Case Details
- Photo URLs:
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- Missing Since:
- Missing Since 10/23/1975
- Missing From:
- Missing From Syracuse, New York
- Classification:
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Gender:
- Male
- Race:
- Race White
- Date of Birth:
- Date of Birth 03/11/1954 (70)
- Age:
- Age 21 years old
- Height and Weight:
- Height and Weight 5’11 – 6’0, 165 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description:
- Clothing/Jewelry Description Possibly a t-shirt and dungarees or blue jeans.
- Distinguishing Characteristics:
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Blond hair, blue/gray eyes. McLaughlin goes by his middle name, Scott.
- Details of Disappearance:
- In October 1975, 20-year-old art student Tim McLaughlin vanished from Syracuse University. He’d taken a leave of absence but planned to return. His roommates last saw him on October 23rd, heading out for lunch.
His family wasn’t worried at first, as Tim sometimes traveled without telling anyone, and he was planning a trip to England. However, he left everything behind: his car, $250 in cash, and even his apartment. The only thing missing was his checkbook, but there was no activity on the account after October. This was unusual for Tim; he always stayed in touch.
There was a possible sighting of him in Canada three days later, but it wasn’t confirmed. Adding to the mystery, Tim had a lot of cash on him – at least $3,000, possibly much more, from a recent car down payment. He was known for carrying large amounts of money.
Police investigated a possible connection to Larry Brown, a drug dealer. Tim sometimes sold marijuana, and there were rumors he dealt with Brown. Brown was questioned but denied involvement and passed a lie detector test.
While there’s no proof of foul play, his disappearance is strange because he left all his belongings. Police considered suicide, amnesia, or murder related to his drug involvement or a robbery, but there’s no evidence to support any theory. The case remains unsolved, and his family eventually held a memorial service.
- Agency:
- Syracuse Police Department 315-442-5330
- Source Links:
This person was missing Missing Since 10/23/1975