# Something still haunts me **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 17, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345 "2014-04-17T15:34:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/1 "2014-04-17T15:34:26Z")
About 2005 I was hiking in a very remote desert area about 150 miles north of Las Vegas. I found a wallet that was empty except for an Id tag from work. The gentleman was a medical tec of some kind from Chicago. The tag was a few years old and I estimated that the wallet had probably been out there for a few years when I found it. I procrastinated about calling the authorities about the ID tag and it was eventually lost. Now it is bothering me that something may have happened to this man and his relatives might be worrying. ``` With the very small amount of info I have would there be any point in calling the Chicago authorites? In his picture he appeared to be a young black man about 30 years old. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/2 "2014-04-17T15:40:14Z")
mostly likely someone stole the wallet and ditched it out there. Were you anywhere near a road? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/3 "2014-04-17T15:42:18Z")
Perhaps the owner of the wallet does not wish to be found. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/4 "2014-04-17T15:47:44Z")
Chances are it won’t do much, but if it’s been a source of worry, I’d call in for peace of mind - there’s no harm in trying. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/5 "2014-04-17T15:56:03Z")
Highwway 93 out of vegas is not heavily used but it is a highway, I was hiking about 2 miles off the highway when I found the wallet. I drove in on a small seldom used dirt road. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/6 "2014-04-17T18:05:51Z")
The aliens got 'em. They tossed the wallet out when they did the anal probe. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/7 "2014-04-17T18:20:30Z")
The Chicago authorities will jump all over that bit of 15 year old information and put it on the front burner. They will put their Top People on it right away, just like they do for every potential crime involving a young black man from Chicago. Top People. Of course it is just as likely that some Chicago authorities had him killed and dumped in the desert. You do know that this board is based out of Chicago? Have someone else start your car tomorrow, like a neighbor kid that you can’t stand. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/8 "2014-04-17T19:04:17Z")
I have heard that on some of those not so traveled highways people are sometimes baited to pull over at night and then car jacked or worse. This is kind of what I imagine. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/9 "2014-04-17T20:58:21Z")
Have you tried Googling the name? You might find a missing persons report, or perhaps a Facebook or LinkedIn profile that shows the tag owner to be alive and well. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/10 "2014-04-17T21:27:14Z")
A missing person from Chicago? Needle, meet haystack. Sure, give it a shot if it will make you feel better. Just don’t get your hopes up. All kinds of crazy stuff ends up in weird places for benign reasons. I wouldn’t worry about it. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/11 "2014-04-18T09:51:22Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > A missing person from Chicago? Needle, meet haystack. Sure, give it a shot if it will make you feel better. Just don’t get your hopes up. > > All kinds of crazy stuff ends up in weird places for benign reasons. I wouldn’t worry about it. And if he was murdered and dumped in a shallow desert grave, he was probably dead long before you found that wallet. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/12 "2014-04-18T10:13:55Z")
Nothing I can do now as you all say, next time I will turn the ID in without delay. I don’t remember the name on the card but his face kind of stuck in my memory, he had a real innocent nerdy look, either way I hope he is ok. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/13 "2014-04-18T17:13:06Z")
You could return the wallet to the work identified on the ID tag. They’re a bit more likely to care about the guy than the police department. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/14 "2014-04-18T17:15:52Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > Have you tried Googling the name? You might find a missing persons report, or perhaps a Facebook or LinkedIn profile that shows the tag owner to be alive and well. The OP said the ID tag has since been lost. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/15 "2014-04-18T17:19:03Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > The OP said the ID tag has since been lost. Yeah, I didn’t realize OP didn’t remember the name. In that case, it’s pretty useless info. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/16 "2014-04-18T20:48:00Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The aliens got 'em. They tossed the wallet out when they did the anal probe. I guess everyone’s different, but that’s not where I keep _my_ wallet. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/17 "2014-04-18T22:28:21Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > The Chicago authorities will jump all over that bit of 15 year old information and put it on the front burner. > > They will put their Top People on it right away, just like they do for every potential crime involving a young black man from Chicago. Top People. They will investigate this as a possible homicide, and _you,_ **HoneyBadgerDC** will be immediately presumed to be the primary suspect. Of course, they will want you to explain why you sat on this for 10+ years. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/18 "2014-04-18T22:39:06Z")
Did you check your body dump to make sure no other serial killers are using it? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/19 "2014-04-18T23:00:07Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > They will investigate this as a possible homicide, and _you,_ **HoneyBadgerDC** will be immediately presumed to be the primary suspect. Of course, they will want you to explain why you sat on this for 10+ years. ``` That would be a worrysome thought. ``` ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345/20 "2014-04-20T04:11:27Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > don’t remember the name on the card but he had a real innocent nerdy look. _Call the police immediately!!!_ They’ll find him easily—in their file labeled “innocent nerdy looking people”. 🙂 Without a name or any specific info, and with no reason to assume any wrong-doing occurred, this isn’t even a needle-haystack issue. It’s just a fun-thread-in-MPSIMS issue. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-still-haunts-me/686345.md?page=2)