Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
Geno Ranelli missing person case profile photo

Geno Ranelli Missing Person Case

Last seen in St. Paul, Minnesota on May 20, 1977

Create Press Release
Create Social Post
Create Flyer

Victim Details

May 24, 2013

Jan 9, 2024

Geno

Ranelli

75

26

71 inches

150 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

May 20, 1977

St. Paul

Minnesota

Ramsey County

55106

No

13597

Saint Paul Police Department

Saint Paul

Minnesota

Ramsey County

55101

Chris Stark

Detective

367 Grove Street, Minnesota

6512911111

Local

Law Enforcement

https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/police

13-034947

Feb 20, 2013

Saint Paul Police Department

Black

Brown

Brown

Oct 16, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP20372) and 10 other sources
Geno Samuel Ranelli, a 26-year-old from St. Paul, Minnesota, was last seen on May 20, 1977. He had been living in Minnesota after previously moving there with his friend, Christopher Freeman. The two owned a store together in East St. Paul, which sold redwood products, but they had closed the shop earlier that year. On the day of his disappearance, Ranelli told his family that he and Freeman were planning to travel to Philadelphia, and it’s possible they were headed to Miami, Florida afterward. Neither man has been seen since, and Ranelli's case remains unsolved.

Ranelli was described as being 5'9" to 5'11", weighing 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He also wore glasses and had a tattoo on his right forearm. There are strong suspicions that both Ranelli and Freeman's disappearances are connected, as they were last known to be together before they vanished. Despite years of investigation, no substantial leads have surfaced, and Ranelli was eventually declared legally dead.
Last Seen: May 20, 1977

Links to Additional Sources (10)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Missing Person / NamUs
  • Geno Samuel Ranelli - The Charley Project
  • 4726DMMN - Geno Samuel Ranelli - Doe Network
  • The 1977 disappearances of Chris Freeman and Geno Ranelli
  • Geno Ranelli and Christopher Freeman - crimesquid - WordPress.com
  • Final Legal Orders | Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
  • Christopher Harold Freeman - The Charley Project
  • Disappearance of Christopher Freeman and Geno Ranelli - YouTube
  • MN - Geno Ranelli, 26, 20 May 1977 - Websleuths
  • Geno Samuel Ranelli | Missing Person - CrimeTea

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (5)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    81%Moderate
    John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota
    UP124186 • Found Sep 25, 1995
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 100%11 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 18 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'10" vs 5'11"
    Weight 100%156 lb vs 150 lb
    Hair 60%Brown vs Black
    80%Moderate
    John Doe — St. Paul, Minnesota
    UP4806 • Found Jun 4, 1978
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 25–30 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 100%2 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 13 months after last seen
    Height 68%6'2" vs 5'11"
    Weight 65%190 lb vs 150 lb
    Hair 60%Brown vs Black
    77%Possible
    John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota - unidentified case UP154368
    John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota
    UP154368 • Found May 8, 1997
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 26 when missing
    Race 60%Hispanic
    Location 100%10 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 20 years after last seen
    Height 84%5'9" vs 5'11"
    Weight 91%128 lb vs 150 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    76%Possible
    John Doe — Burnsville, Minnesota - unidentified case UP4743
    John Doe — Burnsville, Minnesota
    UP4743 • Found Aug 24, 2005
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 98%17 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 28 years after last seen
    Height 36%5'6" vs 5'11"
    Weight 84%123 lb vs 150 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    75%Possible
    John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota - unidentified case UP763
    John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota
    UP763 • Found Dec 16, 2003
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 100%10 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 27 years after last seen
    Height 68%5'8" vs 5'11"
    Weight 95%131 lb vs 150 lb
    Hair 60%Brown vs Black
    Eyes 0%Blue vs Brown

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

    Latest News

    View All

    Forum Posts (1)

    Geno Samuel Ranelli was 26 when he was last seen on May 20, 1977, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He had... ...Read More
    09/08/2023

    Other Missing Cases from St. Paul, Minnesota

    Bernard Hudalla missing person case in St. Paul, Minnesota

    Bernard Hudalla

    Missing: Mar 5, 1983
    Bernard Hudalla, a 21-year-old man, was last seen on March 5, 1983, leaving his family home in St. ...Read More
    Benard Joseph Hudalla missing person case in St. Paul, Minnesota

    Benard Joseph Hudalla

    Missing: Mar 3, 1983
    In the early spring of 1983, a young man named Benard Joseph Hudalla, known to some as Bernie ...Read More
    Donald Paquette missing person case in St. Paul, Minnesota

    Donald Paquette

    Missing: May 22, 2014
    On a spring day in St. Paul, Minnesota, 56-year-old Donald Paquette left his home and was never ...Read More
    Melvin Wilson missing person case in St. Paul, Minnesota

    Melvin Wilson

    Missing: Sep 15, 1971
    Melvin Luther Wilson, a 44-year-old man from St. Paul, Minnesota, went missing on September 15 ...Read More
    Brendan Gill missing person case in St. Paul, Minnesota

    Brendan Gill

    Missing: Aug 24, 2014
    In the late summer of 2014, 31-year-old Brendan Ryder Gill vanished from his life in St. Paul ...Read More