Above: Brown, circa 2007
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: March 9, 2007 from Fort Worth, Texas Classification: Endangered Missing Date of Birth: September 8, 1957 Age: 49 years old Height and Weight: 5'8, 160 - 165 pounds Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian male. Light brown hair, blue eyes. Brown wears eyeglasses. Brown may go his middle name, Stephen, or the nickname is Steve. He is missing one of his left front teeth. Clothing/Jewelry Description: A light-colored shirt, dark-colored pants, white socks and navy blue Croc shoes. Medical Conditions: Brown was in very poor health at the time of his disappearance. He is diabetic, insulin-dependent and nearly blind. He had to have two toes on each foot amputated a short time before he vanished, and his feet were still bandaged at the time he went missing; he also had a large open wound on his right ankle from a staph infection. He was released from the hospital only a short time before his disappearance and is in need of medication. Brown also has a history of alcohol and drug abuse, although he was clean and sober at the time of his disappearance.
Details of Disappearance
Brown was last seen at his home in the 3000 block of Las Vegas Trail in Fort Worth, Texas on March 9, 2007. His teenage daughter had come over for an overnight visit the night before. At 7:00 a.m. the next day, Brown told his daughter he was going to take a bus to a friend's house in the River Oaks neighborhood of Fort Worth. He said he had left his state-issued assistance card there, and he needed to get it so he could buy groceries. He has never been heard from again. His sister reported him as a missing person two days later.Brown's sister went to visit his friend who supposedly had his assistance card. The friend told her Brown did not visit him on March 9, and that he did not have the card. It was later discovered that charges were made on the assistance card after Brown's disappearance. Brown's friend explained this by saying he had given the card to another individual. Brown's friend was interviewed by police about Brown's disappearance and passed a polygraph.
On March 29, almost three weeks after Brown's disappearance, his apartment caught fire. Fire investigators determined the blaze had been intentionally set by someone inside the apartment. There were no indications of forced entry, but food was found in the refrigerator that should not have been there, Brown's insulin bottles had been thrown against the wall and smashed, and there were dirty dishes and a mess in the bathroom. Authorities do not know who started the fire and they are uncertain if it is related to Brown's disappearance.
Brown had a troubled life; he had had a divorce, struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and had other health problems. However, he was in good spirits at the time of his disappearance and life was improving for him. He had stopped abusing substances and his doctors told him they thought they could perform an operation to restore most of his eyesight. In addition, he had been approved for disability benefits by the Social Security Administration and was expecting to receive $18,000 in back compensation as well. His family does not believe he would have left of his own accord.
Foul play is suspected in Brown's disappearance. His case remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
Source Information
Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004.
Last updated May 14, 2008; details of disappearance updated.
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Fort Worth Police Department
817-392-4430
OR
Texas Department of Public Safety
800-346-3243
Texas Department of Public Safety
The Crime Library
United Response Search and Rescue Team
The National Center for Missing Adults
The Criminal Report Daily Blog