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Obaidullah Shams missing person case profile photo

Obaidullah Shams Missing Person Case

Last seen in Modesto, California on Oct 8, 1997

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Victim Details

Jan 18, 2014

Jan 12, 2024

Obaidullah

Shams

59

30

67 inches

137 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

Oct 8, 1997

Modesto

California

Los Angeles County

14785

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Monterey Park

California

,

097-31473-1113-400

Oct 11, 1997

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Black

Brown

Brown

Oct 16, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP23283) and 3 other sources
Obaidullah James Shams, a 30-year-old man from San Diego, California, was last seen on October 8, 1997, in Lancaster, California. Shams had planned to visit northern California with a friend and mentioned stopping at a friend's house in Palmdale during his travels. After making this stop, he vanished and has not been heard from since. His vehicle was found abandoned behind a Holiday Inn in Victorville on October 14, 1997, with the keys still in the ignition, raising concerns about foul play.

Authorities believe that one of the last people to see Shams was Chas Timothy Davis, who was arrested on drug charges in 1998 and questioned about Shams’ disappearance, although no charges have been brought against him in connection with the case. Shams was known to use the aliases Chams Shams and James Anderson. Despite investigations, Shams' whereabouts remain unknown, and his case is classified as endangered missing. Foul play is suspected in his disappearance, but no solid leads have emerged to resolve the mystery.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate, and tips from the public are still being sought in the hopes of finding new information.
Last Seen: Oct 8, 1997

Links to Additional Sources (3)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • 2109DMCA - Obaidullah James Shams - Doe Network
  • Missing Person / NamUs #MP23283 | NamUs
  • Obaidullah James Shams - The Charley Project

    • 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.

    86%Strong
    John Doe — California
    UP3393 • Found Jun 28, 1999
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 20–35 vs 30 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 98%17 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 21 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 81%110 lb vs 137 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    83%Moderate
    John Doe — South El Monte, California
    UP3396 • Found May 7, 1999
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 28–43 vs 30 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 97%22 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 19 months after last seen
    Height 68%5'10" vs 5'7"
    Weight 100%145 lb vs 137 lb
    Hair 60%Brown vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    83%Moderate
    John Doe — Whittier, California
    UP3420 • Found Dec 30, 1997
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 30
    Race 100%White
    Location 97%19 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 3 months after last seen
    Height 68%5'10" vs 5'7"
    Weight 73%105 lb vs 137 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    82%Moderate
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California - unidentified case UP79003
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California
    UP79003 • Found Mar 8, 2021
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 30 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 98%17 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 23 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'3"–5'6" vs 5'7"
    Weight 86%160–180 lb vs 137 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    82%Moderate
    John Doe — South Gate, California
    UP10986 • Found Oct 2, 2012
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 28–38 vs 30 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 100%11 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 15 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7"–6'1" vs 5'7"
    Weight 91%157 lb vs 137 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    82%Moderate
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California - unidentified case UP2984
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California
    UP2984 • Found May 14, 2007
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–43 vs 30 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 100%7 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 10 years after last seen
    Height 84%5'3"–5'5" vs 5'7"
    Weight 100%107–140 lb vs 137 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    82%Moderate
    John Doe — California
    UP3360 • Found Sep 11, 2000
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 21–30 vs 30 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 98%17 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 3 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
    82%Moderate
    John Doe — Industry, California
    UP3422 • Found Dec 7, 1997
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 30–50 vs 30
    Race 100%White
    Location 96%25 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 2 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
    Weight 64%174 lb vs 137 lb
    Hair 60%Brown vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    81%Moderate
    John Doe — Commerce, California - unidentified case UP13339
    John Doe — Commerce, California
    UP13339 • Found Jul 7, 2014
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 30 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 99%15 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 17 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'5"–5'9" vs 5'7"
    Weight 82%163 lb vs 137 lb
    Hair 60%Brown vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    81%Moderate
    John Doe — Long Beach, California
    UP7575 • Found Jan 19, 2010
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 32–46 vs 30 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 100%9 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 12 years after last seen
    Height 84%5'5" vs 5'7"
    Weight 100%130 lb vs 137 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.

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    Forum Posts (1)

    Hey everyone, I've been digging into the disappearance of Obaidullah James Shams, and something... ...Read More
    08/22/2024

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