While it seems natural that family members would hope that their missing loved one is still alive, detectives have actually noted that it is not an outlandish possibility. Vineland Detective Kristian Kirchner, who joined the force in 1998, notes that human trafficking was a lot easier in the decades prior. “If Billy [Jones Jr.] had been kidnapped, he very easily might have been taken out of the area,” he explained, per The Philadelphia Inquirer. “In 1962, records were different, and it was easier to create a new identity for a 3-year-old.”
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Starting in 2009, the police and FBI started reexamining the case due to advances in DNA technology, which might lead them to the long-missing boy. In addition, the FBI released an age-progressed photo of Billy on the 50th anniversary of his disappearance to give the public an idea of what he might look like as an older man. Unfortunately, the trail remains cold, but Jill and the authorities still have hope. “Somebody has to know something. I really do believe that,” declared retired Vineland Police Sgt. Patrick Dougherty, 62, who was a kid himself when Billy went missing. “Until I see a body, I’m not going to rule out that he’s alive.”
