Kyle Fleischmann

On the night of November 9, 2007, 24-year-old Kyle Fleischmann went out with friends in the Uptown entertainment district of Charlotte, North Carolina. The group visited several bars and restaurants. Kyle became separated from his friends during the evening and was last captured on surveillance video at approximately 2:30 a.m. outside Fuel Pizza on North College Street, where he appeared to be intoxicated and using his cell phone.

Kyle's cell phone records showed his last call was at 2:50 a.m. After that, there was no further activity on his phone. His car was found parked in a lot near the bars he had visited, and his apartment showed no signs of his return. His bank accounts were never accessed, and his passport remained at his home.

The investigation considered multiple theories: that Kyle had wandered into Little Sugar Creek, which runs through Uptown Charlotte, while intoxicated; that he had encountered foul play; or that he had met with some other accident. Police and volunteers conducted extensive searches, including draining portions of Little Sugar Creek and using cadaver dogs throughout the area. Nothing was found.

Kyle's parents, Nancy and Vance Fleischmann, founded the Kyle Fleischmann Foundation to raise awareness about missing persons. The case has been featured on numerous television programs. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have stated the case remains open, but no significant leads have emerged. The circumstances—a young man disappearing after a night of drinking in a busy urban area—share similarities with dozens of other cases of young men vanishing near water after nights out.