As a teenager growing up in Lynn, it was impossible not to know about Jesus De La Cruz. The signs were everywhere and his face was all over the news.

He was six years old when he vanished from his Lynn neighborhood back in 1996. My brother was six years old as well during this time and all I could think of is that this could have been my little brother.

He is still missing today.

FBI List 'Missing Persons' In Mass. Where Foul Play Is Suspected

This is the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) list of missing persons from Massachusetts.

The Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) maintains the largest investigative repository of major violent crime cases in the U.S. It is designed to collect and analyze information about homicides, sexual assaults, missing persons, and other violent crimes involving unidentified human remains. fbi.gov

Reina Rojas - Boston, MA

Reina Rojas was last seen departing a friend’s residence in Somerville, Massachusetts, on November 26, 2022, and has not been heard from since. Rojas was last seen wearing dark-colored sandals (slides), leggings (tights), a black-colored top, a gray-colored zippered hooded sweater, a knit hat, and carrying a black-colored backpack. She had at least two cell phones, which were both powered off just after midnight on November 27, 2022.

Mitchel Iviquel - Somerville, MA

Mitchel Iviquel was last seen on March 31, 2020, when she visited family in Somerville, Massachusetts. Iviquel, an Army veteran, was unemployed and homeless and residing in the Central Square area of Cambridge at the time. Iviquel was known to be traveling with a Black male and his daughter, who were both deaf and communicated via sign language, and were believed to be homeless. Iviquel was reported missing on March 18, 2021, and has not been heard from or seen since.

Lynn Burdick - Florida, MA

Lynn Burdick was last seen on April 17, 1982, in the town of Florida, Massachusetts.  She was working at the Barefoot Peddlar country store located on Route 2 during the time of her disappearance. There was no evidence that a struggle took place, but approximately $200 dollars was missing from the store cash register.  About 30 to 40 minutes prior to Lynn’s disappearance, there was an attempted abduction approximately 13 miles away in the town of Williamstown, Massachusetts.  The vehicle seen in the attempted abduction was observed traveling eastbound on Route 2 at a high rate of speed heading towards the town of Florida, Massachusetts. Investigators believe the incident in Williamstown, Massachusetts, is tied to Lynn’s disappearance, and they suspect foul play because there is no indication that Lynn would run away.

Simone Ridinger - Sherborn, MA

On Friday, September 2, 1977, (Labor Day weekend) between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., Simone Ridinger was seen leaving work at the Rainbow Restaurant, 9 South Main Street, Natick, Massachusetts, to hitchhike to her family’s home in Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod.  Simone was wearing blue jeans with rips and patches, a white t-shirt, white high top sneakers and a lot of silver jewelry.  Also, Simone was carrying a gray duffel bag with her waitress uniform inside, a dark blue polyester skirt and vest top.  Simone has not been seen or heard from since.