On the evening of February 5, 2005, 19-year-old Paul T. Smith told his mother he was traveling from their home in Dittmer, Missouri, to St. Louis for a night out with a group of friends. Paul, a white male with brown, crewcut-style hair and green eyes, stood approximately six feet one inch tall and weighed between 220 and 230 pounds. That evening would be the last time his mother ever saw him. His friends later reported that Paul became separated from them at some point during their time in St.
Louis. He never returned to his mother's home and has not been seen or heard from since.
The specifics of where the group went in St. Louis or the circumstances that led to Paul getting separated from his friends remain unclear, as few details about the case have been made publicly available. At the time of his disappearance, Paul was wearing a silver jersey, a white long-sleeved shirt with 'Jim Bean' on the pocket, beige or khaki pants, and brown short boots. He is also distinguished by two large and specific tattoos: one on his back left shoulder depicting a kneeling, demonic angel, and another on his back right shoulder of a pit bull with green eyes. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department opened an investigation into his disappearance, with his case being officially reported on February 8, 2005.
Years have passed since Paul Smith vanished, yet the case remains unsolved, leaving his family without answers. The investigation, handled by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, has yielded little information over the years, and the trail has grown cold. In an effort to aid in his identification should he be found, DNA samples from his mother, sister, and maternal uncle have been submitted and are on file. The overarching narrative of the case is that of a young man from a small town who went to the city with friends for a night of enjoyment, only to disappear without a trace. His friends' account of becoming separated is the last known information about his whereabouts, leaving a painful and enduring mystery for his loved ones.Last Seen: Feb 5, 2005
