Overview

Full Name: Craigory Lamar Cofer

Nickname: Craig

Date of Birth: September 30, 1974

Age When Missing: 24 years old

Date Last Seen: January 24, 1999

Last Known Location: Palestine, Anderson County, Texas

Case Classification: Endangered Missing Person

Case Status: Unsolved; remains publicly listed as missing

Investigating Agency: Palestine Police Department

Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse Number: M9904006

NamUs Reference: MP923

On January 24, 1999, 24-year-old Craigory Lamar Cofer disappeared from Palestine, Texas, after reportedly planning to visit his cousin. His family did not know who, if anyone, accompanied him when he left his residence. He was never heard from again. More than 27 years later, the circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unresolved, and publicly available records continue to identify him as a missing person.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Case Summary

Full Name: Craigory Lamar Cofer

Nickname: Craig

Date of Birth: September 30, 1974

Age When Missing: 24 years old

Date Last Seen: January 24, 1999

Last Known Location: Palestine, Anderson County, Texas

Case Classification: Endangered Missing Person

Case Status: Unsolved; remains publicly listed as missing

Investigating Agency: Palestine Police Department

Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse Number: M9904006

NamUs Reference: MP923

On January 24, 1999, 24-year-old Craigory Lamar Cofer disappeared from Palestine, Texas, after reportedly planning to visit his cousin. His family did not know who, if anyone, accompanied him when he left his residence. He was never heard from again. More than 27 years later, the circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unresolved, and publicly available records continue to identify him as a missing person.

Background and Circumstances of Craigory Lamar Cofer’s Disappearance

Craigory Lamar Cofer was born on September 30, 1974. Known by the nickname Craig, he was a 24-year-old Black man when he vanished from Palestine, a city in Anderson County in East Texas.

Publicly available missing-person records provide limited information about Cofer’s personal background, employment, education, or everyday life before his disappearance. They do, however, preserve important details about his appearance, clothing, and final reported plans.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Cofer stood approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed around 225 pounds. He had black hair and brown eyes. One of his most distinctive identifying characteristics was a tattoo of the initials “CC” on the inside of his left forearm.

At the time he disappeared, Cofer was reportedly wearing a blue Lugs sports shirt, black wind pants, gray Adidas athletic shoes with white and orange trim, and a silver-and-black leather coat. Additional missing-person records describe a gold watch and a gold ring among the items he was wearing.

January 24, 1999: The Last Reported Sighting

The known account of Cofer’s disappearance begins on Sunday, January 24, 1999. He was last seen in Palestine and had reportedly indicated that he intended to visit his cousin’s home during the day.

According to the publicly documented account, his relatives did not know who accompanied him when he left his residence. The available information does not establish whether another person actually traveled with him, what transportation he used, or whether he reached his intended destination.

After leaving, Cofer did not return to his family or make any further publicly documented contact. His whereabouts became unknown, and his disappearance was subsequently recorded in missing-person databases.

The precise time of his departure, his route, and the location of his final independently confirmed sighting have not been established in the publicly accessible sources reviewed for this article.

The Importance of His Clothing and Tattoo

Cofer’s physical description remains important because it provides identifying details that may help distinguish him from other missing individuals or assist in reviewing historical information.

His “CC” forearm tattoo is particularly distinctive. The specific combination of clothing, footwear, jewelry, and physical characteristics documented in missing-person records may also be useful to anyone who remembers encountering him around the time he vanished.

Although the clothing descriptions are associated with his disappearance, no publicly verified information establishes that any of these belongings were subsequently recovered.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

Craigory Lamar Cofer’s disappearance is associated with the Palestine Police Department. His information has also been maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety Missing Persons Clearinghouse and circulated through national and independent missing-person resources.

The Texas Department of Public Safety lists Cofer under missing-person reference M9904006 and classifies his case as endangered. This designation identifies him as a missing person whose circumstances warrant concern. It does not, by itself, establish that he was abducted, murdered, or otherwise the victim of a specific crime.

State and National Missing-Person Records

The Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse maintains an official bulletin containing Cofer’s identifying information, disappearance date, last known city, and physical description. The bulletin identifies January 24, 1999, as the date he was last seen and Palestine as the city from which he disappeared.

His disappearance is also associated with NamUs missing-person reference MP923. The NamUs reference has been reproduced in publicly accessible missing-person discussions and case listings.

The Charley Project, an independent missing-person case archive, continues to document Cofer’s disappearance and identifies the Palestine Police Department as the investigating agency. The Black and Missing Foundation also maintains an awareness profile containing his description and the known circumstances of his disappearance.

These records help preserve Cofer’s identity and keep his case visible. Their continued publication, however, should not be interpreted as evidence of a recent investigative breakthrough.

Searches, Witnesses, and Physical Evidence

The publicly available case descriptions do not provide a detailed account of the original police investigation. No independently verified public chronology was located describing specific searches, witness interviews, forensic examinations, or evidence recovered immediately after Cofer disappeared.

Likewise, the reviewed sources do not establish whether investigators recovered surveillance footage, telephone records, a vehicle, personal belongings, or other physical evidence connected to his disappearance.

This lack of publicly disclosed information does not necessarily mean that investigators conducted no searches or collected no evidence. It means that the details of any such investigative work could not be independently verified from the available public record.

DNA and Identification Records

Independent missing-person reference material has indicated that DNA information was available in connection with Cofer’s case. However, no publicly confirmed report was located establishing that forensic genetic genealogy, a new DNA comparison, or a recent laboratory breakthrough has identified his whereabouts.

There is also no verified public announcement in the reviewed sources that unidentified human remains have been positively identified as Cofer.

Without an official investigative update, it would be inappropriate to claim that a particular forensic test has been performed or that investigators have obtained new evidence.

Theories and Unresolved Questions

More than two decades after Craigory Lamar Cofer disappeared, the most important questions concern his movements on January 24, 1999, and what happened after he left his residence.

No publicly verified evidence establishes a specific explanation for his disappearance. There is no reliable basis in the reviewed sources to identify a suspect, accuse another individual, or conclude that Cofer was the victim of homicide.

Did Craigory Reach His Cousin’s Home?

One of the central unresolved questions is whether Cofer ever reached the cousin he reportedly intended to visit.

Public case summaries establish his reported intention to make the visit, but they do not confirm his arrival. They also do not identify the cousin or provide a documented account of what investigators learned about that intended destination.

Determining whether Cofer arrived at the residence, changed his plans, or encountered someone along the way could be important to reconstructing his final known movements. These remain investigative questions rather than established facts.

Was Anyone With Him When He Left?

The uncertainty surrounding who may have accompanied Cofer when he left home is another significant gap in the public account.

His relatives reportedly did not know who accompanied him. This statement does not establish that an unidentified companion was involved in wrongdoing or even confirm that another person traveled with him.

Information from anyone who saw Cofer leaving his residence, observed his transportation, or encountered him elsewhere in Palestine that day could potentially help clarify the sequence of events.

Was His Disappearance Voluntary or Involuntary?

The public record does not establish whether Cofer disappeared voluntarily, experienced an accident or medical emergency, encountered foul play, or became missing under other circumstances.

These are general possibilities in an unresolved missing-person investigation, not verified theories attributed to law enforcement in this case.

His continued absence raises serious concerns, but the available evidence does not support selecting one explanation over another. Any determination about criminal involvement would require reliable investigative findings that have not been publicly established.

Latest Publicly Available Investigative Updates

As of November 8, 2026, Craigory Lamar Cofer continues to appear in publicly accessible missing-person records. No publicly confirmed recent investigative breakthrough, arrest, criminal charge, identification of remains, or resolution of his disappearance was located during research for this article.

The Texas Department of Public Safety continues to publish his missing-person bulletin under reference M9904006. The bulletin records his last-seen date as January 24, 1999, and retains the endangered missing-person classification.

Historical Database Activity

The Texas Department of Public Safety bulletin displays October 17, 2001, as the date its photograph was updated. This is a historical record-management date and does not indicate a new development in the investigation.

The Doe Network’s archived website updates also document maintenance of Cofer’s case information in January 2016, including updates to source links and identifier availability information. These changes concerned the public case listing and should not be characterized as a discovery of new evidence.

A public Websleuths discussion about Cofer was opened on December 19, 2024. The discussion reproduced previously available missing-person information. Its creation does not establish that investigators developed a new lead or made an official announcement.

Continued Missing-Person Awareness

The continued availability of Cofer’s information through the Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse, The Charley Project, and the Black and Missing Foundation helps preserve public awareness of a disappearance dating back to 1999.

These organizations provide identifying details that may be useful to individuals who knew Cofer, remember events in Palestine around the time of his disappearance, or have information that was never previously reported.

No verified recent family statement, newly issued law enforcement appeal specific to this case, or confirmed cold-case investigative announcement was located. The absence of such public reporting should not be interpreted as proof that law enforcement has stopped reviewing information.

Conclusion and Public Appeal for Information

Craigory Lamar Cofer was just 24 years old when he disappeared from Palestine, Texas, on January 24, 1999. What began as an apparently ordinary plan to visit a relative became a disappearance that remains unexplained more than 27 years later.

His case is marked by several unanswered questions: Where did he go after leaving his residence? Did he reach his cousin’s home? Was anyone traveling with him? And what circumstances prevented him from returning or contacting his family?

Although the publicly available record is limited, the identifying information preserved in missing-person databases provides a foundation for continued public awareness. Cofer’s disappearance remains classified as a missing-person case, and no confirmed public finding establishes what happened to him.

Anyone who knew Craigory Lamar Cofer, saw him in Palestine on or around January 24, 1999, remembers his planned visit to his cousin, or possesses information about his movements is encouraged to contact the Palestine Police Department or the Texas Department of Public Safety Missing Persons Clearinghouse.

Even information that may seem insignificant after so many years could help investigators clarify his final known movements. Individuals with firsthand knowledge are encouraged to share it directly with law enforcement rather than circulate unverified accusations or speculation.

Craigory Lamar Cofer remains missing. His case deserves continued attention, careful reporting, and a determination of what happened to him.