The Disappearance of James Yoblonski - An Interview w/ Bill Yoblonski

On June 12, 2023, **13-year-old James Yoblonski** left his family home in rural Wisconsin in the middle of the night, taking his father’s van and cellphone.

He has not been seen since.

In this episode of **True Crime Unsolved**, Sean Cahill and Myles Reiff sit down with James’s father, **Bill Yoblonski**, for an in-depth conversation about the night his son disappeared, the evidence that still troubles him, the investigation that followed, and why Bill believes James did not simply run away on his own.

Bill recounts waking up to find his phone missing, James gone, and the family van no longer parked outside. He describes learning that James had apparently left with multiple bags, that a handgun was missing from a safe at Bill’s business, and that the van had traveled to the business twice before ultimately being abandoned near the Baraboo Bluffs.

Bill believes the second visit to the shop may be especially important. He has long suspected that someone may have met James there and may even have been driving the van afterward.

That is Bill’s theory — not an established fact.

In this interview, Bill discusses:

* The last normal day he spent with James
* The moment he realized James and the van were gone
* The two visits to his business that night
* The missing handgun and large duffel bag
* Why Bill believes James may have been communicating with someone
* The strange Snapchat video posted during the disappearance
* Why Bill believes the words in that video sounded unlike his son
* His belief that a hand visible near the steering wheel may not have been James’s
* The belongings recovered in the woods
* Why Bill disputes calling that location a “campsite”
* The missing dashcam footage from the van
* His concerns about how the investigation was handled
* Searches involving K9s, aircraft and law enforcement
* The public search Bill says was restricted
* His concerns about James’s older brother possibly knowing more — which Bill himself calls only a suspicion
* And the theory Bill returns to again and again:

**“I believe he was coaxed into leaving.”**

Bill also speaks candidly about what the disappearance has done to his family and the lengths he has gone to trying to find answers.

He says he has contacted law enforcement, elected officials, attorneys and investigators, pursued tips outside Wisconsin, and continued raising money for private searches.

Despite his frustration, Bill says his main goal has never changed:

**He wants his son home.**

Near the end of the interview, Bill delivers a direct message to anyone who may know where James is: contact him. Even if someone is afraid to speak to law enforcement, he says he will do whatever he can to bring James home.

James would now be 16 years old.

If you have credible information regarding the disappearance or current whereabouts of James Yoblonski, please contact the appropriate Wisconsin authorities.

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## ABOUT TRUE CRIME UNSOLVED

Hosted by **Sean Cahill and Myles Reiff**, True Crime Unsolved investigates missing persons, suspicious deaths, cold cases and unresolved mysteries through interviews, public records, independent research and long-form analysis.

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