NY NY - Matthew Stephen Wood, 35, Greenwich (Washington County), 28 May 2008

[iamjk]

this is 100% a guess, but I think he may have been identified as this John Doe. When the John Doe was identified, it was announced that the person had gone missing from the east coast in 2008 and that the missing person WAS in NamUs. However, family of the former John Doe chose not to release his name for privacy reasons.

Regardless of if this man was Matthew or not, I hope the family is able to find peace

Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, Parabon ID Skeletal Remains from 2009 Cold Case

Law enforcement recovered the almost-complete skeleton of a male individual, a large suitcase full of clothing, and a small backpack with toiletries. No identification for the deceased was found within these items.

www.forensicmag.com

Wow. This all adds up with his timelines. Interesting that his dad wouldn’t want the info released, but I respect that it may be too painful at this point and his mother has already passed. RIP.

 

[Pahkthecah]

I am also very interested in any current information. I was friends with Matthew in college. We graduated standing next to each other in 1995. Many awesome memories. The last time we had lunch was probably 1996. I didn't realize he was missing until I read a Times Union Article in 2019. Broke my heart. He was known as "Chatty Matty" in college.

I also went to college with Matty and was his room mate our junior year and would've been standing not too far ahead of the two of you. (Definitely Chatty Matty. My mom often had a hard time calling me as the phone would either be busy or he wouldn't click over for the call waiting.) We would've roomed together again senior year but he was planning on studying abroad in France for senior year. Those plans fell through and he ended up living in the room directly below mine our last year there. I have been searching Facebook unsuccessfully trying to reconnect with him, but when I did a Google search, I saw articles saying that he was missing. I think of him often and wondered if he would ever turn up. Today, thinking of him and then finding and reading this thread made me sad. Matt would talk to anyone. He was very personable and friendly. He could, and often did, lose track of time talking to people or he would just go about taking in the scenery.

I have so many questions. If he had a suitcase full of clothing and toiletries, we didn't he tell his parents that he was going on a trip? Why did he say he was visiting a friend whom he wasn't planning on visiting?

 

[VonGuinness]

this is 100% a guess, but I think he may have been identified as this John Doe. When the John Doe was identified, it was announced that the person had gone missing from the east coast in 2008 and that the missing person WAS in NamUs. However, family of the former John Doe chose not to release his name for privacy reasons.

Regardless of if this man was Matthew or not, I hope the family is able to find peace

Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, Parabon ID Skeletal Remains from 2009 Cold Case

Law enforcement recovered the almost-complete skeleton of a male individual, a large suitcase full of clothing, and a small backpack with toiletries. No identification for the deceased was found within these items.

www.forensicmag.com

Thank you so much for this

I am close with some people who were very close with Matt. They still miss him and are very sad by his disappearance. Hoping that they can somehow find out if indeed this is Matt, perhaps by asking family or friends locally here. Wow. This was a great find Taramarie. I know matt had lots of bright tattoos, of course time changes that if someone has passed. Really hoping to know if this is Matt. Wondering if any of his living relatives are on here? We really want to find Matt.

 

[VonGuinness]

Wow that is weird they took him off recently…my best friend is actually the friend that he told his parents he was going to meet in the note. But he says they never had plans (he has been questioned by the police and fbi a few times).

I know your friend too.

 

[VonGuinness]

Wow. This all adds up with his timelines. Interesting that his dad wouldn’t want the info released, but I respect that it may be too painful at this point and his mother has already passed. RIP.

Wonder if his sibling would be open to a private convo, to ask if it was him. I never mean to pry but I only ask bc I closely know some folks who still have heartache and a little trauma over his disappearance to this day.

 

[asmi106082]

I would think there would be some type of public record somewhere now that serves as a death certificate since he’s been identified. I am currently working on my family tree on Ancestry and it shows me birth and death records of my family members. Some documents require a purchase but either way you can see it/preview it. MOO

 

[VonGuinness]

I would think there would be some type of public record somewhere now that serves as a death certificate since he’s been identified. I am currently working on my family tree on Ancestry and it shows me birth and death records of my family members. Some documents require a purchase but either way you can see it/preview it. MOO

I really wonder if this could be him, wow

 

[VonGuinness]

Namus Link: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Charley Project: Matthew Stephen Wood – The Charley Project

Very little info online about this MP.

35 / 6'1 / 180-200 lbs. / Caucasian / Brown Hair / Hazel Eyes / clean shaven
Has Tattoos on arms of Ireland and Led Zeppelin and Cartoon Characters on Ankle

Left a note saying he was going to WalMart - Car was later found in Wilton, NY WalMart parking lot - He was never heard from again.

Hey there. Wanted to show you this screenshot I just found, and went back and checked that Oregon posting another member added here.

This says noted as deceased in 2009.
Oregon post says the deceased was found near gravel pit with suitcase (which now I have more questions than ever about Matt’s case than answers) in 2009. I’m really thinking this could have been Matt. If so - WHY would he have been with his suitcase and toiletries (this does not say victim of suicide to me), near a gravel pit in OREGON?!

I say this bc there was a child that went missing in Greenwich NY, where Matt’s from, about 25 min from Saratoga Springs, six months prior. The foster father is suspected. He’s also reported to have been a new friend of Matthews. Stephen Burrell Kerr. I can’t shake a small but nagging feeling that SK is a serial murderer and Jaliek (Boyd) Rainwalker could not be his first victim.

 

[NYDan1230]

Hey there. Wanted to show you this screenshot I just found, and went back and checked that Oregon posting another member added here.

This says noted as deceased in 2009.
Oregon post says the deceased was found near gravel pit with suitcase (which now I have more questions than ever about Matt’s case than answers) in 2009. I’m really thinking this could have been Matt. If so - WHY would he have been with his suitcase and toiletries (this does not say victim of suicide to me), near a gravel pit in OREGON?!

I say this bc there was a child that went missing in Greenwich NY, where Matt’s from, about 25 min from Saratoga Springs, six months prior. The foster father is suspected. He’s also reported to have been a new friend of Matthews. Stephen Burrell Kerr. I can’t shake a small but nagging feeling that SK is a serial murderer and Jaliek (Boyd) Rainwalker could not be his first victim.

Hello... yes I am very aware of the Jaliek Rainwalker case. In fact I just posted in the forum here on Websleuths for Jaliek recently. I live very close to where both of these cases originated. So you are saying you think there could be a link between Kerr and both of them?
I agree that the time frames are very similar. You said "He’s also reported to have been a new friend of Matthews. Stephen Burrell Kerr" ...where is this reported? I have never seen mention of this in any news article or forum.

 

[VonGuinness]

Hello... yes I am very aware of the Jaliek Rainwalker case. In fact I just posted in the forum here on Websleuths for Jaliek recently. I live very close to where both of these cases originated. So you are saying you think there could be a link between Kerr and both of them?
I agree that the time frames are very similar. You said "He’s also reported to have been a new friend of Matthews. Stephen Burrell Kerr" ...where is this reported? I have never seen mention of this in any news article or forum.

Hey, can I give you my email? Would love to talk. Sorry for delay. Can answer your questions above. Or can we FB chat? Whatever you want. Thanks.

 

[Curiosum]

Hello... yes I am very aware of the Jaliek Rainwalker case. In fact I just posted in the forum here on Websleuths for Jaliek recently. I live very close to where both of these cases originated. So you are saying you think there could be a link between Kerr and both of them?
I agree that the time frames are very similar. You said "He’s also reported to have been a new friend of Matthews. Stephen Burrell Kerr" ...where is this reported? I have never seen mention of this in any news article or forum.

Other than the Greenwich, NY connection (although I think technically Kerr lived in Cossayuna and the Woods lived in Easton) I didn’t think there was a connection between them. What am I missing?

 

[NYDan1230]

Hey, can I give you my email? Would love to talk. Sorry for delay. Can answer your questions above. Or can we FB chat? Whatever you want. Thanks.

Hit reply by mistake and now I cant delete this..

 

[NYDan1230]

Other than the Greenwich, NY connection (although I think technically Kerr lived in Cossayuna and the Woods lived in Easton) I didn’t think there was a connection between them. What am I missing?

I think your question is for @VonGuinness - I was quoting what they said....

 

[Cupcakeslayer]

Cbs6 recent news article , reporter Jana Decamilla.

I agreed with the consensus here, but apparently he is still considered missing ,no new details, just urging us to reach out to Washington co sheriff if we know anything.

The article attempts to link to NAMUs but the link isn't right.

Not sure what prompted this renewed interest and low key wondering if it's just hasty/careless reporting, what do you guys make of it? I hate to let anyone go forgotten, but also don't want to stir up a closed case if the family requested privacy.

Edit to add: interested in knowing if NAMUs will remove someone declared deceased w/o remains - done perhaps for legal purposes, but the family is still looking for answers.

 

[Curiosum]

I think this stems from a resurgence of interest in the Jaliek Rainwalker case and the suggestion that the two cases are related. If you look upthread you will see where that was suggested several years ago but then no one ever showed any evidence of that connection.

The only connection I can find between the cases appears to be geographic overlap as I believe that both were residents of Washington County, NY at the time of their disappearance. At the time JR disappeared his family was living off grid in Cossayuna, NY (although it is stated that he technically disappeared from a home in the village of Greenwich), and at the time MSW disappeared at least his parents were living in Easton, NY (although his car was found in Wilton, NY a town in adjacent Saratoga County). Cossayuna is a hamlet of the town of Greenwich and Easton is an adjacent quite rural town. All three of these areas feed into the same public school district. MSW graduated from Greenwich High School in 1990 and JR was being homeschooled.

 

[shanneofgreengables]

I was friends with Matt in college and we kept in touch until his disappearance, so I have followed this conversation for years. After hearing about the remains found in OR several years ago, I found Matt's relative and reached to him. He confirmed that the remains were Matt. For some reason I still search his name every year, and was surprised to see the recent posts elsewhere about him being missing.

 

[Curiosum]

Cbs6 recent news article , reporter Jana Decamilla.

I agreed with the consensus here, but apparently he is still considered missing ,no new details, just urging us to reach out to Washington co sheriff if we know anything.

The article attempts to link to NAMUs but the link isn't right.

Not sure what prompted this renewed interest and low key wondering if it's just hasty/careless reporting, what do you guys make of it? I hate to let anyone go forgotten, but also don't want to stir up a closed case if the family requested privacy.

Edit to add: interested in knowing if NAMUs will remove someone declared deceased w/o remains - done perhaps for legal purposes, but the family is still looking for answers.

I was friends with Matt in college and we kept in touch until his disappearance, so I have followed this conversation for years. After hearing about the remains found in OR several years ago, I found Matt's relative and reached to him. He confirmed that the remains were Matt. For some reason I still search his name every year, and was surprised to see the recent posts elsewhere about him being missing.

If he was declared dead years ago why would the news run this story now? I'm super confused but also sorry because this has to just make this all more painful for his family and friends. I have seen some stuff recently trying to tie him to SK (JR's adoptive father) although nothing that is assuredly concrete and credible so I'm not sure.