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COLUMBIA, S.C. (BFMG) – The family of a missing Broadway dancer, known for roles in “Hamilton” and “MJ The Musical,” is expanding their search beyond the South Carolina trailhead where his car was found earlier this month.
Zelig Williams, 28, was last seen at his Columbia home on Oct. 3, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. His family filed a missing person report the next day after he failed to contact them, the department said.
Williams’ mother, Kathy Williams, and cousin, Mieoki Corbett-Jacobs, told CNN’s Victor Blackwell on Saturday that search efforts will now move beyond the parking lot where his vehicle was found, located more than 20 miles from his home.
There has been no mention of searching the area his car reportedly was seen near the 1100 block of Garners Ferry Road where friends say they received a ping that Williams was in a crash, but his car showed no signs of damage when later recovered along the Palmetto Trail.
Searchers plan to cover both sides of the Palmetto Trail, which connects to major roads. “As a family, we’ve been searching. We’ve searched that area ourselves on foot more than once, and now we’re looking to expand our search,” Corbett-Jacobs said.
The trailhead is near Congaree National Park, a popular destination for canoeists and kayakers.
Corbett-Jacobs said she believes Williams may have sought a place to walk, adding that the family “loves a good walking trail.”
Kathy Williams told CNN she fears her son may be in danger. The family has urged the public to report any sightings of individuals matching the dancer’s description.
The family hired Chandra Cleveland earlier this week to assist in the search, “our private investigators continue to get leads, and they follow those leads,” Corbett-Jacobs said, noting that one recent tip included photos of someone resembling Williams, but it turned out not to be him.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said deputies “have used every means of manpower and technology available” to locate Williams and are seeking help from the public.
“He didn’t wander off. This is definitely a missing persons case with suspected foul play,” Corbett-Jacobs said.
At a news conference Wednesday, Corbett-Jacobs said the family believes Williams had stopped taking medication around the time of his disappearance. She later told CNN the prescription was for his mental health.
Williams is Kathy Williams’ only surviving child. She lost both her daughters in a 2004 car accident.
“He told me when he danced, he felt his sisters with him,” Kathy Williams said. “He is an amazing dancer, and that’s what he loved doing—it kept him going.”
When asked what message she would give her cousin, Corbett-Jacobs responded, “We’ll tell Zelig to hold on—hold on to God, hold on to your faith, and find your way home. We will not stop looking for you until we bring you home.”
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