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Octavia Goolsby Missing Person Case

Last seen in Greensboro, North Carolina on Jul 16, 1986

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Victim Details

Created

Jun 8, 2016

Case Added

Dec 28, 2020

First Name

Octavia

Last Name

Goolsby

Current Age

Age At Disappearance

Height

62 inches

Weight

140 lbs

Ethnicity

Black / African American

Gender

Female

Last Seen

Jul 16, 1986

City

Greensboro

State

North Carolina

County

Guilford County

Zip Code

27407

Agency ID

18416

Agency Name

Greensboro Police Department

Agency City

Greensboro

Agency State

North Carolina

Agency County

Guilford County

Agency Zip Code

27405

Agency Contact

Caroline Holliday

Contact Job Title

Detective/POIII

Agency Address

1106 Maple Street, North Carolina

Agency Phone

3363732222

Agency Jurisdiction

Local

Agency Type

Law Enforcement

Agency Website

https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/police

Agency Case #

2016-0428101

Agency Report Date

Jul 16, 1986

Primary Agency

Greensboro Police Department

Hair Color

Black

Left Eye Color

Brown

Right Eye Color

Brown

Last Updated

Oct 9, 2026

Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!

Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP34000) and 4 other sources

In the summer of 1986, a young mother named Octavia Ann Goolsby, just 24 years old, vanished from her life in Greensboro, North Carolina. She was last seen on July 16, leaving for work from her home on West Florida Street. Octavia, who sometimes went by her middle name, Ann, was a mother to several young children, and her sudden disappearance left a void in their lives that has yet to be filled. At the time she went missing, she was known to frequent the areas of Julian and Best streets.

The days turned into weeks, and then years, with no word from Octavia. The Greensboro Police Department was notified of her disappearance, but the details surrounding what happened to her remain scarce. Octavia is described as a Black female with black hair and brown eyes. She had a scar on her forehead and tattoos of the name 'Eddie' and the initials 'ELR' on one of her arms. Standing at five feet two inches and weighing around 140 pounds, her physical description is a haunting reminder of the person who seemingly vanished without a trace.

Decades have passed since Octavia Goolsby was last seen, and her case has grown cold. Despite the passage of time, her case remains open, a lingering question in the files of the Greensboro Police Department. The lack of information and the passage of so many years have made the investigation incredibly challenging. For the family she left behind, particularly her children who grew up without their mother, the absence of answers is a source of ongoing pain and uncertainty. The overview of this case is one of sudden and unexplained loss, a young woman who was a mother and a member of the community, disappearing from her life, leaving a family to wonder what happened on that July day in 1986.
Last Seen: Jul 16, 1986

Links to Additional Sources (4)

See any mistakes? Let us know!

Octavia Ann Goolsby - The Charley Project

Missing Person / NamUs #MP34000

Private Investigations for the Missing's post - Facebook

NC - Octavia Ann Goolsby, 24, Greensboro, 16 July 1986 | Websleuths

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.

78%Possible

Jane Doe — Sutherlin, Virginia

UP6247 • Found Jul 1, 1998

View case

Sex ✓Female

Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 24 when missing

Race 100%Black

Location 87%56 mi away

TimingFound 12 years after last seen

Height 100%5'1"–5'5" vs 5'2"

Hair 100%Black vs Black

75%Possible

Jane Doe — Louisa County, Virginia

UP10812 • Found May 28, 1989

View case

Sex ✓Female

Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 24 when missing

Race 100%Black

Location 61%172 mi away

TimingFound 3 years after last seen

Height 84%5'4" vs 5'2"

Weight 77%110 lb vs 140 lb

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.

Octavia Goolsby Missing Person Case

Last seen in Greensboro, North Carolina on Jul 16, 1986

Victim Details

Case Description

Links to Additional Sources (4)

Possible Unidentified Matches (2)

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