James Butler Missing Person Case

Dec 12, 2008

Jan 12, 2024

James

Butler

69

39

61 inches

120 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the summer of 1995, a 39-year-old man named James Daniel Butler vanished from his life in Kingsport, Tennessee. On August 16th, he was last seen near the Durwood Court Apartments. Reports from his girlfriend at the time indicated a strange departure; she stated that James, who went by Danny, got into a vehicle with people he did not seem to know. The occupants of the car reportedly offered him a ride to the local bus station, as he had expressed plans to travel to Johnson City, Tennessee. Tragically, after entering that car, James Daniel Butler was never seen or heard from again. James was a man with several unique and distinguishing physical characteristics that made his disappearance all the more concerning. He was legally blind, a condition that would have made navigating the world with strangers particularly challenging. Furthermore, he had a very unusual bone structure and muscle pattern, which was described as being similar to dwarfism. He was small in stature, standing at five feet one inch, but had notably large hands and joints. At the time he went missing, he had graying brown hair and blue eyes and a scar on his chin. When last seen, he was thought to be wearing a simple outfit of a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. These details paint a picture of a vulnerable individual whose sudden absence left a void of unanswered questions. The circumstances surrounding James's disappearance remain shrouded in mystery. The fact that he was last seen getting into a car with unidentified individuals is a particularly troubling aspect of the case. His intention to travel to a nearby city by bus was a seemingly ordinary plan that took a dark and unexpected turn. For decades, his case has remained open, a persistent and painful puzzle for his family and for the investigators at the Kingsport City Police Department who have been handling his case from the beginning. The lack of any communication from James since that August day has left his loved ones to wonder what became of him after he accepted that fateful ride. The case of James Daniel Butler is a haunting reminder of how quickly a person can disappear, leaving behind only questions and an enduring sense of loss.

Aug 16, 1995

Kingsport

Tennessee

Sullivan County

No

19384

Kingsport Police Department

Kingsport

Tennessee

Sullivan County

37660

200 Shelby Street, Tennessee

4232299300

Local

Law Enforcement

https://www.kingsporttn.gov/police-department/

95-24668

Kingsport Police Department

4791

Gray or Partially Gray

Blue

Blue

06/25/2026