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

[Sleuthster]

It's weird that they're all Thursdays. Even weirder that all join dates are after he went missing.

Are we sure it's his FB?

He joined FB on Sept 9, 2009 and it looks like him. I don't think it's an account created after he disappeared like some people make fake accounts of people in the news.

 

[Sleuthster]

Is Eric Franks the owner/creator of the stopbeck.com website?? I searched whois but it's a private registration.

 

[zwiebel]

I think that site was dealt with upthread - it's most likely coincidence, another Eric?

 

[Eric's mom]

Eric's Mom,
I have just discovered this thread/case.
I just want to say I am sorry you are having to go through this, and I hope you get resolution soon.

(I am only on page 2 in reading through this, but I am sad it seemed to have taken LE so long to DO something).

Thank you for your concern and interest. You know, it's really sad that an adult can go missing and the police say ,"they are an adult and they can disappear if they want to". That's what we were told initially and for a while after we reported him missing even though we told them he just would not do that. They agreed to do a "welfare check". Family had spoken to the former girlfriend and her husband and the motel owner where Eric stayed. Fortunately, I kept calling the motel owner with questions, one of which was,"Exactly WHEN did Eric check out?" I was told,"Oh, your son didn't check himself out, " and he told me Eric's former girlfriend did. That's when the police took it more seriously. The original story that was told to family by Eric's former girlfriend was that he left in April from in front of her house after an argument.

 

[zwiebel]

What a mysterious story; a man who suddenly discovers his long lost child, that he never knew he had. A sudden rekindling of love and affection between him and the mother of his child via Facebook - so much so that Eric tells his wife he needs to go, be with them. He leaves everything to be with them.

And mother of his child......married, happily settled with her husband in a home they'd worked hard to purchase (I presume) together. That must have been a little difficult for her husband, no matter what he might say publically. Doing the practical work of feeding, clothing and providing for a child, only to have someone turn up with the simplest but most irrefutable of claims.....blood. But, perhaps he was free and easy, without a trace of possessiveness over his loved ones. It's possible. Mother of hs child even cares so much she funds Eric financially, she says.

Then Eric (for unknown reasons) decides to move on. Mother of his child caringly helps him pack......then Eric vanishes into thin air. At which point mother of his child does absolutely nothing to help find him, and leaves the state within six months. And never makes a single comment to media to help find him?

I have to say, the beginning and middle of this story make some sort of sense to me, but the ending makes none at all.

 

[zwiebel]

Eric seemed completely awestruck at the idea he was a father, and he doesn't seem like the type to have given up as easily as mother of his child suggests he did. Maybe he followed her down to Florida? Maybe it would be worth highlighting his case down there?

You never know what a tip can lead to, or where it might come from.

O/T but it's National Crime Victim's Rights Week, this week. If Eric is a victim of crime, he and his loved ones have rights. That every state in the nation has signed up to. It's a wonderful thing.

http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/

 

[Eric's mom]

In regards to his facebook.

There is a group Eric is a member of "Mamma slutter å røyke om 2200 melder seg inn innen 5 september 2011" It is Norwegian with the basic translation of Mama quit smoking 2200 members by Sept 5th, 2011, and was created August 11th, 2011 well after Eric disappeared.

To Eric's mom, Are you Norwegian and this is something he would join? Does Eric smoke or quit smoking before his disappearance?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/188034954596596/

No, I am a southern belle! Eric smoked some. Eric enjoyed talking politics and religion and had some strong opinions. I don't know anything about that group. As for when he disappeared, his former girlfriend has told various stories to different people. One of Eric's close friends informed family and police the story told to him by Eric's former girlfriend was that Eric was alive and well and with her in June 2011. He said he asked her tell Eric to call him, but there never was a call. The last time any of Eric's family or friends heard form him by way of phone or FB postings was March 10,2011. Thanks for your help.

 

[zwiebel]

We are not in the habit of checking this website regularly, but whomever told you that the family is not cooperating in the investigation was entirely wrong - it could be more accurately stated that the Buena Vista Police Department is no longer cooperating with OUR investigation.

With any further leads, please contact MI State Police Det/Sgt. Gary Thomas at (989) 495-5560. Case number 31-495-13

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/17348/4

What a shame. It seems it was LE that made that comment to media.

 

[Eric's mom]

Where did you find that information?

 

[zwiebel]

In the media article that was linked. Police said family 'were no longer co-operating'. Hang on, I'll try and find it.

 

[Sleuthster]

No, I am a southern belle! Eric smoked some. Eric enjoyed talking politics and religion and had some strong opinions. I don't know anything about that group. As for when he disappeared, his former girlfriend has told various stories to different people. One of Eric's close friends informed family and police the story told to him by Eric's former girlfriend was that Eric was alive and well and with her in June 2011. He said he asked her tell Eric to call him, but there never was a call. The last time any of Eric's family or friends heard form him by way of phone or FB postings was March 10,2011. Thanks for your help.

Is this Eric's facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/pip.pip.good.fellow

 

[JLSChook]

Where did you find that information?

We found it on his FB (IF that is in fact his FB)

Go to the "groups" he is a member of and you can find all the info I posted.

 

[Sleuthster]

We found it on his FB (IF that is in fact his FB)

Go to the "groups" he is a member of and you can find all the info I posted.

I think she meant about the poster above that said LE is saying that the family was not cooperating.

 

[Eric's mom]

Not only that, but if you find Eric in the group members and hover your mouse over "joined over a year ago", it says he joined:
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:32 PM

Very weird.

Eric had more than one FB page. He had one private page that only 8 of his high school and close friends were members, including his former girlfriend. We have been trying to get police and FBI to get his FB info because of things friends say were posted and removed when he disappeared. I received an email supposedly from Eric the day before Thanksgiving 2011 to which I immediately replied. Family is quite sure it was not from him from the wording. Also, a phone # was given that family and police researched. It was never set up to be used. The police did find out exactly where the email came from. It came the day after one of Eric's friends posted on the private page that the family had reported Eric missing. It made us rule out a random stranger had killed him. What random stranger would email a victim's mother?!

 

[zwiebel]

So sorry, I read very fast through the entire thread and this is my punishment for not taking notes - I've now had to read twice as fast, backwards. It wan't a direct msm link, it was direct contact from a poster. Personally, I tend to think it's valid.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - MI MI - Eric Franks, 40, Buena Vista Twp, 21-March-2011

 

[Sleuthster]

Eric had more than one FB page. He had one private page that only 8 of his high school and close friends were members, including his former girlfriend. We have been trying to get police and FBI to get his FB info because of things friends say were posted and removed when he disappeared. I received an email supposedly from Eric the day before Thanksgiving 2011 to which I immediately replied. Family is quite sure it was not from him from the wording. Also, a phone # was given that family and police researched. It was never set up to be used. The police did find out exactly where the email came from. It came the day after one of Eric's friends posted on the private page that the family had reported Eric missing. It made us rule out a random stranger had killed him. What random stranger would email a victim's mother?!

Usually it's someone that knows the missing person and is trying to get the police (and family) to think he's not missing. Throw everyone off. That way they stop looking and prying. Police will think that the person just disappeared on their own accord and if you're over 18 they have the right to do that. That's what I've seen in other missing person's cases.

 

[JLSChook]

I think she meant about the poster above that said LE is saying that the family was not cooperating.

Sorry, I was reading backwards. :blushing:

 

[zwiebel]

Sorry, I was reading backwards. :blushing:

Hey, so was I!

 

[JLSChook]

So sorry, I read very fast through the entire thread and this is my punishment for not taking notes - I've now had to read twice as fast, backwards. It wan't a direct msm link, it was direct contact from a poster. Personally, I tend to think it's valid.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - MI MI - Eric Franks, 40, Buena Vista Twp, 21-March-2011

I have read this entire thread and I don't think it's valid. There were 3 family members here at different times and one of them was very upset with that comment. LE failed MISERABLY in this case, IMO.
If, and that's a big IF they did say that to some random poster on the phone, they are placing the blame on anyone but where it should be--themselves.

 

[Sleuthster]

So sorry, I read very fast through the entire thread and this is my punishment for not taking notes - I've now had to read twice as fast, backwards. It wan't a direct msm link, it was direct contact from a poster. Personally, I tend to think it's valid.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - MI MI - Eric Franks, 40, Buena Vista Twp, 21-March-2011

I don't and I'll tell you why. This person has only posted 3x on WS. All 3 on this thread. They start out saying that they believe that they saw Eric alive and called the detective to say this and then the detective told them that the family wasn't cooperating?? What detective would tell some one that? Why have they not posted anymore. To me, and if this poster wants to correct me I'm right here please do so, it sounds like they are trying to show that it's possible that Eric is alive and not missing after all and then takes a stab at the family. Why??