William "Billy" Smolinski -- Waterbury, Connecticut

Billy Smolinski was featured after CBS' Without a Trace on November 19 and on The Early Show on November 20. The article below is part of an archive of Early Show stories on missing people at:

Monday, Nov. 20, 2006
BILLY SMOLINSKI
Billy Smolinski vanished two years ago from his home in Waterbury, Conn.,
when he was 31-years-old. Was it murder? Did he commit suicide?
As Bianca Solorzano reports, those are questions his family and
investigators are still asking.
An outgoing son and brother who loved his dog and fixing up cars, Smolinski
returned in August 2004 from a trip to Florida with his girlfriend, Madeleine
Gleason.
The next night, he told his sister that his girlfriend was having an affair
with a local politician. They had argued and broken up.
The next day, Smolinski left the politician a threatening phone message. He
was also laid off from one of his two jobs.
As far as investigators know, he was last seen at his home. His next door
neighbor says he asked him to watch his dog for a few days because he was headed
north to look at a car he wanted to buy.
That, says Solorzano, is where the trail ends.
Smolinski's truck was still parked in his driveway. His keys and wallet
were found under the front seat.
His family hasn't stopped searching. They posted thousands of missing
person flyers but, says Solorzano, in a strange twist, found Smolinski's
ex-girlfriend tearing them down.
Local police say she and the politician aren't suspects in the case.
In August, the FBI's New Haven, Conn. stepped in, though Senior Supervisory
Resident Agent Dan O'Brien concedes, "There is not a lot of forensic evidence
for us to review in this matter. … The man simply disappeared."
Says Janice Smolinski, Billy's mom, "It's worse not knowing, because the
pain never goes away. It's like suffering a loss day in and day out."
If you have any information about the case, please contact the FBI in New
Haven at (203) 777-6311, or contact your local FBI office.

Description of Billy from the Charley Project (source of above photo):

Missing Since: August 24, 2004 from Waterbury, Connecticut
Classification:
Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: January 14, 1973
Age: 31 years old
Height and Weight: 5'11 - 6'0, 200 pounds
Distinguishing
Characteristics: Caucasian male. Light brown hair, blue eyes. Smolinski's
nicknames are Bill and Billy. He is bowlegged and his left ear is pierced. He
has a tattoo of a blue cross outined in orange on his left shoulder, and a
tattoo of a cross with the name "Pruitt" inside on his right forearm.
Smolinski's hair was in a crew cut at the time of his disappearance. He wears
size 10 1/2 shoes, size 36-32 pants, and size large or extra-large shirts.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A small diamond earring, a gold chain
rope-style necklace with a cross pendant, and possibly blue jeans, a blue denim
shirt, and work boots.
Medical Conditions: Smolinski is allergic to
shellfish. He has no other medical conditions and was in good physical and
mental health at the time of his disappearance.

You can print a poster of Billy at http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/gallery/ncmaprofile_all.php?A200402022S.
Billy's website: http://www.justice4billy.com
Guestbook for messages to Smolinski family: http://www.justice4billy.com/guestbook.html