The Disappearance and Murder of Jaylen Griffin

Jaylen Griffin vanished on August 4th, 2020. The young boy was only 12 years old at the time of his disappearance. Jaylen's family members last saw him near his home on Warren Avenue in Buffalo, New York. 

The day he vanished; Jaylen took his new puppy for a walk in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood. Shortly after he returned home, he told his mother he was going out again. Jaylen's mother assumed he would return soon, but he never did.

Jaylen reportedly left his home around 11:00 AM, and he did not tell his mother where he was going. He was known to frequent nearby stores in the area so he could help people carry their grocery bags. Jaylen's mother initially thought he was doing that on the day of his disappearance. However, when he did not return home, his family members began to think that something was wrong. 

According to sources close to Jaylen's family, he was not the type to go far from home or to stay out late.  There were reported sightings of him around the Buffalo area in the months following his disappearance, and authorities stated that they believed he may still be in the area. In November 2020, three months after Jaylen vanished, his older brother Jawaan Griffin was shot and killed. Many thought that the news of his brother's passing would encourage Jaylen to return home, but he didn't--nor did he contact his family at all. 

Despite all of this, authorities reportedly still maintained their belief that Jaylen was alive. An article from April 2021 quotes Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo, who stated, "we have no information that leads us to believe he is in immediate danger. I mean the fact of his age and the fact that he is not under his parental supervision is obviously dangerous to begin with, but we do not believe that he was abducted or taken against his will." 

Then, in 2024, that all changed. A maintenance man working at a multi-unit house on 107 Sheffield Avenue found a body in the attic. That body was later identified as Jaylen Griffin. His death was labeled a homicide. 

The house where Jaylen was found is approximately five miles away from his home. Neighbor in that area told reporters that police had responded to that house "several times" over the years. At this time, police have not named any suspects or persons of interest in Jaylen's case.

Jaylen's mother passed in September 2023, before learning of her son's fate. His remaining family members are hoping to find justice. The investigation is ongoing, and there is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for Jaylen's homicide.

If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at (716) 847-2255.

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Sources: [1, 2, 3, 4]

The Disappearance of Cieha Taylor

Source: Finding Cieha on Facebook

Cieha Taylor vanished under suspicious circumstances on February 6th, 2020. The then-28-year-old was reportedly last seen leaving a residence on Cowart Road in Plant City, Florida. Cieha never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Reports state that Cieha drove her boyfriend to the Cowart Road residence on the day of her disappearance. She and her boyfriend then allegedly got into a fight, and she subsequently left the residence around 4:00 PM. According to a report from News Nation, Cieha called a friend crying about the fight. She made plans to go to said friend's house, but never arrived.

A few hours later, Hillsborough County Dispatch received a call about an abandoned car that was blocking traffic on railroad tracks near East Trapnell Road. When police arrived on the scene, they found the vehicle with the engine running and the driver's side door opened. A cell phone was found nearby on the ground and a wallet found was inside the car. The officers pulled the car over to the shoulder, turned it off, and left the cell phone and the keys inside. 

The vehicle - a black two-door Toyota Solara - belonged to Cieha. It had been abandoned an approximate mile away from the Cowart Road residence where Cieha was last seen. The car was left on the shoulder for three days before one of Cieha's friends went to that location and found the car abandoned with Cieha's belongings inside. 

By this point, it was determined that nobody has seen or heard from Cieha since February 6th. This was inevitably worrisome to Cieha's loved ones, and a missing person's report was subsequently filed. It was then that Cieha's family learned that police had actually moved the car to the spot after it was initially found abandoned, while the engine was running, in the middle of the road. Despite those suspicious circumstances, it appears that police did not attempt to identify or contact the owner of the vehicle at the time it was found. 

Investigative efforts by both police and Cieha's loved ones have not turned up any answers. In 2022, police told reporters that they were at a "dead end" with the case. Since then, there have been very few media updates. However, there has been some information provided by various online and local sources that shed more light on the events surrounding Cieha's disappearance. 

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The lead-up to Cieha's disappearance.

Source: newsnationnow.com

The Finding Cieha page on Facebook has been spreading awareness about Cieha's case for years. On February 6th, 2024, the 4-year anniversary of when Cieha was last seen, a post was made describing the events surrounding her disappearance. 

The post identifies Cieha's boyfriend as Jason Roberts, also known as J.D. The Cowart Road residence that Cieha allegedly brought J.D. to on the day of her disappearance belongs to the family of J.D.'s friend, Kevin Ring. Various news reports indicate that J.D. was living at the residence during February of 2020. 

The Facebook post notes that the family was told Cieha left the Cowart Road residence "upset and yelling". Kevin Ring's father told Cieha's family members that he saw her car driving away from the house. However, the Facebook post also states, "No other information has been given to us as to what conspired that day, or if she even was actually at that house. No proof has been given she was there or left. Only the three statements." 

Finding Cieha on Facebook

It's worth noting that news reports have stated that Cieha called a friend about the alleged fight between her and JD. If this phone call did, in fact, take place, then it seems that the fight can be corroborated. Still, the events that followed this argument still seem a bit unclear. 

The Facebook post states that Kevin Ring's father saw Cieha leave the residence at 4:00 PM. Three hours later, the post explains, Cieha's car was found abandoned just a mile away:

Finding Cieha on Facebook

As previously noted, police did not attempt to contact Cieha or anyone else after finding her car abandoned on East Trapnell Road. Reports state that the officers who moved the vehicle simply thought the driver would return. However, it seems quite odd that anyone would voluntarily abandon their car in the middle of the road while it was still running. 

Cieha's car is recognized.

The car remained untouched on the shoulder until February 9th, 2020. That evening, according to the Facebook post, J.D.'s mother Lisa was bringing clothes to J.D. at the Ring's house when she recognized Cieha's car abandoned on the shoulder. Lisa subsequently reached out to Cieha's mother, Canitha Taylor.

Around the same time, J.D. reached out to Cieha's friend, Tiffany Hall. Tiffany went to the car's location herself and called AAA to have the doors unlocked. She then drove the car to Canitha's house in Pasco County. 

Finding Cieha on Facebook

By the time Cieha's car made it to her mother's house, her cell phone was dead. Her friend charged the phone and found messages between Cieha and J.D. that indicated they were in an argument. Cieha's last outgoing message was to J.D., and it read, "you sent your wyt supremacists (sic) friends to deal with me you think you are so smart I'm smart."

Finding Cieha on Facebook

Investigating Cieha's disappearance. 

Cieha's friends met up with authorities the following day to explain all the suspicious circumstances surrounding the discovery of Cieha's vehicle- namely, the fact that Cieha herself was still nowhere the be found. After this, Cieha's missing persons' case was finally opened. 

Flyers about Cieha's disappearance were handed out and posted around the area. Police interviewed several people, including J.D. and Kevin Ring. Still, no suspects or persons of interest have been identified. 

According to Cieha's page on The Charley Project, Cieha's "shoes were found in a drainage pipe near the road where her car had been abandoned" about three weeks after her disappearance. The shoes were found "next to a telephone pole that had a missing persons flier about her hanging on it." 

The Charley Project also states that Cieha's mother "believes the shoes were deliberately placed there some time after she went missing; she stated the area had been previously searched multiple times."

In August 2020, an investigator in Cieha's case went on a podcast and said that Cieha's vehicle had been searched thoroughly. Fingerprints were found, but they all reportedly belonged to "people known to have been in the vehicle."

Where the case stands.

As previously noted, investigators told reporters that they were at a "dead end" in the case during 2022. Since then, very few updates in Cieha's case have been provided. 

There is still a lot of speculation that both J.D. and Kevin Ring are responsible for Cieha's disappearance, but at this time, neither have been charged with anything related to her case. It appears that investigators have not been able to find enough evidence to prove their involvement. It is unknown if any other persons of interest have been looked into by authorities.

Cieha's loved ones are still desperately hoping for answers. A monetary reward is available for anyone with information that could lead to her whereabouts. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office 813-247-8200.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Finding Cieha
News Nation
Uncovered
WFLA

The Disappearance of Matthew Kalange

Source: nbcmontana.com

Matthew Kalange has been missing since August 16th, 2021. 

The then-25-year-old vanished after his car ran out of gas on Highway 200 in Montana. Matthew's car was later found abandoned on the eastbound side of the highway near Ovando. A note found was on the windshield that read, "RAN OUT OF GAS, PLEASE DO NOT TOW! God Bless, Matt."

Source: nbcmontana.com

Matthew has never been seen or heard from again. Various reports state that he may have tried to walk to Ovando, Lincoln or Helmville. Matthew did not have a wallet or cell phone with him at the time of his disappearance. This has inevitably made it even more difficult to track his movement after he ran out of gas. 

Shortly after Matthew's disappearance, it was reported that "law enforcement is investigating several different possible scenarios" about what might have caused his disappearance. Years have passed since this report, and it is unknown if investigators have narrowed down to a prominent theory. 

There has otherwise been very little reporting on Matthew's disappearance. He remains missing today. If you have any information that could lead to Matthew's whereabouts, please contact the Missoula Police Department at 406-552-6300 or the Powell County Sheriff at 406-846-2711.

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Sources:
Blackfoot Valley Dispatch
Charley Project
NamUs
NBC Montana

The Murder of Lisa McCrossan

Source: Delaware State Police

Lisa McCrossan was found deceased in New Castle, Delaware during the early-morning hours of April 26th, 2015. Police responded to call around 5:30 AM that morning about a woman lying on the ground along Route 9 near River Road. The woman, who was later identified as Lisa, was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 36 years old at the time of her death. 

Investigators have not disclosed Lisa's exact cause of death, but they did share that her body had signs of traumatic injury. There are also very few details available about the investigation into Lisa's murder. What is known is that Lisa had been discharged from Christiana Hospital approximately 48 hours before she was found dead. The following afternoon, a pedestrian matching Lisa's description was spotted near the intersection of Pulaski Highway and Appleby in Bear. 

The next documented sighting of Lisa occurred when her body was seen by the 911 caller on the morning she was found deceased. Years have passed, and it appears that investigators have not had a break in the case. In 2023, a public appeal was made for anyone with information about Lisa's murder or her activities in the days leading up to her death to come forward. 

The Delaware State Police are in charge of Lisa's homicide investigation. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact the Homicide Unit at 302-365-8441.

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Sources:
Delaware State Police
First State Update
My ChesCo

The Disappearance of Jessica Delgadillo

 

Jessica Delgadillo vanished on October 19th, 2011. The young girl was only 14 years old at the time of her disappearance. Jessica was last seen leaving her family's home in Amarillo, Texas to walk to Palo Duro High School - but she never arrived. Jessica never returned home either, and she has never been seen or heard from again. 

Jessica's disappearance was initially classified as a runaway case, even though she did not take any money or additional clothing/items with her when she left her home. Prior to vanishing, Jessica did not have a history of running away or leaving home without permission. Police were unable to find any evidence that she planned to leave. It is unclear what, exactly, caused Jessica to be labeled as a runaway - but she was eventually reclassified as an endangered missing person.

About six months after Jessica was reported missing, police appealed to the public for leads in the case. Amarillo police Sgt. Brent Barbee told reporters that they still believed Jessica was missing voluntarily, but they were concerned about the fact that they had no additional information. In many runaway teen cases, the teen either returns after a few days, or the family/friends/police hear rumors about the teen's whereabouts. Sgt. Barbee is quoted in an article saying, "the main difference [in Jessica's case] is she's been gone for six months, and we haven't received any new information on her."

After that, several years passed since that report, and Jessica remained missing. Various other reports stated that Jessica may still be in the local area, or she may have traveled to Lubbock or Port Saint Lucie, Florida. Police reportedly heard that information from Jessica's family - but it is unclear where that information came from, as she does not have any relatives or friends in either area. Jessica does have relatives in Mexico, but it is unknown if there is any evidence that she traveled there. 

In 2023, 13 years after her disappearance, the Amarillo Police Department's missing persons unit got a found call from a woman who identified herself as Jessica Delgadillo. She said she knew she had been reported missing. DNA later confirmed that the woman was, in fact, Jessica Delgadillo. 

Upon Jessica's request, the details of her disappearance and her current location have not been disclosed. 

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Sources:
ABC 7 Amarillo
Amarillo Globe News
Charley Project
News Channel 10
News Nation Now
Uncovered

The Disappearance of David Stern

Source: wjla.com

David Stern has been missing since November 27th, 2018. The then-29-year-old was last seen in Washington, DC. At the time of his disappearance, David worked as an accountant with Center City Public Charter Schools. He had also recently gotten engaged to his live-in girlfriend.

David's fiancé last heard from him shortly before 4:30 PM on the day he vanished. He sent her a text message saying he was leaving work early to go to a doctor's appointment and would be home later. However, David never returned home, and his loved ones have never heard from him again.

The last known sighting of David occurred at a liquor store in the 3400 block of M Street. Surveillance cameras captured him buying a pint of Crown Royal shortly after 6:00 PM on the day of his disappearance. Later that evening, around 9:00 PM, David's cell phone pinged off of a tower in the Georgetown area. 

According to reports, David did not have any known connections to that area and did not go there often. It's unknown why his phone would have pinged off of a tower in that location. This appears to be the last known sign of David; his cell phone, credit cards, and bank accounts have not been used since that evening.

David's disappearance came as a shock to his family and friends. Those closest to him do not believe he was depressed or struggling with anything serious prior to vanishing. There has been very little media coverage on David's disappearance, and years have passed without any updates in his case. 

The Metropolitan Police are in charge of investigating David's disappearance. If you have any information that could lead to his whereabouts, please submit a tip by calling 202-727-9099 or texting 50411.

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Sources:
ABC 7
Charley Project
Metropolitan Police Department
WUSA 9

The Disappearance of Shaun Michael Spaulding

Source: Arlington PD

Shaun Michael Spaulding has been missing since March 17th, 2022. The then-39-year-old man was last seen at the Homewood Suites Hotel on New York Avenue NE in Washington, DC. Shaun never returned to his home in Arlington, Virginia and has never been seen or heard from again. 

Shaun was reported missing to the Arlington County Police. It was initially believed that he was last seen on March 15th, 2022, when he was last seen at home by his roommate. However, it was later determined that the last known sighting of Shaun occurred two days later, at a DC hotel located approximately seven miles away from his residence. 

Police have not disclosed who reported seeing Shaun at the Homewood Suites that day. Shaun's family members shared that he was a regular user of Grindr, and they expressed concerns that his disappearance may be connected to someone he met on the app. Police have declined to comment on any information about their investigation into Shaun's case due to its ongoing status. 

It does not appear that Shaun vanished on his own accord. Reports state that Shaun was diagnosed with health conditions that require daily medication - which was left behind at the time he vanished. Shaun's cell phone and bank account have also been inactive since the day of his disappearance. 

Shaun is described as a white man, 5 foot 7 inches tall, and approximately 145 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Shaun also may go by the names Conrad or Michael. 

There is a monetary reward available for information that leads to Shaun's whereabouts. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please call the Arlington County Police tip line at (703) 228-4180 or the DC Police tip line at (202) 727-9099.

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Sources:
Advocate
Charley Project
NamUs
Washington Blade, (2)