Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
302 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 (MP37118) and 5 other sources
In the heart of winter, on January 1, 2017, 49-year-old Male Lorenzo Ruiz, also known as Larry, vanished from Cicero, Illinois. At the time of his disappearance, Ruiz was described as being part-time homeless by his own choice, a detail that adds a layer of complexity to his case. His last known whereabouts were in the 60804 area of Cicero, a suburb of Cook County. The Berwyn Police Department is handling the investigation into his disappearance. Ruiz is a Hispanic and White/Caucasian male, standing at 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing around 180 pounds. He has black hair, often styled in a crew cut, and brown eyes. He also had a mustache and a small goatee.

Distinctive features that could help identify Lorenzo Ruiz include a tattoo on his right shoulder of a skull wearing a top hat. When he was last seen, it was reported that he was wearing a black coat, blue jeans, and white jewelry. The circumstances surrounding the exact date he went missing are somewhat vague, which has presented challenges for investigators from the onset of the case. The lack of a clear timeline or specific last known activities has made it difficult to piece together the events leading up to his disappearance. His case was officially created in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System on February 13, 2017, under case number MP37118.

The investigation into what happened to Lorenzo Ruiz remains ongoing. The limited information available about his disappearance has been a significant hurdle for law enforcement. His lifestyle choice of being intermittently homeless further complicates efforts to retrace his steps and identify individuals he may have been in contact with around the time he went missing. The overview of the case highlights the difficulties faced by investigators when crucial details about a person's last known moments are scarce. Despite the passage of time, Lorenzo Ruiz's case remains open, a quiet but persistent question in the community he was last a part of.

Last Seen: Jan 1, 2017

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.

81%Moderate
John Doe — Lemont, Illinois - unidentified case UP54761
John Doe — Lemont, Illinois
UP54761 • Found Dec 18, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 98%17 mi away, same county
TimingFound 24 months after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'9"
Weight 44%118 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 60%Brown vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
80%Moderate
John Doe — Illinois
UP79964 • Found Mar 12, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%8 mi away, same county
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6"–6'0" vs 5'9"
Weight 20%103 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 40%Gray vs Black
80%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP51609
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP51609 • Found Jun 28, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 45–65 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%7 mi away, same county
TimingFound 18 months after last seen
Height 100%5'3"–5'8" vs 5'9"
76%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP97269 • Found Aug 23, 2022
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 49 when missing
Race 60%Hispanic
Location 100%4 mi away, same county
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6"–5'10" vs 5'9"
Weight 62%130 lb vs 180 lb
76%Possible
John Doe — Palos Heights, Illinois
UP89918 • Found Feb 27, 2022
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%13 mi away, same county
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 75%5'6"–6'2" vs 5'9"
76%Possible
John Doe — Harvey, Illinois
UP71363 • Found Jun 13, 2020
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 35–55 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 98%18 mi away, same county
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 75%5'3"–5'10" vs 5'9"
76%Possible
John Doe — Waukegan, Illinois - unidentified case UP163526
John Doe — Waukegan, Illinois
UP163526 • Found Apr 8, 2026
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–65 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 93%36 mi away, same state
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 84%5'7" vs 5'9"
Weight 88%151 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 40%Gray vs Black
Eyes 0%Blue vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP103384 • Found Apr 18, 2023
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 60%Est. 18–100 vs 49 when missing
Location 100%7 mi away, same county
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'9"
Weight 74%139 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 60%Brown vs Black
Physical features: Tattoo: skull
75%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP53660
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP53660 • Found Oct 22, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 30%Est. 28–42 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%7 mi away, same county
TimingFound 22 months after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'9"
Weight 94%203 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 60%Brown vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — Taylor, Michigan
UP17231 • Found Mar 5, 2017
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 38–52 vs 49
Race 100%White
Location 52%232 mi away
TimingFound 2 months after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'9"
Weight 87%210 lb vs 180 lb

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.