John Harris Missing Person Case

Sep 19, 2013

Jan 12, 2024

John

Harris

82

30

75 inches

184 lbs

Black / African American

Male

In the late summer of 1973, a 31-year-old man named John Davis Harris vanished from Ypsilanti, Michigan. He was last seen on or around September 12 of that year. At the time he went missing, Harris was described as a Black male, standing at a height of six feet three inches and weighing approximately 184 pounds. Distinctive physical characteristics included several missing fingers on his right hand; specifically, his thumb, index, and middle fingers had been amputated. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance were concerning, as he had escaped from a mental health facility. This fact led authorities to consider him potentially dangerous at the time he went missing. The investigation into Harris's disappearance was handled by the Michigan State Police. Over the years, he has also been known by the aliases Chester Russell and Jack Griffin, adding layers of complexity to the search. Despite being listed in national missing persons databases, such as NamUs, there has been very little development in his case. Information regarding the events that led to his escape from the mental health facility is scarce. The passage of time has further complicated efforts to uncover new leads or information that could shed light on his whereabouts or what became of him after he disappeared. Decades have now passed since John Davis Harris was last seen, and his case has grown cold. The lack of significant breakthroughs has left his fate unknown and many questions unanswered. The initial report to the Michigan State Police was filed years after his disappearance, further obscuring the timeline of events. The case remains an open and unsolved mystery, a quiet but persistent question mark in the files of Michigan's missing persons.

Sep 12, 1973

Ypsilanti

Michigan

Washtenaw County

14202

Michigan State Police - Brighton Post

Brighton

Michigan

Livingston County

48114

4337 Buno Road, Michigan

8102271051

State

Law Enforcement

www.michigan.gov/msp

26-2561-76

1994-02-25

Michigan State Police - Brighton Post

Black

Brown

Brown

07/08/2026