Nineteen years after 12-year-old Jaliek Rainwalker disappeared from Washington County, investigators and the public are still searching for answers.

November 1, 2026, marks 19 years since Jaliek Rainwalker was last seen in Greenwich, New York. The 12-year-old vanished overnight under circumstances that would eventually lead authorities to reclassify his disappearance as a presumed homicide.

Despite extensive searches, years of investigation and renewed attention surrounding several potential leads, Jaliek has never been found.

His disappearance remains one of the Capital Region's most haunting unsolved cases.

The night Jaliek disappeared

Jaliek was last seen on November 1, 2007, after spending six days in respite care with Tom and Elaine Person.

According to the account provided by his adoptive father, Stephen Kerr, he picked Jaliek up, and the two went to a Red Robin restaurant in Latham before traveling to Greenwich. They reportedly spent the night at a home belonging to Kerr's parents at 11 Hill Street.

Kerr told investigators that Jaliek went to bed while he stayed up watching a movie. When he woke up the following morning, Jaliek was gone.

Kerr reported the boy missing to Cambridge-Greenwich Police on November 2, initially describing him as a runaway.

The investigation quickly expanded beyond the local department. At the request of Cambridge-Greenwich Police Chief George Bell, New York State Police, the Troop G Major Crimes Unit, the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the FBI and New York State Forest Rangers became involved.

From missing child to presumed homicide investigation

In December 2012, authorities announced that Jaliek's disappearance would no longer be treated as a runaway investigation. Instead, it was elevated to a presumed homicide investigation.

Investigators cited the lack of information indicating that Jaliek was still alive or had run away, along with concerns about the family's cooperation with law enforcement.

Stephen Kerr was officially identified as a person of interest in 2017, on the 10th anniversary of Jaliek's disappearance. He has never been charged in connection with the case.

Retracing Jaliek's last known steps

In November 2024, I reported on the case and conducted an exclusive walk retracing Jaliek's last known steps.

The reporting included information from retired New York State Police investigator Gloria Coppola, who worked with the Major Crimes Unit during the investigation.

Coppola is selective with media interviews about the case but shared a statement emphasizing the importance of continuing investigative efforts, even as the years pass.

As Jaliek’s community and friends are remembering him on this 19th anniversary of his disappearance, it is important to stay optimistic that he will be found and an arrest made," Coppola told me. "These cases are never closed or forgotten. They are just waiting for that final piece to fall into place."

Coppola also stressed that people who may have information but did not come forward during the original investigation should not assume it is too late to speak with authorities.

"Digital and anonymous tip lines make it easier for the public to call with information years later.

Relationships change over time. Loyalties fade and secrets become too heavy to carry," she said.

To anyone who has been protecting the person responsible, your silence will not be safe forever. Answers will be found with or without your help. Do the right thing before the choice is taken out of your hands."

Searches and potential leads over the years

The investigation has seen several developments that renewed hope of finding answers.

In June 2022, New York State Police searched a wooded area near the South Troy Dodgers baseball fields after receiving a tip related to Jaliek's disappearance.

The search involved multiple State Police units, including the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Forensic Investigation Unit, K-9 Unit, Underwater Recovery Team and uniformed troopers.

Authorities did not publicly disclose whether the search produced evidence.

Then, in October 2024, human skeletal remains were discovered at Burden Pond Preserve in Troy. The location drew attention because it was near an area previously searched in connection with Jaliek's disappearance.

However, Troy Police confirmed that the remains did not belong to Jaliek after a dental comparison.

The discovery was another painful reminder of how many questions remain unanswered.

Nineteen years without answers

If Jaliek is alive, he would now be in his early 30s. He was described as biracial, with bright green eyes, and was approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall when he disappeared.

His case remains a reminder that missing-person investigations do not have an expiration date. Even decades later, information that once seemed insignificant could become important.

As Coppola emphasized in her previous communication with me, people who may have information should come forward, even if they were never interviewed or did not share everything they knew at the time.

"There are increasing numbers of unresolved missing persons and homicide cases dating back forty years and older throughout the country are being closed due to improved technology and resources," Coppola said. "The answer to what happened to Jaliek is out there and someone holds it."

Anyone with information about Jaliek Rainwalker's disappearance is encouraged to contact the Greenwich Village Police Department at 518-677-3044 or the New York State Missing Persons Clearinghouse at 1-800-346-3543.

After 19 years, the question remains: What happened to Jaliek Rainwalker?