March 13, 2012

03/03/12: Eric Duffey, 21, Stevens Point, WI

Eric Duffey
Photo Credit: Facebook
Eric Duffey, a 21-year old University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student, was last seen about 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, leaving Joe's Bar in downtown Stevens Point, Wisc. Duffey had been out celebrating his 21st birthday, and he was believed to be heading home when he left the bar. He lived only blocks away on Isadore Street. It was the last time he was seen.


The Search for Eric Duffey

According to the Associated Press, police conducted "an exhaustive neighborhood search for Duffey that included the use of tracking dogs and about 150 volunteers knocking on doors, checking backyards and passing out fliers with Duffey's photo. Police also sent a Code Red Alert out Saturday evening and again on Sunday morning. With the alert, police asked residents between downtown Stevens Point and Duffey's residence to check their property for signs of him."

A witness came forward who told police he had heard someone yelling for help at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday near the Clark Street bridge. The witness had checked into it, but didn't see anyone. (Associated Press).

This tip led police to turn their focus to the Wisconsin River, which is only a few hundred feet from where Duffey was last seen.

On March 5, emergency personnel scoured the river around the Clark Street bridge in "a part of the river where the ice becomes open water," according to the Associated Press. Divers then found a body in the Wisconsin River near the Clark Street Bridge. According to the paper, "the coroner's office made a positive identification after meeting with Duffey's family."

Eric Duffey
Credit: JSOnline.com
Police believe Duffey may have been heading back to his residence or to the residence of his girlfriend.

According to the Associated Press, "[Stevens Point assistant police chief Brian] Kudronowicz said the department had received new information that led officials to believe Duffey walked into the Wisconsin River."

"I think alcohol had something to do with his actions," said he said.

Duffey's obituary listed his cause of death as accidental drowning.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to call Stevens Point police at 715-346-1501.


About Eric Duffey

An excerpt from Eric Duffey's obituary (Madison.com), reads:

Eric Duffey
Credit: Madison.com
"Eric Duffey was born on March 3, 1991, in Madison, the son of Daren and Joan (Spurrier) Duffey. Eric graduated from Verona High School in 2009, where he was a member of the golf team for four years. He was currently attending UW-Stevens Point, majoring in Wildlife Ecology Research Management. Eric was an active member of the UWSP chapter of the Wildlife Society. While in high school, Eric worked at Meadowood Ace Hardware and then as a field technician for Monsanto while at UWSP. He was recently hired and looking forward to working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. Eric enjoyed traveling with the university on ecological trips. He was creative and dedicated to family, nature, and the environment....His contagious smile and great sense of humor will be missed by all who knew him."

Eric is survived by his parents, maternal and maternal grandparents, two aunts, an uncle, two cousins and many dear friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on March 9 at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Parish. A memorial fund will be established in Duffey's name.


Case Details

Name/age: Eric Duffey, 21
Hometown: Fitchburg, WI
Residence: 700 Isadore Street
College: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Last Seen: 03/03/12, 1:15 a.m., Joe's Bar, Main Street, Stevens Point, WI
Recovered: 03/05/12, Wisconsin River
Physical Description: 6'0," 150 pounds, red hair, green eyes.
Last Wearing: orange flannel shirt, blue jeans, a brown jacket, and possibly a gray and white stocking hat.
Investigating Agency:  Stevens Point police, 715-346-1501


Sources


Associated Press (2012, March 5). Police: Missing Wis. student's body found in river. Retrieved March 12, 2012.

Gannett Wisconsin Media (2012, March 5). Missing UW-Stevens Point student update: Police searching Wisconsin River. Post Crescent. Retrieved March 12, 2012.

Lohr, David (2012, March 5). Eric Duffey Missing: Body Found In Wisconsin River Could Be That Of Missing College Student. Huffington Post. Retrieved March 12, 2012.

Madison.com (2012, March 7). Obituary. Duffey, Eric. J. Retrieved March 13, 2012.

WSAW.com. (2012, March 5). Body Pulled from Wisconsin River ID'ed as Missing UWSP Student. Retrieved March 12, 2012.

14 comments:

Rhonda Whetstone said...

Just makes no sense. The bridge is way too high to fall from and if you went in by the shore, it is shallow and the first step in would tell you that you were no longer on a sidewalk/pavement. I went with a friend today to check out his path and reasoning and it makes no sense. Side note/no SF graffiti found, for those wondering.

Mbaz said...

The SF theory is garbage. Whats not garbage and what gets completely dwarfed by the SF theory is that some of these kids are actually being murdered. The fact that someone heard crys for help in the area, which lead to the discovery of his body, is a sign of foul play. However this is exactly like every other case, and the COD will likely be accidental drowning again. .

tennessee111 said...

your missing the point if you expect to see a smiley face. Ant grafitti should be noted

tennessee111 said...

any

Rhonda Whetstone said...

FWIW--It was found that within a week of the drowning the entire bridge was repainted white AND they did cover SF graffiti!! And Tenn111 is right--ANY graffiti should be noted. There are graffiti (and other) links.

Anonymous said...

Sooo he walked into the river.....well maybe m knight shaymalan can mix the happening with the sixth sense and maybe that will work out....

Unknown said...

I agree.. the witness who heard cries for help went to investigate and saw nothing. You'd think if he fell in the water , screaming for help and flapping his arms or whatever that witness would have seen it. Since that did not happen, I personally assume his mouth was being covered or "they" shut him up real quick after he let out a scream .

Unknown said...

I agree.. the witness who heard cries for help went to investigate and saw nothing. You'd think if he fell in the water , screaming for help and flapping his arms or whatever that witness would have seen it. Since that did not happen, I personally assume his mouth was being covered or "they" shut him up real quick after he let out a scream .

Rhonda Whetstone said...

ALL graffiti is noted. I merely mentioned the SF as that is what the gang of killers is called. Also, there WAS a large smiley face painted on that bridge, there are the time of the incident. However, the bridge was ordered painted within a couple days.

If you want a clearer look at what might be going on, read about "gang stalking." I can tell you that those investigating are very aware of all of this that I am stating.

Unknown said...

I went to UWSP from 1985-1990.Have heard about this smiley face killer or killers for years.I aslo hanged around in the downtown bars.Nobody ever went towards the river,everyone knew at high water you were dead if you fell in.How many college age white men all popular and good students? Sorry about this young man and his family.But my gut feeling these good young men were murdered.

Unknown said...

I don't know what's going on with all of these deaths, but there is no part of me that thinks this was an accident. Nobody could simply "fall" from the Clark Street bridge, the concrete wall/railing along either side is way to high. I also highly doubt that he just walked into the river by accident and drowned, I mean really? Even though I don't think he could have possibly fallen in accidentally, I found it odd that the police didn't focus the search on the river immediately. The first thing I said when I heard that there was a missing college student who was last seen downtown (before I thought of the unlikelihood of an accidental fall) was "that poor guy is in the river". Yet they didn't even search the river until 2 days later? At least that's what I've gathered from reading the comments made by the police. This kid was put in the river by person or persons unknown. I don't necessarily buy into the smiley face killer crap, but something very bizarre is happening. Hundreds of young white male college students don't just end up dead this way in a relatively short period of time without some help. I've been listening to alot of missing 411 podcasts, and these specific deaths get talked about frequently. I don't necessarily buy into David Paulides either, all I know is that this is not right and the authorities are covering something up. My heart is broken for these young lives lost, and for the families who aren't getting the truth about what happened.

Unknown said...

I completely agree. It's just horrible. How many have to die this way before police start suspecting foul play?

Unknown said...

Unaware or willfully ignorant. Or intentionally misleading. At any rate, they are asshats and need to reevaluate the way they investigate.

Rhonda Whetstone said...

Without getting into any details, let me just state this much. I and a friend met with lead detective Kevin Gannon and Prof. Lee Gilbertson about this case and it is undoubtedly the work of this "gang." Now, when I say that, let me state that "gang" is not meant the way most of us think of a gang. Let me also say that ALL graffiti is important and that saying it is the "Smiley Face Killer(s)" who has done this is a bit misleading. Just think of SFK as the generic name of "whomever" this gang is. Only a fool thinks ALL of these deaths are accidental! That being said, again without details, I can tell you I spoke with a SFK survivor at UWSP AFTER this above noted death, and got a LOT of insight into how some of these take place. I put the young man in touch with Gannon and Gilbertson for a three-way phone call and they too felt he had been an intended victim and it was pure luck that he survived! He was so shaken that he moved back to his former campus after the incident.