The Adam Walsh murder case began on July 27, 1981, when Adam was abducted from a shopping mall in Hollywood, Florida. His head was later found in a canal in Vero Beach, but his body was never recovered. The case was highly publicized, with John Walsh using his TV show, 'America's Most Wanted,' to raise awareness and seek tips. The investigation was led by the Hollywood Police Department, with assistance from the FBI. In 2008, police named Ottis Toole, a serial killer who had died in prison in 1996, as the prime suspect in the case. Toole had confessed to the crime while in prison, but had later recanted. The case was officially closed in 2008, with police concluding that Toole was the killer. The Adam Walsh case had a profound impact on the Walsh family, with John Walsh becoming a vocal advocate for victims' rights and law enforcement reform. The case also led to changes in the way that missing persons cases are handled, with the creation of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.