Richard William Griener

• Missing Since 01/17/1972
• Missing From Pekin, Illinois
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 08/15/1958 (66)
• Age 13 years old
• Height and Weight 5'0, 90 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A gold-colored hooded nylon jacket, a long brown ski mask, blue jeans, and green rubber insulated boots.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Dark brown hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance

Richard left his home on the north side of Pekin, Illinois at approximately 4:00 p.m. He planned to go to the snow sledding hill at the local park, four blocks away. His friends last saw him at the hill at 5:30 p.m. He was carrying a blue plastic roll-up toboggan-style sled at the time of his disappearance. He has never been heard from again.

An extensive search of the local area turned up no sign of Richard. A skull found in Michigan was originally thought to be his, but it turned out not to be.

Authorities believe Richard is deceased. One suspect in his case is William "Freight Train" Guatney, who confessed to the murders of several children, including a nine-year-old boy who was abducted only 200 yards from where Richard was last seen.

However, Richard disappeared during the winter, and Guatney's other suspected victims were all attacked during the warmer months. Guatney was committed to a mental institution after being found incompetent to stand trial for murder. He died in 1997. He was never charged in Richard's case.

The child remains missing and his case is unsolved.