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COLUMBIA, S.C. (BFMG) – The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 28-year-old Zelig Williams, a professional performer, actor, and Broadway dancer who was last seen on Oct. 3, 2024, leaving his home on the 400 block of Longwood Road in Columbia. Williams, known for his performances in Hamilton and MJ the Musical, was reported missing by a family member on Oct. 4 after they hadn’t heard from him since he left the previous morning.
Williams’ mother reported seeing him leave home at 9:45 a.m.. Shortly afterward, at 10:10 a.m., three of his friends in New York received an SOS ping from his iPhone, according to family member Corbett-Jacobs. “At 10:10, three of his friends received an SOS ping from his cell phone, which is not a lot of time after leaving the house,” Corbett-Jacobs said. The friends quickly reached out to Williams’ mother to express their concerns.
An iPhone can be programmed to notify emergency contacts when an Emergency SOS is triggered or if it detects a hard fall or car crash, according to Apple. However, police say they have not yet confirmed the reason for the alert while the family noted that the car Williams was driving showed no signs of a crash or any incident that could have triggered the emergency alert, adding to their suspicions.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department reported that Williams was last seen driving near Congaree National Park. A deputy later located his vehicle over 20 miles from his home at a Palmetto Trail parking lot off Bluff Road. “The lot where the car was parked had only been there a little over a year; we weren’t even familiar with the space,” Corbett-Jacobs told CNN.
Williams’ family described him as wearing a white shirt, black shorts, and brown slides on the day he disappeared. His family publicly stated on Facebook that they have brought in a private investigator to help them in this case.
According to a post from Zelig’s Facebook, the dancer was seemingly open about his mental health journey and his faith around seven years ago as he thanks his medical team while asking for prayers in support of his mental-health journey.
He recounts on his Facebook page, the tragic loss of both of his sisters, Shan and Keke, in a motor-vehicle-accident in 2004 and his mother, Kathy Williams, recognizes Zelig as her “only child” as she pleas to have him home with her.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Williams’ family has kept a close handle on the narrative surrounding his disappearance. However, his posts and a podcast he hosted reveal a deeper story. Callie Lyons of FITS News recently uncovered, moments where Williams spoke of past trauma, including experiences of sexual abuse, and of the questions he grappled with about family influences on his beliefs and identity.
Zelig Williams was candid about his life on social media, often sharing his journey of rededicating himself to his faith as a way to help others facing difficult, unchosen circumstances. In an Instagram video, Williams stated, “I’ve been delivered from homosexuality,” and spoke about allegations of being molested by a family member, which, he said, influenced his sense of identity beyond “who the Bible told me I should be.”
Zelig described emotional experiences, including meeting people on apps—a behavior he decided to stop. Williams credited his faith with saving him from self-destructive paths and spoke of how he felt distanced from the dreams he’d held as a young boy.
Playback of episode 1 of his podcast from earlier this year, Hu•Man In The Mirror with ZeligWill, he references not having a job for the first time while he reflects on entering a “season of transition” filled with moments of realization and personal growth. He encourages listeners to “come to an awareness of things that are hindering us” and shares a story of a child who, drawn to the color red, reaches out to touch it, only to be burned. Williams connects this story to his own journey, looking to the Bible for guidance on the principles that should shape his life.
Then, ZeligWill goes on to focus the episode, leaving the audience with an important question for consideration.
"What area of my life has someone other than myself been building?"
In Episode 2, Zelig Williams opens up about rebuilding his life after a five-year toxic relationship that, he says, shaped him into someone he didn’t recognize. Over time, however, he began to see himself in a new light.
“Every action has a reaction,” Williams says, reflecting on his choices and analyzing past behaviors to understand how they shaped where he is today.
In the most recent episode, Williams discusses the concept of turning over “receipts” to God, who, he says, has already paid the ultimate price. He explains that as you begin your relationship with God, you gradually hand over each receipt, finding greater clarity and experiencing joy, peace, and love. “God loves you,” Williams affirms, emphasizing the transformative power of faith.
Zelig’s time on Broadway, was marked by controversy and personal conflict. In a 2019 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint, a former colleague, Suni Reid, described an Uber ride during which Williams allegedly made anti-LGBTQ+ remarks, a statement that contributed to Reid feeling unsafe. Additionally, Reid claimed that Williams threw a ring belonging to them out of the vehicle, escalating tensions within the cast.
The complaint alleges Williams exhibited concerning behavior while performing in Hamilton. During one performance, he got into an altercation with dancers and even pushed someone on stage. Noticing the escalation, fellow cast member Mx. Reid reported the incident to the stage manager. That same night, Mx. Reid confided in Carvens Lissaint, who played George Washington, about the altercation. Lissaint responded, “That doesn’t sound crazy at all; I have been praying with him.” Mx. Reid began to worry that both Williams and Lissaint viewed them in aggressively anti-LGBTQ+ terms and were attempting to “pray the gay away.”
According to Broadway World, Williams’ Broadway career began in 2016 with his debut in Hamilton, and he most recently starred in MJ the Musical. They wrote, “known for his remarkable talent, Williams was also planning to give back to his community through Broadway boot camps for local youth.
In the days leading up to his disappearance, Williams was scheduled to teach a master class through eventbrite for 11 to 18-year-old youth, called “Redemption: Broadway Dance Bootcamp,” a 2-day-event on Sept. 27 and 28, which he described as his “two-day dance boot camp on how to audition for Broadway here in Columbia, SC.“
— Our outlet has been unable to find any updates regarding the success of the master class or anyone who has publicly stated they attended it.
His former colleagues, including Hugh Jackman, have been pleading for his safety, in hopes for his quick return.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and park officials have dedicated their resources to assist in the search for Zelig near Congaree National Park. According to family; water, land, and air searches have pursued in the search for Zelig. Richland County Sheriff’s Department ensues that this case is still being investigated as a #MissingPersons case with a potential of foul play.
His friends do not believe his disappearance is related to a new inspiration for hiking and his family finds his disappearance out of the ordinary and suspicious as they grow desperate amidst holding onto their hopes of finding “Z” safe.
Detective Monica Pogorzelski stated, “Our priority is finding Zelig and ensuring his well-being. Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward.”
WACH (Columbia) reports, “a GoFundMe has been launched to help his family during what is a difficult time.”
Chandra Cleveland of She-Private Investigations released a statement on Tuesday and noted that Zelig was exploring churches in the area and it’s possible he may have recently joined a men’s group and urged people who may have seen him recently to come forward.
Zelig is reported to be without his required medication in addition to his cell phone and other basic necessities. The potential for foul play is being considered as authorities investigate his disappearance.
If you have any information regarding Zelig Williams’ whereabouts, please contact the Richland County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 576-3000 or Crime Stoppers at crimesc.com.
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