Christy Luna: Investigators say they have a new lead in disappearance of an 8-year-old Florida girl in 1984
Sgt. Chris Karpinski revealed that Warren Gilbert Williams, named a person of interest in Christy Luna's 1984 disappearance, was remodeling a house when she vanished. Williams had a criminal history and died in 2016. Despite investigations, no remains were found on his property.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday named a person of interest in the disappearance of 8-year-old Christy Luna, who went missing on May 27, 1984.
Luna was last seen walking home from a Greenacres convenience store after buying cat food.
Despite a massive search operation, nothing was found, and the cold case continued to intrigue the community even after four decades.
What sheriff's office said
On Wednesday, authorities in Florida named a new person of interest in the case.
According to the sheriff's office, Warren Gilbert Williams, Jr, has been named as a person of interest.
Williams was a resident of Lake Worth who was 46 years old at the time Luna disappeared.
Sgt. Chris Karpinski, a supervisor in the sheriff's cold-case unit, said that in 2025, investigators received an anonymous tip from a person who was familiar with Williams.
Evidence agaisnt Williams
According to the anonymous informant, Williams was remodeling a house in Greenacres the day Luna disappeared. Williams took a break to get a pack of cigarettes and never returned.
The person who provided the information said Williams built a concrete slab in his backyard, located on 16th Avenue North, about a week after Luna disappeared.
"He left that home and his remodeling efforts to go buy cigarettes at Belks General Store and he never returned," Karpinski said.
"That alone, interesting information, but we have a lot of that information through the years where somebody was seen in the area, and this and that," he added.
"The suspicion existed through this circle of people that Mr. Williams knew through the years and they had discussed the possibility of him being involved with Christy's disappearance," Karpinski said in a press conference.
Williams had a criminal history
They also noted that Williams had a criminal history that included convictions in Florida and Alabama for sexually abusing children. Williams, who was designated a sexual predator, died in 2016 while serving a 10-year sentence in Alabama for sexual abuse.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said before Williams' death, he asked to be released from prison in 2016 because he had a terminal illness, but the request was denied.
Though Williams has been named as a person of interest, the sheriff's office said it searched the property, including with a dog, dug up the property, and used technology to scan the property, but no human remains were found.
- The case of Christy Luna remains unsolved despite extensive searches and investigations over the years.
- New information can emerge even decades later, potentially providing leads in cold cases.
- Criminal histories can influence investigations, as seen with the background of the newly named person of interest.
About the Author
Bobins loves telling the human side of all stories, from the intersection of geopolitics, international relations, and conflicts around the world. In his nearly one-and-a-half-decade career as a journalist, Bobins has covered South Asia, the Middle East, and North America, from elections to mass protests and conflicts. <br> Bobins has also done extensive reporting on environmental issues, climate change, and sustainability, focusing on solutions and people working to make the planet a better place to live. <br> In 2018, Bobins was awarded by Times Internet for the impact of his story on Delhi tree cuttings. Bobins also loves telling the stories of Indian startups and the journey of their founders. <br> Total Years of Experience: 14 <br> Years of experience at LM: Bobins has been a part of Live Mint since February 2026 <br> Interests: When he is not tracking conflicts, Bobins loves to cook, travel across India, click photos, and watch documentaries on history. Past Experience: Before joining Live Mint, Bobins worked with The Indian Express, where he led the Global Breaking News coverage, Indiatimes, where he led the news team, covering everything trending, ANI, where the focus of his coverage was South Asia, and NBS News. <br> Current Role: Bobins is currently working as an Assistant Editor at Live Mint.
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