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Crime Solvers Central
298 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 (MP9602) and 11 other sources
In the winter of 1979, a 24-year-old man named James Dean Knox disappeared from the small village of Warsaw, New York. His grandmother last saw him on December 9, 1979, at her home in South Warsaw. Although his grandmother officially reported him missing on December 21, further investigation revealed that friends and local business owners had seen him in Warsaw on December 10 and 11. At the time he vanished, Knox was living on Wyoming Street and was on medical leave from his job at the Leroy Machine Co. in the nearby town of Leroy. He was described as being despondent over some health problems. When he disappeared, he was wearing a red plaid jacket, blue jeans, and black boots, along with plastic-rimmed eyeglasses.

James Knox was a familiar face in the close-knit community of Warsaw. He was known to frequently visit a local pizzeria in the village. The investigation into his disappearance involved searches of the surrounding areas and interviews with family, friends, and acquaintances. Despite these efforts, no significant leads or evidence emerged to explain what had happened to him. All of his personal belongings, including his clothes and money, were left behind at his residence, adding to the mystery of his sudden departure. The lack of any signs of foul play or a struggle left investigators with very few clues to follow.

Over the decades, the case of James Knox has grown cold, but it has not been forgotten. The New York State Police have continued to investigate his disappearance, periodically releasing information to the public in the hope of generating new leads. His family and the Warsaw community have been left with unanswered questions for more than four decades. The official investigation remains open, a lingering reminder of the young man who vanished without a trace. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance, including his reported despondency and the fact that he was last seen by various people in his hometown before he vanished, paint a perplexing picture of his last known days.

Last Seen: Dec 9, 1979