The person at the center of this case
William Farris Goodmon
Missing Person · Unsolved
37 years waiting · since 1988
Missing Person: William Farris Goodmon
Justice for William Farris Goodmon — the trail went cold in 1988, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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vehicle
Lead #1Why was the 1974 Ford T-Bird found abandoned in remote Manatee County, nearly 50 miles from his home and workplace? What caused him to leave the vehicle?
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evidence
Lead #2The .357 Ruger magnum handgun that Goodmon always carried was never found. Does its absence suggest foul play or voluntary disappearance?
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timeline
Lead #3Nearly seven weeks elapsed between his disappearance on June 27 and the vehicle discovery on August 13. Where was the vehicle during this time?
William Farris Goodmon, a 56-year-old man, left his home in Polk City, Florida on June 27, 1988 to drive to work in his 1974 Ford T-Bird but never arrived, and his vehicle was found abandoned in remote Manatee County nearly two months later with no trace of him. His .357 Ruger handgun, which he always carried, was never recovered, and the circumstances of his disappearance remain unexplained. Despite decades passing and his legal death declaration in 1993, the case remains unsolved and any information about his whereabouts or what occurred that morning could help bring closure to his family.
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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.
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clue
Lead #4No physical evidence was found around the abandoned vehicle. Did Goodmon leave voluntarily, or was evidence deliberately removed?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP6906. Missing person: William Farris Goodmon.
Last known contact: 1988-06-27 in Polk City, Polk, FL. Circumstances: Goodmon left home to go to work at approximately 0645 hours on 06/27/1988 driving a 1974 Ford T Bird.
His departure time is typical of his normal daily activity. He never arrived at work.
A handgun (Ruger .357 magnum) that he always carried with him has never been found. Goodmon's vehicle was recovered abandoned on 08/13/1988 in a remote area of Manatee County.
No physical evidence was located in the surrounding area. Goodmon was declared legally dead in 1993.
Demographics: 56 years, Male, White / Caucasian. Physical description: 5 ft 5 in, 125 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Blue.
Clothing and accessories: Clothing: Red and white checkered button shirt, navy blue work pants.; Footwear: Light brown western boots. Investigating agency: Polk County Sheriff's Office - Bartow | 1988-071225.
Timeline of Events
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1988-06-27
06:45Left for Work
William Farris Goodmon left home to drive to work at approximately 0645 hours in his 1974 Ford T-Bird, following his normal daily routine.
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1988-08-13
Vehicle Found Abandoned
Goodmon's 1974 Ford T-Bird was discovered abandoned in a remote area of Manatee County. No physical evidence was located in the surrounding area.
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1993-01-01
Declared Legally Dead
William Farris Goodmon was declared legally dead in 1993.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:June 27, 1988 at 6:45 AM
Last Updated:June 4, 2026
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Phone: 8632986200
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Case Information
Incident:June 27, 1988 at 6:45 AM
Last Updated:June 4, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 8632986200
You can remain anonymous