William Thomas Purcell, III, also known as “Billy,” was reported missing from Wilmington, Delaware, with his last contact listed as October 13, 2003. He was 38 years old at the time, though some case data lists his missing age as 39. His case is recorded in NamUs as MP7956 and is associated with Wilmington in New Castle County. The investigating agency is the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police.
Available public case summaries state that William was last seen in connection with the Delaware Memorial Bridge. NamUs reports that he “jumped from the Delaware Memorial Bridge,” that there were three witnesses, and that his body was never recovered. The Charley Project classifies the case as lost/injured missing and likewise reports that he disappeared from Wilmington on October 13, 2003. Because William has not been recovered, the case remains a painful absence for those who knew and loved him.
William is described as a White/Caucasian male with brown hair and brown eyes. He was about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed approximately 165 pounds. At the time of his disappearance, his hair was very short and he had a receding hairline. Distinguishing features include a scar from a gunshot wound on his right leg, a tattoo of a skull and snake on his right bicep, and a tattoo of Harley-Davidson wings on his left bicep.
An obituary published the following year remembered William as “Billy” and described him as a Newark, Delaware, man who had worked for Eagles Stairs & Rails and was an apprentice with the Painters Union. It also noted that he enjoyed bike riding and was a talented artist. These details offer a fuller picture of William beyond the circumstances of his disappearance: he was a son, brother, worker, and creative person whose life mattered deeply to his family.
NamUs lists family reference DNA information connected to William’s case, including a sample from his biological mother, and indicates that the case is handled by the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police. Public listings continue to direct information about the case to law enforcement. Even after many years, the central unresolved fact remains that William was reported missing after the Delaware Memorial Bridge incident, and he has not been recovered.Last Seen: Oct 13, 2003
