The Missing Thomas Meuse

The Missing
Thomas Allen Meuse
Schenectady, New York

(Left) Virginia (Right) Josie, Tommy’s aunts

Thomas Allen Meuse was 14 years old when he vanished on August 9, 1971 after leaving his grandmother’s home on Swan Street, Schenectady, New York. He was on his way to a store downtown to buy her a gift. His last known sighting was near Proctor’s Theater on State Street. Thomas and his mother, Shirley, had recently returned to upstate NY after living in California for a few years.
James Meuse, Tommy’s father, believes his son ran away because “he didn’t want to go back to the cramped trailer where he lived with his mother, her boyfriend and the boyfriend’s son.”
Tommy’s two aunts, Virginia and Josie, revealed that when they questioned their sister about her son’s whereabouts, she was acting evasive and was not forthcoming with any details. The two claimed Shirley never had any fear of what happened to him and refused to talk about it.
During an interview, the sisters presented a clipping from a local newspaper that showed an article published in the personals section, dated January 21, 1972. It stated,
“My Tommy went shopping and never came back.
They say they are looking but they don’t know where he is or if he will show.
Who have they asked? Where have they looked?
Is his name just a page in their book.
At age 14 on August 9, 1971, he did disappear.
Does any there really care?”
It was written by Shirley.
Tommy is a white male with blue eyes and brown hair, standing at 5’-4” and weighing 120 lbs at the time of his disappearance. Tommy has a scar going through his left eyebrow from a dog bite.
His date of birth is listed as November 19, 1956. He may go by the name Tommy M. Seeley. Seely was the last name of his mothers boyfriend at the time.
DNA was obtained from both sides of Tommy’s family and added to the national database. Shirley passed away without revealing if she knew where Tommy was or what had happened to him.
Thomas has been missing for over 50 years, but his father, his sisters and his aunts continue to look for him.

If you have any further information, please contact the Schenectady Police Department at 518-382-5200. You can also email the information to nysvicap@troopers.ny.gov.

Sources:

https://troopers.ny.gov/missing-meuse-thomas

https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/case/MP2442

https://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/1143109/1

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/4429dmny.html