Disappearance of Daniel Davis III

Daniel Davis III (born 1965), known as Dan Davis, is a man from Merrionette Park, Illinois, who was reported missing in late November 2025 after he was last seen in the Chicago metropolitan area. The Chicago Police Department has handled the missing person case, and the Cook County Sheriff's Office has assisted in searches.

Background

Davis, who was 59 years old at the time of his disappearance, lived in Merrionette Park, a suburb southwest of Chicago. Originally from Spencer, Indiana, he graduated from Indiana University in 1989. Davis worked at 115 Bourbon Street, a bar and concert venue in Merrionette Park, for 26 years as the venue's head lighting designer.

Disappearance

Davis was involved in a traffic crash in unincorporated Alsip on November 24, 2025, and declined medical attention. A Cook County sheriff's deputy drove him to his place of work, 115 Bourbon Street, at about 12:30 a.m. on November 25 after his vehicle was undrivable. Surveillance video recorded Davis leaving 115 Bourbon Street at about 1:15 a.m. on November 25, 2025.

Davis was recorded on surveillance video in Blue Island, Illinois, during the afternoon of November 26, 2025, and he was later recorded leaving St. Donatus Church in the 1900 block of South Union Street in Blue Island at about 6:30 p.m. the same day. Police and media reports described the church footage as the last confirmed sighting of Davis.

Investigation

The Chicago Police Department handled the missing person case, and Davis's family organized search efforts and asked the public to review security camera footage for sightings. A Cook County sheriff's office bloodhound search tracked Davis's scent to an area near train tracks in Blue Island, where it ended.

Investigators searched waterways in and near Blue Island, including the Cal-Sag Channel, using sonar equipment. On December 31, 2025, the Cook County Sheriff's Office released body camera video showing Davis being dropped off at 115 Bourbon Street after the crash; news coverage described Davis as having difficulty walking in the footage. Davis's family said the footage showed signs of a possible medical emergency, noting that Davis appeared to have impairment on his left side.

In early January 2026, the Chicago Police Department requested assistance from Code 3 Search and Rescue, a volunteer search and rescue organization from Ohio, which deployed cadaver dogs to search areas near bodies of water in Blue Island.

Media coverage and public response

Co-workers, friends, and volunteers conducted searches and distributed flyers, and 115 Bourbon Street hosted community search efforts centered at the venue. The venue hosted a candlelight vigil on December 9, 2025. The case also drew attention from online communities who assisted with reviewing surveillance footage and coordinating search efforts. Davis's daughter promoted the search through TikTok videos, some of which received over one million views, and a Facebook group called "Find Dan Davis" grew to nearly 25,000 members. Supporters from other states and countries reached out to offer assistance, including suggestions to post flyers at highway rest stops.