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

[andalso]

Unknown. Something else to ask BVPD - thanks!

searching...Do you know if egf or hubby are still driving the same vehicles they had when he went missing or did one or both of them get new vehicles after he went missing?

searching...I am very curious about the answer to this question, please let us know if you find out from LE. I feel it could be a big clue if one of their vehicles was sold or gotten rid of after Eric went missing. Although, (as I type this I realize) since Eric's car is missing too, and if he did meet with foul play, evidence of any foul play may not be in any vehicle except his own.
This is a very troubling case.

 

[nursebeeme]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/f/franks_eric.html

he is now on charley project

 

[~n/t~]

I work in human resources, and what is stated above is true. Business partners have life insurance policies on other partners. I can have a policy on my neighbor, if I so desire.

I understand the business partner but are you saying you can take an insurance policy on your neighbour without them knowing it? :what:

 

[nursebeeme]

http://www.charleyproject.org/images/f/franks_eric2.jpg

here is another picture of Eric on charley project. What a handsome fellow.

 

[Bubblyone]

Several more random thoughts. If Eric were out there, his car would be out there too. Since Eric does not have a criminal record, I would think it unlikely that he would be driving his car with expired plates, especially if his mother were supplying them for him.

I cannot come up with a good reason why the egf would have contacted him about a child at this late stage in the game. Maybe she thought he would go there, meet the child and poof be gone out of THEIR lives. It is possible that there was an argument that ensued, and in the heat of the moment, something happened, though would it have happened at the motel?

Perhaps both the egf and her husband drove the car somewhere out of state, with or without someone in it. It could be that the car is long gone out of Michigan, waiting to be discovered somewhere.

Also, do you know if a moving company moved the egf and family when they moved? If not, perhaps they had some extra "luggage" that they left by the side of the road somewhere, anywhere?

If the egf had not moved Eric's belongings, I could lean the other way. The fact that the manager (who had formed a friendship with Eric) says one thing and egf says another in my humble opinion does not bode well.

 

[webrocket]

I seriously doubt there is any life insurance involved here. besides needing to prove a death, a policy taken out on someone other than an immediate family member (spouse, parent, etc) would set off bells and whistles.

 

[ktgirl]

I seriously doubt there is any life insurance involved here. besides needing to prove a death, a policy taken out on someone other than an immediate family member (spouse, parent, etc) would set off bells and whistles.

What about social security death benefits for his daughter? Would she be entitled to those if he died?

Has Eric's family had him declared dead? (I don't think I would do this until I knew for sure) but I am wondering if maybe there was some sort of motive to get rid of Eric for the SS benefits his daughter might get if he died. I know SS death benefits for children of the deceased aren't a ton of money, but people kill over tennis shoes a few bucks sometimes. I think the child's mom would really be "getting" the money for the child from the SS death benefits.

Searchingforfamily- do you know if child support (unofficial or official) was an issue w/ ex-gf? Maybe she & her husband were having money issues so she let Eric know about the child to try to get him to send her some money each month for the child? Instead, he moves there & wants a relationship with the child. Maybe he doesn't have enough money to give the ex-gf the unofficial child support she wanted? When she realized he was going to be more of a pain than just sending her money each month, maybe she set her eye on SS death benefits for the child?

 

[Straitfan]

Great point ktgirl! SS benefits can be pretty substanial for a minor child, anyway she would have to have him declared deceased first (sorry ) Very strange case...all the way around..

 

[Abstar80]

As far as the being notified of the child's existence it could very well be because the child has wanted to know who its father is. From my calculations this child would be of an age where questions would start to be asked. Possibly the child was embarrassed by its parents lifestyle and wanted a more stable person with them JMO

I am unfamiliar with the area but are there any toll roads in and or out of the area where he was last seen. If so is it possible that they keep a record of the licence plate numbers that go through the tolls?

I also noticed off google maps that there is a gas station on the dixie highway headed south (I think..not good with directions!!) That would seem to be a good location for Eric to fill up with gas or buy snacks etc when staying at the motel..quite possibly someone there might recall him.

I know its been mentioned previously that he didn't have any credit cards etc but has a credit report been done on his name to see if any cards have been taken out since he moved to MI or to establish if anyone has used his identity since he was last active.

Has anyone thought to check if the Ambassador Bridge has archived footage? It has live cams of vehicles crossing into Canada and vice versa..possibly they may have something on record.

I did a search on the MI registered voters database using his name and DOB. He didn't show up in a search.

I also just wanted to say to "searchingfamily" I can't imagine how frustrating this must be for you and how heartbreaking. It must also be very disheartening every time a lead goes cold. I used to be a skip tracer for a collection agency and I know how it sometimes feels like you are fighting a losing battle. My mantra when I did this job was "Every time I cross something of the list as not possible, brings me one step clsoer to the truth."

 

[webrocket]

if Eric had a spotty work history, how much in SS benefits would there be for a child? even so they need a body.

I think it was much more likely that he drove off the road (accidentally or otherwise) and died either in a wooded area or in a body of water.

 

[LisaB]

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.

Slightly OT. On a trip to Ontario Canada a dozen years ago, my bags were accidentally sent to the wrong airport. Apparently "Ontario, CA" can either be CANADA, or CALIFORNIA.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Has Eric's family had him declared dead? (from upthread post)

A person cannot be legally declared dead in Michigan until said individual has been missing and presumed deceased for seven years.

There were two high-profile disappearances in recent years where families were kept in limbo for seven years until their loved ones could be declared deceased. One was the disappearance of former Teamster leader, Jimmy Hoffa, who was presumed to have been murdered and his body disposed of so that it would never be found.

The second notable disappearance was restaurateur, Chuck Muer, his wife, and another couple who were believed to have been lost at sea while sailing during a fierce storm near the Bermuda Triangle. The bodies and the boat were never recovered.

While Eric Franks' family has not seen or heard from him for about eighteen months, seven years is a long way off before he could be legally declared dead.

 

[searchingfamily]

[/B]


Excellent idea! :goodpost: I don't know about the rest of you, but I hadn't stopped and taken into consideration that Eric might be out there with amnesia or something. Wow, ktgirl, that's great that you thought of that. Wouldn't that be great if we find out that's what happened? SF, has anyone checked the hospitals and asked the police about IU people? The living ones.
Maybe homeless shelters and such? If he doesn't remember who he was?

Re: letting Tupelo contacts know he is missing - yes - they know and will contact us if he shows up.

"IU" people?

 

[searchingfamily]

[/B]

I would think if they could triangulate the signal where the cell phone last worked, that would be a great start to looking for where he might be. Any water in the area should be searched.

All they have told us is the phone never left Saginaw Co.

 

[nursebeeme]

Hi Searching Family! I think EX meant UI (unidentified) vs IU

Hope all is well with you. Have you heard anything from Namus or the State Police? Is there anything we can help you do?

 

[searchingfamily]

You all have been working so hard on this, I am having a hard time catching up each time I get back. It seems like there's a lot of search possibilities, and then something caught my attention. SF, did you say the exgf came to the motel but it's unlikely the child was ever present? That it's possible Eric didn't get to see/meet the child. The other question. Did anyone see Eric leaving in his car when someone else was in another car, or even someone else was either in Eric's car or driving Eric's car? It sure would be great if someone saw something like that.

Motel manager does not recall seeing the child. Both mother and child have told police Eric met the child.

We are not aware of witnesses who saw Eric leaving after his possessions were removed from the motel other than what the eGF says. Motel operator maintains she took his stuff and left, and that Eric was not there at the time and never came back.

 

[searchingfamily]

[/B]

SF, did you get a PI? Because I'd think the exgf either did some talking or left some signs. What did she do with all of Eric's stuff? Do they have a burn ordinance and would any of her neighbors 'talk' about her? No matter how well liked she was, one of her neighbors doesn't like her and would be more than happy to share information with a detective. Did she pile all his belongings in his car or did she take them to goodwill or what? If she did something with his belongings after his car was gone, that's a problem.
This exgf, did she grow up in this town? Have relatives there? Know everyone? That's when a detective could have a problem. Anything else I could say I won't say here.

She claims she didn't take his stuff (says he did and she was just there to help), but the motel owner is positive she took it and Eric was not there. He even recalls asking her where he was and she told him he had a job and wouldn't be coming back. This is two days or so after he paid for a week's stay in advance. Motel owner was surprised Eric didn't say goodbye because they had developed a friendship.

She did grow up there and has family there.

 

[searchingfamily]

He doesn't have to be the one taking out an insurance policy. She (the exgf) could have done that as well. I think ANYONE can take out an insurance policy on anyone and name themselves the beneficiary. This is one of my big things. I think if someone gets an insurance policy on someone else, that person being insured should be notified of the policy request.

But again, if you want a death benefit it makes little sense to hide the car & body so no one knows/ can prove he's dead, right?

 

[searchingfamily]

Several more random thoughts. If Eric were out there, his car would be out there too. Since Eric does not have a criminal record, I would think it unlikely that he would be driving his car with expired plates, especially if his mother were supplying them for him.

I cannot come up with a good reason why the egf would have contacted him about a child at this late stage in the game. Maybe she thought he would go there, meet the child and poof be gone out of THEIR lives. It is possible that there was an argument that ensued, and in the heat of the moment, something happened, though would it have happened at the motel?

There is more reason to believe from what Eric told us that she was hoping to leave hubby and start a new life with Eric. (She denies this) At some point, though, it seems from Eric's communications that she changed her mind.

Perhaps both the egf and her husband drove the car somewhere out of state, with or without someone in it. It could be that the car is long gone out of Michigan, waiting to be discovered somewhere.

Maybe, but its in the nationwide LEIN and NCIC. Nothing so far.

Also, do you know if a moving company moved the egf and family when they moved? If not, perhaps they had some extra "luggage" that they left by the side of the road somewhere, anywhere?

If the egf had not moved Eric's belongings, I could lean the other way. The fact that the manager (who had formed a friendship with Eric) says one thing and egf says another in my humble opinion does not bode well.

Not to us either. That is what convinced us it was time to go to the police last year.

No idea about moving company. You all have given us two new questions for BVPD.

 

[searchingfamily]

BBM When I see this picture, I realize that google only takes photos now and then, we have a nice time checking out our house to see what's around and what cars are in the driveway. SF, have you looked at the photos of Millers and other places in that area Eric was known to go, to see if his vehicle is there? One more thing, did Eric say he never went to the exgf's house? Or maybe only rarely? Because I'd check the google map for her place, too.

eGF originally told Eric's mom circumstances about a time when he was at her house. She tells police that never happened.