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

[ktgirl]

Hmmm not to disgard the tip - but the wheeled back pack makes it sound like someone homeless to me? Wonder if there was anything IN the backpack?

Didn't Eric's child's mom & her husband empty out Eric's hotel room? Would it be possible that Eric had a wheely suitcase that they took out of the room & deposited wherever Eric was deposited (if they had anything to do with Eric's disappearance).

And yes, please, someone call in & suggest Eric just to make sure he's being looked at for these remains.

 

[longtallcold]

The age is off by 11 years - Eric was 39 when he went missing.

 

[longtallcold]

Did I miss this in a previous post:

From charley project: his left toe was partially amputated and has no nail. Also he wore a full set of dentures.

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

 

[MIMOMMY]

Long - If you missed it I did as well. I suppose the dentures would fall in line with the body found and the possible age listed.

I just dont think that there would have been a wheeled suitcase and a flashlight with him. IMO if I were to "dump" a body I would not leave any of its identifiable belongings with it - and I guess that would include the dentures and most definetly a suitcase that could be traced back to him. Also - the flashlight pushes me further to think the unidentified remains are that of a wanderer.

When the "girlfriend" came and removed his things - Where did the things go? Have they ever been located?

This case rings close to me because Im from the area - as well as the fact that Eric is an almost identical twin to my best friend and high school sweetheart

 

[MIMOMMY]

Also - from knowing the area - IF he was headed towards the Freeway - it would have been faster to go South on Dixie Highway into Bridgeport and access the Freeway that way. The fact that he SUPPOSEDLY turned North - leads me to wonder where he was headed - only because the farther North he would have went on Dixie the less "desireable" the neighborhood.

 

[longtallcold]

From my (spotty at times) memory - mother of his child came and cleaned out his hotel room, and no, family never recovered those items. I don't think the wooded golf course body is Eric. I suspect that person ended up there on their own doing. I don't think Eric got to wherever he is by his own doing

 

[MIMOMMY]

I have to agree longtallcold. If items were never given to family - where ARE they? Why havent the police located these items? And if Eric was leaving the hotel room to go to California or wherever else he may have been "going" - why wouldnt he have taken his belongings WITH him in HIS vehicle - and why did he pay for a hotel room he wasnt going to be in? Wouldnt he have wanted that $ for gas? food? I would LOVE if someone would give us the names of the "baby mama" and her husband.

 

[longtallcold]

I emailed one of the earlier reporters who did a story on Eric back in October, informed him of MSP being handed the case, and asked if he could contact them for a follow up. Hope that leads to some new info!

 

[longtallcold]

MiMommy - I know the family is far away in Ohio, so that was an obsticle in the early going. I do recall that searching had said the police "talked to" the mom and her bf. I am just leary of how thorough the BV police dept was...that's why I am very glad MSP is on it now!

 

[MIMOMMY]

Eric's Project Jason says that he was heavier the last time they saw him than he is in the photo's - Do we know how much heavier? Is there any type of a recent pic?

Also - from his twitter post's - I can assume that he was intelligent (most of his post seem to be political in topic). Which leads me to wonder what/how someone was "tricking" him into anything IF that is the case

 

[longtallcold]

Received email back from reporter who said:

There is not a whole lot new on this. I believe the State Police is waiting for spring for a cadaver dog to search some property.

If true, they found out a whole lot more than the BVPD did!

 

[MIMOMMY]

I would say that just the simple fact that they now have a property to search means that they have a LOT Of new info on this.

 

[jackieblue]

I wonder why they have to wait till spring. Dogs seems to find things even under frozen lakes.

 

[Bubblyone]

Searching Family, It has been awhile since we have had any updates. Do you have anything that you can share with us? Hoping that at least the MSP have been able to give you some indication of what they think has happened.

Please let us know if you read this!

Thinking of you and your family! This cannot be easy!

 

[LisaB]

but wouldn't it be better with the exgf and her husband's photos attached? Either that or go to the pawn shop, show photos to the person behind the counter and ask if any of those people look familiar.

I am afraid that might cause a problem. If they are not POI or suspects (officially) and you include them on a flyer as such...

 

[Bubblyone]

I am afraid that might cause a problem. If they are not POI or suspects (officially) and you include them on a flyer as such...

I am not sure how it works in Michigan. I live in Indiana. By law here, if you take something to a pawn shop, they are to take your drivers license copy it and then log it on a chart that the police are supposed to pick up every week.

From personal experience with a break in, I was able to find the pawn shop where my items were taken, and they also identified to me the person who brought the items in. I then had to file a civil suit. The items were long gone, but the info they gave me held up in court. I won! The person pawning the items, was the son of the man who owned the apartment building where the items were stolen from.

Does not hurt to check pawn shops, photos not really necessary I would think. I am sure by this time items are long, long gone. It sounds as if the MSP have some sort of inkling. Sure wish Searching family would give us a heads up!

 

[Bubblyone]

Received email back from reporter who said:

There is not a whole lot new on this. I believe the State Police is waiting for spring for a cadaver dog to search some property.

If true, they found out a whole lot more than the BVPD did!

Just checking in here. I have to think that Searching Family may have heard something from LE...maybe telling them to be still? We have not heard from them in so long, it makes me wonder!

It is springtime in the midwest. Is there any news on Eric and what happened?

 

[scorekeeper]

bumping for Eric

 

[ktgirl]

Bump for Eric & his family.
:bump:

 

[Bubblyone]

Double bump!!