Replay: William Jamison Part 1 - The Drive Home

The Vanished Podcast

Wondery

True Crime, Society & Culture, Cold Case, Investigative, Find The Missing, Vanished, Missing Persons, Documentary, News, Disappeared, Exhibit C

4.5 • 15K Ratings

🗓️ 1 September 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This episode originally aired on May 16, 2022. On March 26, 1981, 33-year-old William “Bill” Jamison followed his usual routine. He spent the day at Haug Die Casting Company in Kenilworth, New Jersey, where he worked as vice president of production. After work, he grabbed dinner at a restaurant, then stopped at the Chez Lounge inside the Linden Lanes Bowling Alley to enjoy drinks and conversation with friends. His last stop was the St. George Diner in Linden around 1 AM. He ate a quick meal, left about half an hour later, and was never seen again.

When Bill failed to arrive at the office the next morning, something completely out of character, his coworkers grew alarmed. One even went to his apartment, but there was no sign of him. They contacted his sister, Katie, who immediately began calling hospitals and reached out to law enforcement.

More than 40 years later, Bill’s disappearance remains a mystery. Over the years, there have been reported sightings of him in other states and whispers of a possible mob connection. To this day, his family is still searching for answers.

If you have any information about the disappearance of William Jamison, please contact the Roselle Park Police Department at (908) 245-2300 or the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit at (609) 882-2000.

If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	It's a mystery to us.
0:15.0	It's a mystery to us, and, you know, we try to look at most, if not all, the angles of possibility, but not one clue since he's left.
0:25.8	No credit cards, no body, he didn't show up, no sign of a crime.
0:32.5	We did an awful lot trying to find my brother. We had private detectives right away and did all the important things.
0:40.3	My father-in-law had worked for the Carter administration
0:44.3	and had businesses in New Jersey and knew the governor and different mayors
0:50.3	and he got state police investigators involved right away. We made every effort.
0:59.1	March 26, 1981, started out just like any ordinary day for 33-year-old William Jamison.
1:07.1	He went to work that morning at Hague die casting company in Kenilworth, New Jersey, where he was the vice president of production.
1:14.7	After work, Bill went to a restaurant for dinner.
1:17.6	Bill's next stop was the Shea Lounge, inside of Lyndon Lane's bowling alley in Lyndon, New Jersey.
1:23.5	After spending several hours enjoying drinks and good conversation with friends and acquaintances,
1:29.1	Bill left and stopped at the St. George Diner, which is also in Linden.
1:33.8	Bill arrived at the diner around 1 a.m. and had a quick late-night meal, and left about 30 minutes
1:39.5	later. That's the last time that anyone ever saw Bill Jamison. It was like he vanished into the night.
1:46.4	The following morning, Bill's coworkers were immediately concerned when he didn't show up at 8 a.m.
1:51.6	As he always did. One coworker went over to Bill's apartment, but he wasn't there. This wasn't like Bill.
1:58.7	That's when they decided that it was time to contact Bill's sister Katie.
2:02.7	Katie jumped into action. She contacted law enforcement and started calling around to local hospitals.
2:08.9	More than 41 years later, Bill's family is still searching for answers.
2:13.9	This is a mysterious story that goes in many unexpected directions.
2:18.2	From sightings of Bill several states away, to the theory that this could have been a mob hit.
	...

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