PA PA - Philadelphia, Blk/HispMale 12-17, UP16617, on RR tracks, scars, poss virgo tatt, Jul'96

[JSolt1210]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)​

​

Christian Eugene Thomas
Male, Black / African American
Date of Last Contact. August 10, 1996
Missing From. Brooklyn, New York
Missing Age. 23 Years

6' 0" - 6' 2" (72 - 74 Inches)
Weight. 170 - 185 lbs
Black hair
Brown eyes
scar on face near jawline


Circumstances of Disappearance
Disappeared in 1996

I'm thinking Christian could be a match to UP16617.

Thoughts?

​

If the date of last contact is correct (10th of August 1996) then he cannot be the UID.

However, dates have been incorrect before, though some of those dates were only a rough estimate eg 1st of January 2000, when the specific date is unknown.

10th of August sounds fairly specific to be incorrect, but then the circumstances just state 'disappeared in 1996.'

It would be good to investigate whether the "10th of August" or just "disappeared in 1996" is more correct.

MOO...

I couldn't find a thread for Christian Eugene Thomas on WS so I started a thread for him.

 

[Xyklone]

Just happened to stumble upon this poor fella's NamUs page today so I did my own rendering

 

[Melt71]

I work in the Horn of Africa and the PM photos immediately strike me as someone of Eritrean or Ethiopian origin though I can’t pin down why. I’m guessing dental must have dated him so young since he looks visibly older.

The green teardrop on the thigh is strange as we know this particular tatt under the eye has significance but the leg?

Do we know if isotopes have been run?

 

[cvaldez1975]

I work in the Horn of Africa and the PM photos immediately strike me as someone of Eritrean or Ethiopian origin though I can’t pin down why. I’m guessing dental must have dated him so young since he looks visibly older.

The green teardrop on the thigh is strange as we know this particular tatt under the eye has significance but the leg?

Do we know if isotopes have been run?

i can see him being Eritrean for sure. but he does look very young to me.

 

[Filly]

JMO the MX tattoo could mean the deceased is Mexican.

The teardrop depending on many things obviously like placement etc. means different signifigance. If it's just an outline or colored in. Just from what people say their own signifies if not colored in and not under the poor deceased ones face it could mean reenge being sought for a mate that was murdered.

FWIW and just going from living here we hadn't had a huge Mexican population until several years ago. South Philly seemed to have a larger Mexican population. It's all changed.

Down in Kensington it was largely Puerto Rican run, and basically everybody related or knows eachother. Dominican. Even Columbian. Have to wonder if the poor soul angered somebody?

 

[Melt71]

@MadMcGoo any rule outs for this boy who never had a chance to grow to be a man?

 

[MadMcGoo]

@MadMcGoo any rule outs for this boy who never had a chance to grow to be a man?

Oh! I do vividly remember this young man! And for some reason I though he had been identified as Desmond Dix! (That was when I relied a lot on Facebook for updates) I see now that is not the case, but I’m glad you tagged me here. I’ve thought for awhile he’d been IDed.

Only one missing person exclusion listed on his NamUs profile though...
MP17626 Desmond Dix 01/30/1996 Fulton GA

 

[Suglo]

Bump! And linking this closed thread from earlier this morning. @themissingandthelost

PA - Independence Doe, July 4th, 1996 District 16 Philadelphia, PA

 

[themissingandthelost]

There's no mention on a scar on our Independence Doe's face, but he does reportedly have scars on his arms. I'm still chasing the ME for the photos or drawings of the scars.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)​

​

Christian Eugene Thomas
Male, Black / African American
Date of Last Contact. August 10, 1996
Missing From. Brooklyn, New York
Missing Age. 23 Years

6' 0" - 6' 2" (72 - 74 Inches)
Weight. 170 - 185 lbs
Black hair
Brown eyes
scar on face near jawline


Circumstances of Disappearance
Disappeared in 1996

I'm thinking Christian could be a match to UP16617.

Thoughts?

​

 

[themissingandthelost]

Bump! And linking this closed thread from earlier this morning. @themissingandthelost

PA - Independence Doe, July 4th, 1996 District 16 Philadelphia, PA

Thank you!! It's really sad they won't allow my site articles, it's not a blog, it's a website like any other depicting missing people, I just put more detail into it.

 

[Goecke]

The scars on his wrist immediately make me think of self harm. I can't say for sure without seeing a picture, but just from the description...

 

[YaYa_521]

I couldn't find a thread for Christian Eugene Thomas on WS so I started a thread for him.

Thank you!

 

[KaylaraOwl]

There's no mention on a scar on our Independence Doe's face, but he does reportedly have scars on his arms. I'm still chasing the ME for the photos or drawings of the scars.

Did you send him in?

 

[themissingandthelost]

Did you send him in?

To NAMUS?
No, someone posted the coverage I did on his case above. I know about it because I've covered the case.

 

[KaylaraOwl]

Ah, ok!

 

[themissingandthelost]

Ah, ok!

I'd link it, but I'd get in trouble because it's my own post, lol. It's not that far above, but I am in touch with the ME who is gonna answer a few question for me on the state of the body, so I will post updates here once I get them (if I'm allowed to do so)

 

[KaylaraOwl]

Thank you! That's so awesome!

 

[themissingandthelost]

Just as a quick update, Philadelphia PD aren't willing to give any information on the case at all, which includes telling us what the cause of death was. Frustrating, I asked if they could even give an idea of the shape of the tattoo's or just actually release the pictures. I understand the need for privacy in a police investigation and I try to refrain from being critical about LE but I don't understand why they won't release images of the tattoo's if it'll help identify who he is. I appreciate they may not be intact, but at least mention that? Sorry for the rant, feeling very frustrated after that update.

I'm still working on the ME.

 

[themissingandthelost]

Bumping this up, let's not forget about this kid.

Further information and investigation have led someone on Reddit to contact me and tell me that the zip code on NamUs is wrong (surprise, surprise...) the person on Reddit told me that the location was as follows:

Anon: B and Gurney are way up in Kensington, a different part of the city. North Philadelphia. it is a very rough part of town. B Street is basically a bridge over an old rail right of way.
I'm guessing he was down in the tracks. it just occurred to me that these are probably the same tracks seen in the first Rocky movie during the training montage. they aren't flush with street level.

Me: Would they have been well walked back then from your recollection?

Anon: Yes, the abandoned rail lines get used as shortcuts and since they're not always at street level, there's criminal activity. I'm not sure if the line was active in 1996 but trainspotter sites might have knowledge of that.

 

[themissingandthelost]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Jamie Willer has finally updated NAMUS for our Independence Doe, I am beyond delighted he's done this. I've been speaking to him on and off for months about having the tattoo's uploaded onto NAMUS to help us identify him. The tattoo has been confirmed as a Virgo sign, so that narrows down his birthday slightly. With tomorrow being 4th July, Independence Day I plan to reshare the post I did everywhere with the hopes it'll spark some more information.

I am still trying to track down tattoo parlours in Philly that may have done tattoo's on this kid, but with Covid-19 it's proven very difficult.

Please go have a look on NAMUS using the above link and share where you can. Jamie has also updated the location where Independence Doe was found, I think given where he was found there's a possibility that the other tattoos can't be posted because of injuries he may have sustained.

There is still no information on how he died, and I am still pushing Jamie and Seth to post images of the clothing he was found in, the belt seems a bit unique so it would be good to get a picture of that.

Does anyone else find it a bit odd there was no wallet found? Or, cash?