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William Inklebarger missing person case profile photo

William Inklebarger Missing Person Case

Last seen in Knoxville, Tennessee on Dec 27, 2017

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Victim Details

Mar 9, 2018

Mar 22, 2024

William

Inklebarger

48

40

69 inches

72 inches

160 lbs

165 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

Dec 27, 2017

Knoxville

Tennessee

Knox County

37917

No

49134

Knoxville Police Department

Knoxville

Tennessee

Knox County

37915

Shelley Clemons

Investigator

800 Howard Baker Junior Avenue, Tennessee

8652157000

Local

Law Enforcement

http://knoxvilletn.gov/government/city_departments_offices/police_department/

18-001515

Knoxville Police Department

10056

Black

Hazel

Hazel

Oct 13, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP42550) and 7 other sources
In the winter of 2017, the family of William Dale Inklebarger was left with lingering questions when the 40-year-old man disappeared from Knoxville, Tennessee. He was last seen by his father on December 27th of that year. In an act of support, William's father had paid for him to stay for a full month at the Inn of Knoxville and also ensured his cell phone had service for the same duration. The expectation was that this would provide William with stability and a means to stay connected. However, after this last meeting, an unsettling silence began.

As days turned into more than a week, a deep worry grew within William's father. Despite his efforts to reach out, all calls and messages to William's phone went unanswered. This lack of communication was highly unusual, as his father reported that William had always made it a point to keep in touch and would never have gone for such an extended period without contact. Prompted by this concern, his father visited the motel room on three separate occasions between January 5th and January 13th, 2018. Each time, he found the room in the exact same condition it had been in on December 27th, seemingly untouched and unused, deepening the mystery of his son's whereabouts.

William, who also went by the nickname Will, is a Caucasian man with hazel eyes and black hair that he often kept cut very low or bald. He typically had a mustache and a goatee. He is between 5 feet 9 inches and 6 feet tall, and at the time he went missing, he weighed approximately 160 to 165 pounds. He has several distinct tattoos that could help identify him, including an eagle with a man's face and a skull on his right bicep, a sunburst on his left bicep, and a cross on his left forearm, as well as a scar on his right hand. The Knoxville Police Department opened an investigation into his disappearance, and family members provided DNA samples in the hopes of finding a match. The overview of the case is centered on a man who vanished without a trace after his father's attempt to provide him with a safe place to stay, leaving behind only an empty room and a family waiting for answers.
Last Seen: Dec 27, 2017

Links to Additional Sources (7)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • FBI now offering reward in hopes of finding trio who disappeared in ...">FBI now offering reward in hopes of finding trio who disappeared in ...
  • FBI offering $10,000 reward for three missing people - WVLT
  • FBI offering reward for help in finding 3 people missing from ... - WVLT
  • TN man a person of interest in disappearance of 3 | wbir.com
  • 'We're trying to locate them' | FBI offering $10,000 reward for three ...
  • William Dale Inklebarger - The Charley Project
  • 12/27/17. Where are Brenda Carroll, William Inklebarger, and Bonnie Lou ...

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (2)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    79%Possible
    John Doe — Knoxville, Tennessee - unidentified case UP107847
    John Doe — Knoxville, Tennessee
    UP107847 • Found Aug 5, 2023
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 35–45 vs 40 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 100%11 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 6 years after last seen
    Height 84%5'7" vs 5'9"–6'0"
    79%Possible
    John Doe — Harriman, Tennessee
    UP139160 • Found Jan 24, 2025
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 40 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 93%36 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 7 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7"–6'0" vs 5'9"–6'0"

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

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    Forum Posts (1)

    Has anyone else noticed how William Inklebarger's case seems to have just faded away from the public... ...Read More
    01/10/2023

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