Found Deceased MI - Robert Loren Bacon, 52, disappeared on family trip, Frankenmuth, 27 Dec 2024

[Knox]

I’m leaning towards an accident, somehow he ended up in the water. With those temps he likely succumbed within minutes of entering, JMO.

 

[Minners1989]

Regarding the parts you bolded above: I'm confused by those statements. They almost sound like they contradict each other.

So the whole family first go to the Fun Center, AKA indoor pool together? Dad leaves the others there to go to his room to change and also said he would move car to a closer spot while he did this? Then he did go to the room and change (video of this?) but never made it back to the pool? Then when they went to look for him, they saw the car had not been moved, but did not see Dad then or since? I don't know if I have all that correct.

Those statements sound like he left them at the pool, went to change in the room, returned to the pool, but then left again (to move the car?) and never returned.

I guess I'm unclear if he went to the pool with everyone else first, and if they saw him after he returned from the room where he changed clothes. Also, was there exactly one guest entrance/exit door not covered by cameras? If so, was this door likely or unlikely to be the one he would have chosen to exit through, based on its proximity to his car and/or to the pool? And how many rooms did they have? Was he staying in a room by himself or with the others? I wonder if any drug paraphernalia would be found in any of the bags he brought.

Bavarian Inn has several indoor pools and they have an area called the Fun Center that has an arcade, mini golf and restaurant.

Based on where the car was and what I know of the area, it makes total sense that he parked and went in the main entrance (video of his car shows it near the front entrance). Then, based on the ex-wife, he went to the hotel room, changed and told his family he was moving the car and then was going to watch his daughter. One of the main elevators is right next to the Fun Center, so it is very likely he would be seen there on "his way to the car".

What is odd though is that he would likely take the main entrance back out to the car. Surely that has cameras, right? HOWEVER, I have stayed at the Inn a number of times. I feel like the signage from The Fun Center is confusing and following the "Parking this way" will lead you to the side parking lot and not the main entrance.

 

[Jbirdisweird]

Parking lot to the Main entrance, the main entrance and parking in that area

These were hard photos to get because it’s so busy

I also live ten minutes away from frankenmuth, we fish that area every weekend in the summer. I actually took a video on the 1st of the river because it was unusually high and moving very quickly. You couldn’t even see the rocks at all.

 

[MrsWatson]

I grew up in SE Michigan and spent many weekends in Frankenmuth, a favorite of my mother. That riverbank would have been a slushy, muddy, slippery mess. If he had on sliders, I could see him going into the river or even just falling and hitting his head on something. If he was impaired, that would increase that risk.

I hope he just went off on a bender, though, and will be found safe. You can recover ffrom a bender.

MOO

 

[jillolantern]

Does anyone know how easy it is to access the river from the main building he was last seen in?

Could he have thought he was walking to the parking lot but taken a wrong turn?

Its very easy. The river is close by and there are no barriers. That said, its not like you are going to stumble into a river that is probably 50-100 feet wide at that point.

There have been some accident scenarios suggested. That could make sense. Still, its a big river and he would have had to approach it willfully.

 

[tarabull]

Bavarian Inn Lodge to Heritage Park

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Warwick1991]

Unfortunately, he's been found deceased. Accident in the river...

Frankenmuth Police: Missing Byron man found dead

A Byron man has been found after being reported missing for five days.

www.wnem.com

 

[mlhenn]

I’m leaning towards an accident, somehow he ended up in the water. With those temps he likely succumbed within minutes of entering, JMO.

I agree with that possibility, @Knox
I believe he went outside & decided to smoke a cigarette and sadly fell into the water.
IMO

 

[caradana]

MOO: I see this case similarly as autistic boys who are drawn to water. Something, I fear, drew this man to water. MOO: He is probably a wonderful guy with a good heart. MOO: I’m not sure, MOO, that men with aspie or beyond (not saying this guy had that, I have no idea) can resist water when the stressors are high and when impulse is strong. I’m not convinced it was a smoke break or whatever. It’s a beautiful setting, the water rushes … I can see a very strong impulse on a unique type of mind. Completely MOO.

 

[Knox]

Unfortunately, he's been found deceased. Accident in the river...

Frankenmuth Police: Missing Byron man found dead

A Byron man has been found after being reported missing for five days.

www.wnem.com

My thoughts are with Loren's family & friends, what an unexpected tragedy.

 

[truthfinder2019]

Unfortunately, he's been found deceased. Accident in the river...

Frankenmuth Police: Missing Byron man found dead

A Byron man has been found after being reported missing for five days.

www.wnem.com

This was the most plausible possibility indeed. Poor man.
Heartfelt condolensces to his family

 

[TMich6811]

Was very much hoping something different. for this family

 

[musicaljoke]

Unfortunately, he's been found deceased. Accident in the river...

Frankenmuth Police: Missing Byron man found dead

A Byron man has been found after being reported missing for five days.

www.wnem.com

This is just so very sad. It was likely meant to be a lovely holiday with his children. My heart goes out to them.

 

[mlhenn]

Michigan dad drowned in icy Frankenmuth river — and mystery surrounds how he got there

The nation has been captivated by Michigan man's disappearance, a mystery that was reported in outlets in New York and overseas.

www.freep.com

Jan 6
Police this weekend solved part of a mystery that has been making national headlines: Where did a 52-year-old Michigan father disappear to just after Christmas? But they are still investigating the rest: Why did he die?

The preliminary cause of death: drowning.

It's unclear, however, what he was doing near the river. Was it an accident or something else?

 

[acutename]

Michigan dad drowned in icy Frankenmuth river — and mystery surrounds how he got there

The nation has been captivated by Michigan man's disappearance, a mystery that was reported in outlets in New York and overseas.

www.freep.com

Jan 6
Police this weekend solved part of a mystery that has been making national headlines: Where did a 52-year-old Michigan father disappear to just after Christmas? But they are still investigating the rest: Why did he die?

The preliminary cause of death: drowning.

It's unclear, however, what he was doing near the river. Was it an accident or something else?

waiting for a tox screen

 

[Warwick1991]

Michigan dad drowned in icy Frankenmuth river — and mystery surrounds how he got there

The nation has been captivated by Michigan man's disappearance, a mystery that was reported in outlets in New York and overseas.

www.freep.com

Jan 6
Police this weekend solved part of a mystery that has been making national headlines: Where did a 52-year-old Michigan father disappear to just after Christmas? But they are still investigating the rest: Why did he die?

The preliminary cause of death: drowning.

It's unclear, however, what he was doing near the river. Was it an accident or something else?

I don't think he would just leave his kids waiting there, knowing he wasn't coming back. It would just be too impulsive and lacking in finality. He had a job in a GM plant; they often pay well and are relatively secure. It's true that he could have a sudden irrational moment, but I would think he'd resist a self destructive impulse with his ex and his kids so close.

This river area would be a good place to have cameras. If the river is right in back of the hotel, the hotel should have some kind of fencing and some cameras. But, it sounds like they don't.

An accident would be the most likely, IMO, but drugs could be involved. And even if he wasn't moving the car, and left his family to go to his room for drugs, it could still be an accidental death.

 

[Joe Friday]

An accident would be the most likely, IMO, but drugs could be involved. And even if he wasn't moving the car, and left his family to go to his room for drugs, it could still be an accidental death.

SFS & BBM

If his death is related to drugs, I don't think he went to his room for drugs, I think he went to the car for drugs.

LE must have found something for them to be looking further into this to try and determine "Why he died" as mentioned in the news article. Obviously LE is waiting for the toxicology report to give them further insight as to why this happened.

Like Iowa trucker David Schultz found months later in a field less than a mile from his abandon truck. The cause of his death was hypothermia and methamphetamine intoxication. The methamphetamine explained all the unusual circumstances surrounding the truck being found parked in the middle of the road in the opposite direction from where he should have been going and David no where to be found.

If there is drugs in Robert's system it would explain a lot of the circumstances surrounding this case as well.


JMO

 

[Chimera]

So sad for his family !!
Rest in peace Robert.

I do hope the family will get answers.

 

[Parsnip]

His sister also died in a river decades ago on the same date. Maybe he was drawn to the river that day thinking of her.

Family seeks answers as to how Byron man ended up in a Saginaw County river

Robert Bacon's sister died in a similar fashion in 1981.

www.abc12.com

 

[MurderMittens]

How sad. Looking forward to seeing if he died clean… in my personal opinion I feel like maybe he simply had a slip and fall.