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 (MP41280) and 6 other sources
In the autumn of 1979, a young man named Dwaun Thomas Cox, just 23 years old, vanished from Columbus, Ohio. He was last seen on November 21st of that year. Details surrounding the precise circumstances of his disappearance remain scarce, leaving a void of information for those who have sought answers for decades. Dwaun was an African-American male with black hair and brown eyes, standing at 5'8' and weighing around 140 pounds. A distinguishing feature was a scar located under his left eye. The limited information available paints a sparse picture of his last known moments, creating a painful and enduring mystery for his loved ones.

The primary clue in the wake of Dwaun's disappearance was the discovery of his abandoned car in Logan, Ohio, a city southeast of Columbus. This finding, however, did little to illuminate what might have happened to him, instead adding another layer of complexity to the investigation. The case has been classified as an endangered missing person case, a designation that underscores the concern for his welfare from the outset. Over the years, law enforcement agencies, including the Columbus Division of Police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, have been involved in the case. Despite their efforts, the passage of time has not yielded the answers needed to bring closure to this long-unsolved disappearance.

The case of Dwaun Cox is one of many that linger in the public consciousness, a testament to the enduring pain of not knowing. The lack of significant leads has left the investigation largely at a standstill for many years. His case is a somber reminder of the many individuals who have gone missing, their stories left unfinished and their fates unknown. The core of this mystery remains the simple, unanswered question of what happened to a young man who was last seen on a fall day in Ohio, leaving behind only an abandoned car and a lifetime of questions for his family and community.

Last Seen: Nov 21, 1979

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.

78%Possible
John Doe — Michigan
UP8221 • Found Jan 27, 1988
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–25 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 63%161 mi away
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'8"
Weight 100%150 lb vs 140 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
77%Possible
John Doe — Columbus, Ohio
UP17869 • Found Oct 11, 1993
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Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 25–45 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 100%Same area, same county
TimingFound 14 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'8"
Hair 70%Gray vs Black
77%Possible
John Doe — Cleveland, Ohio - unidentified case UP16573
John Doe — Cleveland, Ohio
UP16573 • Found Aug 24, 1986
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–25 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 70%127 mi away, same state
TimingFound 7 years after last seen
Height 84%5'10" vs 5'8"
Weight 87%163 lb vs 140 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
77%Possible
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan - unidentified case UP11882
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan
UP11882 • Found Jul 8, 1990
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 62%164 mi away
TimingFound 11 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'8"
Weight 94%122 lb vs 140 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
76%Possible
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan
UP13155 • Found Sep 28, 1999
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 15–28 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 62%164 mi away
TimingFound 20 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'8"
Weight 100%149 lb vs 140 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
76%Possible
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan
UP13142 • Found May 11, 1999
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 62%164 mi away
TimingFound 19 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'8"
Weight 100%154 lb vs 140 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
76%Possible
John Doe — Clayton, Indiana
UP11898 • Found Dec 7, 1983
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–39 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 57%188 mi away
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'8"
Weight 100%140 lb vs 140 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
75%Possible
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan - unidentified case UP56104
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan
UP56104 • Found Nov 30, 1996
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 16–30 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 62%164 mi away
TimingFound 17 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'8"
Weight 76%171 lb vs 140 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan - unidentified case UP56057
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan
UP56057 • Found Mar 4, 1991
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 16–25 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 62%164 mi away
TimingFound 11 years after last seen
Height 84%5'10"–6'1" vs 5'8"
Weight 99%155–160 lb vs 140 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan - unidentified case UP12232
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan
UP12232 • Found May 8, 2004
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 62%164 mi away
TimingFound 24 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'8"
Weight 100%152 lb vs 140 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown

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.

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