Missing Since: 1988-07-27 Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Myron was walking to his grandparents’ house with his mother in Phoenix, Arizona on July 27, 1988. His grandparents’ residence was located on east Pecan Road. Myron stopped at OK Fish-N-Chips, which was located on 16th Street and Southern Avenue, to purchase a soft drink while his mother continued ahead. He was last seen at approximately 6:00 p.m. outside the stand after purchasing a soda. Myron was carrying a plastic bag full of dirty laundry at the time of his disappearance; he planned to wash the clothes at his grandparents’ home. He was also going to call his brother, who was staying with a relative in California; Myron’s family home near 16th Street and Nancy Lane did not have a telephone. He has never been heard from again. Myron finished sixth grade at Sierra Vista Elementary in the spring of 1988; his hobbies at the time included drawing and reading, and was not involved with drugs or gangs. He regularly attended services at Southminster Presbyterian Church on 19th Street near Broadway, went to Sunday School, and was a member of the church choir and the youth group. He didn’t have a habit of staying out late and it’s uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning. His father was in prison when he disappeared, and his mother has been ruled out as a suspect in his case. Myron’s mother’s then-boyfriend, Gettus Leroy Mintz, is the only suspect in his disappearance. He was one of the four witnesses who saw Myron at OK Fish-N-Chips the evening of his disappearance. Myron’s aunt said that one of Mintz’s arms was in a sling shortly after Myron vanished. He claimed the injury resulted from a dog bite. Investigators stated that Mintz was involved with drugs in 1988. Authorities theorized that Myron confronted him regarding his lifestyle after seeing him at OK Fish-N-Chips and was murdered shortly thereafter. A photo of Mintz is posted with this case summary. In 2009, he stabbed his girlfriend and her mother in Peoria, Arizona. His girlfriend died, and Mintz was convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated assault and sentenced to forty-two years in prison. He has refused to be interviewed about Myron’s case. Investigators received an anonymous letter in 1991 that claimed Myron was buried on private property near 24th Street and Jones Avenue in Phoenix. A search of the location produced no evidence regarding his case. Authorities believe that Myron was killed and buried near his last known location. Myron’s mother died in March 2002 at the age of forty-five, nearly fourteen years after her son disappeared. His case remains unsolved. Investigating Agency Phoenix Police Department 602-495-5394 Federal Bureau of Investigation 202-324-3000 Source Information The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children NamUs The Arizona Republic Phoenix Police Department NamUs Arizona Department of Corrections 3TV News The Phoenix New Times Updated 8 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated July 31, 2016; age-progression updated.