Crime Junkie: MISSING: Zelig Williams
Release Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Ashley Flowers, with Brit Prawat
Case: The disappearance of Broadway dancer Zelig Williams
Episode Overview
In this episode, Ashley and Brit dive into the unsettling disappearance of 28-year-old Broadway performer Zelig Williams, last seen on October 3, 2024, in South Carolina. The case is riddled with inexplicable events: a mysterious SOS from Zelig’s phone, confusing sightings, and signs that Zelig may have been struggling with his mental health. With gaps in the timeline and unanswered questions, Ashley and Brit explore every angle, urging listeners to come forward with information that may finally bring clarity to what happened to Zelig.
Key Discussion Points & Timeline
1. Disappearance Unfolds
[02:35] — [06:15]
- Zelig leaves home in South Carolina at 9:52 AM, telling his mom he's going to make copies of his headshots.
- 10:00 AM: Zelig's friends in New York receive an SOS/collision alert from his phone, prompting his mom to rush to the nearby Staples and then to Angel's Diner, as the SOS ping is traced 20 minutes away.
- Despite expectations of a crash, there is no sign of an accident, Zelig, or his car.
- Zelig’s mother tries to report him missing late that evening but is initially told by police that "he’s probably just out celebrating his birthday," which occurred weeks earlier.
- Quote:
"They're like, oh, well, you know, he's probably just out celebrating his birthday. He's fine."
— Ashley [06:06]
- Quote:
- Kathy files a proper missing person report the next day on October 4.
2. Strange Events at the Trailhead
[06:15] — [12:41]
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October 4, 11 PM: Police find Zelig’s mom’s red Ford Escape abandoned at the Palmetto Trail parking lot—an area not known to Zelig, and in poor hiking condition due to recent hurricane damage.
-
A park ranger recalls a report:
- At noon October 3, a man is flagged down on the trail by someone trailed by a "naked dancing man"—matching Zelig’s description.
- The witness claims Zelig followed him from the parking lot onto the trail, stripping and acting erratically.
- The ranger investigates but finds no person or clothes; Zelig’s car is present at noon but gone by 2 PM, returning later.
-
Quote:
"He started following the man down the trail, but not just, like, walking behind him. He was acting super erratic, dancing as he stripped off all of his clothes and threw them around."
— Ashley [08:40] -
When police later recover the car, Zelig’s clothes are found folded on the driver’s seat and his shoes on the floorboard.
3. Conflicting Evidence & Lost Timelines
[12:41] — [17:09]
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Zelig is seen on gas station surveillance video at 11 AM near Angel’s Diner, appearing unharmed and calm.
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However, at noon, Zelig’s phone pings an hour and a half away in Walterboro, creating a major gap in the timeline.
- Controls and surveillance data suggest his car left the trailhead at around 2 PM, then drove in loops for two hours before returning at 4 PM.
-
Quote:
"At the exact same time, noon, phone data places Zelig's phone an hour and a half away in a town called Walterboro."
— Ashley [16:00] -
Zelig’s phone has never been found, and there is limited transparency from Richland County Sheriff's Department about other phone pings or car movements.
4. Search Efforts & Theories
[17:09] — [20:32]
-
Extensive ground, air, and drone searches commence, focusing on the dangerous, flooded trail and the river, but the river can’t be searched due to high water.
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Family expresses concern that Zelig had recently stopped taking his prescribed mental health medication.
- Early morning on day of disappearance, Zelig unusually wakes his mother at 2:30 AM out of concern for her safety.
-
Past episode of mental health crisis referenced, including a previous instance where Zelig had undressed in public but had always asked for help.
-
Quote:
"His family told us... the one other time that this happened where he did end up naked, he didn't neatly fold his clothes. So they think that's even super odd."
— Ashley [19:50]
5. Mysterious Witness at the Trail
[20:32] — [23:45]
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Authorities have not identified or located the man who reported the naked dancing incident.
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The ranger felt this witness seemed "off" and wasn’t sharing the full story; he was described as dark-haired, olive-skinned, with possibly a Spanish accent, and driving a silver or dark gray mini station wagon.
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Zelig’s family speculates whether the trip to the park was intentional, perhaps related to a meeting or to scope out the area; car data show Zelig scouted the area the day before he vanished.
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Family notes Zelig auditioned for a Spanish-speaking role a few months prior, raising questions about a possible prearranged meeting.
-
Quote:
"The ranger noted that there was one other car in the parking lot, the red Ford Escape. And the witness is like, oh, yeah, that is the car that he got out of."
— Ashley [11:41]
6. Mental Health, Faith, and Conversion Therapy Concerns
[28:41] — [32:49]
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Zelig had been searching for spiritual community, attending multiple churches, and participating in men's groups, as reflected in his journals.
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Family believes he was likely fasting before his disappearance, influenced by a church teaching that healing comes from faith, not medication.
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Zelig publicly posted about "being delivered from homosexuality" and seeking transformation (audio of Zelig shared at [29:21]).
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Private investigator (PI) who worked briefly with the family theorized Zelig may have checked himself into conversion therapy, noting his calendar was eerily blank for October—a break from his diligent routine.
-
Quote:
"She said it was clear that he was on the hunt for something. He was visiting a ton of different churches and groups."
— Ashley [31:23]
7. Unanswered Questions and Community Appeal
[32:49] — [35:43]
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Unidentified individuals mentioned: a man seen in video call with Zelig prior to the disappearance, described as older, salt-and-pepper hair and beard.
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Zelig’s mother, Kathy, lost her only two daughters years earlier—making Zelig her last remaining child.
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Despite all efforts, the family and hosts highlight the importance of compassion and remaining vigilant to signs of crisis in loved ones.
-
Quote:
"You never really know what's going on in someone's life. And there are struggles beyond the curtain that you just can't see. We just passed the one year anniversary of Zelig's disappearance. And there are still so many questions."
— Ashley [35:30]
Memorable Quotes
-
On the strange SOS alert:
"I'm really hung up on the SOS of it all. Like, that feels like I know it's important because it kind of kicks this whole thing off. But also... what does it mean?"
— Brit [24:02] -
On mental health pressures:
"Medications for mental health was framed to us like a way to mask a deeper problem you had with your Christianity... You're not broken. You're perfect."
— Ashley [31:05]
Notable Timestamps for Key Segments
- [02:34] — Introduction of disappearance; Zelig leaves home.
- [04:35] — Timeline confusion over SOS ping versus known location.
- [08:40] — Naked dancing incident on the trail.
- [11:41] — Car’s strange movements and discovery of folded clothes.
- [16:00] — Phone ping in a distant town at same time as in-person sighting.
- [18:14] — Mental health and family’s observations.
- [28:41] — Church influence and possible fasting/conversion therapy.
- [29:21] — Zelig’s audio testimony about his faith and sexuality.
- [31:23] — PI’s theory and missing information in Zelig’s calendar.
- [35:30] — Family plea and call for information.
Unresolved Mysteries & Theories
- Conflicting Physical and Digital Evidence: Zelig seen at different places simultaneously; phone and car act independently.
- Missing Phone and Witness: Neither have been located, and both are potentially key to understanding what happened.
- Possible Foul Play or Self-Harm: Final fate remains uncertain; both mental health and external pressure (including conversion therapy) are considered.
- Appeal for Information: Listeners urged to contact Richland County Sheriff's Office or Crime Stoppers if they have information.
Resources & Ways to Help
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Contact Information:
- Richland County Sheriff’s Department: 803-576-3000
- Crime Stoppers of The Midlands: 888-274-6372
- Tips to audiochuck: tips@audiochuck.com
-
Crisis Support:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
(call or text, or visit 988lifeline.org)
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Final Thoughts
Ashley and Brit close with compassion and urgency, emphasizing the importance of checking on loved ones and the hope that Zelig’s story will reach someone who can help bring him home or at least explain what happened.
"We just passed the one year anniversary of Zelig's disappearance. And there are still so many questions. But I believe that one piece of information, the right information, can crack this case wide open."
— Ashley [35:30]
If you have any information about Zelig Williams or relevant sightings or contacts, please reach out through the channels above. Your piece of the puzzle could be the one that brings answers to his family.