Posted 06 July 2009 - 09:44 AM
A Project Jason Press Release:
Investigators Search for Recently Missing New Orleans Street Performer
New Orleans, LA -- July 6, 2009 – The fascinating lives of New Orleans
street performers are often in the newspapers and on TV news because they
live such unusual lives, are so very talented, and are adored by the
public. Street performers were in the news, too, after Hurricane Katrina,
when they banded together to help each other at Kamp Katrina, established
to house street performers displaced by the disaster.
A piece of unwelcome news, though, is the recent disappearance of one of
their own.
Kamp Katrina volunteer Shawn “Maz†McDonald, a gifted guitarist and an
accomplished, long time “Silver Mime,†(a street mime who dresses in all
silver clothes and face paint), has not been seen since June 3rd, and to
the locals in New Orleans and the community of street performers, this is
a frightening disappearance hitting way too close to home.
Linda Scott, known as MS Pearl on these famous streets, has seen more
tragedy in her years than most. She’s lived through hurricanes and lost
loved ones, but she’s never had an experience that stopped her in her
tracks…..until now. “I’ve never known a feeling like this. I am so
frightened for Maz, as I know he would not leave without telling us. He
loves his work, his friends, and the French Quarter,†Linda stated. “He’s
well known on the streets, so we know that someone knows what has
happened.â€
McDonald has been featured in three books, a documentary, and other
countless videos about New Orleans street performers. He was also featured
in a “New Yorker Magazine†blog by writer Dan Baum, who wrote “At one
point, he took out his guitar. From his appearance, I expected him to play
something by Megadeth or Black Sabbath. Instead, with the guitar cocked
upright on his left knee and his filthy fingers dancing over the strings,
he played a lilting Spanish classical tune.â€
McDonald’s friends and family are asking the media to tell of the
disappearance of this beloved man, and show his photos and/or videos, in
hopes these media outlets can get the public’s help to locate him in a
timely manner. Friends and family are afraid for his safety. Those who
know him say it’s highly unlikely that he would have ventured off to other
regions or accepted rides with strangers since he has post traumatic
stress that makes him reticent about new surroundings.
Circumstances
He worked as a street performer in his usual fashion on the night of June
3rd, and returned home around 9:30pm. He went for a walk at about 10 pm,
taking his guitar and a small amount of tip money he made that night. It
is assumed that he spent the night with a male acquaintance, with whom he
had spent time prior to his disappearance. The next day the male
acquaintance stated that Maz went to Arkansas with a fellow musician, but
that musician later said that he had asked Maz to go, but he had refused.
105,000 people are missing at any given time in America. Only a select
few, often children and young women, are profiled in the media. Can you
help get word out about Shawn McDonald?
Contact information for your story:
Anyone with any information is asked to contact:
New Orleans Police Department
Agency Phone: (504) 658-6050
Investigative Case #: F-28657-09
Kelly Murphy, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
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.