Charles Christopher Francis

by

Case Details

Photo URLs:

PhotoPhotoPhoto

This person was missing Missing Since 04/09/1979

Missing Since:
Missing Since 04/09/1979
Missing From:
Missing From Santa Ana, California
Classification:
Classification Endangered Missing
Gender:
Male
Race:
Race White
Date of Birth:
Date of Birth 03/29/1972 (52)
Age:
Age 7 years old
Height and Weight:
Height and Weight 3’0, 45 pounds
Clothing/Jewelry Description:
Clothing/Jewelry Description A blue denim Levi’s jacket with U.S. Army patches on the arms and pockets, a multicolored t-shirt and blue pants.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes. Charles has a scar on his forehead. His nicknames are Chris, Chrissy and Christy.
Details of Disappearance:
On April 9, 1979, 6-year-old Charles disappeared in Santa Ana, California. He was with his dad, Dennis, who worked delivering water tanks. Dennis left Charles at a corner to unload his truck (he wasn’t supposed to have his son with him at work). He told Charles to walk a short distance and wait, but Charles was gone when Dennis returned ten minutes later.

Charles’s parents were separated and fighting over custody. Although his mom had legal custody, Charles lived mostly with his dad. They’d recently moved from Colorado for a custody hearing. Police investigated whether a parent hid Charles, but found nothing.

The main suspect in Charles’s disappearance is James Crummel, a convicted child killer. Crummel was also a suspect in the disappearance of another boy, Jack Phillips. Crummel had a long history of violence against children, including molestation and murder. He was convicted of murdering a boy in 1997, and offered to confess to Jack Phillips’ murder in exchange for a lesser sentence. The deal was refused and he was sentenced to death, but committed suicide in prison in 2012.

Charles’s disappearance is considered suspicious, and police believe he may have been harmed. The case remains unsolved.

Agency:
Santa Ana Police Department 714-245-8600
Source Links:
READ Also  Louie Robert Taylor