MI MI - Eric Franks, 40, Buena Vista Twp, 21 March 2011 - #1

[BetteDavisEyes]

Good afternoon, peeps. I've posted several pertinent links on the media thread. I couldn't locate Eric Franks' article on Augusta, GA station (contributed by nursebeeme) and was unable to copy/paste the Adobe document (Missing poster). I would appreciate it if someone would do this so that the poster is on the media links board. Thanks!

MI MI - Eric Franks, 39, Buena Vista Twp, 21-Mar-2011 media/timeline thread - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


Taking a break now to transplant some English Ivy. Later. :escape:

 

[searchingfamily]

I know there have been some posts regarding fliers. Has/is anyone actually posting fliers? While I live a bit away, I am willing to drive up there this weekend to hang some fliers or whatever is needed. Someone just give me the word, and I will jump on it.

This would be wonderful!

In my opinion, I could maybe believe the "walking away" part, if the egf had not moved the possessions. I too agree the motel manager has no reason to lie. In fact, he could be in some trouble if he let an unauthorized person move possessions.

Can we look back at the egf and her husband again. Do we know where they moved? Were they renting their house or did they own? Was it a planned move or an abrupt move? How long after Eric's disappearance did they move?

They moved out of state. They owned (and still do). No idea about the planning, but it surprised the BVPD. It was more than a year after his disappearance - prob. six months or so after they were first contacted by police.

I too think water is a possibility. The river a block from my house is so low, you can walk out to the middle...how about the water in Saginaw? Thinking we have much the same weather, so it could be about the same.

We've been told the rivers close-by are too low. There is just so much water in MI that it'd be hard to ask a SAR team where to begin. We appreciate the ideas about this - water has long been on our minds. Eric's mother actually had a person who claimed she has psychic abilities tell her he was in water (not something she sought out - just someone she was sharing about Eric with).

Someone asked if anything is known about bodies of water Eric or eGF may have frequented. Not that we know of.

 

[Bubblyone]

Just a couple more things. Was the egf from this area? I am thinking that if she had family in the area, and there is alot of coverage, perhaps it would put her back in the pressure cooker.

Also, just a thought. I had a friend whose brother disappeared many years ago. Since he was over 21, the police were not willing to do anything. His mother appealed to a detective by asking if she had a son...the detective understood her plight then, and he started by running a full page ad in the paper, with some family photos. It did generate some leads. Perhaps this would be a way you could go to, using the local paper.

 

[coco36]

Searchingfamily, my heart goes out to your family. Eric's 40th birthday is approaching. I hope we can bring him home.

I am wondering if the connection to XGF and child is through Facebook. Maybe they connected on FB and he saw photos of the child? Or maybe she told him in a moment of guilt or anger at her husband.

Does anyone in the family have access to his messages on FB? Maybe there is an exchange there that can shed some light.

 

[Kiln Wood]

The challenges with thinking he just left: the car has been on a BOLO for nearly a year. Law enforcement originally told us their experience is it would take no more than 30 days to find IF the car was on the highways and bi-ways. The car now has expired plates. If it was out there on the roads, LE are confident it would have been found by now.

So if he wanted to start a new life (and again, we believe his life to this point doesn't suggest this likelihood) he'd have had to make the car disappear, but then figure out how to get his own transportation, all while having little to no money since he was basically unemployed (w/o gov't benefits) for three straight years.

The motive has been a challenge, to be sure. IF it was about money, he'd have to have some, and he didn't. But let's say he lied and told someone he did. If someone thought he had money and hoped to inherit it if he was gone, they'd need him to be found, not disappeared.

The theory about the possibility of the child bonding and wanting to leave with Eric has crossed our minds as well. Eric made comments to that effect to his mother. Child says otherwise. Either or both could be lying.

BBM

Do you know for a FACT "Child says otherwise"? Is there, in your (plural) minds, a possibility that the child was "coached" when he/she stated "otherwise"?

Would Eric really like about such a statement? What would he have to gain by lying about this?

In what I've read on the thread and on Eric's "tweets," he comes across to me as "a straight shooter."

By the way, I endorse the suggestion that was made upthread to arrange for a display ad to run in the local newspaper(s). I realize that media today has become largely computer based, but even so, in my opinion it would be worth the time, effort, and expense to run such an ad.

 

[Kiln Wood]

More toward the beginning of Eric's thread I had suggested making contact with churches in the local area to help get the word out based on Eric's "tweet" that referenced his late father as having been a church leader.

An idea that came to me earlier tonight as I was reading the very extensive Ivy Dawn Merck thread would be to reach out to church leaders in the area asking if their youth group (or some of the group's members) would be willing to post flyers. In Ivy's thread the suggestion was made to reach out to the local Bible college and ask if some of the students would want to post flyers. I have no idea how close the nearest Bible college is to the area where Eric was living, but if it's not too far, perhaps they would offer to help if asked.

 

[ktgirl]

Finding out Eric is an opinionated, political lefty like me makes me feel a special kinship with him. Whenever I have something in common with missing people like interests, etc. I become so drawn into their cases.

I find it hard to believe he wouldn't have contact with his family for so long (and be quiet in the social networking sphere) but - any chance he just finally had enough with our center-right American politics and vitriol that he just high-tailed it to Canada? My lefty friends and I always joke about moving to Canada if such-and-such happens in politics/the government. Did he have a passport? Has his case been publicized at all in Canada? (I'd really like to think of him living happily in Canada).

But I can't get over the fact that the exGF cleaned out his motel room. It sets off my hinky meter. How did she get a key to get in the room? Surely she didn't have a spare key to his hotel room! She had to get it from Eric- he either had to give it to her (which I find unlikely) or she had to take it from him (and that makes my hinky-mater go into overdrive).

 

[Abstar80]

I have just been going through Eric's twitter page....I came across articles on Glenn Beck which has been commented on by an Eric and seems to be written in the same tone as his tweets...this was posted a year ago and it says the entry was posted on the 25th July 2011.....Here is the link. I could be reading it wrong and I hope I haven't got your hopes up if I have read it incorrectly. But it seems to me that is was def the 25th July

http://stopbeck.com/2011/07/25/glen...ooting-victims-to-hitler-youth/#disqus_thread

He also has something about stop Beck at the top of his twitter accnt, which leads me to believe it is him...

There is another thing I noticed on his twitter account. There is a particular person who likes his last tweet. I can't seem to find any information on her. She doesn't have anything on her twitter account..but there is someone matching her name located in longbeach CA....Is it possible that she is a new friend who he has relocated with? The other thing about her is that under her tweet name it says "In a haunted cornfield" from a quick bit of research I found there are stories about haunted cornfields in MI, which would lead me to believe that she is in that area....All speculation of course and just trying to come at this from different angles.

BTW I am not located in America so please forgive me if I get locations mixed up or misunderstand anything!!

 

[Abstar80]

Are there any Inpatient programs for drug and alcohol or mental health facilities in the area that he may have checked into?

 

[~n/t~]

Finding out Eric is an opinionated, political lefty like me makes me feel a special kinship with him. Whenever I have something in common with missing people like interests, etc. I become so drawn into their cases.

I find it hard to believe he wouldn't have contact with his family for so long (and be quiet in the social networking sphere) but - any chance he just finally had enough with our center-right American politics and vitriol that he just high-tailed it to Canada? My lefty friends and I always joke about moving to Canada if such-and-such happens in politics/the government. Did he have a passport? Has his case been publicized at all in Canada? (I'd really like to think of him living happily in Canada).

But I can't get over the fact that the exGF cleaned out his motel room. It sets off my hinky meter. How did she get a key to get in the room? Surely she didn't have a spare key to his hotel room! She had to get it from Eric- he either had to give it to her (which I find unlikely) or she had to take it from him (and that makes my hinky-mater go into overdrive).

I also thought about Eric perhaps moving here. Windsor, Ontario is only a 1 1/2 hour drive. Not that Canada is any more favourable to US politics. We have our own issues too. lol

That said, there is nothing in his tweets to even suggest his interest in Canada so I sort of dismissed that possibility. I think California would be a more probable destination considering that was his desire.

If there is anything at all to suggest he's up here, I'll be more than happy to spread the word.

 

[Straitfan]

I also thought about Eric perhaps moving here. Windsor, Ontario is only a 1 1/2 hour drive. Not that Canada is any more favourable to US politics. We have our own issues too. lol

That said, there is nothing in his tweets to even suggest his interest in Canada so I sort of dismissed that possibility. I think California would be a more probable destination considering that was his desire.

If there is anything at all to suggest he's up here, I'll be more than happy to spread the word.

His last twitter post strikes me a bit odd, like there's something behind what it means. Also the political blogs are pretty extreme...Have my thoughts, but then again could be way off...

 

[Abstar80]

His last twitter post strikes me a bit odd, like there's something behind what it means. Also the political blogs are pretty extreme...Have my thoughts, but then again could be way off...

I thought the same thing about the last post but I think he is referring to the fact that there was a years gap between then and his previous post.

Did my post show up about the possible posting on a political site..

 

[Straitfan]

Lol, well leaving USA because we (hopefully, never have another one like the current) dont have an extreme leftist in charge is a bit out there...Don't think that is possibility, course not knowing him personally would make it difficult to guess....

 

[Straitfan]

I thought the same thing about the last post but I think he is referring to the fact that there was a years gap between then and his previous post.

Did my post show up about the possible posting on a political site..

I got a different feeling than that when I read it.. What post are you referring to? I only read his blog once.

 

[Straitfan]

I thought the same thing about the last post but I think he is referring to the fact that there was a years gap between then and his previous post.

Did my post show up about the possible posting on a political site..

Are you the one that linked the blog? Sorry was few days ago that I read. If so yes it did show and think without a doubt that was his blog..

 

[Abstar80]

Yeah I came across the comment on a stop Glenn Beck site, which is what is under his twitter name.

In the same post I made reference to the individual who like his last tweet.

Here is the link to his twitter

https://twitter.com/Eric_L_Franks

and here is the glenn becks post

http://stopbeck.com/2011/07/25/glen...ooting-victims-to-hitler-youth/#disqus_thread

I may be way off track but I guess nothing is out of the realm of possibility.

The last post I made is on page 18...it probably makes more sense then this one!

 

[Bubblyone]

SF,
My brain will not stop. I have read the entire post here, but do not remember if this question was answered. Did the police interview/question the egf neighbors? Perhaps they may have seen something? An argument, a car, something that did not look correct. Perhaps the husband might have spoken to them about anything pertinent? Maybe they could shed some light on whether either had anger issues? Not sure how old the child is, but perhaps that child said something to a friend regarding what was going on inside the home?

Just another thought/angle to approach from.

 

[laniefi]

When I was growing up we would simply show our drivers license on the Blue Water bridge to Canada.

I have been to Canada one time since Sept. 11th and as soon as I got through I came right back home due to how they treated us at the border.

I believe you have to have either a passport, enhanced drivers license (kinds like a passport and driv license in one).

Is that correct? Can you still get to Canada from the US if you show picture ID and Birth Certificate?

I ask because SF says Eric did not have a passport (that they knew of).

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

When I was growing up we would simply show our drivers license on the Blue Water bridge to Canada.

I have been to Canada one time since Sept. 11th and as soon as I got through I came right back home due to how they treated us at the border.

I believe you have to have either a passport, enhanced drivers license (kinds like a passport and driv license in one).

Is that correct? Can you still get to Canada from the US if you show picture ID and Birth Certificate?

I ask because SF says Eric did not have a passport (that they knew of).

I was just about to post this! Yes, it is acceptable to cross into Canada with government-issued photo ID and an original birth certificate (with raised seal, no copies). My dad is buried in Windsor, and we still have relatives throughout Ontario. My late mother never had a passport or enhanced driver's license. She also didn't have an official birth certificate but was never denied entry into Canada; a utility bill sufficed as proof of citizenship. In fact, none of my siblings had passports until recent years and were always able to cross into Windsor or Sarnia from Detroit or Port Huron. No issues upon re-entry, either.

That said, a passport is required for air travel between the U.S. and Canada.

 

[Abstar80]

Are you the one that linked the blog? Sorry was few days ago that I read. If so yes it did show and think without a doubt that was his blog..

My mistake...I didn't link his blog on manifesto...I found a completely different comment placed on a different page that puts him alive on the 25th July 2011 3 months after he was identified as missing by LE....I am almost certain the response comes from him....

I would love it if someone else could have a look and give their opinion on it.