The disappearance of 15-year-old Thomas Medlin from Saint James, Long Island, has been marked by incremental revelations that continue to deepen the mystery and sorrow surrounding his case. A new piece of witness testimony has emerged, adding nuance to the timeline leading up to his last confirmed movements on the Manhattan Bridge.
According to details shared in recent investigative updates and media coverage, a passenger on public transportation contacted Suffolk County Police several days after Thomas vanished on January 9, 2026. The individual recalled noticing the teen because he appeared disoriented or uncertain about his destination. Witnesses described Thomas constantly checking his phone—glancing at the screen repeatedly, perhaps navigating directions, checking messages, or confirming a location—before the device abruptly went dark. This observation aligns closely with the known digital evidence: Thomas’s cell phone registered its final activity at 7:09 p.m. on the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge, after which all transmissions ceased entirely.
The witness’s account places this behavior during Thomas’s journey into Manhattan, likely on the Long Island Rail Road train from Stony Brook or possibly during his time in the city en route to the bridge. It paints a picture of a teenager who seemed unsure or preoccupied, focused intently on his phone as if following instructions, awaiting contact, or grappling with indecision. The sudden screen blackout—mirroring the police-confirmed cessation of phone activity—has raised questions about whether it coincided with a deliberate power-off, battery failure, or the moment Thomas reached a critical point in his path.
This testimony arrives amid a series of chilling updates. Thomas left The Stony Brook School abruptly around 3:30 p.m., running to the nearby train station and heading to Manhattan. Surveillance captured him at Grand Central Terminal around 5:30 p.m., dressed in a black jacket with red stripes, dark sweatpants with white stripes, glasses, and a black backpack. By 7:06 p.m., he was on the Manhattan Bridge’s pedestrian walkway. His phone went silent at 7:09 p.m., and less than a minute later, around 7:10 p.m., a nearby camera recorded a sudden splash in the East River below. No footage shows him exiting via any monitored paths.
Police have repeatedly stated there is no indication of criminality, based on forensic reviews of his devices, social media, and gaming profiles (including Roblox, initially suspected by family as a factor in his travel). The witness’s recollection of uncertainty and phone-checking behavior does not contradict the cleared digital trail but adds a human element: a boy who may have been lost, anxious, or following a plan that unraveled.
The public transport sighting, reported days later, highlights how missing persons cases often rely on delayed recollections from bystanders. Authorities continue to appeal for additional tips, particularly any cell phone videos, dashcam footage, or observations from the Canal Street, Manhattan Bridge, or Brooklyn areas between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on January 9. Contact Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
For Thomas’s family—led by his mother, Eva Yan, who has made tearful public appeals—the ordinary details compound the pain: a son who seemed fine enough to travel alone, yet exhibited visible uncertainty, only for communication to vanish abruptly. The East River’s cold January waters and strong currents make any water entry grim, with no recovery reported as of late January 2026. The case remains active, blending hope for safe return with the weight of accumulating evidence pointing to tragedy.
This latest witness input underscores the fragility of timelines in such investigations—small observations from strangers can reshape understanding, even as core questions linger unanswered.
