On the morning of June 17, 2007, a day that also happened to be Father's Day, 22-year-old Kareem Jamaal Ward, known affectionately as 'Reem,' started his day at his home in Horry County, South Carolina. He spent some time playing with his dog and speaking with his cousin before taking a shower and changing his clothes. Around 10:00 a.m., he left the house, telling his family to call his cell phone if his dog happened to get loose.
This departure marked the last time his loved ones would ever see him. His family had plans for a Sunday dinner together, and Kareem was also scheduled to take his mother to a doctor's appointment the next day. When his family tried calling him just half an hour after he left, the calls went unanswered. His failure to show up for the family dinner and the subsequent doctor's appointment was highly uncharacteristic of his responsible and dependable nature.
The family's concern turned to alarm when the Horry County police arrived at his mother's home with unsettling news. Kareem's white 2003 Mitsubishi Gallant had been discovered submerged in the Little Pee Dee River at the Gunter's Island boat landing. When the vehicle was pulled from the water, there was no sign of Kareem. Investigators found the keys still in the ignition, and his cell phone was located in the trunk. Curiously, the phone's battery and SIM card were found inside the car, separate from the phone itself. A new stereo and sound system that Kareem had just installed in the car the day before he vanished were missing. This discovery prompted an extensive search of the area, involving dive teams, helicopters, and cadaver dogs, but tragically, no trace of Kareem was found.
The circumstances surrounding Kareem's disappearance have left his family with years of unanswered questions and profound grief. At the time he went missing, his girlfriend was pregnant, and she later gave birth to his daughter who has grown up without knowing her father. His family firmly believes that he met with foul play and is now deceased. One theory investigators considered was that the disappearance could have been a robbery gone wrong, given that the new stereo system was missing. However, his mother has suggested that the motive might have been different, revealing that her son had recently come into a significant amount of cash after selling some land and taking out a loan. She had cautioned him against carrying the money, and he had reportedly told some friends about it. The case remains an active and unsolved missing person investigation, a painful reality for a family that continues to seek closure and justice for a son, father, and friend who vanished without a trace.Last Seen: Jun 17, 2007
