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 (MP15229) and 3 other sources
In the late summer of 2003, a disquieting mystery began to unfold in the small city of Niles, Michigan, with the disappearance of 49-year-old Male Leon Felton. A resident of the Berrien County community, Leon was last seen on September 3rd of that year. Details surrounding the specific circumstances of when and where he was last seen by loved ones remain limited in public accounts. In the days that followed his last known contact, a growing concern for his welfare would eventually lead to him being reported as a missing person, sparking a lengthy and unresolved investigation into his whereabouts.

The investigation into Leon Felton's disappearance has been characterized as challenging from the outset due to a scarcity of concrete information. Authorities with the Niles Police Department have deemed the circumstances surrounding his case to be suspicious, suggesting that foul play could not be ruled out. At the time he went missing, Leon was described as a Black / African American male, standing between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall, and weighing between 165 and 185 pounds. He had black hair, brown eyes, and a piercing in his left ear. He was also known to wear a mustache or a goatee. Despite the passage of time, law enforcement has continued to seek information from the public that might shed light on what happened to him.

Years have turned into decades without any significant breakthroughs in the case of Leon Felton. The initial report of his disappearance was filed nearly nine years after he was last seen, which can often complicate the process of gathering evidence and witness testimony. The Niles Police Department's detective bureau has maintained the case as an open investigation. The lack of resolution has left his family and the community with lingering questions and a profound sense of loss. The case serves as a somber reminder of the many individuals who vanish under troubling circumstances, leaving behind a void of information and a desperate need for answers.

Last Seen: Sep 3, 2003

Possible Unidentified Matches (8)

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.

82%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129338 • Found Apr 7, 2004
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 45–65 vs 49
Race 100%Black
Location 83%72 mi away
TimingFound 7 months after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"–6'0"
Weight 88%137 lb vs 165–185 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
78%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP11180 • Found Jul 11, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 45–65 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 83%71 mi away
TimingFound 22 months after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"–6'0"
Weight 100%156 lb vs 165–185 lb
78%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP141667 • Found Mar 31, 2010
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 55–65 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 83%70 mi away
TimingFound 7 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"–6'0"
Weight 88%137 lb vs 165–185 lb
Hair 40%Gray vs Black
76%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP58274 • Found May 14, 2019
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 83%71 mi away
TimingFound 16 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'10"–6'0"
Weight 83%217 lb vs 165–185 lb
76%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP51608
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP51608 • Found Jun 25, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–65 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 83%71 mi away
TimingFound 15 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10"–6'2" vs 5'10"–6'0"
Hair 70%Gray vs Black
76%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP12581 • Found Apr 21, 2014
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 83%71 mi away
TimingFound 11 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"–6'0"
Weight 79%129 lb vs 165–185 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
75%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP60200 • Found Aug 15, 2019
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 40–55 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 83%70 mi away
TimingFound 16 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6"–6'0" vs 5'10"–6'0"
75%Possible
John Doe — Detroit, Michigan
UP12328 • Found Jun 4, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 50–70 vs 49 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 61%168 mi away, same state
TimingFound 21 months after last seen
Height 100%6'0" vs 5'10"–6'0"
Weight 81%219 lb vs 165–185 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.

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