James Cooper Missing Person Case

Apr 15, 2010

Sep 23, 2020

James

Cooper

45

16

71 inches

155 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

On a Friday morning, October 25, 1996, 16-year-old James Robert Cooper left his home in Monroe, Michigan, for school and was never seen by his family again. That morning, his mother had to urge him to get ready for school as he was running late. James, a student at Monroe High School, was seen outside the school building that day, but it is believed he did not attend his classes. He was a white male, standing at 5'11" and weighing around 155 pounds, with light brown hair and blue eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he had braces on his teeth and a noticeable scar from chicken pox on his right arm, as well as scar tissue on his left arm. When he vanished, James left behind his wallet, identification, and any cash he had. He was last seen wearing a tan corduroy jacket. In the months leading up to his disappearance, James had reportedly become more rebellious and had started experimenting with marijuana. The night before he went missing, he had an argument with his parents because he had taken the family car without permission, as he only possessed a learner's permit. Initially, his family believed that he may have run away. However, the complete lack of contact in the many years since he was last seen has been a source of enduring pain and confusion for them. Compounding the mystery is the fact that James never picked up his final paycheck from his after-school job. Despite the passing of years, his parents have remained in Monroe, holding out hope for some form of resolution in their son's case. The investigation into James Cooper's disappearance has remained open, though leads have been scarce. His case is classified by some agencies as that of an endangered runaway. Over the years, efforts have been made to keep his memory alive and to generate new information, including the release of an age-progressed image showing what he might look like at 35 years old. Tragically, with no contact or evidence of his whereabouts for over two decades, James Robert Cooper was legally declared dead in 2017. The Monroe Police Department continues to be the point of contact for any information regarding this long-unsolved case. The circumstances surrounding his vanishing—leaving without any personal effects or money and never being heard from again—create a perplexing and sorrowful overview of a young life interrupted.

Oct 25, 1996

Monroe

Michigan

Monroe County

48162

26498

Monroe Police Department

Monroe

Michigan

Monroe County

48161

John Schiappacasse

Detective

100 East 2nd Street, Michigan

7342437500

Local

Law Enforcement

15852-96

Monroe Police Department

Brown

Blue

Blue

07/08/2026