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 (MP9376) and 4 other sources
In the quiet lakeside town of Dresden, New York, 56-year-old William Ronald Wobser set out for a day of fishing on Seneca Lake on December 5, 1986. An avid outdoorsman, this was likely a routine he had enjoyed many times before. However, on this particular day, he would not return. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as being 5-feet-9-inches tall and weighing 160 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. The crisp December air and the calm waters of the Finger Lake held no apparent signs of the mystery that was about to unfold, leaving a family and a community waiting for answers that would never come.

Two days after he was last seen, the initial sign of trouble surfaced. On December 7, 1986, William's unmanned boat was discovered adrift near Newlander's Cove on Seneca Lake. The discovery of the empty vessel immediately triggered alarm and launched a search for the missing fisherman. Authorities and volunteers scoured the lake and its shorelines, hoping to find any trace of him. Despite their determined efforts, the search yielded no clues as to his whereabouts or what might have happened to him on that cold December day.

Decades have now passed since William Wobser vanished. The New York State Police continue to keep his case open, and he is listed as a missing person. The lack of any further evidence has left his disappearance an unsolved mystery, a cold case that serves as a somber reminder of the day a man went fishing and never came home. The discovery of his boat is the only tangible piece of evidence in a case that has otherwise been marked by an enduring absence of information, leaving his loved ones with unanswered questions and the deep, quiet waters of Seneca Lake to hold the secrets of his last moments.

Last Seen: Dec 5, 1986

Possible Unidentified Matches (4)

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.

80%Moderate
John Doe — Town of Porter, New York
UP13038 • Found Sep 8, 1989
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 55–60 vs 56 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 73%111 mi away, same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'9"
Weight 100%170 lb vs 160 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
76%Possible
John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP7500
John Doe — New York, New York
UP7500 • Found Sep 25, 1991
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–60 vs 56 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 55%203 mi away, same state
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'9"
Weight 100%160 lb vs 160 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Hazel vs Hazel
75%Possible
John Doe — Lewiston, New York
UP66216 • Found Jul 9, 1989
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 48–62 vs 56 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 73%111 mi away, same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 68%5'6" vs 5'9"
Weight 100%150–175 lb vs 160 lb
Hair 40%Gray vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP8307
John Doe — New York, New York
UP8307 • Found Jan 12, 1992
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 56 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 55%203 mi away, same state
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 84%5'7" vs 5'9"
Weight 84%189 lb vs 160 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Hazel vs Hazel

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.