Missing Person Photos

A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are unknown. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2 to 5 percent of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. A number of organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and images of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.

Resources for Missing Persons

According to current statistics, 4,000 people in the United States go missing every day. Sometimes a child suddenly vanishes from the bus stop or the local park or even from their own yard or bedroom. Or a teenager doesn�t return home after a walk to the neighborhood grocery store or a bike ride or a party with friends. Other times, an adult is mysteriously absent from their job or neighbors haven�t seen them for several days, and family and friends haven�t heard from them either.

Missing Person Case Updates with Photos

Israel Ray Smith
missing 2023 updates

Smith, date, approximate 2008
Date Missing 03/10/2008
Missing From
Wytheville, Virginia
Missing Classification Endangered Missing
Sex Male
Race
White
Date of Birth 01/18/1980 (42)
Age 28 years old
Height and Weight 5'10, 160 pounds
Clothing/Jewelry Description A black leather jacket, a white dress shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers.
Associated Vehicle(s) Green 1992 Ford Explorer with the Virginia license plate number KHA2683 (accounted for)
Markings and/or Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair. Some agencies spell Smith's first name "Isreal." His nickname is Is.
Details of Disappearance Smith was last seen on March 10, 2008 in his hometown of Wytheville, Virginia. He completed his work shift at Radio Shack at 8:00 p.m., then went to visit his brother. He also spoke to his mother on the phone that day.
According to his supervisor, he was behaving normally at work and when he left, he said, "I'll see you tomorrow." He didn't show up for his shift the next day or call in. He has never been heard from again.
Smith spoke to his mother on the phone at least a couple of times a week. She visited his apartment on March 11 and 12, but although his car was parked outside, he didn't answer the door either time. She left notes on the door asking him to call her.
March 13 was his brother's birthday, and Smith's family became concerned when he didn't contact them. His mother, his brother and his brother's girlfriend went to his apartment in the late evening and he still didn't answer the door. His mother spoke to a neighbor, who said they hadn't seen him.
A day later, Smith's mother went to his apartment again and noticed his vehicle, a green 1992 Ford Explorer with the Virginia license plate number KHA2683, had not been moved from its spot next to the building. She tried the SUV's doors and they were unlocked. Inside the car was a basket of clean laundry. She tried his apartment door and it was also unlocked, but her son wasn't home.
Smith's mother called the police, who told her they'd been to his apartment earlier that day on a welfare check, at the request of his employer. The police had found the apartment door slightly ajar, and noticed his car's doors were unlocked with the keys inside.
Inside the apartment, the lights and television were turned on, the game controller was plugged in and lying on the floor, and Smith's keys were on the coffee table. There were no signs of a struggle or forced entry. None of his belongings were missing and there were no indications that he'd planned to leave for an extended time period.
Smith had worked at Radio Shack since September 2007 and was considered an ideal employee who never missed work or was late without calling. It's also uncharacteristic of him to leave his doors unlocked or to leave his video game controller lying out; he kept his belongings well-organized with everything in its particular place.
He left behind a seven-year-old son. Smith and his son's mother never married and had ended their relationship years before. The child lived with her, but Smith was close to him and visited him most weekends. His cellular phone hasn't been used since his disappearance and all calls are transferred to voice mail, and he hasn't used his bank account or logged into his MySpace account.
Authorities interviewed a woman he'd recently dated; Smith had been thinking of ending his relationship with her. The woman has been cleared as a suspect in her .
Police stated there's no hard evidence of foul play in Smith's disappearance, but they don't believe he left of his own accord. His mother said he would never have left without warning or abandoned his son, and she fears he came to harm. His remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
Wytheville Police Department
276-223-3300
Other
The Wytheville Enterprise
The Southwest Times
Virginia State Police
WSLS 10
NamUs
WDBJ 7
Southwest Virginia Today