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Xuan Cao Missing Person Case

Last seen in North Bergen, New Jersey on Sep 8, 1999

Victim Details

Dec 17, 2015

Aug 12, 2020

Xuan

Cao

80

53

67 inches

170 lbs

Asian

Male

Sep 8, 1999

North Bergen

New Jersey

Hudson County

07047

17702

North Bergen Police Department

North Bergen

New Jersey

Hudson County

07047

Peter Insetta

Sergeant

4233 Kennedy Blvd, New Jersey

2013922100

Local

Law Enforcement

http://www.northbergenpolice.com/

99053017/15102181

Sep 9, 1999

North Bergen Police Department

Black

Black

Black

Oct 5, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP31587) and 6 other sources
In the late summer of 1999, a 53-year-old man named Xuan Cao vanished from North Bergen, New Jersey, leaving behind a perplexing mystery. Mr. Cao was visiting the United States as part of a tour group from China. After the group arrived and settled into their hotel in North Bergen, he informed others that he was stepping out to make a phone call. This was the last time he was seen. He left all his personal belongings, including his passport and luggage, in his hotel room, indicating he may have intended to return shortly. The exact date of his disappearance is a point of some ambiguity in online records, though it is frequently cited as September 8, 1999.

At the time of his disappearance, Xuan Cao was described as an Asian male, standing at approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing around 170 pounds. He had black hair and black eyes. The clothing he was last seen wearing consisted of a long-sleeved white striped shirt and blue pants. He also wore glasses. The North Bergen Police Department opened an investigation into his disappearance, but the case yielded few leads, and Mr. Cao's whereabouts remained unknown.

The case of Xuan Cao is a haunting one, marked by the sudden and unexplained nature of his disappearance. He was in a foreign country, seemingly with no connections outside of his tour group. The fact that he left his passport and all of his luggage behind suggests he did not plan to be gone for long. Over the years, his case has been documented by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System but no significant breakthroughs have been publicly reported. The circumstances surrounding his decision to leave the hotel to make a phone call and what happened to him afterward remain the central, unanswered questions in this long-unsolved missing person case.
Last Seen: Sep 8, 1999

Links to Additional Sources (6)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Missing Person / NamUs #MP31587 | NamUs
  • 6183DMNJ - Xuan Cao - Doe Network
  • Current Environment: Alcohol, Driving, and Drinking and Driving
  • Chinese Tourist Xuan Cao disappears in 1999; Did I find a ... - Reddit
  • NJ- Xuan Cao, 53, tourist from China, North Bergen, 8 Sep 1999
  • Biography - Xuan Cao

    • 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.

    83%Moderate
    John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP5065
    John Doe — New York, New York
    UP5065 • Found Jan 26, 2009
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 40–55 vs 53 when missing
    Race 100%Asian
    Location 100%6 mi away
    TimingFound 9 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
    Weight 61%122 lb vs 170 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
    82%Moderate
    John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP10111
    John Doe — New York, New York
    UP10111 • Found Jan 12, 2012
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 45–65 vs 53 when missing
    Race 100%Asian
    Location 100%6 mi away
    TimingFound 12 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 100%156 lb vs 170 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
    80%Moderate
    John Doe — Queens, New York - unidentified case UP121064
    John Doe — Queens, New York
    UP121064 • Found Apr 12, 2024
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 53 when missing
    Race 100%Asian
    Location 100%6 mi away
    TimingFound 25 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 100%153 lb vs 170 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
    79%Possible
    John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP103845
    John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
    UP103845 • Found May 10, 2023
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 55–80 vs 53 when missing
    Race 100%Asian
    Location 99%12 mi away
    TimingFound 24 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 86%199 lb vs 170 lb
    Hair 70%Gray vs Black
    Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
    79%Possible
    John Doe — Queens, New York - unidentified case UP6578
    John Doe — Queens, New York
    UP6578 • Found Sep 10, 2009
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 53 when missing
    Race 100%Asian
    Location 99%13 mi away
    TimingFound 10 years after last seen
    Height 84%5'5" vs 5'7"
    Weight 79%135 lb vs 170 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
    78%Possible
    John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP5654
    John Doe — New York, New York
    UP5654 • Found Apr 12, 2004
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 50–60 vs 53 when missing
    Location 100%6 mi away
    TimingFound 5 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
    78%Possible
    John Doe — Atlantic City, New Jersey
    UP1688 • Found Jun 8, 2000
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 93%Est. 55–65 vs 53
    Race 100%Asian
    Location 75%102 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 9 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 58%120 lb vs 170 lb
    Hair 40%Gray vs Black
    Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
    77%Possible
    John Doe — Bronx, New York - unidentified case UP88481
    John Doe — Bronx, New York
    UP88481 • Found Sep 27, 2021
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 50–70 vs 53 when missing
    Race 100%Asian
    Location 100%10 mi away
    TimingFound 22 years after last seen
    Height 68%5'4" vs 5'7"
    Weight 96%150 lb vs 170 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
    77%Possible
    John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP5567
    John Doe — New York, New York
    UP5567 • Found Dec 1, 2007
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 53 when missing
    Race 100%Asian
    Location 100%3 mi away
    TimingFound 8 years after last seen
    Height 68%5'4" vs 5'7"
    Weight 86%141 lb vs 170 lb
    Hair 40%Gray vs Black
    Eyes 90%Brown vs Black
    76%Possible
    John Doe — Queens, New York - unidentified case UP10499
    John Doe — Queens, New York
    UP10499 • Found Jun 15, 2012
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 53 when missing
    Race 100%Asian
    Location 99%13 mi away
    TimingFound 13 years after last seen
    Height 52%5'3" 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.

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    Forum Posts (3)

    Has anyone else looked into the possibility that Xuan Cao might have tried to go back to China... ...Read More
    04/25/2024
    Has anyone ever come across any leads related to Xuan Cao's case from 1999? I know it's been a long... ...Read More
    10/08/2023
    Has anyone delved into the hotel Xuan Cao was staying at when he went missing? I recall reading that... ...Read More
    06/04/2023

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