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A blog that tries to inform others about at least a few of the hundreds, if not thousands, of missing children and adults in America. If you have a loved one missing, and would like me to add their story here, please contact me a.s.a.p.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Michelle McMullen: Justice deserved, missing, what?

The Michelle McMullen story has been running at least 3 times now in the last week on ID. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but after watching the story again just about an hour ago, I once again got to thinking about it. 
The show depicts her as a hard working, studious young mother, who doesn't do a thing wrong, etc. Yet, weeks after she turned up missing, it was discovered that she was wanted by more than just her family and friends- there was an arrest warrant issued for her through Susquehanna Township police. 
The following was found on America's Most Wanted site:



Pennsylvania Mother Missing Or Maligned?

fugitives,Michelle McMullen,Monique Watson and Monique Witson | Michelle McMullen 27 disappeared on Sept 28 2008 and police are reaching out to the public for information on this missing mom Michelle McMullen,Monique Watson and Monique Witson | overview

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Michelle McMullen, 27, disappeared on Sept. 28, 2008 and police are reaching out to the public for information on this missing mom.
Michael and Rev. Lillie McMullen are desperately trying to hold on to hope that their daughter, Michelle McMullen, is alive somewhere in the world.
Their daughter went missing on Sept. 28, 2008 after dropping off her six-year-old son, Jayden, to a friend in Harrisburg, Pa. 
Her family says after Michelle dropped off her son, she got back in her car and started the 17-hour drive back to school in Louisiana. 
But speculation regarding Michelle's disappearance has cast a shadow over the search - sometimes putting the family at odds with law enforcement who believe Michelle may be running from the law.

Few Clues in Case of Missing Pa. Mom

fugitives,Michelle McMullen,Monique Watson and Monique Witson | Relatives say Michelle McMullen would never abandon her six year old son Michelle McMullen,Monique Watson and Monique Witson | overview

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Relatives say Michelle McMullen would never abandon her six-year-old son.
According to the family, in Aug. 2008, Michelle and her six-year-old son, Jayden, moved to Ruston, La., a small town next to Grambling University where Michelle was a student.
Though Michelle was trying to better her life, her parents say the transition was not without complications. Michelle had a difficult time finding a job and daycare for her son, so she made the decision to return Jayden to Harrisburg, Pa. where he would stay with relatives.
On Sept. 27, relatives say Michelle attended a school fair with friends in the afternoon. The family says no one noted anything out of the ordinary in her behavior. In fact, Michelle was said to be in good spirits and having a wonderful time with Jayden.
Her parents think Michelle made the drive from Ruston Saturday afternoon and arrived in Harrisburg on Sunday evening around 8:30 p.m. at which point Michelle dropped her son and his things off at a friend's house. Her parents say Michelle spoke to one person via phone and then got back on the highway to return to Ruston.
They say Michelle called her friend around 9:30 p.m. from the road to check on Jayden and then ended the call -- telling her friend she would call her back later. According to relatives, cell phone records confirm that that was the last call Michelle made and no one has spoken to her since.
On Oct. 7, 2008, cops say Michelle's car was found abandoned near an exit near Hagerstown, Md. According to her parents, Michelle's vehicle had been parked across from the Mack Truck Plant security check point entrance 10 days earlier. Security staff reported the abandoned car to the Washington County Sheriff's office who confirmed that the 2002, black Honda Accord belonged to Michelle.
The car was found unlocked with the driver's seat leaned back. Inside, police retrieved Michelle's cell phone, purse, a pillow and additional personal items.
A team of investigators, air scent, tracking and cadaver dogs were brought in to search the area. According to relatives, the dogs were only able to track Michelle's scent for about 50 feet.
Police say they found nothing at the scene to suggest foul play.
Far from giving up, Michelle's family is working with private investigators combing through Michelle's phone records, checking with her friends on MySpace and Facebook as well as going through her e-mail accounts.

Cops: Missing, Yet Wanted

Susquehanna Township police say they are also looking for Michelle McMullen, the fugitive, not the missing person.
Before her sudden disappearance, detectives say Michelle was the focus of a police investigation -- an investigation of which she was aware.
A warrant for her arrest alleges forgery, theft by deception and theft by unlawful taking. Michelle allegedly stole over $19,000 from a Harrisburg church in Susquehanna Township, where she worked as an administrator.  
Detectives were in the process of making contact with Michelle to discuss the accusations when they learned that her parents had reported her missing to Harrisburg, Pa. police.
Walking a precarious line, Susquehanna Township police cops say Michelle is missing, yet wanted.
 
Pressing Forward Despite The Doubt  
Despite police suspicions, Michelle's father, Michael, makes a compelling case for his missing daughter.
While Michael realizes that Michelle is the focus of an investigation by Susquehanna Township police, he is sure that it was not enough to make his daughter abandon her son.
He believes something unexpected happened, but for the life of him he can't imagine what. He believes that Michelle was probably tired after making the long drive down from Louisiana and probably pulled over to get some shut eye before heading out again. Michael says, if Michelle were fleeing from authorities then she would have taken her belongings. He says, "How far can a person get without any money?"
Michael McMullen says Michelle's car sat parked across the way from a 24-hour manned-security office in a well lighted area at the entrance to the facility, yet its presence didn't evoke any concern from security personnel. It would be another eight days before anyone reported the abandoned vehicle to police. Why? What took so long?
Air scent dogs were called to the scene and were only able to track Michelle's scent for about 50 feet. "The length of a tractor trailer," her father says. A massive vehicle which could have hidden the car from view long enough for someone to commit their deeds and be gone before anyone noticed a thing.
With each day that Michelle is missing, his fear grows.
In order to combat the frustration, the sense of helplessness and to keep the case in the public eye, on Nov. 8, 2008, Michael headed down to Hagerstown with volunteers to conduct a search for his daughter -- a search that was organized by Black and Missing, Inc. (BAM) -- a non-proft organization based in Washington, D.C.
BAM's CEO, Derrica Williams, says, "When it comes to missing minorities, they don't really get the publicity and they like to associate our disappearance relating it to crime."
Michael McMullen believes that even though police may want to jump to the most convenient conclusion regarding his daughter and her disappearance, for him there are still too many unanswered questions.
Michael says, "Something has happened here. We need to focus less on a person's situation and more on finding her."
Harrisburg police detectives emphasize that since Michelle was reported missing on Oct. 1, 2008 by her parents, they continue to investigate her disappearance as a missing person's case. Susquehanna Township police are looking into the accusations against Michelle, therefore they consider Michelle a fugitive.
Michael McMullen doesn't care as long as the police stay focused on finding his daughter.
Missing Woman Spotted At Martinsburg, West Va. Hotel
Pennsylvania cops say Michelle McMullen was spotted at the Knights Inn hotel working at the front desk on Dec. 15, 2008.
According to detectives, someone recognized the missing mom and alerted authorities. But when officers arrived at the hotel, McMullen was gone.
Witnesses told police that when Michelle saw that she was being observed by the person who eventually called police, she quickly excused herself from her front desk duties saying she was going on a cigarette break. Co-workers say she never came back.
Investigators tell AMW their preliminary investigation revealed that McMullen had been working and living at the hotel and was using two aliases: Monique Watson and Monique Witson.
Investigators say they are currently canvassing the immediate area for the missing woman after she fled the hotel on foot.
Cops Closing in on Fugitive Mom
Cops say the gig was up for McMullen on Dec. 15, 2008 when someone recognized her at a hotel in Martinsburg, West Va.
Witnesses say McMullen suddenly became “skittish” and moved to a back office to avoid the person.
Susquehanna Township and Harrisburg, Pa. authorities were made aware of this sighting and contacted Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department. Armed with photos from AMW.com, Pennsylvania detectives went to the Knights Inn at 1997 Edwin Miller Blvd, in Martinsburg.
Investigators say shortly before the authorities arrived, McMullen received a phone call, left the front desk, crossed the parking lot to her room and never returned.
Detectives say Berkeley County officers missed her by 5 to 10 minutes.
Detectives from Harrisburg, Pa. traveled to the Martinsburg, WV. where they showed hotel workers pictures taken from AMW.com of the fugitive. Co-workers confirmed the woman pictured on AMW.com was the woman they had come to know as Monique Watson. They told officers that McMullen had been staying in RM 236. There, cops found printed out website pages on fake ids.
After extensive interviews with the hotel staff, officials were able to put together a timeline of events.
Detectives say McMullen’s car was found abandoned in Hagerstown, Md. on Oct 7, 2008.
Shortly thereafter, investigators say McMullen made the acquaintance of a man with whom she spent a week at the Knights Inn in Hagerstown. When the man told her she had to leave, she asked the Hagerstown hotel manager about work at the hotel. While the manager had no openings at the hotel, through contacts, he was able to secure her a front desk position at the Knights Inn in Martinsburg.
Workers tell AMW, McMullen was working at the hotel for less than two months. McMullen allegedly told co-workers that she was from Louisiana and that she had come to the area because she was fleeing an abusive ex-boyfriend and needed a fresh start. They said McMullen told them she left Louisiana and stayed in Hagerstown for a time where she had a female friend with whom she lived, but when that didn’t work out she moved on to Martinsburg.
One woman who worked closely with McMullen told AMW, McMullen avoided talking about her past -- only that she was fleeing an abusive ex-boyfriend. She also told the woman she had no children. The woman said she was shocked to read on the AMW.com that McMullen did in fact have a child and wondered out loud how someone, no matter what they have done, could abandon and deny their own child.
According to Harrisburg investigators McMullen is now no longer officially a missing person, she is a fugitive. 
by Denni Michael Wagner, AMW Staff


I guess one of my other issues with this case are the links to her photo bucket page I found via Web Sleuths. 
The page is here, at least for the time being. I'm sure it will be pulled after this blog goes up. But if you want to see some of the pictures, here they are:

There are others, but I really did not feel comfortable posting those on here, as this is a family friendly site. These aren't exactly wholesome, and I apologize for that ahead of time. To note, there is only 1 picture of her son Joshua on there, that I saw. It is his school picture apparently, and it also looks like there is a scan of one of the sheets with multiple pictures on it as well. 
To me, these photos are rather disturbing. Do they suggest that Michelle was into other things more than what her family was aware of? 

December 16, 2008

Harrisburg, PA - Mayor Stephen R. Reed today said Harrisburg Police have closed an investigation into a missing person case that was initially reported to police on October 1, 2008. He said the individual's location has been confirmed by authorities in West Virginia.

Michelle Orphalee McMullen, 27, of the 2900 block of Green Street, was positively identified by law enforcement officers in Martinsburg, West Virginia, on Monday December 15, 2008.Harrisburg Police detectives received a tip yesterday that Michelle McMullen was seen working at a hotel in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Officers immediately contacted authorities in Martinsburg who investigated the claim and learned that McMullen had been working at the hotel under the alias of Monique Watson. McMullen fled the area prior to police arrival and has not been seen since, said Reed.

Reed said McMullen's Family originally reported her missing on October 1, 2008. The family indicated she had last been seen on Sunday September 28, 2008, at around 9:30PM after she dropped her daughter off at a babysitter's prior to leaving town to head to Grambling State University in Gramling, Louisiana. Just a week later, McMullen;s vehicle was found parked along a road in Hagerstown, Maryland. A search of the area by local authorities was inconclusive. Two days later, on October 9, 2008, it was learned that McMullen was considered a wanted person out of Susquehanna Township, having been charged with forgery, theft by receiving and theft by deception.

Reed said Harrisburg Police continued to follow leads over the course of the past two months, resulting in yesterday's confirmation that McMullen has been living and working in West Virginia. Because of the confirmation of her whereabouts, Harrisburg Police have now closed their investigation into the case. However, McMullen is still wanted by the Susquehanna Township Police Department on the aforementioned charges.

"Our detectives should be lauded for their efforts in locating Michelle McMullen," said Reed. "These officers exhausted every means available to gather information and didn't relent until she was found."

Cheryl A. Duvall

user posted image

Name: Cheryl Spaeth

Classification: Endangered Missing Adult
Alias / Nickname: Cheryl A. Duvall
Date of Birth: 1950-07-16
Date Missing: 1988-10-01
From City/State: Manitowoc, WI
Missing From (Country): USA
Age at Time of Disappearance: 38
Gender: Female
Race: White
Height: 62 inches
Weight: 100 pounds
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Complexion: Light
Identifying Characteristics: 13 sets of ribs (Adams Ribs), decayed teeth, previously fractured foot.
Circumstances of Disappearance: Unknown. Cheryl was last known to be in the Manitowoc, WI area in the fall of 1988.
Investigative Agency: Manitowoc County Sheriff's Dept.
Phone: (920) 683-4200
Investigative Case #: S88-10205
http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/gallery/...php?A200604563S



Details of Disappearance

Duvall was last known to be in the Manitowoc, Wisconsin area in the autumn of 1988. Her ex-husband reported her missing on October 1 of that year. She has never been heard from again. Duvall's ex-husband stated she was a good mother and it was uncharacteristic of her to abandon her two sons willingly. He had custody of the children, but they usually visited their mother on weekends. Duvall's ex-husband said he had maintained a friendly relationship with her since their divorce four years prior to her disappearance.
Investigators renewed their search for Duvall in 2007. She was living on a dairy farm on South Parkview Road with John Neuser at the time of her disappearance and he continued to reside at the home for over a decade afterward, moving away in 2006. Authorities searched Neuser's former property for evidence in Duvall's case in January 2007. He is described as a person of interest in Duvall's case, not a suspect, and has not been charged in connection with it. Her disappearance remains unsolved. 





Search on for missing woman

She was reported missing in 1988

Herald Times Reporter


MANITOWOC – Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department authorities and the Crime Scene Evidence Unit this morning are at a farm at 504 S. Parkview Road in the town of Manitowoc Rapids.


In June 2006, the sheriff’s department was contacted to followup on the case of a missing person, 56-year-old Cheryl A. (Spaeth) Duvall, according to a news release issued today by the department.

Duvall has been missing since October 1988.

The department has been gathering information about the case and has also obtained a warrant to search the farm and a premise at 10231 US Highway 10 in Cato, stated the release.

The premises are believed to be owned by John Neuser.

Cadaver dogs are being used to search for Duvall.

Further information about Duvall can be found at the Web site www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/gallery/ncmaprofile_all.php?A200604563S.

If anyone has information regarding the case, they can contact the sheriff’s department at 920-683-4200.


http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...72/1358/MANnews




http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...1/80122130/1984

Sheriff: Missing woman case still a priority

Spaeth-Duvall has been missing since 1988



MANITOWOC — The likelihood that a woman missing since October 1988 is alive is “very slim,” according to Manitowoc County Sheriff Robert Hermann.


Hermann said Tuesday that the Social Security number for Cheryl Spaeth-Duvall has not been used to obtain employment, credit cards, housing or utilities since before she went missing in October 1988.

A check of law enforcement databases shows Spaeth-Duvall has had no contact with law enforcement, Hermann said.

Spaeth-Duvall was 38 when she was reported missing, but the case came to a halt when investigators received few leads, Hermann said. The cold case was reopened when a family member in 2006 asked the department to revisit the Spaeth-Duvall’s disappearance.

Investigators in January 2007 scoured two properties owned by John Neuser of Whitelaw. Spaeth-Duvall was living with Neuser at his dairy farm on South Parkview Road before she went missing.

Neuser moved in 2006 to a home on Highway 10 in the town of Cato, Hermann said.

Hermann said Neuser is a person of interest in the case, but is not a suspect and has not been charged with any crime.

Neuser has provided “limited cooperation” with authorities, and hired an attorney when authorities began searching his property, Hermann said.

Neuser declined comment when contacted Tuesday by the Herald Times Reporter.

Some of the evidence found at the South Parkview Road farm was sent to the state Crime Laboratory, but analysis of the items was inconclusive, Hermann said. He would not elaborate on the evidence that was found at the farm.

“It’s more difficult with time,” Hermann said about the nearly 20-year lapse. “But cases are solved all the time with new information and technology. We’re still looking for more evidence and more information.”

Hermann said the case remains a high priority.

Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Inspector Gregg Schetter said investigators review the case “weekly — if not everyday,” following leads and talking to anybody they feel might shed some light on Spaeth-Duvall’s whereabouts.

Schetter said there haven’t been any tips recently.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department at (920) 683-4200.

“We’d really like to get some answers for the family,” Hermann said. “It would be nice to get some closure for them.” 





http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-...,0,181932.story

Authorities resume search in woman's disappearance from 1988
Associated Press
8:04 AM CDT, May 28, 2008
MANITOWOC, Wis. - Manitowoc County Sheriff's deputies are beginning again to search for clues into the fate of a woman who disappeared nearly 20 years ago.

They've started a new dig at a rural property near Manitowoc Rapids. The sheriff says they're looking for evidence in Cheryl Spaeth-Duvall's disappearance.

She was 38 when a family member reported her missing in October 1988.

She was last known to be living with her boyfriend in his rural home near Manitowoc Rapids.



Authorities are digging for clues there this week.

The sheriff wouldn't say what prompted the latest search.

The property was searched last year, and items were sent to the state crime lab. But investigators said results were inconclusive.

------

Information from: WBAY-TV, http://www.wbay.com



http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=8397882

Dig Finds Items During Search for Missing Woman

Updated: May 29, 2008 05:47 PM EDT




By Emily Matesic

The Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department finished its search of a Manitowoc Rapids property for Cheryl Spaeth-Duvall Thursday.

Duvall was reported missing in October of 1988 by her ex-husband.

At the time of her disappearance she was living with her boyfriend, John Neuser. The sheriff says Neuser is a person of interest in the unsolved disappearance.

After two days of digging with heavy equipment, the sheriff's department filled in the hole they dug on Neuser's property. Neuser no longer lives on the property but still owns it.

While we don't know if that search yielded any direct clues to Duvall's disappearance, we do know some items were found.

"I'm not going to tell you specifics of those items or how relevant they are to the case, but we did recover some items from where we were digging," Sheriff Robert Hermann said.

That news is encouraging to friends of Duvall, who visited the South Parkview Road site where police had been digging -- friends who, after almost 20 years, just want answers.

"I hope it leads to finding Cheryl. I really do. She's been a good friend of mine for years and we miss her," Debbie Houghton said.

"I think they have found something, and I think it's probably Cheryl's DNA, and I'm just glad something was finally done," Nancy Lishka said.

The sheriff tells us even though is officers were clearing the scene Thursday the investigation isn't over.

The items collected during the dig will be discussed so investigators can determine where to go from here.

"In law enforcement, when you do investigation, you don't always succeed the first time, so you try, try again, and we're just looking to solve this case and perhaps bring some closure to the family," Sheriff Hermann said.



http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...1/80529086/1984

Investigators remove items from dig site
Sarah Millard • Herald Times Reporter • May 29, 2008

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MANITOWOC – Investigators removed some items from a South Parkview Road dig site after obtaining a search warrant to continue a nearly 20-year investigation in the missing person case of Cheryl A. Spaeth-Duvall. However, the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department will not comment on what the items were or how relevant they are to the investigation.


Digging at 504 S. Parkview Road concluded Wednesday, Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department Detective Dave Remiker said. The department dug a 25-foot hole and is in the process of refilling the area with gravel.

While the property consists of at least seven buildings, the digging investigation centered on an area between the north end of the driveway and the barn closest to Parkview Road.

The excavating began Tuesday after the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department obtained a search warrant to search the property, which is owned by John Neuser of rural Reedsville. Neuser was Spaeth-Duvall’s boyfriend at the time of her disappearance. Spaeth-Duvall was first reported missing in October 1988 at age 38. The department reopened the cold case in 2006 at the request of family members.

Investigators searched the property in January 2007.

Anyone with information on the case can contact the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department at 920-683-4200.



Search for missing woman continues after nearly 20 years
Sarah Millard • Herald Times Reporter • May 28, 2008

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MANITOWOC -- The Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department began a digging investigation in connection to the case of missing woman Cheryl Spaeth-Duvall on a South Parkview Road farm Tuesday morning.


The department obtained a search warrant for 504 S. Parkview Road in the Town of Manitowoc Rapids. However, Sheriff Rob Hermann would not comment on evidence that led to the search warrant. Personnel on the scene were not commenting as to what sparked the investigation this morning.

“We don’t have any more information,” Hermann said.

Spaeth-Duvall went missing in October 1988 when she was 38. At the time, she was living on the South Parkview Road farm with her boyfriend John Neuser of rural Reedsville. Neuser owns the property according to the department’s knowledge, Hermann said. Investigators previously searched the property in January 2007.

The department reopened the cold case in 2006 at the request of family members.

The Herald Times Reporter will have more information as it becomes available.

http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...48/1984/MANlife


Sandra Bertolas






Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

Missing Since: April 24, 1988 from West Allas, Wisconsin
Classification: Endangered Missing
Age: 20 years old
Height and Weight: 5'6, 160 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair.


Details of Disappearance

Bertolas was last seen sometime in 1988 at the Red Carpet Lanes bowling alley in the 10900 block of west Lapham Street in West Allis, Wisconsin. She was planning to confront her boyfriend; as she found out he had been unfaithful to her and also that he had given her a false last name. Bertolas has never been seen again. Her vehicle was found abandoned in the parking lot of the bowling alley.
Police believe foul play was involved in Bertolas's case, possibly at the hands of her boyfriend. Prosecutors conducted a 21-month John Doe probe into the case in 2002 and over fifty witnesses testified, but the probe concluded without any charges being filed.

Bertolas resided with her parents in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin at the time of her disappearance. She was a marketing student at Waukesha County Technical College and worked-part time as a beautician at a Cost Cutters hair salon.

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Waukesha County Police Department

Source Information
WISN 12
The Doe Network
Village of Menomonee Falls
Wisconsin Advocates for the Families of Missing People
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 





Waukesha News Briefs
From the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: April 25, 2001
Probe reopens search for missing woman

Waukesha - Thirteen years to the day after Sandra Bertolas disappeared, the first day of a John Doe probe into her suspected death began Tuesday with family members testifying.

In the closed-door hearings, prosecutors hope to gain new clues into the April 24, 1988, disappearance of the Menomonee Falls woman, whose body has never been found.

Authorities have said that Sandra Bertolas was 20 the Sunday night she left her parents' Menomonee Falls home to confront her boyfriend, whom she had learned was involved in another serious relationship.

She never returned.

The boyfriend soon married the other woman and remains a suspect in the case. That man, a Milwaukee firefighter, is expected to be called to testify when the probe resumes next month.

In 1988, he told Menomonee Falls police he never met Bertolas the night she disappeared, according to articles published at that time. Bertolas' car was found in a West Allis bowling alley parking lot.

District Attorney Paul Bucher said Tuesday he could not reveal the testimony given in the closed courtroom but said it was "excellent, I'm very pleased."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/apr01/waubrfs25042401a.asp



John Doe probe ordered in 1988 disappearance

Secret sessions will re-examine case of missing Falls woman



By LISA SINK
Journal Sentinel staff

March 8, 2001







Waukesha -- A Waukesha County circuit judge has ordered a secret John Doe probe, which a Milwaukee television station reported Wednesday night involves the 1988 disappearance of a Menomonee Falls woman.

WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) reported the investigation is to start about 13 years after the woman, Sandra Bertolas, mysteriously disapPeared at the age of 20.

The probe, to be conducted by Judge J. Mac Davis, comes about two years after police unsuccessfully searched a park for her remains.

Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher said in a broadcast interview that the proceeding was likely to begin with sessions on several days in April. After a break of a few weeks, it could resume by taking testimony and conclude later this year.

Bucher did not return calls from the Journal Sentinel seeking comment on the case.

John Doe hearings are usually held behind closed doors and allow prosecutors to subpoena and question witnesses and collect evidence to determine whether charges should be filed.

Menomonee Falls police Capt. Terry Hansen said Wednesday he had no knowledge about a probe into Bertolas' disappearance.

However, Bertolas' mother, Dorothy Bertolas, said she knew that authorities were considering calling a John Doe probe but didn't know whether one had been ordered.

Bertolas was excited about the prospect of learning more about what happened to her daughter.

Asked whether that news made her hopeful, she apologized as she choked back tears.

"After you've had your kid missing for 13 years . . . hopeful . . . I'm sorry," she said.

"We do hope that something might come up because we don't know what happened to her."

Bertolas said she wasn't aware of any new leads or breaks in the case but said she was grateful that police and prosecutors haven't given up on it.

"It never goes away," she said, adding it's also hard on her other children, Sandra's siblings.

"They've been my support," she said.

Sandra Bertolas was last seen April 24, 1988. Her father said at the time that his daughter had told friends she planned to "have it out" with a man she was seeing.

The next day her locked car was found in a West Allis parking lot.

Her mother said Wednesday that the car, her first, was her prized possession. "She wouldn't leave that car behind," she said.

In December 1998, Menomonee Falls police, acting on a tip, searched Jackson Park, 3500 W. Forest Home Ave., Milwaukee, for Bertolas' remains but found nothing.

Detectives said the tipster recalled walking near the railroad tracks in Jackson Park at the time Bertolas was reported missing and smelling a foul odor.

Search dogs reacted when detectives searched the park area, prompting police to search the park with "cadaver dogs."

Source:
http://s2.excoboard.com/Courthouse_Steps_Mavens/124822/1995635




Marchelle Hansen

Attached Image




The Price County Sheriff's Department and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) are investigating the disappearance of Marchelle Hansen. (See photo.) Hansen, who was 23 at the time of her disappearance, was last seen leaving Marquip Inc. in Phillips, Wisconsin, at the end of her work shift there at approximately 8:00 p.m. on November 12, 1987. Hansen was reported missing five days later when she failed to arrive for work at her part-time job at the local IGA store in Phillips. Hansen's vehicle was found parked at the Lake 10 Resort, approximately 11 miles south of Phillips. No signs of foul play were observed in the vehicle or at Hansen's residence, located north of Phillips on Highway 13. Hansen was known to be pregnant at the time of her disappearance. Law enforcement is seeking information identifying anyone Hansen may have been dating or associating with at the time of her disappearance. Information regarding places Hansen may have frequented would also be of assistance.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Special Agent John E. Christophersen of the Division of Criminal Investigation at 715-839-3830 or Investigator Chris Jarosinski of the Price County Sheriff's Department at 715-339-3011.
http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dci/sa/unsolved.asp







Marchelle Hansen 

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

Missing Since: November 12, 1987 from Phillips, Wisconsin
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date of Birth: May 23, 1956
Age: 31 years old
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female.
Medical Conditions: Hansen was pregnant at the time of her disappearance.


Details of Disappearance

Hansen was last seen leaving her workplace, Marquip Inc. in Phillips, Wisconsin, at the end of her shift at approximately 8:00 p.m. on November 12, 1987. She has never been heard from again. She was reported missing five days later after she did not report to work at her part-time job at the IGA store in Phillips.
Hansen's vehicle was found parked at the Lake 10 Resort, eleven miles south of Phillips, after her disappearance. There were no indications of foul play in the car or at Hansen's home on Highway 13 north of Phillips. Her disappearance remains unsolved.



Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Price County Sheriff's Department
715-339-3011
OR
Division of Criminal Investigation
715-839-3830



Source Information
Wisconsin Clearinghouse Missing and Eploited Children & Adults 

Candace Jay Beckman-Wright

The Doe Network:
Case File 78DFWI

1
Candace Jay Wright
Missing since December 29, 1985 from Green Bay, Brown County, Wisconsin.
Classification: Endangered Missing




Vital Statistics

  • Date Of Birth: November 10, 1947

  • Age at Time of Disappearance: 38 years old

  • Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'1-5'3; 100-105 lbs.

  • Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Green/brown eyes; brown hair. Possibly one prior pregnancy.

  • Marks, Scars: Brown, 3", rectangular shape birthmark on left arm, just above elbow.

  • AKA: Candace Beckman; Candy


    Circumstances of Disappearance
    Wright was last seen on the far west side of Green Bay, WI. She has a mental disability and needs medication. May have been seen in Florida.




    Investigators
    If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
    Green Bay Police Department
    920-448-3326 

    You may remain anonymous when submitting information.

    Agency Case Number: 01-75961
    NCIC Number: M-062032897
    Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.
    Source Information:
    National Center for Missing Adults

  • Robert Joseph Fritz


    Age Progressed image (to age 27) on right

    Classification: Nonfamily Abduction
    Date of Birth: August 5, 1977
    Date Missing: May 14, 1983
    From City/State: Campbellsport, WI
    Age at Time of Disapperance: 5
    Gender: Male
    Race: White
    Height: 46 inches
    Weight: 48 pounds
    Hair Color: Blonde
    Eye Color: Blue
    Complexion: Medium
    Glasses/Contacts Description: N/A

    Identifying Characteristics: Strawberry birthmark 2" x 3" on left outer thigh, just above the knee; has trouble pronouncing the letters "T", "K", and "R."
    Clothing: Multi colored Red, blue, and gray shirt, blue pants and boots.
    Jewelry: N/A

    Circumstances of Disappearance: Unknown. Last seen a block from his home playing with his siblings between 2:30-4:30pm. He told his sister he was hungry and headed home, but never arrived.

    Investigative Agency: Fond Du Lac Sheriff's Office
    Phone: (920) 929-3370
    Website: http://www.co.fond-du-lac.wi.us/Dept...f/Sheriff.html

    Print a poster: http://www.missingkids.com/missingki...archLang=en_US

    Family website: http://www.geocities.com/anna_1992/For_Bobby_Joe.html


    Details of Disappearance

    Robert was last seen playing in an empty lot in his family's Campbellsport, Wisconsin neighborhood on May 14, 1983. The lot was beside the Mill Pond/Milwaukee River in the area where the Campbellsport Firehouse now stands. He was with his sister and friends approximately one-half block from the family's residence when he was last seen. He told his sister he was hungry and was going to walk home between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. Robert never arrived home and has never been heard from again.

    After Robert's disappearance, an extensive search was made of the Milwaukee River, but no trace of him was ever found. He lived with his mother and six siblings at the time of his disappearance; his father and some other siblings lived in Illinois. Robert's father has since died and his mother has moved away from the Campbellsport area. Authorities eventually concluded that he must have been abducted. His case remains unsolved.

    Robert closely resembled his brother, Tony, in childhood and may look like him as an adult. A photograph of Tony is posted below this case summary.


    Above: Tony Fritz



    http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20090222/FON0101/902220511/1985/FON04
    Cold Cases: Out of sight, but never out of mind
    By Russell Plummer • The Reporter 
    February 22, 2009 

    Cold cases sit not only in law enforcement file cabinets, but also in the back of every detective's mind.

    The recent arrest of Thomas C. Niesen, 53, of Ashwaubenon, in connection with the murder of Kathleen Leichtman, 19, of Milwaukee, proves a murder older than three decades can turn hot with one DNA sample, confession or tip.

    While city detectives are gathering additional evidence before Niesen's preliminary hearing March 6, other investigators continue to think about seven unresolved murders/disappearances and keep the case of "Jane Doe" warm.

    "(Cold cases) are not something we look at on a daily basis," Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Department Lt. Bill Flood said. "The trail has gone cold or there's a set of extenuating circumstances that leaves the case cold that you can't control.

    "Every once in a while they're revisited — whether it be during discussion amongst detectives, an actual probing of the old case or we could have someone call claiming they heard something."

    Among those apparent victims who still await justice:

    Bobby Joe Fritz
    May 14, 2008, marked the 25th year since the disappearance of the blond-haired, blue-eyed Campbellsport boy.

    Fritz, 5, was last seen donning a pair of cowboy boots as he played near his home. Authorities found his toy gun, but never his body.

    Flood, who was a patrol officer May 14, 1983 and assisted with searching for the boy in the Mill Pond, still has a file containing a photo of Fritz stored in a cabinet near his desk.

    "For all we know, the person responsible for Bobby Joe's disappearance is still alive and he or she is in our area," Flood said. "Who knows if someone at some point in time might have a crisis of conscience? They might have a terminal illness and want to clear their conscience.

    "I'm not naïve to think that's going to happen, but it certainly remains a possibility."

    Flood said the search for Fritz moved to Sheboygan County in 1994 when Michael S. Menzer, who killed two of his children after setting his home on fire and had a past of sexually assaulting children, was sentenced.

    Detectives went to Menzer's home to dig for any ties to Fritz.

    "I'm not talking hand shovels, I'm talking heavy equipment," Flood said. "We were looking for clothing he was wearing, especially the cowboy boots."

    He noted some sexual offenders keep souvenirs from their crimes. Nothing that could be connected to Fritz was found.

    Story continues at http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20090222/FON0101/902220511/1985/FON04




    DonaMae Bourgeois Bayerl

    DonaMae Bourgeois Bayerl

    missing person missing person's missing person forum missing person database
    Above Images: Bayerl, circa 1979

  • Missing Since: May 6, 1979 from Muskego, Wisconsin

  • Classification: Endangered Missing

  • Date of Birth: June 20, 1944

  • Age: 38 years old

  • Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Brown hair.

  • Bayerl was last seen at her home in Muskego, Wisconsin on May 6, 1979. When the children woke up the next morning, she was gone. She has never been heard from again. Bayerl is not believed to have left of her own accord, but the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are unclear.

    If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

    Muskego Police Department
    262-679-4130

    Source Information
    charleyproject.org
    The Doe Network

    SUZANNE MARIE SCHULTZ


     
    View Poster
     
    Case Handled By:
      
    National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
    SUZANNE MARIE SCHULTZAge Progression 
    Case Type: Endangered Missing 
    DOB: Apr 2, 1961Sex: Female
    Missing Date: Dec 1, 1978Race: White
    Age Now: 48Height:  5'6" (168 cm)
    Missing City: BLACK EARTHWeight:  120 lbs (54 kg)
    Missing State :  WIHair Color: Brown
    Missing Country: United StatesEye Color: Green
    Case Number: NCMC966014
    Circumstances: Suzanne's photo is shown age-progressed to 42 years. She was last seen leaving her home in December of 1978. Her exact missing date is unknown so the date listed above is an approximation. Suzanne contacted her family in July of 1979, from Tampa, Florida, where she was believed to be staying with a male companion, and said she would be returning home. She failed to return home and the vehicle in which she was traveling was later found abandoned in Chicago, Illinois. Suzanne has not been seen or heard from since.



    Robert Louis Christian

    http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3569dmwi.html

    Robert Louis Christian

    Missing since September 16, 1977 from Madison, Wisconsin

    Classification: Missing

    Vital Statistics

        * Age at Time of Disappearance: 18 years old

        * Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Brown hair. Glasses.

        * Dentals: Available.

    Circumstances of Disappearance

    Robert Christian went missing during a trip from Madison to Baraboo on September 16, 1977. On September 16, 1977, he had dinner with his parents, at their Madison home. After eating, he tossed a change of clothes and his bow hunting gear into the back of the Hornet station wagon at about 5:30 p.m. and headed to the bank. After picking up $25, he planned to drive to Baraboo and meet a friend, local resident Randy Griffith, for Saturday morning deer hunting in the Baraboo Bluffs. If they were not successful taking a deer, Robert planned to return to Madison that afternoon and attend a Wisconsin Badgers game.

    He stopped at a nearby Walgreens and picked up a pack of small cigars. Robert probably drove to the Madison Beltline Highway, headed west to Highway 12 and took it north to the Baraboo area.

    At about 9:30 p.m. Randy Griffith's mother, a longtime family friend, called to say Robert had not arrived in Baraboo. Robert's family began calling authorities in Dane, Sauk and Columbia counties to find out if Robert had been involved in a car wreck. They also called the Madison police, who eventually took a report on the disappearance and conducted an investigation.

    At about 8 p.m. the Friday of the disappearance, a Mauston woman visiting a nun near the Durward's Glen retreat site encountered a car in her friend's driveway that matched the description of the Hornet and had the same license plate. The young male driver of the car matched Robert's description and told the woman something like "I'm looking for my friend. I'm supposed to meet my friend." The young man said he must be at the wrong place and then drove away to the east, away from the relay tower.

    Robert's vehicle was later recovered parked in a driveway near the State Patrol relay antenna on Tower Road southeast of the city. The wheels, tires and the battery was gone.

    The Sheriff's Department followed up on a tip and found four old tires and the hubcaps from the Hornet in a quarry just south of the Badger Army Ammunition Plant and north of Prairie du Sac. Apparently, somebody had switched the tires from the new car for worn-out tires on their vehicle and then dumped the hubcaps. It is unknown if the stripping of the car and Robert's disappearance are connected, or if somebody found the Hornet after he disappeared and took what they could.

    The Sheriff's Department brought in a bloodhound that followed Robert's trail a short distance from where he car was found, then lost the scent at Tower Road. They also used a National Guard helicopter to search open fields in the area.

    Information about Robert has been entered into the National Database of Missing Persons, and his dental records have been placed in the National Database for Human Identification.

    At the time of disappearance Robert was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was excited to begin studies leading to a degree in computer programing. He is described as a very reliable and honest person.

    Investigators
    If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

    Sauk County Sheriff's Department
    608-356-4808
    800-377-1195 



    http://www.wiscnews.com/bnr/news/244630
    30 years later, they cling to hope
     
    Brian D. Bridgeford / News Republic



    Reedsburg residents Lewis and Carolynn Christian are trying to draw attention to the disappearance of their son, Robert Lewis Christian, who went missing during a trip from Madison to Baraboo on Sept. 16, 1977, 30 years ago Sunday.

    Lewis and his wife, Carolynn, both now of Reedsburg, never saw 18-year-old Robert Lewis Christian again. After decades of efforts to find him, they still do not know what swept him from their lives so suddenly.

    Carolynn said she met her son for dinner the Friday before, Sept. 16, 1977, at their Madison home. After eating together, he tossed a change of clothes and his bow hunting gear into the back of her Hornet station wagon at about 5:30 p.m. and headed to the bank. After picking up $25, he planned to drive to Baraboo and meet a friend, local resident Randy Griffith, for Saturday morning deer hunting in the Baraboo Bluffs near where the car was found.

    If they were not successful taking a deer, Robert planned to return to Madison that afternoon and attend a Wisconsin Badgers game, she said.

    "It was the first game of the season," Carolynn said. "If they got a deer, he wouldn't be able to get back."

    A short time after Robert left the house, Carolynn drove to the same bank and saw him at an intersection along Cottage Grove Road on Madison's east side. He waved cheerfully to her and headed on his way.

    She says, with a hint of disapproval, they know he stopped at a nearby Walgreens and picked up a pack of small cigars. When the car was found, the remains of the pack were on the seat and ashes were in the ashtray.

    They believe Robert probably drove to the Madison Beltline Highway, headed west to Highway 12 and took it north to the Baraboo area.

    Troublesome call
    Later that evening, the Christians got an indication there was a problem. At about 9:30 p.m. Randy Griffith's mother, a longtime family friend, called to say Robert had not arrived in Baraboo.

    They began calling authorities in Dane, Sauk and Columbia counties to find out if Robert had been involved in a car wreck, Carolynn said.

    "There were no reports of any accidents — that's the first I thought was an accident," she said.

    They also called the Madison police, who put off beginning an investigation because he was over 18. They suggested that maybe he had gone to a party on campus instead, Carolynn recalls. They eventually took a report on the disappearance and conducted an investigation.

    "If he didn't show up, something was wrong," she said. "He was a very reliable person, very honest.

    "If he said he was going to be somewhere, he would be there. If he said he was going to do something, he would do it," Carolynn said.

    On Saturday, they mostly stayed a round the house, making phone calls to check with the authorities and hoping for a call from Robert.

    On Sunday morning, Lewis' brother came from Milwaukee to help search Robert's likely routes to Baraboo. He drove up Interstate 90/94, and Lewis followed Highway 12 to the Baraboo area.

    Lewis said he was driving along Tower Road toward their favorite hunting area when his younger son, Mike, called out he thought he saw the Hornet wagon. It was parked in a driveway around the radio relay tower.

    "I went in there, it was laying flat on the ground, the wheels and tires were gone, the battery was gone," he said.

    Lewis ran over to a nearby friends' home and called the Sauk County Sheriff's Department. He kept people out of the area around the station wagon to preserve evidence such as tire tracks and recalls being annoyed when a deputy sheriff drove his squad car over potential evidence.
    "Here comes the Sheriff's Department driving right up over everything," he said.

    Ground search
    On Monday, family members, Department of Natural Resources wardens and the Sheriff's Department cooperated in a ground search of the area. One concern was that Robert had been injured, perhaps while checking out a tree stand or something else, Lewis said.

    But they found no evidence of him being injured at the tree stand or other signs of him.

    Lewis is a Reedsburg native and said he has many friends in Baraboo. He and Robert had been to the Baraboo area many times to share hunting, fishing and camping. Robert was very familiar with the area of the bluffs where his car was found, he said.

    Former Sauk County Sheriff Virgil Steinhorst was chief deputy when Robert disappeared. He said the department spend several weeks conducting searches of the bluffs area and following up tips as to where he might have gone.

    Sheriff's Department officers "dug up a lot of hillside" around the area where Robert's car was found. They responded to reports of people finding disturbed earth that could be a burial site, but those turned out to be nothing.

    A disappearance can be frustrating because sometimes investigators go back to the case again and again, only to have leads not pan out, he said.

    "You hit a dead end on some of these, and then a few years later, something will pop up," Steinhorst said. "Then you follow that up, and you still don't come up with nothing."

    Spotted that evening
    Carolynn said at about 8 p.m. the Friday of the disappearance, a Mauston woman visiting a nun near the Durward's Glen retreat site encountered a car in her friend's driveway that matched the description of the Hornet and had the same license plate. The young male driver of the car matched Robert's description and told the woman something like "I'm looking for my friend. I'm supposed to meet my friend."

    The young man said he must be at the wrong place and then drove away to the east, away from the relay tower.
    "That's the last we know somebody had seen him," Carolynn said. "I'm confident that was Bob. She doesn't know if anybody else was in the car with him."

    "It just doesn't make sense to me what the hell he would be doing up in that driveway," Lewis said.

    The last specific information they have about their son's case was on the Thursday after his disappearance. The Sheriff's Department followed up on a tip and found four old tires and the hubcaps from Carolynn's Hornet in a quarry just south of the Badger Army Ammunition Plant and north of Prairie du Sac.

    Apparently, somebody had switched the tires from her new car for worn-out tires on their vehicle and then dumped the hubcaps, Carolynn said. They do not know if the stripping of her car and Robert's disappearance are connected, or if somebody found the Hornet after he disappeared and took what they could.

    The Sept. 21, 1977, News Republic reports the Sheriff's Department brought in a bloodhound that followed Robert's trail a short distance from where he car was found, then lost the scent at Tower Road. They also used a National Guard helicopter to search open fields in the area.

    Over the years, Sauk County authorities have followed up on various tips about Robert's whereabouts. A March 8, 1978, copy of the News Republic features a story that Robert might have staged his disappearance and went to Canada.

    That story turned out to be false, Carolynn said.

    Search continues
    Even 30 years later, the Sheriff's Department is still making efforts to find Robert Christian if they get a tip as to his fate, said Sheriff Randy Stammen in a statement e-mailed to the paper.

    Law enforcement technology for finding missing people or identifying human remains has improved since the 1970s, he said. Information about Robert has been entered into the National Database of Missing Persons, and his dental records have been placed in the National Database for Human Identification.

    In May, a Sauk County detective interviewed an individual in the state prison system whom they had a tip might know something about Robert Christian's disappearance, according to Stammen. But they received no new information as a result of that interview, he said.

    "This office continues to investigate Mr. Christian's disappearance and will do so until all leads are exhausted or Mr. Christian's disappearance is fully explained," Stammen wrote.

    The Christians say they have spoken with Stammen about their son's case and he tried to be helpful.

    A psychic connection?
    Carolynn said she has gone so far as to call psychics to see what they can tell her about Robert's disappearance.
    One woman she spoke to two or three years after Robert disappeared described him driving up Highway 12 and meeting a man and woman in a bar near Sauk City. He reluctantly gives them a ride to a white cottage, possibly near South Shore Road at Devil's Lake State Park.

    "She said something happened at the cottage," Carolynn described the psychic's report. "When they came out, he was between them and they pushed him into the car. The next thing I see is rocks and he got pushed down on rocks.

    "I think something terrible has happened," she quoted the psychic.

    Carolynn said she didn't contact the Sheriff's Department about the psychic's story because "I didn't want to seem like a crazy mom." She was unable to follow up further on that story.

    She also acknowledges the psychic's vision conflicts with the report of the woman who apparently saw him in the driveway near Durward's Glen.

    Project Jason does NOT recommend the use of psychics in missing persons cases. There is not a single proven case in which a missing person was found using paranormal means. Use of psychics wastes police and other resources, causes prejudice against the case, and emotional harm to the families. 
     
    To understand this issue, please see: 
     
    http://voice4themissing.blogspot.com/2006/03/30606-pmp-introduction-to-psychics-and.html

    No reason to disappear
    The Christians reject the idea that Robert would have wanted to disappear. He was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was excited to begin studies leading to a degree in computer programing.

    "I think he was thrilled to be able to go to the UW," she said. "I think he was generally happy in life."

    A Madison Police Department detective following up on the case talked with Robert's teachers and friends, Carolynn said. "He said he hadn't had one thing bad to say about Bob."

    They are also confident he was not involved in drugs. The Christians said they accept that one possibility is some sort of injury caused Robert to become confused and lose his way.

    "I wish I could some up with something," Lewis said. "I thought I could come up with something, but I don't know."

    Time has given some relief to the pain of losing Robert, Carolynn said. They have also faced another tragedy with a daughter, Catherine, being murdered years later.

    "Time heals," Carolynn said. "You never forget, but time does heal.

    "You don't want to lose hope," she said. "But, it's very slim we'll ever find out what happened."

    "We'll never forget him," Lewis said. "We'll never forget."

    The Christians are calling attention to Robert's case at the 30-year anniversary in the hope they can stir up some kind of information about what happened to him Sept. 16, 1977, the day he went missing.





    http://www.wiscnews.com/pdr/news/244640

    Family keeps hope alive of finding son who disappeared 30 years ago on way to Baraboo
     
    Brian D. Bridgeford / Capital Newspapers

    BARABOO — Lewis Christian knew something was "wrong, deadly wrong" one Sunday morning nearly 30 years ago when he saw the car his son had driven to Baraboo stripped of its tires, wheels and license plates and sitting on the ground near the State Patrol relay antenna on Tower Road southeast of the city.

    Lewis and Carolynn Christian of Reedsburg, after decades of efforts to find 18-year-old Robert Lewis Christian, still do not know what took him from their lives so suddenly.

    Carolynn said she met her son for dinner the Friday before, Sept. 16, 1977, at their home in Madison, where they lived at the time. After eating together, he tossed a change of clothes and his bow-hunting gear into the back of her Hornet station wagon about 5:30 p.m. and headed to the bank. 

    After picking up $25, he planned to drive to Baraboo and meet a friend, local resident Randy Griffith, for Saturday morning deer hunting in the Baraboo Bluffs near where the car was found.

    If they were not successful taking a deer, Robert planned to return to Madison that afternoon and attend a Wisconsin Badgers football game, she said.

    "It was the first game of the season," Carolynn said. "If they got a deer, he wouldn't be able to get back."

    A short time after Robert left the house, Carolynn drove to the same bank and encountered him at an intersection along Cottage Grove Road on Madison's east side. He waved cheerfully to her and headed on his way.

    They believe Robert probably drove to the Madison Beltline, headed west to Highway 12 and took it north to the Baraboo area.

    Troublesome call

    It was later that evening the Christians got an indication there was a problem. About 9:30 p.m., Randy Griffith's mother, a longtime family friend, called with the news Robert had not arrived in Baraboo.

    They began calling authorities in Dane, Sauk and Columbia counties trying to find out if Robert had been involved in a car wreck, Carolynn said. There were no reports of any accidents.

    They also called the Madison police, who put off beginning an investigation because he was older than 18 and suggested maybe he went to a party on campus instead, Carolynn recalls. They eventually took a report on the disappearance and conducted an investigation.

    "If he said he was going to be somewhere, he would be there. If he said he was going to do something, he would do it," Carolynn said. 

    Saturday, they mostly stayed around the house, making phone calls to check with the authorities and hoping for a call from Robert.

    Sunday morning, Lewis' brother came from Milwaukee to help search Robert's likely routes to Baraboo. 

    He drove up Interstate 90/94 and Lewis followed Highway 12 to the Baraboo area.

    Lewis said he was driving along Tower Road toward their favorite hunting area when his younger son, Mike, called out that he thought he saw the Hornet wagon. It was parked in a driveway around the radio relay tower.

    "I went in there. It was laying flat on the ground. The wheels and tires were gone. The battery was gone," he said.

    Lewis ran over to a nearby friends' home and called the Sauk County Sheriff's Department. 

    He kept people out of the area around the station wagon to preserve evidence such as tire tracks and recalls being annoyed when a deputy sheriff drove his squad car over potential evidence.

    Ground search

    On Monday, family members, Department of Natural Resources wardens and the sheriff's department cooperated in a ground search of the area. One concern was that Robert had been injured, perhaps while checking out a tree stand, Lewis said.

    However, they found no evidence of him at all.

    Lewis is a Reedsburg native and said he has many friends in Baraboo. He and Robert had been to the Baraboo area many times to go hunting, fishing and camping. 

    Robert was very familiar with the area of the bluffs where his car was found, he said.

    The sheriff's department spent several weeks conducting searches of the bluffs area and following up on tips as to where he might have gone. Nothing was found.

    Spotted that evening

    Carolynn said about 8 p.m. the Friday of the disappearance, a Mauston woman visiting a nun near the Durward's Glen retreat site encountered a car in her friend's driveway that matched the description of the Hornet and had the same license plate. 

    The young male driver of the car matched Robert's description and told the woman something like, "I'm looking for my friend, I'm supposed to meet my friend."

    The young man said he must be at the wrong place and then drove away to the east, opposite the relay tower location.

    "That's the last we know somebody had seen him," Carolynn said. "I'm confident that was Bob. She doesn't know if anybody else was in the car with him."

    "It just doesn't make sense to me what the hell he would be doing up in that driveway," Lewis said.

    The last specific information they have about their son's case was on the Thursday after his disappearance. The sheriff's department followed up on a tip and found four old tires and the hubcaps from the Hornet in a quarry just south of the Badger Army Ammunition Plant and north of Prairie du Sac.

    They do not know if the stripping of her car and Robert's disappearance are connected, or if somebody found the Hornet after he disappeared and took what they could.

    The Sept. 21, 1977, Baraboo News Republic reports the sheriff's department brought in a bloodhound that followed Robert's trail a short distance from where he car was found, then lost him at Tower Road. They also used a National Guard helicopter to search open fields in the area.

    Over the years, Sauk County authorities have followed up on various tips on where Robert might be. A March 8, 1978, copy of the News Republic features a story that Robert might have staged his disappearance and went to Canada.

    That story turned out to be false, Carolynn said. 

    Search continues

    Even 30 years later, the Sheriff's Department is making efforts to find Robert Christian if they get a tip as to his fate, said Sheriff Randy Stammen in a statement e-mailed to the News Republic .

    Law enforcement technology for finding missing people or identifying human remains has improved since the 1970s, he said. Information about Robert has been entered into the National Data Base of Missing Persons, and his dental records have been placed in the National Data Base for Human Identification.

    No reason to disappear

    The Christians reject the idea that there is any reason Robert wanted to disappear. He was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was excited to begin studies leading to a degree in computer programming.

    "I think he was thrilled to be able to go to the UW," she said. "I think he was generally happy in life."

    A Madison Police Department detective following up on the case talked with Robert's teachers and friends, Carolynn said. "He said he hadn't had one thing bad to say about Bob."

    They are also confident he was not involved in drugs. The Christians said they accept one possibility is some sort of injury caused Robert to become confused and lose his way. 

    Time has given some relief to the pain of losing Robert, Carolynn said. They have also faced another tragedy with a daughter, Catherine, being murdered years later.

    "Time heals," Carolynn said, "You never forget, but time does heal.

    "You don't want to lose hope," she said. "But, it's very slim we'll ever find out what happened."

    "We'll never forget him," Lewis said. "We'll never forget."

    To report information

    Lewis and Carolynn Christian ask people with information about Robert Lewis Christian's disappearance to contact the Sauk County Sheriff's Department at the non-emergency dispatch center line, (608) 356-4808.




    "It would be a relief to find out what happened," Carolynn said. "Or even to find out somebody took the tires and didn't have something to do with Bob's disappearance."

    Lewis and Carolynn Christian ask people with information about Robert Lewis Christian's disappearance to contact the Sauk County Sheriff's Department at the non-emergency dispatch center line at (608) 356-4808, or a toll-free administrative line at (800) 377-1195, dial "0."

    Lewis Christian knew something was "wrong, deadly wrong" one Sunday morning 30 years ago when he saw the car his son had driven to Baraboo stripped of its tires, wheels and license plates and sitting on the ground near the State Patrol relay antenna on Tower Road southeast of the city.








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    In many cases, these blogs are obtained from other sources on the web. Source information will be added whenever possible. My apologies for those already up that may not be sourced, or credit given. This will be fixed.