ETAN PATZ

October 9, 1972 – Unknown; legally declared dead 2001

Missing: 5/25/79  Age: 6

 

Six year old Etan Patz of lower Manhattan went missing on May 25, 1979 after attempting to catch his school bus for the first time by himself. Etan never made it to the bus stop. No one knew Etan was missing until around 3:30pm later that day when he did not come home from school when his mother reported him missing. Etan’s case was placed as high-profile as it was Etan’s first time out on his own. A team of 100 police officer, bloodhounds, and volunteer searched for little Etan.

Etan’s body was never found nor was his captor. The family did suspect one man for the kidnapping of Etan after a jailhouse informant claimed a convicted child sex abuser, Jose Antonio Ramos,  admitted to Etan’s murder. Ramos was a former friend of one of Etan’s babysitters. Ramos stated that no one would ever find the body. For that, Etan’s parents retaliated with a civil case against Ramos.

In May of 2004, Ramos was found liable but not guilty for the murder of Etan Patz due to insufficient evidence. The Patzs were, however, rewarded $2 million. The Patzs have yet to receive the reward due to Ramos still serving time in jail. Ramos’s release date is November 11, 2012.