Name: Obaidullah James Shams
Nickname/Alias: Chams Shams, James Anderson
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: October 08, 1997
Location Last Seen: Modesto, Los Angeles County, California
Date of Birth: August 19, 1967
Age: 30 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 137 lbs.
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown
Dentals: Not Available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Not Available
Clothing: Black shirt, black pants, black pull on biker boots.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Shams was last seen in Lancaster, California on October 8, 1997. He had planned to travel to northern California with a friend that month. He disappeared shortly after stopping in Palmdale, California. His car was found abandoned behind a Holiday Inn in Victorville, California on October 14, 1997 with the key still in the ignition.
A suspect in the case was one of the last people to see Shams on October 8. The suspect was arrested on drug charges near west 40th Street and Avenue L in Los Angeles County, California in May 1998. He was apprehended by Shams's investigating officers and questioned about the case, but he has not been charged in connection with it. Shams resided in San Diego, California in 1997. Foul play is suspected in his case
Agency Name: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Agency Contact Person: Detective Tamar Abraham
Agency Phone Number: (323) 890-5500
Agency E-Mail: TLAbraham@lasd.org
Agency Case Number: 097-31473-1113-400
NamUs Case Number: 23283
NCIC Case Number: M-065917458
Added: 08/10/2006; Last Updated: 04/15/2024 - By: kc
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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