The RECALL Project

The records exist.
The connections don't.
RECALL makes them.

Systematic matching across the databases that were never built to connect. Surfacing leads hidden by jurisdictional gaps.

Enter the case file → Follow on Substack
600,000+ active missing persons in U.S. 14,000+ unidentified remains in NamUs 4,000+ cases open longer than one year No automated cross-matching system exists RECALL is building the connection layer 600,000+ active missing persons in U.S. 14,000+ unidentified remains in NamUs 4,000+ cases open longer than one year No automated cross-matching system exists RECALL is building the connection layer
The Algorithm

The databases exist. No one connected them.

NamUs. Doe Network. Charley Project. State and county records. Missing persons and unidentified remains are logged across dozens of fragmented systems with no automatic cross-matching. RECALL builds the layer that connects them — scoring every plausible pair, validating the top candidates, and referring leads to the professionals who can confirm them.

RECALL Algorithm v5.2 Processing
Missing Persons
0
records ingested
⟶
Pairs Evaluated
0
candidate matches
⟶
Unidentified Remains
0
records ingested
MATCH_EVAL MP37772 × UP9683 | sex:MATCH age:MATCH(28→20-40) ht:MATCH(69→70in) wt:MATCH(180→180) hair:MATCH dist:5.4mi time:76d | SCORE: 0.94 ★ MATCH_EVAL MP44291 × UP12003 | sex:MATCH age:PARTIAL(45→30-50) ht:SKIP wt:MISS dist:142mi | SCORE: 0.31 MATCH_EVAL MP38102 × UP9683 | sex:MATCH age:MISS(16→20-40) | GATE_FAIL: age_impossible | SKIP MATCH_EVAL MP37772 × UP11204 | sex:MATCH age:MATCH ht:PARTIAL wt:MISS dist:380mi | SCORE: 0.22 MATCH_EVAL MP41003 × UP9701 | sex:MISS | GATE_FAIL: sex_mismatch | SKIP MATCH_EVAL MP37772 × UP9683 | DENTAL: both_available | STATUS: never_compared | FLAG: HIGH_PRIORITY MATCH_EVAL MP39221 × UP10044 | sex:MATCH age:MATCH ht:MATCH wt:PARTIAL dist:12mi time:340d | SCORE: 0.71 MATCH_EVAL MP42881 × UP9683 | sex:MATCH age:PARTIAL ht:MISS | SCORE: 0.18 REFER_QUEUE MP37772 × UP9683 | rank:1/59000 | agency:San_Mateo_County_ME | status:SUBMITTED MATCH_EVAL MP37772 × UP9683 | sex:MATCH age:MATCH(28→20-40) ht:MATCH(69→70in) wt:MATCH(180→180) hair:MATCH dist:5.4mi time:76d | SCORE: 0.94 ★ MATCH_EVAL MP44291 × UP12003 | sex:MATCH age:PARTIAL(45→30-50) ht:SKIP wt:MISS dist:142mi | SCORE: 0.31 MATCH_EVAL MP38102 × UP9683 | sex:MATCH age:MISS(16→20-40) | GATE_FAIL: age_impossible | SKIP MATCH_EVAL MP37772 × UP11204 | sex:MATCH age:MATCH ht:PARTIAL wt:MISS dist:380mi | SCORE: 0.22 MATCH_EVAL MP41003 × UP9701 | sex:MISS | GATE_FAIL: sex_mismatch | SKIP MATCH_EVAL MP37772 × UP9683 | DENTAL: both_available | STATUS: never_compared | FLAG: HIGH_PRIORITY MATCH_EVAL MP39221 × UP10044 | sex:MATCH age:MATCH ht:MATCH wt:PARTIAL dist:12mi time:340d | SCORE: 0.71 REFER_QUEUE MP37772 × UP9683 | rank:1/59000 | agency:San_Mateo_County_ME | status:SUBMITTED
Active Investigations

Open case files

Case #001 Submitted to Medical Examiner
The Lillian D.

December 1983. A fishing boat was found drifting in San Francisco Bay with its engine still running. No one was aboard. 76 days later, unidentified remains were recovered 5.4 miles south. In 40+ years, no one ever compared them.

MP37772 UP9683 76-day gap 5.4 miles Top 0.4% of 59K
Open full case file → Dental records available — never compared
About

Independent research. Open methodology.

RECALL is built by Rob, an independent researcher developing AI-assisted matching algorithms to help identify unidentified remains and bring missing persons cases to resolution.

This is not law enforcement. This is a triage layer — systematically surfacing leads that should be evaluated but never have been. Validated leads are referred to Medical Examiner offices for formal comparison.

Every algorithm version, every decision, every result is documented publicly. The methodology should be transparent enough for others to replicate and improve.

Operating Principles
Leads referred to professionals — never published as conclusions
Algorithm versions logged and reproducible
Families come first in every decision
Public data only — no restricted access
Every match manually validated before referral
Open documentation of methodology and results
Follow the Work

New cases. Algorithm updates. Results.

RECALL has flagged dozens of potential matches across California, Illinois, and beyond. Subscribe to follow the investigations.

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