Missing Man: William James Simon - NC - 03/22/2008
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Linda
, Mar 26 2008 11:26 AM
15 replies to this topic
#1
Linda
Linda
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Posted 26 March 2008 - 11:26 AM
http://news14.com/co...er/Default.aspx
Search is on for missing taxi driver
03/24/2008
FAYETTEVILLE -- Cumberland County deputies are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing taxi cab driver.
Detectives are looking for William James Simon, 61, who was reported missing after his cab was found abandoned in Spring Lake.
Elizabeth Simon says even though they are separated, William Simon talked with his wife everyday and would visit her after work at the Biscuit Kitchen. "He came on my job at 12:30 Thursday, I talked to him and he said ‘I'll see you later’. I got a call on Saturday saying he was missing."
At his home, his dog Ranger stands guard waiting for Simon to return home. The last anyone heard from him was when he called his boss Thursday night to say he was taking a passenger to Raleigh. He was reported missing after his taxi cab was found Friday evening.
His roommate, Yolanda Murphy, doesn't understand how this could have happened to such a nice man. "Me being here shows how generous he was, but he was like that with pretty much everybody."
The owner of L&M taxi service said somebody called him Friday saying they had seen Simon's cab abandoned along Rosser Road near a radio tower in Spring Lake. Simon’s family Bible was in the front seat.
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Debbie Tanna said they are treating his disappearance as suspicious, "His family seems to think that had he left on his own accord [because] he would have taken his Bible."
Now the mystery of Simon's disappearance remains. Left behind is Elizabeth Simon as she prays with her grandchildren for the safe return of the man nicknamed "Lightning" she has known for over 24 years. "I said, ’Pa-Pa is missing. We got to find him and we got to pray’. And my grandbabies say ‘We are going to pray for Pa-Pa to come home’."
William James Simon is 61 years old, 6’2†and 200 pounds. The sheriff's office says he has scars on the right side of his stomach.
If you have any information on his disappearance, please call the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office at (910) 323-1500.
Search is on for missing taxi driver
03/24/2008
FAYETTEVILLE -- Cumberland County deputies are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing taxi cab driver.
Detectives are looking for William James Simon, 61, who was reported missing after his cab was found abandoned in Spring Lake.
Elizabeth Simon says even though they are separated, William Simon talked with his wife everyday and would visit her after work at the Biscuit Kitchen. "He came on my job at 12:30 Thursday, I talked to him and he said ‘I'll see you later’. I got a call on Saturday saying he was missing."
At his home, his dog Ranger stands guard waiting for Simon to return home. The last anyone heard from him was when he called his boss Thursday night to say he was taking a passenger to Raleigh. He was reported missing after his taxi cab was found Friday evening.
His roommate, Yolanda Murphy, doesn't understand how this could have happened to such a nice man. "Me being here shows how generous he was, but he was like that with pretty much everybody."
The owner of L&M taxi service said somebody called him Friday saying they had seen Simon's cab abandoned along Rosser Road near a radio tower in Spring Lake. Simon’s family Bible was in the front seat.
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Debbie Tanna said they are treating his disappearance as suspicious, "His family seems to think that had he left on his own accord [because] he would have taken his Bible."
Now the mystery of Simon's disappearance remains. Left behind is Elizabeth Simon as she prays with her grandchildren for the safe return of the man nicknamed "Lightning" she has known for over 24 years. "I said, ’Pa-Pa is missing. We got to find him and we got to pray’. And my grandbabies say ‘We are going to pray for Pa-Pa to come home’."
William James Simon is 61 years old, 6’2†and 200 pounds. The sheriff's office says he has scars on the right side of his stomach.
If you have any information on his disappearance, please call the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office at (910) 323-1500.
#2
Linda
Linda
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Posted 26 March 2008 - 11:30 AM
http://www.nbc17.com...03-25-0027.html
Police: Missing Cab Driver Was Alive Friday Morning
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Police said bank records from a missing cab driver show he was alive between the hours of 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Friday.
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Detectives continue to search for 61-year old William James Simon, a Fayetteville cab driver who has been missing since last week.
Simon, of 1593 Gillespie Street, was reported missing by his roommate on Wednesday when he failed to return home from work. Simon is a cab driver for L&M Taxi Service. His vehicle was found Friday evening by a passerby, near a radio tower located off Rosser Street in Spring Lake.
Simon was apparently running fares from nightclubs along Bragg Boulevard when he was last seen. Investigators said Tuesday bank records demonstrate he was probably alive early Friday morning. The missing persons investigation was turned over to the homicide unit Monday.
Police are looking for anyone with information about Simon, and whether his cab was seen after 4 a.m. Friday. The vehicle is a red, Ford Crown Victoria and has the L&M Taxi Service logo on the driver and passenger side doors.
Simon is described as six feet two inches tall and about 200 pounds. He has balding, grey hair and wears glasses at times. He has scars on the right side of his stomach.
Anyone with information regarding Simon is urged to contact the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office at (910) 323-1500.
Police: Missing Cab Driver Was Alive Friday Morning
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Police said bank records from a missing cab driver show he was alive between the hours of 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Friday.
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Detectives continue to search for 61-year old William James Simon, a Fayetteville cab driver who has been missing since last week.
Simon, of 1593 Gillespie Street, was reported missing by his roommate on Wednesday when he failed to return home from work. Simon is a cab driver for L&M Taxi Service. His vehicle was found Friday evening by a passerby, near a radio tower located off Rosser Street in Spring Lake.
Simon was apparently running fares from nightclubs along Bragg Boulevard when he was last seen. Investigators said Tuesday bank records demonstrate he was probably alive early Friday morning. The missing persons investigation was turned over to the homicide unit Monday.
Police are looking for anyone with information about Simon, and whether his cab was seen after 4 a.m. Friday. The vehicle is a red, Ford Crown Victoria and has the L&M Taxi Service logo on the driver and passenger side doors.
Simon is described as six feet two inches tall and about 200 pounds. He has balding, grey hair and wears glasses at times. He has scars on the right side of his stomach.
Anyone with information regarding Simon is urged to contact the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office at (910) 323-1500.
#3
Linda
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Posted 26 March 2008 - 11:33 AM
http://www.fayobserv...ticle?id=289518
Cabbie's not the kind to vanish with no word
Elizabeth Simon didn't like it.
The way her estranged husband drove his red taxi around town all day and night, picking up strangers, catching naps when he could, in his bed or on the side of the road.
But you don't tell a man who worked hard his whole life when to stop.
You just tease him, just enough to let him know you'¢re concerned.
“You know, Willie," Elizabeth would say, “you don't have to make all the money."
But it was only a few months ago that William James Simon, 61, lost his job driving trucks for the cinder block company Fay Block.
He stared unemployment in the eye, imagined what it would be like without the money to pay the bills. It scared him more than picking up strangers.
So he kept right on driving, until early Friday morning.
It was just after midnight when Willie telephoned his boss at L&M Taxi Service to say he'd picked up a passenger and was headed north to Raleigh.
“I told him I'd talk to him when he gets back," Larry Morrisey told the Observer on Sunday. “I haven't talked to him since."
Morrisey reported Willie missing Friday evening. A passer-by spotted his abandoned cab later that night, off Rosser Road in Spring Lake.
On Monday, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office assigned homicide investigators to look into the disappearance, though they're still classifying it a “suspicious missing person" case.
Willie's roommate, Yolanda Murphy, thinks “suspicious"is just the right word.
Willie took Murphy in four years ago, like a kindly grandfather, when she had nowhere else to go. He let her live in one of the empty bedrooms in his mobile home on Gillespie Street.
In those four years, she rarely saw her roommate, unless he was home to eat and shower or to catch a nap and a few minutes of the evening news.
Last year, he quit drinking cold turkey.
Often, he picked up his grandchildren from day care and took them to McDonald's.
Always, the radio in his cab was tuned to the local gospel station.
He wasn't the kind to disappear without a word, to leave his family worrying and his boss in a bind.
“He wouldn't have left his cab," Murphy said.
So when investigators told her that cab was sitting alone in Spring Lake, with nothing but Willie's Bible on the front seat, she knew something had gone wrong.
She hadn't seen him since Wednesday, the last time he stopped by his home. She hadn’t talked to him since Thursday, the last time she reached him on his cell phone.
She spent the weekend wondering how she could take care of his three dogs Ranger, Little Scary and Itty Bitty until he came back, and worrying how she could pay the bills if he doesn't.
Drivers community
Meanwhile, the news of Willie's disappearance seeped slowly through the city, passed along in sadness by friends and in caution by cab drivers.
Carl White, who drives for Up All Nite Taxi, heard about it Monday. It shook him a little. He's tried to be cautious in his 15 years as a cab driver, to pass on fares that didn't feel right, to drive the day shift more than the night. But, sometimes, in the repetition of the job, he lets his vigilance wane.
But not today. Willie's disappearance served as his reminder that driving a cab may be the best way he's found to make a living, but it's also dangerous.
“In this job, your biggest safety device is common sense," White said. “If (the trip) doesn't feel right, by all means, refuse it. I hate doing it but there's no other way to enhance your safety."
Because it's the best outcome he can imagine right now, White hopes Willie simply tired of the job and took off. In the world of driving cabs, it happens.
But Debbie Tanna, spokeswoman for Sheriff's Office, says it's unlikely. Investigators don't believe Willie left his cab of his own accord.
“Nothing in his background would indicate he would hole himself up and not want to be found" Tanna said.
No one knows that better than Elizabeth. Her husband had too deep a sense of responsibility to disappear, too many people to disappoint.
He grew up on a farm of cotton, corn, peanuts and soybeans in rural South Carolina, the oldest of 12 children.
Elizabeth met him when he settled in Fayetteville more than 20 years ago, after he'd been married once and had two children.
They dated for 14 years, were married for 10. They have one son and two grandchildren.
And they've never, not even after they separated a few years back, went a day without talking.
Some mornings, Willie picked Elizabeth up before 5 to drive her to the Biscuit Kitchen on Grove Street for her morning shift. Other days, he'd stop in for a cup of coffee and a bacon platter, squirt too much ketchup in his grits, chat up everyone in the place.
The last time Elizabeth saw him was Thursday afternoon. He walked into the restaurant just as she was going on her break.
They ate lunch together. When her break was over, he heaved his hulking body out of the booth and gave her a wave. "I'll see you later," he told her.
She'd give anything for that to be true, for Willie to walk right back into the Biscuit Kitchen and order a bacon platter.
"I'd just jump up there and give him a hug," Elizabeth said. “And I'd thank God that they found him."
Cabbie's not the kind to vanish with no word
Elizabeth Simon didn't like it.
The way her estranged husband drove his red taxi around town all day and night, picking up strangers, catching naps when he could, in his bed or on the side of the road.
But you don't tell a man who worked hard his whole life when to stop.
You just tease him, just enough to let him know you'¢re concerned.
“You know, Willie," Elizabeth would say, “you don't have to make all the money."
But it was only a few months ago that William James Simon, 61, lost his job driving trucks for the cinder block company Fay Block.
He stared unemployment in the eye, imagined what it would be like without the money to pay the bills. It scared him more than picking up strangers.
So he kept right on driving, until early Friday morning.
It was just after midnight when Willie telephoned his boss at L&M Taxi Service to say he'd picked up a passenger and was headed north to Raleigh.
“I told him I'd talk to him when he gets back," Larry Morrisey told the Observer on Sunday. “I haven't talked to him since."
Morrisey reported Willie missing Friday evening. A passer-by spotted his abandoned cab later that night, off Rosser Road in Spring Lake.
On Monday, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office assigned homicide investigators to look into the disappearance, though they're still classifying it a “suspicious missing person" case.
Willie's roommate, Yolanda Murphy, thinks “suspicious"is just the right word.
Willie took Murphy in four years ago, like a kindly grandfather, when she had nowhere else to go. He let her live in one of the empty bedrooms in his mobile home on Gillespie Street.
In those four years, she rarely saw her roommate, unless he was home to eat and shower or to catch a nap and a few minutes of the evening news.
Last year, he quit drinking cold turkey.
Often, he picked up his grandchildren from day care and took them to McDonald's.
Always, the radio in his cab was tuned to the local gospel station.
He wasn't the kind to disappear without a word, to leave his family worrying and his boss in a bind.
“He wouldn't have left his cab," Murphy said.
So when investigators told her that cab was sitting alone in Spring Lake, with nothing but Willie's Bible on the front seat, she knew something had gone wrong.
She hadn't seen him since Wednesday, the last time he stopped by his home. She hadn’t talked to him since Thursday, the last time she reached him on his cell phone.
She spent the weekend wondering how she could take care of his three dogs Ranger, Little Scary and Itty Bitty until he came back, and worrying how she could pay the bills if he doesn't.
Drivers community
Meanwhile, the news of Willie's disappearance seeped slowly through the city, passed along in sadness by friends and in caution by cab drivers.
Carl White, who drives for Up All Nite Taxi, heard about it Monday. It shook him a little. He's tried to be cautious in his 15 years as a cab driver, to pass on fares that didn't feel right, to drive the day shift more than the night. But, sometimes, in the repetition of the job, he lets his vigilance wane.
But not today. Willie's disappearance served as his reminder that driving a cab may be the best way he's found to make a living, but it's also dangerous.
“In this job, your biggest safety device is common sense," White said. “If (the trip) doesn't feel right, by all means, refuse it. I hate doing it but there's no other way to enhance your safety."
Because it's the best outcome he can imagine right now, White hopes Willie simply tired of the job and took off. In the world of driving cabs, it happens.
But Debbie Tanna, spokeswoman for Sheriff's Office, says it's unlikely. Investigators don't believe Willie left his cab of his own accord.
“Nothing in his background would indicate he would hole himself up and not want to be found" Tanna said.
No one knows that better than Elizabeth. Her husband had too deep a sense of responsibility to disappear, too many people to disappoint.
He grew up on a farm of cotton, corn, peanuts and soybeans in rural South Carolina, the oldest of 12 children.
Elizabeth met him when he settled in Fayetteville more than 20 years ago, after he'd been married once and had two children.
They dated for 14 years, were married for 10. They have one son and two grandchildren.
And they've never, not even after they separated a few years back, went a day without talking.
Some mornings, Willie picked Elizabeth up before 5 to drive her to the Biscuit Kitchen on Grove Street for her morning shift. Other days, he'd stop in for a cup of coffee and a bacon platter, squirt too much ketchup in his grits, chat up everyone in the place.
The last time Elizabeth saw him was Thursday afternoon. He walked into the restaurant just as she was going on her break.
They ate lunch together. When her break was over, he heaved his hulking body out of the booth and gave her a wave. "I'll see you later," he told her.
She'd give anything for that to be true, for Willie to walk right back into the Biscuit Kitchen and order a bacon platter.
"I'd just jump up there and give him a hug," Elizabeth said. “And I'd thank God that they found him."
#4
Linda
Linda
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Posted 26 March 2008 - 11:36 AM
http://www.fayobserv...ticle?id=289426
Cab driver calls in Raleigh fare, then vanishes
03/24/08
Friday just after midnight, cab driver William James Simon reportedly told his boss he had picked up a passenger and was headed to Raleigh.
Nobody has heard from Simon since then.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help finding the 61-year-old cab driver, and has labeled his disappearance as a “suspicious missing person,†according to Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Debbie Tanna.
A passer-by spotted Simon’s L&M Taxi Service vehicle Friday night off Rosser Road in Spring Lake. The car was abandoned, but Simon’s Bible was in the passenger seat.
“We don’t think that he left on his own accord,†Tanna said.
Simon was first reported missing Wednesday, when his roommate said he didn’t return home from work.
But Simon’s boss, L&M Taxi Service owner Larry Morrisey, said he spoke to Simon on Thursday night and early Friday morning while Simon was working.
Morrisey said he last contacted Simon at 12:48 a.m. Friday.
“He told me he had picked up a trip and that he was going to Raleigh with the trip,†Morrisey said. “I told him I’d talk to him when he gets back. I haven’t talked to him since.â€Â
When Simon didn’t return to work Friday evening, Morrisey reported him missing, two days after Simon’s roommate made the initial report.
Because nobody saw Simon between Wednesday and Friday, the Sheriff’s Office is reporting him as missing since Wednesday.
L&M Taxi is a small company, owning four taxis. Drivers communicate with Morrisey via cell phone.
Others in Fayetteville’s taxi community say that whenever something happens to a driver, everyone takes notice.
“We’ve had incidences where cabs have been stolen from drivers at gunpoint. But nothing as drastic as this,†said Gary Stone, a dispatcher with Yellow Cab of Fayetteville, one of the city’s largest taxi companies. “It does kind of make you pay a little more attention with what’s going on with your cab drivers out there on the road.â€Â
Cab driver calls in Raleigh fare, then vanishes
03/24/08
Friday just after midnight, cab driver William James Simon reportedly told his boss he had picked up a passenger and was headed to Raleigh.
Nobody has heard from Simon since then.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help finding the 61-year-old cab driver, and has labeled his disappearance as a “suspicious missing person,†according to Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Debbie Tanna.
A passer-by spotted Simon’s L&M Taxi Service vehicle Friday night off Rosser Road in Spring Lake. The car was abandoned, but Simon’s Bible was in the passenger seat.
“We don’t think that he left on his own accord,†Tanna said.
Simon was first reported missing Wednesday, when his roommate said he didn’t return home from work.
But Simon’s boss, L&M Taxi Service owner Larry Morrisey, said he spoke to Simon on Thursday night and early Friday morning while Simon was working.
Morrisey said he last contacted Simon at 12:48 a.m. Friday.
“He told me he had picked up a trip and that he was going to Raleigh with the trip,†Morrisey said. “I told him I’d talk to him when he gets back. I haven’t talked to him since.â€Â
When Simon didn’t return to work Friday evening, Morrisey reported him missing, two days after Simon’s roommate made the initial report.
Because nobody saw Simon between Wednesday and Friday, the Sheriff’s Office is reporting him as missing since Wednesday.
L&M Taxi is a small company, owning four taxis. Drivers communicate with Morrisey via cell phone.
Others in Fayetteville’s taxi community say that whenever something happens to a driver, everyone takes notice.
“We’ve had incidences where cabs have been stolen from drivers at gunpoint. But nothing as drastic as this,†said Gary Stone, a dispatcher with Yellow Cab of Fayetteville, one of the city’s largest taxi companies. “It does kind of make you pay a little more attention with what’s going on with your cab drivers out there on the road.â€Â
#5
Linda
Linda
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Posted 26 March 2008 - 11:39 AM
http://www.nbc17.com...03-24-0025.html
Missing Cab Driver Case Now A Homicide Investigation
Mar 24, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.--- The disappearance of a Fayetteville cab driver has now turned into a homicide investigation.
The Cumberland County Sheriff's office says 61-year-old William Simon was reported missing by a roommate Wednesday, and two days later his abandoned cab was found in a town adjoining Fayetteville.
Originally, it was being handled as a missing person’s case, but late Monday afternoon, the Cumberland County Sheriff announced the case has been taken over by the homicide unit.
Investigators say there are a lot of unanswered questions about the case, including a mysterious discrepancy about when the cab driver was last seen.
His roommate said Simon disappeared last Wednesday, but his boss said he spoke with Simon by phone two days later. Investigators are trying to sort it all out.
Meanwhile, neighbors say the missing man was the kind of person who didn't have an enemy in the world.
“He was a big old teddy bear,†said neighbor Rosemarie Morales. “Anytime anybody needed a place to stay, he'd let them crash there. Or if they needed something, he'd be there for him.â€Â
Sheriff’s deputies say they first heard about the case on March 19.
“We got a report on Wednesday from his roommate that he had not come from work, which was highly unusual for him because he was so dependable,†said Sherriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Tanna.
Deputies began looking into the case right away, but two days later, his boss at LM Taxi claimed Simon called him to say he was taking a fare from Fayetteville to Raleigh. But the owner of the four-man taxi company says Simon never returned from the Raleigh job.
“He was concerned about where he was because he hasn't heard from him since then,†Tanna said.
On Friday night, a passerby found William Simon's cab on Rosser Road, a dead-end street in nearby Spring Lake. Inside the cab, there was evidence that lead investigators to believe that Simon did not leave his cab willingly.
“His family and friends tell us he's very religious. And the only thing inside his cab … was his Bible. It was left on the front seat.â€Â
Missing Cab Driver Case Now A Homicide Investigation
Mar 24, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.--- The disappearance of a Fayetteville cab driver has now turned into a homicide investigation.
The Cumberland County Sheriff's office says 61-year-old William Simon was reported missing by a roommate Wednesday, and two days later his abandoned cab was found in a town adjoining Fayetteville.
Originally, it was being handled as a missing person’s case, but late Monday afternoon, the Cumberland County Sheriff announced the case has been taken over by the homicide unit.
Investigators say there are a lot of unanswered questions about the case, including a mysterious discrepancy about when the cab driver was last seen.
His roommate said Simon disappeared last Wednesday, but his boss said he spoke with Simon by phone two days later. Investigators are trying to sort it all out.
Meanwhile, neighbors say the missing man was the kind of person who didn't have an enemy in the world.
“He was a big old teddy bear,†said neighbor Rosemarie Morales. “Anytime anybody needed a place to stay, he'd let them crash there. Or if they needed something, he'd be there for him.â€Â
Sheriff’s deputies say they first heard about the case on March 19.
“We got a report on Wednesday from his roommate that he had not come from work, which was highly unusual for him because he was so dependable,†said Sherriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Tanna.
Deputies began looking into the case right away, but two days later, his boss at LM Taxi claimed Simon called him to say he was taking a fare from Fayetteville to Raleigh. But the owner of the four-man taxi company says Simon never returned from the Raleigh job.
“He was concerned about where he was because he hasn't heard from him since then,†Tanna said.
On Friday night, a passerby found William Simon's cab on Rosser Road, a dead-end street in nearby Spring Lake. Inside the cab, there was evidence that lead investigators to believe that Simon did not leave his cab willingly.
“His family and friends tell us he's very religious. And the only thing inside his cab … was his Bible. It was left on the front seat.â€Â
#6
Linda
Linda
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Posted 26 March 2008 - 03:44 PM
http://www.wral.com/.../story/2634965/
Police: Body Found Not Cabbie's
Fayetteville, N.C. — A body found in some Cumberland County woods late Tuesday isn't that of a missing cab driver, police said.
William James Simon, 61, has been missing since last Thursday. He last called his boss at L&M Taxi Service late that night to say he was taking a fare from Fayetteville to Raleigh.
His abandoned cab was found in Spring Lake the following day.
A body found Tuesday in woods off Sycamore Dairy Road near Legend Avenue is that of a 47-year-old man, police said. They believe he was homeless and died of natural causes.
Another homeless man found the body just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and ran to call police. An autopsy will determine his exact cause of death, police said.
#7
Denise
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Posted 29 March 2008 - 06:15 PM
http://www.fayobserv...ticle?id=289877
No new clues in missing cab driver case
There is still no sign of William James Simon, the Spring Lake cab driver who has been missing for more than a week.
Lawmen have had no luck in locating Simon, a driver for L&M Taxi Service, or in figuring out where he might be, said Debbie Tanna, spokeswoman for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
The last known contact with the 61-year-old Simon was March 22, lawmen said. He talked with his boss just after midnight and reported that he was taking a passenger to Raleigh.
Simon had been reported missing by his roommate March 19, lawmen said.
Using Simon’s bank records, investigators determined that he was alive between 3 and 4 a.m. on March 22.
His cab was found later that day near a radio tower off Rosser Road in Spring Lake.
Anyone with information should call the Sheriff’s Office at 323-1500.
No new clues in missing cab driver case
There is still no sign of William James Simon, the Spring Lake cab driver who has been missing for more than a week.
Lawmen have had no luck in locating Simon, a driver for L&M Taxi Service, or in figuring out where he might be, said Debbie Tanna, spokeswoman for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
The last known contact with the 61-year-old Simon was March 22, lawmen said. He talked with his boss just after midnight and reported that he was taking a passenger to Raleigh.
Simon had been reported missing by his roommate March 19, lawmen said.
Using Simon’s bank records, investigators determined that he was alive between 3 and 4 a.m. on March 22.
His cab was found later that day near a radio tower off Rosser Road in Spring Lake.
Anyone with information should call the Sheriff’s Office at 323-1500.
#8
Linda
Linda
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Posted 04 April 2008 - 05:00 PM
http://www.fayobserv...ticle?id=290500
Search for missing cab driver continues
April 04, 2008
Investigators are still searching for clues that could lead them to a cab driver who has been missing for more than two weeks.
William James Simon, 61, has not been heard from since March 21, when he called his boss at L&M Taxi Service just after midnight to say he’d picked up a passenger and was going to Raleigh.
Debbie Tanna, spokeswoman for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, said Friday that investigators still do not know where Simon could be.
The Sheriff’s Office has assigned homicide detectives to investigate his disappearance.
Simon’s roommate reported him missing on March 19. Investigators used his bank records to determine he was alive between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on March 22.
Simon’s cab was found later that day near a radio tower off Rosser Road in Spring Lake.
Investigators are asking anyone with information to call the Sheriff’s Office at 323-1500
Search for missing cab driver continues
April 04, 2008
Investigators are still searching for clues that could lead them to a cab driver who has been missing for more than two weeks.
William James Simon, 61, has not been heard from since March 21, when he called his boss at L&M Taxi Service just after midnight to say he’d picked up a passenger and was going to Raleigh.
Debbie Tanna, spokeswoman for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, said Friday that investigators still do not know where Simon could be.
The Sheriff’s Office has assigned homicide detectives to investigate his disappearance.
Simon’s roommate reported him missing on March 19. Investigators used his bank records to determine he was alive between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on March 22.
Simon’s cab was found later that day near a radio tower off Rosser Road in Spring Lake.
Investigators are asking anyone with information to call the Sheriff’s Office at 323-1500
#9
Linda
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Posted 15 April 2008 - 08:43 PM
http://www.ncwanted..../story/2740930/
Leads, But No Body
Apr. 15, 2008
CUMBERLAND COUNTY:
Cumberland County detectives have found several good leads since they began searching for William James Simon last month. What they haven’t found is his body.
Simon, 61, disappeared March 19 and hasn’t been heard from or seen since.
He’s a good person, said Lt. Charlie Disponzio, a hard worker with no criminal history or known drug problems who did what he should. He was a family guy who never went long without talking to his grandchildren or his estranged wife, Elizabeth Simon.
“We feel confident he has not disappeared of his own free will,†Lt. Disponzio said. “There are grandchildren who want to see their granddad again.â€
A few days a week, Simon drove a taxicab, which was discovered near a radio tower off Rosser Street in Spring Lake Friday, March 21. Other than his Bible, left in the front seat, there was no sign of Simon. Within, three days, county authorities announced they were treating the case as a homicide investigation.
The search for Simon has focused on the Spring Lake area, and Lt. Disponzio said he is certain someone in that area saw Simon or a passenger in the cab in the early morning of March 19. He is urging that person to come forward.
“Little by little, we are establishing what we think are the last hours of this cab driver’s life,†he said, adding investigators hope the public will help them do that. “We are looking for anyone who saw him in Spring Lake.â€
The cab company Simon worked for is small, Lt. Disponzio said, with three vehicles. The owner would let Simon and the other drivers “freelance†from time to time, and Simon typically would work the Bragg Boulevard area, carrying bar-goers home and returning for another fare.
The shift Simon worked in the early morning hours of March 19 was like any other but for one thing, Lt. Disponzio said. During that shift, Simon likely “came across his killer.â€
Leads, But No Body
Apr. 15, 2008
CUMBERLAND COUNTY:
Cumberland County detectives have found several good leads since they began searching for William James Simon last month. What they haven’t found is his body.
Simon, 61, disappeared March 19 and hasn’t been heard from or seen since.
He’s a good person, said Lt. Charlie Disponzio, a hard worker with no criminal history or known drug problems who did what he should. He was a family guy who never went long without talking to his grandchildren or his estranged wife, Elizabeth Simon.
“We feel confident he has not disappeared of his own free will,†Lt. Disponzio said. “There are grandchildren who want to see their granddad again.â€
A few days a week, Simon drove a taxicab, which was discovered near a radio tower off Rosser Street in Spring Lake Friday, March 21. Other than his Bible, left in the front seat, there was no sign of Simon. Within, three days, county authorities announced they were treating the case as a homicide investigation.
The search for Simon has focused on the Spring Lake area, and Lt. Disponzio said he is certain someone in that area saw Simon or a passenger in the cab in the early morning of March 19. He is urging that person to come forward.
“Little by little, we are establishing what we think are the last hours of this cab driver’s life,†he said, adding investigators hope the public will help them do that. “We are looking for anyone who saw him in Spring Lake.â€
The cab company Simon worked for is small, Lt. Disponzio said, with three vehicles. The owner would let Simon and the other drivers “freelance†from time to time, and Simon typically would work the Bragg Boulevard area, carrying bar-goers home and returning for another fare.
The shift Simon worked in the early morning hours of March 19 was like any other but for one thing, Lt. Disponzio said. During that shift, Simon likely “came across his killer.â€
#10
Linda
Linda
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- Guests
Posted 01 August 2008 - 06:02 AM
http://www.ncwanted..../story/3313777/
$5,000 Reward in Missing Cabbie Case
Aug. 1, 2008
CUMBERLAND COUNTY: Detectives have found several good leads since they began searching for William James Simon last month. What they haven’t found is his body.
Simon, 61, disappeared March 19 and hasn’t been heard from or seen since.
He’s a good person, said Lt. Charlie Disponzio, a hard worker with no criminal history or known drug problems who did what he should. He was a family guy who never went long without talking to his grandchildren or his estranged wife, Elizabeth Simon.
“We feel confident he has not disappeared of his own free will,†Lt. Disponzio said. “There are grandchildren who want to see their granddad again.â€
A few days a week, Simon drove a taxicab, which was discovered near a radio tower off Rosser Street in Spring Lake Friday, March 21. Other than his Bible, left in the front seat, there was no sign of Simon. Within three days, county authorities announced they were treating the case as a homicide investigation.
The search for Simon has focused on the Spring Lake area, and Lt. Disponzio said he is certain someone in that area saw Simon or a passenger in the cab in the early morning of March 19. He is urging that person to come forward.
“Little by little, we are establishing what we think are the last hours of this cab driver’s life,†he said, adding investigators hope the public will help them do that. “We are looking for anyone who saw him in Spring Lake.â€
The cab company Simon worked for is small, Lt. Disponzio said, with only three vehicles. The owner would let Simon and the other drivers “freelance†from time to time, and Simon typically would work the Bragg Boulevard area, carrying bar-goers home and returning for another fare.
The shift Simon worked in the early morning hours of March 19 was like any other except for one thing, Lt. Disponzio said. During that shift, Simon likely “came across his killer.â€
The governor's office is offering a $5,000 reward for information that helps solve the case.
$5,000 Reward in Missing Cabbie Case
Aug. 1, 2008
CUMBERLAND COUNTY: Detectives have found several good leads since they began searching for William James Simon last month. What they haven’t found is his body.
Simon, 61, disappeared March 19 and hasn’t been heard from or seen since.
He’s a good person, said Lt. Charlie Disponzio, a hard worker with no criminal history or known drug problems who did what he should. He was a family guy who never went long without talking to his grandchildren or his estranged wife, Elizabeth Simon.
“We feel confident he has not disappeared of his own free will,†Lt. Disponzio said. “There are grandchildren who want to see their granddad again.â€
A few days a week, Simon drove a taxicab, which was discovered near a radio tower off Rosser Street in Spring Lake Friday, March 21. Other than his Bible, left in the front seat, there was no sign of Simon. Within three days, county authorities announced they were treating the case as a homicide investigation.
The search for Simon has focused on the Spring Lake area, and Lt. Disponzio said he is certain someone in that area saw Simon or a passenger in the cab in the early morning of March 19. He is urging that person to come forward.
“Little by little, we are establishing what we think are the last hours of this cab driver’s life,†he said, adding investigators hope the public will help them do that. “We are looking for anyone who saw him in Spring Lake.â€
The cab company Simon worked for is small, Lt. Disponzio said, with only three vehicles. The owner would let Simon and the other drivers “freelance†from time to time, and Simon typically would work the Bragg Boulevard area, carrying bar-goers home and returning for another fare.
The shift Simon worked in the early morning hours of March 19 was like any other except for one thing, Lt. Disponzio said. During that shift, Simon likely “came across his killer.â€
The governor's office is offering a $5,000 reward for information that helps solve the case.
#11
Denise
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Advanced Member
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Posted 22 September 2008 - 05:16 PM
http://news14.com/co...er/Default.aspx
Search continues for missing driver
09/22/2008 01:05 PM
By: Gavin MacRoberts
FAYETTEVILLE -- It has been six months since a Fayetteville cab driver was first reported missing. The last time 61-year-old William Simon was heard from was March 21.
There has been no new information for friends and family since Simon’s cab was found abandoned along a dirt road north of Spring Lake. Investigators with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office say his family bible was found in the front seat of his cab. Family members say they fear the worst because Simon would never leave his bible behind.
The owner of the taxi company Simon worked for – L&M Taxi Service – told investigators the last he heard from Simon was early in the morning of March 21. Simon called in to say he was taking a fare to Raleigh. Detectives say that was the last time anyone ever heard from him.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is asking for anyone with information of Simon’s disappearance to call them at 910-323-1500. A $5,000 reward is offered by the governor’s office for information that helps investigators solve the case.
Search continues for missing driver
09/22/2008 01:05 PM
By: Gavin MacRoberts
FAYETTEVILLE -- It has been six months since a Fayetteville cab driver was first reported missing. The last time 61-year-old William Simon was heard from was March 21.
There has been no new information for friends and family since Simon’s cab was found abandoned along a dirt road north of Spring Lake. Investigators with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office say his family bible was found in the front seat of his cab. Family members say they fear the worst because Simon would never leave his bible behind.
The owner of the taxi company Simon worked for – L&M Taxi Service – told investigators the last he heard from Simon was early in the morning of March 21. Simon called in to say he was taking a fare to Raleigh. Detectives say that was the last time anyone ever heard from him.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is asking for anyone with information of Simon’s disappearance to call them at 910-323-1500. A $5,000 reward is offered by the governor’s office for information that helps investigators solve the case.
#12
Deborah
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Advanced Member
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Posted 02 June 2009 - 12:20 PM
NC Wanted Update
Cumberland County investigators are conducting a homicide investigation into the case of cabbie William Simon.
William Simon: One Year Later and Still No Body
By NC Wanted Staff
Posted: Apr 15, 2008
Updated: Apr. 3, 2009
CUMBERLAND COUNTY: — Cumberland County detectives have found several good leads since they began searching for William James Simon last year. What they haven’t found is his body.
Simon, 61, disappeared March 19, 2008 and hasn’t been heard from or seen since.
He’s a good person, said Lt. Charlie Disponzio, a hard worker with no criminal history or known drug problems who did what he should. He was a family guy who never went long without talking to his grandchildren or his estranged wife, Elizabeth Simon.
“We feel confident he has not disappeared of his own free will,†Lt. Disponzio said. “There are grandchildren who want to see their granddad again.â€
A few days a week, Simon drove a taxicab, which was discovered near a radio tower off Rosser Street in Spring Lake two days later. Other than his Bible, left in the front seat, there was no sign of Simon. Within three days, county authorities announced they were treating the case as a homicide investigation.
The search for Simon has focused on the Spring Lake area, and Lt. Disponzio said he is certain someone in that area saw Simon or a passenger in the cab that morning. He is urging that person to come forward.
“Little by little, we are establishing what we think are the last hours of this cab driver’s life,†he said, adding investigators hope the public will help them do that. “We are looking for anyone who saw him in Spring Lake.â€
The cab company Simon worked for is small, Lt. Disponzio said, with only three vehicles. The owner would let Simon and the other drivers “freelance†from time to time, and Simon typically would work the Bragg Boulevard area, carrying bar-goers home and returning for another fare.
The shift Simon worked in the early morning hours of March 19, 2008 was like any other except for one thing, Lt. Disponzio said. During that shift, Simon likely “came across his killer.â€
If you have any information, call NC WANTED toll free at 1.866.43.WANTED (1.866.439.2683) or click on "Report a Tip" Your identity can be kept confidential
Cumberland County investigators are conducting a homicide investigation into the case of cabbie William Simon.
William Simon: One Year Later and Still No Body
By NC Wanted Staff
Posted: Apr 15, 2008
Updated: Apr. 3, 2009
CUMBERLAND COUNTY: — Cumberland County detectives have found several good leads since they began searching for William James Simon last year. What they haven’t found is his body.
Simon, 61, disappeared March 19, 2008 and hasn’t been heard from or seen since.
He’s a good person, said Lt. Charlie Disponzio, a hard worker with no criminal history or known drug problems who did what he should. He was a family guy who never went long without talking to his grandchildren or his estranged wife, Elizabeth Simon.
“We feel confident he has not disappeared of his own free will,†Lt. Disponzio said. “There are grandchildren who want to see their granddad again.â€
A few days a week, Simon drove a taxicab, which was discovered near a radio tower off Rosser Street in Spring Lake two days later. Other than his Bible, left in the front seat, there was no sign of Simon. Within three days, county authorities announced they were treating the case as a homicide investigation.
The search for Simon has focused on the Spring Lake area, and Lt. Disponzio said he is certain someone in that area saw Simon or a passenger in the cab that morning. He is urging that person to come forward.
“Little by little, we are establishing what we think are the last hours of this cab driver’s life,†he said, adding investigators hope the public will help them do that. “We are looking for anyone who saw him in Spring Lake.â€
The cab company Simon worked for is small, Lt. Disponzio said, with only three vehicles. The owner would let Simon and the other drivers “freelance†from time to time, and Simon typically would work the Bragg Boulevard area, carrying bar-goers home and returning for another fare.
The shift Simon worked in the early morning hours of March 19, 2008 was like any other except for one thing, Lt. Disponzio said. During that shift, Simon likely “came across his killer.â€
If you have any information, call NC WANTED toll free at 1.866.43.WANTED (1.866.439.2683) or click on "Report a Tip" Your identity can be kept confidential
Deborah Cox, Volunteer
Case Verification
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja.../awareness.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
Case Verification
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja.../awareness.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#13
Lori Davis
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Forum Team Leader
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Posted 22 January 2010 - 06:34 AM
Lori Davis, Project Jason Forum Moderator
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Please help us in our mission as a 501 c 3 nonprofit: http://projectjason....y-campaign.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#14
Jenn
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Advanced Member
- LocationOntario, Canada
Posted 25 November 2010 - 09:24 AM
Jennifer, Project Jason Forum Moderator
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#15
Lori Davis
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Forum Team Leader
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Posted 13 January 2013 - 05:21 PM
Article from 2011
http://www.wral.com/.../story/9182122/
Investigators search for missing cab driver's body
Posted: February 26, 2011
Updated: February 27, 2011
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — In the nearly three years since a Fayetteville cab driver disappeared on the job, authorities have followed up on countless leads and identified several persons of interest. All they need now is a body.
Investigators believe two local men killed William Simon, 61, dumped his body and then tried to hide his cab in a field in Spring Lake.
"Without a body and without an original crime scene, where this all took place at, it's very hard to go forward from here," said Charlie Disponzio, who worked the case as a lieutenant with the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.
Family, friends and coworkers knew something was wrong when they didn't hear from Simon on March 21, 2008. His boss, Larry Morrisey, who owns LM Taxi Cab Service in Fayetteville, got an alarming call around 7 p.m. from a man in Spring Lake.
"He said, 'Are you missing a cab?' I said, 'Well, I'm missing a driver I've been trying to get in touch with all day,'" Morrisey said. "He said, 'Well, the reason I'm calling is I see one of your cabs back behind this building in a wooded area.'"
Morrisey rushed to the scene and was immediately concerned when he saw Simon's Bible on the front seat.
"He enjoyed his church and his grandkids. There's no way I would think that he would just disappear," Morrisey said. "Something transpired."
Morrisey called police, who suspected foul play from the beginning.
"Mr. Simon always went to work, did not abuse alcohol or drugs, and was very faithful in going to work and taking care of his cab," said Sgt. Kim Gagnon of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office. "So absolutely we thought we might find a body rather than find Mr. Simon himself."
The cab was found in a muddy rut, and authorities believe that Simon's killers abandoned it there because they got stuck. To solve this case, they said, they need to find Simon's body.
"Someone knows his whereabouts, where they dumped the body, who done it," Morrisey said. "Just give a tip so we can find his remains and put an end and closure to this thing for his family."
There's a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.
Anyone with information about the disappearance of William Simon can call NC Wanted's tipline at 1-866-439-2683 or submit a tip online.
http://www.wral.com/.../story/9182122/
Investigators search for missing cab driver's body
Posted: February 26, 2011
Updated: February 27, 2011
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — In the nearly three years since a Fayetteville cab driver disappeared on the job, authorities have followed up on countless leads and identified several persons of interest. All they need now is a body.
Investigators believe two local men killed William Simon, 61, dumped his body and then tried to hide his cab in a field in Spring Lake.
"Without a body and without an original crime scene, where this all took place at, it's very hard to go forward from here," said Charlie Disponzio, who worked the case as a lieutenant with the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.
Family, friends and coworkers knew something was wrong when they didn't hear from Simon on March 21, 2008. His boss, Larry Morrisey, who owns LM Taxi Cab Service in Fayetteville, got an alarming call around 7 p.m. from a man in Spring Lake.
"He said, 'Are you missing a cab?' I said, 'Well, I'm missing a driver I've been trying to get in touch with all day,'" Morrisey said. "He said, 'Well, the reason I'm calling is I see one of your cabs back behind this building in a wooded area.'"
Morrisey rushed to the scene and was immediately concerned when he saw Simon's Bible on the front seat.
"He enjoyed his church and his grandkids. There's no way I would think that he would just disappear," Morrisey said. "Something transpired."
Morrisey called police, who suspected foul play from the beginning.
"Mr. Simon always went to work, did not abuse alcohol or drugs, and was very faithful in going to work and taking care of his cab," said Sgt. Kim Gagnon of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office. "So absolutely we thought we might find a body rather than find Mr. Simon himself."
The cab was found in a muddy rut, and authorities believe that Simon's killers abandoned it there because they got stuck. To solve this case, they said, they need to find Simon's body.
"Someone knows his whereabouts, where they dumped the body, who done it," Morrisey said. "Just give a tip so we can find his remains and put an end and closure to this thing for his family."
There's a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.
Anyone with information about the disappearance of William Simon can call NC Wanted's tipline at 1-866-439-2683 or submit a tip online.
Lori Davis, Project Jason Forum Moderator
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Please help us in our mission as a 501 c 3 nonprofit: http://projectjason....y-campaign.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#16
Deborah
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Posted 14 August 2015 - 10:10 PM
William has not been located, there are no tips in his case.
Cumberland County Sheriff's Office at (910) 323-1500.
Deborah Cox, Volunteer
Case Verification
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja.../awareness.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
Case Verification
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja.../awareness.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
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