In 1984, William was residing at a group home, The Children's Home Society, on New Airport Road in Auburn, California. William and some other residents of the home sneaked out and attended a party in a town near Auburn on March 23, 1984. The boys drank beer until 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. before leaving to return to the group home. Their vehicle ran out of gasoline on Interstate 80 near Dry Creek Road. William stayed behind with the car while his companions walked to purchase fuel. His friends discovered that he had disappeared while they were at the gas station. He has never been heard from again. William's original missing person report was canceled for unknown reasons. As a result, police did not begin to investigate his disappearance until several years had passed.