Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP53112) and 2 other sources
In the summer of 2013, a young man named Jose Joan Palafox Corrales, just 21 years old, vanished while reportedly attempting a journey that countless others undertake with hopes for a new beginning. On June 27, 2013, he was last known to be crossing the border from Mexico into Arizona. From that day forward, an unsettling silence fell over his family and friends, as no one has reported hearing from him since. His case, officially documented by the Phoenix Police Department, paints a picture of a young man who seemingly disappeared into the vast and unforgiving landscape of the Sonoran desert. He was described as a Hispanic male, standing at five feet, seven inches tall, and weighing around 150 pounds, with black hair and black eyes.

Details about his disappearance are sparse, leaving those who care about him with more questions than answers. The official circumstances simply state that he was last known to be in the process of crossing the border. At the time he went missing, he was said to have short black hair, a mustache, and chest hair. A notable distinguishing feature was a mole on his left leg, about the size of a 25-cent coin. He was believed to be wearing tennis shoes and, as was his habit, likely had on a baseball hat. These few personal effects are the last known traces of Jose Palafox Corrales, small reminders of the person who was lost on that late June day.

Years have passed since Jose Palafox Corrales was last seen, and his case remains an open and unresolved wound for his loved ones. The formal report of his disappearance was not made until October 27, 2018, more than five years after he was last in contact with anyone. The investigation is handled by the Phoenix Police Department, and though time has marched on, the hope for answers endures. The case of Jose Joan Palafox Corrales is a somber reminder of the perils that can accompany the search for a different life and the profound uncertainty that descends when a loved one vanishes without a trace. His family is left to grapple with the ambiguity of his fate, a story without an ending, centered on a young man who embarked on a journey and was never heard from again.

Last Seen: Jun 27, 2013

Links to Additional Sources (2)

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Possible Unidentified Matches (10)

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.

82%Moderate
John Doe — Near Kupk Village, Arizona - unidentified case UP16418
John Doe — Near Kupk Village, Arizona
UP16418 • Found May 15, 2016
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 16–21 vs 21 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 85%65 mi away, same county
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
81%Moderate
John Doe — Granite Tank, Arizona - unidentified case UP66455
John Doe — Granite Tank, Arizona
UP66455 • Found Sep 27, 2019
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 15–30 vs 21 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 99%13 mi away, same county
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 100%5'2"–5'7" vs 5'7"
80%Moderate
John Doe — Sasabe, Arizona - unidentified case UP13814
John Doe — Sasabe, Arizona
UP13814 • Found Jul 24, 2014
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 15–25 vs 21 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 87%57 mi away, same county
TimingFound 13 months after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"
80%Moderate
John Doe — Robles Junction, Arizona - unidentified case UP12298
John Doe — Robles Junction, Arizona
UP12298 • Found Feb 16, 2014
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 21–30 vs 21
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 99%14 mi away, same county
TimingFound 8 months after last seen
Height 68%5'4" vs 5'7"
79%Possible
John Doe — South Mountain, Arizona - unidentified case UP98380
John Doe — South Mountain, Arizona
UP98380 • Found Nov 5, 2022
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 15–21 vs 21 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 94%32 mi away, same county
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 100%5'1"–5'6" vs 5'7"
79%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP86018
John Doe — Arizona
UP86018 • Found Mar 22, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 26–34 vs 21 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 94%32 mi away, same county
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 100%5'3"–5'7" vs 5'7"
79%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP14834
John Doe — Arizona
UP14834 • Found Mar 1, 2016
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 88%Est. 16–20 vs 21 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 94%32 mi away, same county
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"
79%Possible
John Doe — Arizona
UP15183 • Found Dec 31, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 23–30 vs 21 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 94%32 mi away, same county
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 84%5'9" vs 5'7"
79%Possible
John Doe — Near Mountain Village, Arizona - unidentified case UP15177
John Doe — Near Mountain Village, Arizona
UP15177 • Found Aug 24, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–28 vs 21 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 94%32 mi away, same county
TimingFound 2 years after last seen
Height 84%5'5" vs 5'7"
79%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP14499
John Doe — Arizona
UP14499 • Found Jun 30, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 77%Est. 25–32 vs 21 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 94%32 mi away, same county
TimingFound 2 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
Hair 100%Black vs Black

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.