Missing
Ralph Jean-Marie
Jean-Marie, approximately 2020; Tattoos on Jean-Marie's arm
Date and time person was reported missing : 04/13/2020
Missing location (approx) :
Barre, Vermont
Missing classification : Endangered Missing
Gender : Male
Ethnicity :
Black
Age at the time of disappearance: 38 years old
Height / Weight : 5'10, 140 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A gray Carhartt jacket, gray pajama pants, a black and gray hat with "KING" in white letters on the bottom of the bill, and black Adidas sneakers. A photo of Jean-Marie wearing his "KING" hat is posted with this case summary.
Medical conditions : Jean-Marie suffers from sickle-cell anemia and needs medication which he doesn't have with him.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: African-American male. Black hair, brown eyes. Jean-Marie's nickname is Rizz. He wears eyeglasses, but these were left behind. He would be legally blind without his glasses. He has tattoos on his arm, including one of a cross on his shoulder; photos of his tattoos are posted with this case summary.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Jean-Marie was last seen at the Hollow Inn & Motel on south Main Street in Barre, Vermont at 1:00 a.m. on April 13, 2020. He had a argument with his girlfriend of three years and left his hotel room without taking anything with him, and has never been heard from again. He left behind his medications, wallet, identification, eyeglasses and other belongings.
Authorities stated Jean-Marie is missing under suspicious circumstances, as it's uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning or to be out of touch with his loved ones. He has relatives in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island, but they haven't heard from him since he went missing.
His relationship with his girlfriend was troubled and there was a history of domestic violence; in 2014, she was convicted of assaulting him. Jean-Marie told relatives that his girlfriend used drugs and had relationships with other men. She was arrested on unrelated charges a few months after his disappearance, but hasn't been charged or named as a suspect in his disappearance.
Lee Morrigan was cited for contempt of court in connection with Jean-Marie's case in 2021. He claims to be an activist who is fighting for justice for Jean-Marie. At a police press conference, he asked about the existence of a certain video that could shed light on the case. Prosecutors asked him to give up the source of the video, but Morrigan will not disclose his source because, he says, he believes the source would face repercussions from the police. He states he has never seen the footAge at the time of disappearance: himself and his sources don't have it, only the police do. He said he would.
The contempt charge is pending. It has nothing to do with Jean-Marie's actual disappearance, only with Morrigan's refusal to disclose the source of his information.
Foul play is suspected in Jean-Marie's case, which remains unsolved.
Other information and links : ncy
Barre Police Department
802-476-6613
September 2021 updates and sources
Barre Police Department
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
