Crime Solvers Central's missing persons database lists 42,468 missing person cases from the United States and Canada, 31,954 of them still open. It brings together cases from NamUs, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and several other national government and nonprofit databases in one search, and every case page shows the person's photo and physical description for free.
Numbers updated November 14, 2026. Crime Solvers Central has helped close more than 307 cases.
40,022 cases in the United States, 2,426 in Canada. Number of open cases in brackets.
There is no single database with every case. These are the main ones and what each is best for.
| Database | Run by | Covers | Area | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NamUs | U.S. Department of Justice | Missing, unidentified and unclaimed persons | U.S. | Free | The official national clearinghouse. Cases are entered by law enforcement, medical examiners and families. |
| NCMEC (MissingKids.org) | Nonprofit, U.S. national clearinghouse for children | Missing children | U.S. | Free | Posters, age progressions and AMBER Alert support. |
| Volunteer cold case archives | Volunteer-run | Long-term missing persons | U.S. | Free | Detailed write-ups of cold missing cases. |
| Canadian national database | Federal police (Canada) | Missing and unidentified persons | Canada | Free | Canada's official national database. |
| Crime Solvers Central | Independent, volunteer-run | Missing persons plus unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed persons, serial killers and mass murders | U.S. and Canada | Free search and case details; full write-ups for members | Many national databases in one search, with unidentified matching, Cases Near Me, flyers, press releases and forums. |
Searching, browsing by state and every missing person's photo and case details (dates, location, age, height, weight, physical description) are free. Members also get the full case write-up, every source link, the forum discussions and the possible unidentified matches. See membership options.
Journalists and researchers are welcome to cite these numbers. For charts by state, decade, age and sex, see the statistics dashboard.
NamUs, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System run by the U.S. Department of Justice, is the official national clearinghouse. Crime Solvers Central brings NamUs and NCMEC cases together with several other national databases in the U.S. and Canada, in one search.
Yes. The national government and nonprofit clearinghouses are free. On Crime Solvers Central, searching and every case's photo and details are free; full case write-ups, sources and forums are for members.
Search by first or last name on the Crime Solvers Central search page, browse by state, or use Cases Near Me with a ZIP code. You can also filter by age, sex, race, dates, hair and eye color, and distinguishing marks.
Every day. New cases are imported automatically, and existing cases are re-checked so people who have been found are marked located. The numbers on this page were last updated November 14, 2026.
Crime Solvers Central scores every missing person against every unidentified person each night and lists possible matches of 75% or higher. A possible match is a lead, not an identification: only law enforcement or a medical examiner can confirm one.
In an emergency call 911. Otherwise contact the investigating agency listed on the case page, or for a missing child call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
Crime Solvers Central is an independent, volunteer-run case research and advocacy site, not a law enforcement agency. In an emergency call 911. Questions? Contact us.
