James Howell

James Richard Howell, property 9, was past seen successful Sterling, Illinois connected May 28, 1969.

James and his sister, Debra were extracurricular their home, preparing to physique a cage for an injured pigeon James had recovered that afternoon. While his sister went into the location concisely to get immoderate tools, James mysteriously vanished from the beforehand yard. When his sister returned, she recovered the pieces of wood James had collected scattered successful the street, and James was obscurity to beryllium found.

After an extended hunt of the vicinity by his parent and stepfather, constabulary were contacted.

No hint of James has ever been found. His parent and stepfather person been cleared of immoderate involvement, and person said they don’t judge James ran away. He was acrophobic of the dark, and didn’t instrumentality thing with him.

There were respective unconfirmed sightings of James aft his disappearance, but nary could ever beryllium verified. One study claimed helium was seen adjacent the Route 30 span by Indian Ridge; different specified a cistern astatine 515 Woodburn Avenue.

The lawsuit has been analyzable by a mates different sightings which person been lumped successful with the different unconfirmed sightings, though these sightings were intelligibly from earlier helium disappeared. One specified sighting was by his stepfather, who said helium saw James with 1 of the neighbour kids, aft helium near to look for wood for the birdcage. Another was by a neighbor, who claimed to person seen James walking done a tract with a pigeon nether his arm. We cognize helium returned with the pigeon and the wood, truthful these sightings don’t supply immoderate clues to his whereabouts.

A fewer unusual things did hap aft James’ disappearance, though. Shortly afterward, James’ dog, who followed him to and from school, besides disappeared. About a twelvemonth aft James went missing, his sister, Debra reported a acheronian colored car with acheronian windows that slowed down and followed her arsenic she walked with a friend. The car near erstwhile Debra’s parent called retired to her. In 1975, six years aft the fact, Debra, by past joined and utilizing a antithetic surname, was surviving successful different municipality and had nary telephone. A neighbour informed Debra that helium had gotten a telephone from her brother, and that he’d stated that helium would beryllium successful municipality astir 3:00. Nobody ever arrived, and Debra and James’ different 2 brothers said they hadn’t called.

James and his siblings had been shuffled astir rather a spot successful their childhood. After his parents divorced, he’d lived successful an orphanage, a foster location and with an aunt for a time. He and his sister had precocious joined their parent and stepfather astatine 1308 West 13th Street successful Sterling erstwhile James disappeared.

James was described arsenic a hyperactive child, who loved animals and was a 3rd grader. His parent has passed away, but his sister inactive seeks answers.

Sources:

The Charley Project

Shaw Local

Websleuths

Porchlight