The person at the center of this case
John Lima
Violent Crime · Open/Unsolved
20 years waiting · since 2005
JOHN LIMA - CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS
Justice for John Lima — the trail went cold in 2005, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🔍
evidence
Lead #1Why were Lima's personal items (wallet, keys, cigarettes, lighter) left on his bed if he was abducted?
📍
location
Lead #2What is the significance of the pushed-out window screen and unlocked sliding door—forced entry or staged scene?
👁️
witness
Lead #3Did anyone witness suspicious activity at the residence or see Lima's vehicle being moved that night?
John Lima, 20, disappeared from his Chelsea, Massachusetts home on October 29, 2005, after being last seen leaving his girlfriend's residence the previous evening. His mother discovered him missing the next morning, finding his wallet, keys, cigarettes, and lighter on his bed, with his bedroom window screen pushed out and sliding door unlocked—suggesting a possible abduction. Nearly two decades later, the circumstances of his disappearance remain unexplained and he has never been found.
Case
#872
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) / Chelsea Police Department
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
🎯
suspect
Lead #4Was there any known conflict with individuals at or near the girlfriend's residence?
⏰
timeline
Lead #5What occurred between 2:00 AM when his mother last saw evidence of him and the morning discovery?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
October 29, 2005 Chelsea, Massachusetts On the evening of October 28, 2005, John Lima was last seen leaving the residence of his girlfriend in Chelsea, MA. According to Lima’s mother, she heard a car door shut and saw Lima’s vehicle parked in the driveway, presuming her son was home at approximately 2:00 AM on October 29, 2005.
Later that morning, Lima’s mother discovered her son was not home, and that his wallet, car keys, cigarettes, and lighter were on his bed. The screen of the bedroom window had been pushed out, the sliding door to his bedroom was unlocked.
Lima has not been seen since.
Timeline of Events
👁️
2005-10-28
23:59Last Sighting
John Lima last seen leaving his girlfriend's residence in Chelsea, MA
⏰
2005-10-29
02:00Presumed Arrival Home
Lima's mother heard car door shut and saw his vehicle in driveway, presuming her son was home
🔍
2005-10-29
morningDisappearance Discovered
Lima's mother discovered he was not home; wallet, car keys, cigarettes, and lighter found on his bed; bedroom window screen pushed out, sliding door unlocked
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:October 28, 2005 at 11:59 PM
Last Updated:May 11, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:October 28, 2005 at 11:59 PM
Last Updated:May 11, 2026