Found Deceased NC - James Harold Smith, 33, Charlotte, 1 June 1979

[Gardener1850]

Missing Person / NamUs #MP34047
James Harold Smith

Male, Black / African American
Height 6' 2" (74 Inches)
Weight 230 lbs

Hair Color Gray or Partially Gray
Eye Color Brown

Circumstances
Date of Last Contact June 1, 1979
NamUs Case Created June 11, 2016
Last Known Location Map
Location Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Mecklenburg County

Circumstances of Disappearance
In June 1979 James Smith was having a hearing in Mecklenburg County Court the last time his family saw him.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
https://www.namus.gov/api/CaseSets/NamUs/MissingPersons/Cases/34047/Documents/2681

 

[Coffee56]

Posting for location/time frame only. Location is 25+/- minutes away and time frame of missing in June to Oct when the UID was found looks good for the 3 months. Age is off and height is off but we've seen a few lately where stuff has been off by quite a bit.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Male
Race / EthnicityBlack / African American
Possible First Name--
Possible Middle Name--
Possible Last Name--
Possible Nickname--
Estimated Age GroupAdult - Pre 60
Estimated Age Range (Years)50-60
Estimated Year of Death1979
Estimated PMI3 Months
Height5' 10"(70 inches) , Estimated
WeightCannot Estimate
Circumstances
TypeUnidentified Deceased
Date Body FoundOctober 6, 1979
NamUs Case CreatedMay 10, 2008
ME/C QA ReviewedMay 11, 2008
Location Found Map
Street AddressHorseshoe Bend Rd.Mt. Holly, North Carolina
CountyGaston County
GPS Coordinates--
Circumstances of RecoveryFound in a wooded area near Duke Power Riverbend Steam Plant.
Details of Recovery


Inventory of RemainsAll parts recovered
Condition of RemainsNot recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton
Physical Description
Hair Color--
Head Hair Description--
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye Color--
Right Eye Color--
Eye Description--
Distinctive Physical Features
No Known Information

Clothing and Accessories
Item
Description
Clothing
dark socks; black pants; brown belt; jockey underwear; T-shirt with caricature of a bee & "Save a bee … eat your honey."
On the Body

Footwear
white slip-on deck shoes
On the Body

Jewelry
silver chain necklace
On the Body

 

[Nate_Bro]

Bone structure is similar to this John Doe...
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Coffee56]

James Harold Smith – The Charley Project

James Harold Smith

• 

Smith, circa 1979

• Missing Since06/01/1979
• Missing FromCharlotte, North Carolina
• ClassificationMissing
• SexMale
• RaceBlack
• Age33 years old
• Height and Weight6'2, 230 pounds
• Distinguishing CharacteristicsAfrican-American male. Brown hair, gray eyes.

Details of Disappearance
Smith was last seen in the 700 block of east 4th Street in Charlotte, North Carolina sometime during June 1979. His family never heard from him again, but he may have lived at a residence on Honeywood Avenue during the 1980s. Few details are available in his case.
Investigating Agency

• Charlotte Police Department 704-336-8340

Source Information

• Charlotte Police Department

Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated October 25, 2015; casefile added.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Bone structure is similar to this John Doe...
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

I came to recommend this UID also. Did you happen to submit them?
3459UMAL

 

[Grungster]

I'm saddened to say, although it has previously been considered, that James has been identified as the man found dead in Gaston County in 1979.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article256256132.html

 

[YaYa_521]

I'm saddened to say, although it has previously been considered, that James has been identified as the man found dead in Gaston County in 1979.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article256256132.html

TY for the update!

Rest in peace, James.

 

[JnRyan]

The Charley Project has updated the status to "Resolved". Meaning he is no longer missing, but not necessarily solved.
James Harold Smith – The Charley Project

 

[MadMcGoo]

The age and height were off quite a bit. Age mostly. I’m glad they were able to make the identification.

Rest peacefully now James.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

James Harold Smith was found dead in the woods near Mountain Island Lake in 1979. His killer was never found.

A new documentary produced by Gaston County tells Smith's story, and it seeks to chronicle other of Gaston County's 19 unsolved disappearances and killings.

The idea for Gaston Unsolved stems from Communications Director Adam Gaub's time as a television news journalist. While he was working for the station WCTI, Gaub reported on the killing of a Craven County woman that to this day remains unsolved.

"I'm actually still in contact with the stepfather and the mom of the victim in that case," Gaub said. "It's something that kind of stuck with me."

Gaub left journalism and began working as Gaston County's new communications director in February 2020, and in 2021, he approached the Gaston County Police Department about creating a documentary series on cold cases in the county.

This week, they released the first episode on YouTube, which told the story of Smith, a man who was identified by forensic technology more than 40 years after his death.

New documentary series highlights Gaston County cold cases

A new documentary produced by Gaston County will chronicle unsolved disappearances and killings in the county.

www.gastongazette.com