Missing
Richard William Griener
Richard, approximately 1972
Date and time person was reported missing : 01/17/1972
Missing location (approx) :
Pekin, Illinois
Missing classification : Endangered Missing
Gender : Male
Ethnicity :
White
DOB : 08/15/1958 (62)
Age at the time of disappearance: 13 years old
Height / Weight : 5'0, 90 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A gold-colored hooded nylon jacket, a long brown ski mask, blue jeans, and green rubber insulated boots.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: Caucasian male. Dark brown hair, brown eyes.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : 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.
Other information and links : ncy
Pekin Police Department
309-346-3132
September 2021 updates and sources
The Doe Network
The Bloomingtom Pantagraph
The Peoria Journal Star
Find a Grave
October 12, 2004. February 21, 2007; DOB : added, Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : updated.
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
