest but his reconstruction looks much older than Furman would've been.
• His name is quite unique and interestingly I found two people with the same name, but one is listed as 99 years old and one is an older millennial, listed as a Jr. Both are in New York.

 

[sunflowermomma]

Accidentally started my own thread on Furman because I am bad at googling. Glad there's already a thread!

A few thoughts:

• He looks like a little kid in the only photo on NAMUS/Charley Project so I wonder what he looked like closer to when he went missing especially if he was an art student, he could have had a unique style or look
• This DID piqued my interest but his reconstruction looks much older than Furman would've been.
• His name is quite unique and interestingly I found two people with the same exact name, but one is listed as 99 years old and one is an older millennial, listed as a Jr. Both are in New York.

 

[Atombudd]

I wonder if the date of birth is incorrect or if they didn't know the exact dob. Ancestry has Furman Byrd dob 2/23/50

https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/results?firstName=furman&lastName=byrd