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

Michael E. Azzaro

Michael, date, approximate 1993
Date Missing 02/13/1993
Missing From
Northridge, California
Missing Classification Endangered Missing
Sex Male
Race
White
Date of Birth 05/23/1976 (46)
Age 16 years old
Height and Weight 5'6, 175 pounds
Medical Conditions Michael was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor at age three and was given only two to five years to live. He survived, but was left with physical problems; the tumor affected his eyesight and made schoolwork slow and difficult for him.
Associated Vehicle(s) Red 1992 Isuzu Rodeo with California license plates (accounted for)
Markings and/or Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Michael may wear eyeglasses. He has a surgical scar on his scalp, running from ear to ear.
Details of Disappearance Michael was last seen in Northridge, California at noon on February 13, 1993, just before he drove to south Los Angeles, California with an older acquaintance, Evans York, also known as Hilberto Casildo. Michael was going to buy a .45 pistol. He and York planned to travel to Los Angeles, to "get money" in order to buy three pounds of marijuana for resale.
Michael has never been heard from again. He left behind all his belongings, including his video games and his favorite coat. His parents repeatedly tried to contact him on his car phone and his pager but got no response, which is uncharacteristic of him; due to his state of health, he usually kept in close touch with his family. His parents were on an overseas vacation at the time of his disappearance and his grandmother was staying at the house looking after him.
Two days after his disappearance, Michael's red 1992 Isuzu Rodeo with California license plates was found abandoned on Imperial Highway in the area of Lennox, California. York went to the authorities that same day, saying he and Michael had been kidnapped and held in Van Nuys, California, and he escaped but Michael did not. Several months later, an envelope addressed to Michael was mailed to his home. It contained his driver's license, but no note and no return address.
York was arrested on an unrelated weapons charge shortly after Michael's disappearance. In early March, while he was still in custody, he was charged with Michael's murder. Authorities believe he shot Michael to death in order to steal his car.
York's defense suggested Michael was still alive and had simply run away from home and disappeared. He was acquitted of the murder charge in September 1994. The jury stated afterwards they believed York could have killed Michael but they didn't think there was sufficient evidence to prove it.
Michael was a tenth-grade student at Granada Hills High School at the time of his disappearance. His body has never been located, but foul play is suspected in his due to the circumstances involved.
Investigating Agency
Los Angeles Police Department
818-832-0633
Other
The Los Angeles Times
NamUs
The Los Angeles Daily News
The San Bernardino County Sun
California Attorney General's Office

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