A South Carolina-based Broadway performer mysteriously disappeared earlier this month, sparking intense speculation among his distraught family.
The family of Zelig Williams, who disappeared on October 3 near a popular hiking trail, have since made a chilling claim about the 28-year-old’s curious disappearance, as they suspect foul play was involved.
“He didn’t leave,” said Williams’ cousin, Mieoki Corbett-Jacobs, adding, “this is definitely a missing persons (case) with suspected foul play.”
The family first became afraid after an SOS notification was sent to three of Williams’ friends just minutes after he left his mother’s home in Columbia.
The family of Zelig Williams (pictured), who disappeared on October 3 near a popular hiking trail, has since claimed foul play was involved in the 28-year-old’s disappearance.
The day after she disappeared, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department located her vehicle more than 20 miles from her home in a parking lot on Palmetto Trail (pictured).
Williams, who previously starred in Hamilton: An American Musical and MJ the Musical, was last seen around 9:50 a.m. before his friends received the worrying SOS ping from his cell phone at 10:10 a.m.
“It’s not long before I leave the house,” Corbett-Jacobs said of her cousin’s unexplained disappearance.
Concerned that the Broadway star was unable to return home that night, her family filed a missing person’s report.
The day after she disappeared, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department located her vehicle more than 20 miles from her home in a Palmetto Trail parking lot.
Williams had only been in Columbia for a few months, leading Corbett-Jacobs and the Williams family to believe that “it is unlikely that he would have known the location of the lot or trailhead.”
“(The lot) where the car was parked had only been there for a little over a year, we weren’t even familiar with the space,” Corbett-Jacobs said, heightening the family’s suspicions.
Williams, who starred in Hamilton: An American Musical and MJ the Musical, was last seen around 9:50 a.m. before his friends received an SOS ping from his phone at 10:10 a.m.
Williams had only been in Columbia for a few months, leading Corbett-Jacobs and the Williams family to believe that “it is unlikely that he would have known the location of the lot or trailhead.”
Corbett-Jacobs also said officers located in the car showed no signs of an accident that would trigger the SOS message.
Williams’ aunt, Michelle Mclaughlin-Barber, added to the pre-existing suspicions, adding that Williams’ car was found with the key inside, as well as a profile photo of him that he would use for the show’s auditions,’ the Post and courier reported.
“We have no idea what his intentions were when he left the house with that photo,” she said.
Since then, Richland County Sheriff’s Department deputies and family members have been trying to find the South Carolina native, who returned home in July from New York City to teach at local dance studios.
State Department of Natural Resources crews flew helicopters over the Congaree River and searches of the waterways have also been conducted by boat.
All-terrain vehicles, drones and dogs have also been used in the search.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said SIO: ‘We have searched on foot in the air in several places.
Since then, Richland County Sheriff’s Department deputies and family members have been trying to find the South Carolina native, who returned home in July from New York City to teach at local dance studios.
The family has since hired a private investigator to help locate the missing artist and the sheriff’s department is investigating the potential for foul play, CNN reports.
“Other investigative techniques we will use involve cell phones and a few other things I don’t want to discuss at this time.”
Authorities also noted that Williams requires prescription medications and had not taken them before her disappearance.
‘We can’t describe it, its devastation. “It’s devastating for someone so close to your family to disappear like that… there’s no way to describe it,” Corbett-Jacobs said.
The family has since hired a private investigator to help locate the missing artist and the sheriff’s department is investigating the potential for foul play and is “following all leads and all information” in the case. cnn information.