‘He’s all I’ve got’: South Carolina police provide an update on the search for missing Broadway dancer Zelig Williams

South Carolina police and Zelig Williams‘ family have provided an update on the search for the Broadway dancer, who was last seen on Oct. 3 after leaving his mother’s home in Columbia. At the Oct. 16 press conference, Williams’ mother, Kathy Williams, told reporters, “I just want Zelig to come home. He’s all I got. He’s all I got. He’s all I got.”

Williams, 28, who danced on Broadway in Hamilton and MJ: The Musical, returned home to Columbia just a few months before his disappearance. Williams’ family said nothing seemed wrong when he left his mother’s home that morning. They were later contacted by one of Williams’ New York City friends, who said they received an SOS notification from Williams’ car indicating there may have been an automobile accident.

Williams was reported missing the next day, and Williams’ car was found near the Palmetto Trail at Congaree National Park, about 15 miles outside Columbia. Authorities said Williams’ car showed no signs of a crash, and his belongings were found inside the vehicle. At the Oct. 16 press conference in Columbia, police confirmed witnesses also saw Williams in the Palmetto area on Oct. 3.

Williams could be in a “trance-like” state

Williams’ family said he had stopped taking his medication before he disappeared. At the Oct. 16 press conference, his relative, Mieoki Corbett-Jacobs, said he could be in a “vulnerable” state. Without his medication, she added, ” … He might appear to be in distress, or he might be in a trance-like state. We beg you to please pay attention and bring him home.” If spotted, Williams may or may not have facial hair, she said.

Since Williams’ vanished, authorities have searched throughout South Carolina, following several leads, and have looked for the Broadway dancer using K9 teams, aircraft, drones, and several search parties. Police at the press conference said nothing, including foul play, had been ruled out in the investigation.

Williams’ only two siblings died in a car wreck two years ago

The public also learned at the Columbia press conference that Williams’ only two sisters died in a car wreck two years before he went missing. Referring to Williams’ mother, his relative, Corbett-Jacobs, said, “He was her remaining child. That’s why it’s extremely difficult for her to be seen or to speak. As you can understand, this mother is having some serious pain in her heart, missing her son in this moment.”

News that Williams’ was missing spread quickly online, and actor Hugh Jackman, who toured with Williams in a 2019 production of The Man. The Music. The Show, shared in an Instagram story, “Please … if anyone has any information as to the whereabouts of ZELIG WILLIAMS, please reach out to your local authorities. ZELIG, we love you and are praying for your safe return.”

After the Williams press conference, the Columbia community and Williams’ family gathered for a candlelight vigil at a city park. Williams’ mother, Kathy, was there, and she struck a more positive message. “My son is coming home, and I’m just joyful. I am so happy for everyone coming out for the lighting of my son, and I’m just so grateful,” she said without providing any further details. South Carolina police have asked anyone with any information about Williams’ whereabouts to call the Richland County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 576-3000 or contact Crime Stoppers at crimesc.com.