Wheeler was last seen on December 24, 2003 in Yonkers, New York. He spoke to his girlfriend that evening. At 10:00 p.m., Wheeler's red 1999 Ford Escort was in a minor accident; the vehicle collided with a guardrail on the Henry Hudson Parkway near 237th Street in the Bronx. Whoever was driving the car abandoned it afterwards. An hour later, someone used Wheeler's automatic teller machine (ATM) card to withdraw $100 from his bank account at an ATM in the 3900 block of Broadway in Manhattan, New York. Authorities believe the person was probably Wheeler, since a significant amount of money was left untouched in the account.

Wheeler has not been heard from since. He was a professor of sociology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan at the time of his disappearance, and was a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. He was planning a trip to Florida on December 26, two days after his disappearance, but never arrived. His actions on the day he disappeared are described as normal pre-Christmas activities, and his family says he was in good spirits.

Wheeler's case remains unsolved. He resided in the 400 block of Riverdale Avenue in Yonkers at the time of his disappearance, and Yonkers police are investigating.

Above: Wheeler's scar