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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 (MP7391) and 8 other sources
In the spring of 2000, 60-year-old Jeremiah Dominic Meara started a Monday morning like any other at his home in Northlake, Illinois. He indicated to those around him that he was heading to his job in Schaumburg, a commute of about 20 miles. However, Jeremiah never arrived at his workplace, and no one has reported seeing or hearing from him since that day. His disappearance on March 13, 2000, marked the beginning of a long and perplexing mystery for his family and local law enforcement. The Northlake Police Department opened an investigation into his case, but the initial days and weeks yielded few answers, leaving his loved ones in a state of uncertainty.

Jeremiah, a man of 60 with graying hair and blue eyes, was described as being 5'7' tall and weighing around 180 pounds. He had a slight scar on his upper left arm and wore bifocal glasses with brown frames. Originally from Ireland, he had made his home in the United States since 1958. On the day he vanished, he was driving his dark green 1999 Hyundai Sonata with Illinois license plate number YDA177. Neither Jeremiah nor his vehicle has ever been located, deepening the enigma surrounding his sudden disappearance. The absence of both him and his car suggested that whatever befell him occurred after he drove away from his residence.

The investigation into Jeremiah Meara's disappearance has remained open over the years, yet very few details have emerged to shed light on his fate. With no witnesses to his disappearance and no communication from him after he left for work, authorities were left with a case that had very few leads to follow. His family provided DNA samples to be entered into national databases, hoping for a future match that might provide some resolution. Despite the passage of time, the case remains an active missing person investigation. The circumstances of his disappearance are a stark reminder of how quickly a person can vanish, leaving behind only questions and a lingering sense of loss for those who knew and cared for him.

Last Seen: Mar 13, 2000

Possible Unidentified Matches (10)

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.

87%Strong
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP129238
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129238 • Found Apr 5, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 60–70 vs 60 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%10 mi away, same county
TimingFound 2 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%186 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
84%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP129222
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129222 • Found Apr 28, 2001
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 60 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%11 mi away, same county
TimingFound 14 months after last seen
Height 84%5'5" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%167 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 40%Bald vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
83%Moderate
John Doe — Summit, Illinois - unidentified case UP8588
John Doe — Summit, Illinois
UP8588 • Found Jan 3, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 55–65 vs 60 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%10 mi away, same county
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 84%5'9" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%185 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
82%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129207 • Found Sep 13, 2001
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 60–70 vs 60 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%15 mi away, same county
TimingFound 18 months after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
Weight 59%128 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 40%Black vs Gray
81%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP78041
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP78041 • Found Oct 8, 2007
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 55–65 vs 60 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%14 mi away, same county
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
Weight 78%142 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
81%Moderate
John Doe — Waukegan, Illinois - unidentified case UP163526
John Doe — Waukegan, Illinois
UP163526 • Found Apr 8, 2026
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–65 vs 60 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 94%31 mi away, same state
TimingFound 26 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
Weight 88%151 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
80%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP16642
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP16642 • Found Jan 14, 2017
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 60–69 vs 60 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%14 mi away, same county
TimingFound 17 years after last seen
Height 84%5'5" vs 5'7"
Weight 58%127 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
80%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129247 • Found Oct 11, 2003
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–60 vs 60 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%14 mi away, same county
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 84%5'9" vs 5'7"
Weight 100%188 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 40%Black vs Gray
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
80%Moderate
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129263 • Found Aug 16, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 60 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%11 mi away, same county
TimingFound 2 years after last seen
Height 84%5'5" vs 5'7"
Weight 67%133 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 40%Brown vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
78%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP129119
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP129119 • Found Apr 7, 2000
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 60%Est. 18–100 vs 60
Race 100%White
Location 99%13 mi away, same county
TimingFound 4 weeks after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"
Weight 98%200 lb vs 180 lb
Hair 40%Brown vs Gray

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.