The person at the center of this case
Ted Haywood Wall
Missing Person · Open - Unsolved
45 years waiting · since 1980
Missing Person: Ted Haywood Wall
Justice for Ted Haywood Wall — the trail went cold in 1980, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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person
Lead #1Who was Harold Jeffrey Mays and what was his account of events? (Companion case NamUs MP14742)
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vehicle
Lead #2What was the exact condition and maintenance history of the 23-foot Sea Ox boat, particularly regarding the outboard engine and freeze plug issue?
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evidence
Lead #3Why was no debris, wreckage, or bodies ever recovered despite the massive search area and modern Coast Guard resources?
Ted Haywood Wall, a 22-year-old, disappeared on November 13, 1980, while fishing aboard a 23-foot Sea Ox boat approximately 16 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, when the vessel experienced engine problems. He was accompanied by 21-year-old Harold Jeffrey Mays, and despite a massive U.S. Coast Guard search covering 104,000 square miles with 47 aircraft and 10 surface units, no trace of the boat, crew, or debris was ever found. The circumstances remain unclear—whether a boating accident or foul play—and the case has remained unsolved for over four decades.
Case
#2432
United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, District 5
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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.
💡
clue
Lead #4Could foul play have been involved, or was this definitively a boating accident caused by engine failure?
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Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP14851. Missing person: Ted Haywood Wall.
Last known contact: 1980-11-13 in Cape Hatteras, Dare, NC. Circumstances: Missing at sea aboard a 23' Sea Ox fiberglass boat.
Was last known/seen alive on his friends boat during a fishing trip in or near the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean out 16 miles southeast from the inlet off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on 11-13-80 at 1:30 PM. Allegedly experienced outboard engine problems with the engine "freeze plug".
Ted Wall, aged 22 was in the company of another young man named Harold Jeffrey Mays, age 21. Possibly a boating accident or may be related to foul play.
US Coast Guard coordinated efforts of search of 104,000 square miles of ocean involving 47 aircraft sorties and 10 surface units. No trace of vessel, crew or debris found during search or in subsequent 3+ decades.
Companion case to NamUs MP14742. Demographics: 21 years, Male, White / Caucasian.
Physical description: 6 ft 1 in, 180 lbs, hair: Sandy, eyes: Hazel. Investigating agency: United States Coast Guard Investigative Service | District 5 Case 0093 - 13 | 1980-11-13.
Timeline of Events
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1980-11-13
13:30Last Known Contact
Ted Haywood Wall, age 22, last seen alive aboard a 23-foot Sea Ox fiberglass boat with companion Harold Jeffrey Mays during a fishing trip approximately 16 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras inlet in the Gulf Stream. Vessel experienced outboard engine problems with the freeze plug.
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1980-11-13
Coast Guard Search Initiated
U.S. Coast Guard coordinated extensive search efforts covering 104,000 square miles involving 47 aircraft sorties and 10 surface units. No trace of vessel, crew, or debris was found.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:November 13, 1980 at 1:30 PM
Last Updated:June 24, 2026
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Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 2023723000
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Case Information
Incident:November 13, 1980 at 1:30 PM
Last Updated:June 24, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 2023723000
You can remain anonymous