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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 1 source
In the late summer of 1987, a young man's voice over a pay phone in Birmingham, Alabama, would be the last link to his known existence. On September 11 of that year, 23-year-old Patrick Ramone Butler, a male with brown eyes and black hair, made a telephone call and then seemingly vanished. After that day, he was never seen or heard from again, leaving behind a void of information and a family to grapple with his sudden and complete absence. Patrick was known to have a history of hitchhiking, a detail that adds a layer of vulnerability to his last known movements and opens up a range of possibilities as to what might have transpired after he ended his call. Standing between 5'6" and 5'8" and weighing between 130 and 150 pounds, Patrick was a distinct individual, notably bearing a four-inch scar on his left elbow.

The days turned into weeks, and then into years, with no word from Patrick. His case was officially documented, his description and the sparse details of his disappearance entered into national databases in the hope that a connection might one day be made. His file, NamUs #MP150424, became his new identifier in a world he was no longer visibly a part of. Investigators were left with very little to go on; the trail went cold almost as soon as it began. The primary circumstance of his disappearance was the simple, yet chilling, fact that after a phone call, his life's narrative came to an abrupt and silent halt. The lack of evidence, witnesses, or any clear indication of foul play has made the investigation exceedingly difficult, leaving his whereabouts a persistent and painful mystery.

Decades have passed since Patrick Ramone Butler was last heard from, and his case remains an open and unresolved wound for those who knew him. The passage of time has not diminished the need for answers or the hope that someone, somewhere, might hold a piece of information that could illuminate the path he took after that fateful day. The overview of this case is one of quiet uncertainty; a young man with a known habit of traveling by the kindness of strangers disappears without a trace after a simple, everyday action. With no further leads, his disappearance is a stark reminder of how suddenly a life can pivot into the unknown, leaving behind only questions and the enduring efforts of those who refuse to let him be forgotten.

Last Seen: Sep 11, 1987

Links to Additional Sources (1)

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Possible Unidentified Matches (3)

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.

77%Possible
John Doe — Munford, Alabama
UP12206 • Found Aug 26, 1991
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 24–30 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Weight 100%127 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
77%Possible
John Doe — Munford, Alabama
UP12216 • Found Aug 24, 1991
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 24–30 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Weight 100%127 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — Opelika, Alabama
UP109309 • Found Sep 22, 1990
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 18–32 vs 23 when missing
Race 100%Black
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Weight 100%130–140 lb vs 130 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black

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.