Baltimore County detectives are once again asking the public for help in the unsolved 2005 killing of James Myers, a 44-year-old father whose body was discovered behind the Walmart on Carroll Island Road in Middle River. Myers had been reported missing the day before, and his remains were found in a marshy drainage area on July 14, 2005. The case has stayed open for more than two decades as investigators continue to chase leads and re-check old evidence.
According to the Dundalk Eagle, an employee at the Walmart at 112 Carroll Island Road spotted Myers' body behind the store, and investigators later found a broken cellphone in the parking lot of a nearby church. Records indicate Myers was last seen alive on July 11, 2005, near the same shopping center, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide.
Myers' daughter, Jamie Atencio, told WMAR-2 News that her father was "a great dad" who was always ready to help others, and said the family still struggles with the loss. That outlet also reported that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Myers died from blunt-force trauma to the head and that detectives keep returning to the file, hoping a fresh tip will finally move the case.
How to help
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Baltimore County Police Homicide and Missing Persons Unit at 410-887-3943, text tips to 443-862-9426, or email [email protected], as outlined by the Dundalk Eagle. Those who want to stay anonymous can contact Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP. Investigators say even details that seem minor might help them reframe old leads.
Why this still matters
Unsolved homicides leave families without answers and, relatives say, can weigh on neighborhoods for years. Baltimore County's cold-case squad periodically pulls files like Myers' back off the shelf and checks whether new tips or technology could uncover something that was missed the first time, according to WMAR-2 News.
Myers' loved ones continue to push for answers, holding out hope that someone will finally speak up about what happened in July 2005. Detectives stress that even anonymously shared memories from that period could be the piece that lets them close the case.
