Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP20036) and 6 other sources
In the late summer of 1996, the life of Thomas J. McGinn, a 36-year-old machinist and Army veteran, took an unforeseen and distressing turn. A resident of Bolingbrook, Illinois, 'Tom,' as he was known, was last seen on August 16, 1996, at his place of employment in the nearby village of Burr Ridge. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as a white male with blond hair and blue eyes. He had a couple of notable distinguishing features: he had no teeth and wore dentures, and the middle finger on his left hand was missing down to the first knuckle. On the day he vanished, it is believed he was wearing a brown leather jacket, a green t-shirt, blue jeans, and boots. After he was last seen at his job, he was never heard from again.

The initial hope of a simple miscommunication or a brief, unannounced trip began to fade as days turned into an unnerving silence. The first significant and worrying discovery in the case was the location of his vehicle, a 1990 Chevrolet. The car was found abandoned near Bull Frog Lake, located at 95th Street and Archer Avenue, a detail that immediately shifted the focus of the investigation to the surrounding area. Authorities launched a search of the lake and the dense woods of the forest preserve that enveloped it. Despite their thorough efforts, the search yielded no clues as to Thomas McGinn's whereabouts and no signs of foul play. The discovery of his car without him nearby only deepened the mystery surrounding his sudden disappearance.

Decades have now passed since Thomas McGinn was last seen. The case has grown cold, leaving his family and the community with a painful void and a long list of unanswered questions. The Bolingbrook Police Department has kept his file active, and details of his case have been shared across various platforms dedicated to finding the missing, in the hopes that someone, somewhere might hold a piece of information that could finally shed light on what happened to him. The circumstances of his disappearance remain vague; he simply went to work one day and vanished. This lack of evidence or clear leads has made the investigation exceptionally difficult, leaving a family to navigate a world of uncertainty and to hope for a resolution that has remained elusive for many years.

Last Seen: Aug 16, 1996

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.

81%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129132 • Found Oct 3, 2000
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 96%26 mi away, same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8"–6'1" vs 5'11"
79%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP129113
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129113 • Found Sep 3, 1999
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 96%26 mi away, same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 84%5'9" vs 5'11"
Weight 91%218 lb vs 190 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
79%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129118 • Found Apr 1, 1999
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 88%Est. 25–35 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 96%24 mi away, same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'11"
Weight 100%179 lb vs 190 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
79%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP11512
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP11512 • Found May 2, 2013
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 96%26 mi away, same state
TimingFound 17 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'11"
Weight 77%149 lb vs 190 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
78%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129135 • Found Dec 6, 2000
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 20–40 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 96%26 mi away, same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'11"
78%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP129128
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129128 • Found Mar 1, 1999
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 96%26 mi away, same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 84%5'9" vs 5'11"
Weight 87%159 lb vs 190 lb
Hair 10%Black vs Blond
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
78%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP8357 • Found Oct 8, 2006
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 40–55 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 95%29 mi away, same state
TimingFound 10 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'11"
Weight 88%160 lb vs 190 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
77%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP53660
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP53660 • Found Oct 22, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–42 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 96%26 mi away, same state
TimingFound 22 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'11"
Weight 100%203 lb vs 190 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
77%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129260 • Found Dec 2, 2003
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–36 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 95%29 mi away, same state
TimingFound 7 years after last seen
Height 75%5'2"–5'9" vs 5'11"
77%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP6966
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP6966 • Found Apr 15, 2010
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 38–55 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 95%27 mi away, same state
TimingFound 14 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'11"
Weight 100%180 lb vs 190 lb

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.