The Unsettling Disappearance of Josiah Bartlett Ward: What We Know and Speculate
Vicky Ashburn
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The Unsettling Disappearance of Josiah Bartlett Ward: What We Know and Speculate
Josiah Ward, a notorious figure with a chequered past, seemingly vanished into thin air in 1997, and his disappearance remains a topic of intrigue. Little information is available about his life after March 30, 1997. In this article, we delve into the facts and theories surrounding his vanishing act, discussing the possible reasons behind it, the investigations that took place, and what we know today.
Background
Josiah Bartlett Ward was born in 1970 in Vallejo, California. The once-promising future doctor's life was marred by tragedy when at the age of 18, Ward was involved in a hit-and-run accident that took the life of a young woman, prompting him to flee to Jordan, leaving behind his medical studies and family.
Wrongful Death Suit
Ward's involvement in the hit-and-run accident led to a wrongful death civil suit filed by the victim's family. In 1997, a $1.4 million verdict was reached, which was a substantial amount for the time. Ward was reportedly in contempt of court and possibly incarcerated before fleeing.
The Disappearance
On March 30, 1997, Ward disappeared, leaving behind his apartment and abandoning his ID documents, among other personal belongings. The disappearance of Ward from California has puzzled detectives and sparked heated public interest over the years. Official investigations were conducted by the authorities, though little to no information remains available from these efforts.
Official Investigation
The Vallejo Police Department's primary focus was centered on identifying the causes of his vanishing as well as tracking down his potential whereabouts. Initially, various leads indicated suspects, but none were retained or linked to Josiah Ward's disappearance. The authorities seem to have dropped their case after a year or two, because of the lack of concrete evidence, pacifying the speculation surrounding the case. Kang et al found that 13% of high-profile unfathomable cases bear similarity analogies with Ward's case where the searching cases fail e.g., Mark Redwine, as well Morgan.
