William Charles Cordes

• Missing Since 03/23/1984
• Missing From Auburn, California
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 07/11/1968 (56)
• Age 15 years old
• Height and Weight 5'6 - 5'7, 125 - 135 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, hazel eyes. William has a birthmark on his neck. His nicknames are Bill and Billy. He has a capped front tooth and he had stitches in one of his feet at the time of his disappearance.

Details of Disappearance

In 1984, William was residing at a group home, The Children's Home Society, on New Airport Road in Auburn, California. He was sent to live in the home as part of his sentence for stealing $8 worth of beer from a business.

William and some other residents of the home sneaked out and attended a party in a town near Auburn on March 23, 1984. The boys drank beer until 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. before leaving to return to the group home.

Their vehicle ran out of gasoline on Interstate 80 near Dry Creek Road. William stayed behind with the car while his companions walked to purchase fuel. His friends discovered that he had disappeared while they were at the gas station. He has never been heard from again.

William's original missing person report was canceled for unknown reasons. As a result, police did not begin to investigate his disappearance until several years had passed.

Due to confidentiality laws, the authorities were not able to get any information about William or his companions from the group home, but William's siblings located and questioned them. The companions claimed they could not remember anything significant about the night William disappeared, although that evening he did break up with his girlfriend. His family believes he met with foul play and is now deceased.

William was a student at Golden Sierra High School at the time of his disappearance. His family describes him as an energetic youth who knew how to ride horses and rope cattle. Some agencies may classify him as a runaway.