The Disappearance of Jamal Abdul’Faruq

 


Jamal Abdul’Faruq

Missing Since: April 16, 1990
Missing From: Richmond, Virginia
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Sex: Male
Race: Black / African American
Date of Birth: August 12, 1982
Age at Disappearance: 7 years old

Height: 4'5
Weight: 47 pounds

Clothing at the Time

  • Black Batman t-shirt

  • Blue jeans

  • Gray and red fleece baseball jacket

  • White sneakers

Distinguishing Characteristics

  • Black hair

  • Brown eyes

  • Scar on his right eyebrow

  • Mole on his temple above his left ear

  • Small gap between his upper front teeth

The Disappearance

Seven-year-old Jamal Abdul’Faruq was last seen on April 16, 1990, in Richmond, Virginia.

Earlier that day, Jamal and his eight-year-old brother, Basil Abdul’Faruq, were dropped off at their mother Tambra Ellis’s apartment in the 1700 block of Clarkson Road by their stepmother. The visit was part of a custody exchange between their parents.

Because it was spring break for local schools, the boys were home that afternoon and eager to play outside. Around 2:30 p.m., they went into the front yard of the apartment complex to play while their mother went inside to sleep. Ellis had worked the night shift the previous evening, leaving her exhausted.

At the time, Jamal was a second-grade student at E.S.H. Green Elementary School. Friends and family described him as an energetic child who loved basketball, pizza, and watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles videos.

When Ellis woke from her nap a short time later, the boys were gone.

She initially believed they had wandered to a nearby playground or store and began searching the area herself. After about 45 minutes of searching, she contacted police when she could not find them.

The Search

Police quickly launched a large search effort. Officers, volunteers, and family members searched the surrounding neighborhoods while helicopters and search teams canvassed the area through the night and into the following days.

Despite the extensive search, no immediate trace of either boy was found.

Discovery of Basil Abdul’Faruq

Three days later, investigators made a devastating discovery.

On April 19, 1990, the body of Jamal’s brother Basil was found at the Shoosmith Landfill in Chesterfield County, roughly 10 miles from the boys’ home.

Basil had been:

  • Bound and gagged

  • Stabbed twice in the back

  • Placed inside a plastic garbage bag

  • Dumped in a dumpster before being transported to the landfill by a garbage truck

His skull was also fractured, but investigators believe that injury occurred after death, possibly during the trash compaction process.

A landfill employee reportedly noticed the body after a portion of the bag tore open, exposing the remains.

Despite an extensive search of the landfill, no trace of Jamal was ever found.

Investigation

Following the discovery of Basil’s body, investigators detained the boys’ father, Everett Abdul’Faruq, for questioning for approximately three hours.

Early theories suggested Basil might have been injured or killed at Everett’s residence. However, a search of the property revealed no evidence, and he was never charged or officially named as a suspect.

Everett did refuse to take a polygraph test, explaining that his Muslim religious beliefs prohibited him from doing so.

Eventually, both parents were ruled out as suspects in Basil’s murder and Jamal’s disappearance.

Because the boys disappeared together and Basil was found murdered shortly afterward, authorities believe the case likely involves a stranger abduction.

Task Force and Leads

The case prompted a joint investigative task force involving:

  • Richmond Police Department

  • Chesterfield County Police

  • The FBI

Investigators pursued hundreds of leads, but none resulted in identifying a suspect.

Years later, advances in forensic science led investigators to re-examine evidence such as the duct tape used to bind Basil in hopes that DNA testing might produce new leads.

In 2010, two anonymous tips claimed Jamal might be alive and living in Hinesville, Georgia after viewers believed they spotted someone resembling him at a Walmart following a broadcast of his case on America’s Most Wanted. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage but were unable to confirm the identification.

Theories

Because Basil was killed but Jamal was never located, investigators have considered several possibilities:

  1. Jamal was abducted and killed separately, and his remains have never been found.

  2. Jamal may have been the intended target, with Basil killed after trying to intervene or protect his brother.

  3. Jamal may have been taken and kept alive for some period of time, though there is no confirmed evidence supporting this.

Authorities have never ruled out the possibility that Jamal could still be alive, though foul play is strongly suspected.

Current Status

More than three decades later:

  • Basil Abdul’Faruq’s murder remains unsolved.

  • Jamal Abdul’Faruq has never been found.

Jamal would be in his 40s today.

His case remains open with the Richmond Police Department.

Anyone with information is asked to contact:
Richmond Police Department
804-780-6748

Sources

  • National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

  • The Charley Project

  • Doe Network

  • Richmond Times-Dispatch

  • The Washington Post

  • Missing People in America

  • WWBT NBC12 Richmond


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