May 12, 2011

4/16/10: Matt Albrecht, 26, Mankato, MN

Matthew Albrecht
Twenty-six year old Matt Albrecht was last seen by his father, Ron, and two friends at about 2 p.m. on April 16, 2010, as they finished installing a new starter in Matt's Ford Explorer. The SUV had been parked in a driveway on Third Avenue on the north side of Mankato, near the Kato Ballroom. After they got the car running, Matt Albrecht walked off between two garages behind homes in the 1600 block of Third Avenue, near the Chestnut Street intersection. He did not return.

“We got the work done, the car ran and this other guy had a cigarette and Matt had a cigarette,” Ron Albrecht said. “Matt walked off between the two garages there, and that was the last time I seen him.”

After the group failed to find him, Ron Albrecht drove his son's friends home.

Albrecht had a cell phone through a good friend's account, Wayne Stenzel of Mapleton. The last time that phone was used was around 2:30 p.m. Friday. There were also no bank purchases after he left the home.

Police later received a credible report from friends who saw Albrecht in the 200 block of Washington Court in Mankato at about 4 p.m. the same day. That location is in the Washington Park neighborhood, roughly one mile from where Albrecht was last seen by his father. It is not known where he was headed or why he didn't come back.

Albrecht was supposed to take the Explorer to pick up his 5-year-old daughter, Zoey for a planned visitation, but he never showed up.
 
"I thought he was going to take the car and go get her,” [Ron Albrecht] said. “He loves his daughter very dearly and he always looked forward to seeing her.” (Mankato Free Press, 1/21/10).

Albrecht also has a younger daughter, Ashlyn, with another woman, who hadn't seen him either.

Friends say that Albrecht was a happy, fun-loving guy who liked to go out and have fun, grill out with his family, or take his nieces and nephews fishing. He had also been enrolled in computer classes at South Central College recently.

Albrecht lived in Mapleton, MN with his maternal grandmother,  Sandra Danberry, who said her grandson always kept in touch or told her where he was going.
 
"I'm more afraid something has happened to him somewhere," Danberry told the Mankato Free Press in January. "It’s unlike Matt to not contact his friends and his family and, especially his oldest daughter." (Mankato Free Press, 1/21/10).


The Search for Matt Albrecht


Albrecht's distinctive
 dragon tattoo (Mankato Free Press)
The family and police responded to several tips, including that Albrecht was spotted on the Veteran's Memorial Bridge about 2:30 p.m., the day he went missing. Other tips placed him next to the river behind the city’s animal impound building, in Sibley Park, at one of Mankato's Kwik Trip stores, or walking near Joseph’s Liquor on North Fourth Street. None of the leads have panned out.

According to CharleyProject.org, in August 2010, four months after Albrecht's disappearance, a warrant for his arrest was issued on felony drug charges. Albrecht allegedly sold $300 of Oxycontin to an informant in December 2009. A similiar charge was also filed against the mother of one of Albrecht's children two weeks before Albrecht disappeared. Police stated that he would be unlikely to receive significant jail or prison time from the charge, yet his family said they were fearful about his safety.

Recovery

In May 2011, various news agencies reported that a femur bone found in a subdivision of southeast Mankato in early December was positively linked to Matt Albrecht. The confirmation was made through a DNA test conducted by the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

The bone was found by a yellow lab who brought it home to its owner in the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood east of Highway 22 and south of Highway 83. After the bone was found, investigators were able to do a search, but heavy snow fell before they were able to find anything.

The search resumed Friday, May 6. During the search, a pair of tennis shoes were found and were identified by Matthew's family through a photograph as belonging to Matthew Albrecht. A thorough and immediate search of the area then led to the discovery of additional bones, a cell phone, and partial clothing remnants.

In May 2011, one year after Matt's disappearance, Angela Wobschall, Albrecht’s mother, expressed her frustration about not having answers. “There’s been a year of interviews and investigation,” she said. “I don’t know that there will ever be a resolution to it. Nobody is coming forward with anything." She added that while she was trying to focus "more on the memories that we have of Matt, not what happened to him," she remains convinced that because of where her son's body was found, someone knows what happened to him or was involved.  (Mankato Free Press, 5/27/11).

If you have any information about Matt Albrecht, please call the Mankato Police Department, 507-387-8770.

 
Facts of Interest
Last seen: 4/16/10, 200 block of Washington Court in Mankato, MN
Physical Description: 5'9", 200 pounds, blonde hair, green eyes, distinctive tattoo of dragon on right side of neck.
Last wearing: black t-shirt, blue jeans, sneakers.
Investigating Agency: Mankato Police Department, 507-387-8770.
Links: http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x816760820/Friends-remember-Matthew-Albrecht

First published: 2/25/11. Updated: 5/12/11, 06/23/11.

10 comments:

Doc Conjure said...

This case is definitely different from the rest. Since he was facing charges it's possible he's on the lamb and hinding low. It's also possible that friends or relatives may be helping him but then again he may have kept them in the dark.

Lisa said...

BITM,

I truly hope this is the case, and that Matthew Albrecht will walk through his father's door. I can't help but be worried for his safety, given that his disappearance seems so unplanned and he has been gone for so long. But the police have said that he likely won't face major jail time for his arrest, so I am hoping that if he is well, this will prompt him to come home.

Unknown said...

So sad...he was declared dead May 12, 2011. They found his remains.
http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x123360611/Bone-belonged-to-Matthew-Albrecht

Unknown said...

I am so sorry about the news that was released. I hope that this is somewhat some closure for the daughter and family

tennessee111 said...

For gods sake people wake up and smell the coffee! It is the legend of Sleepy Hollow

It starts with Cranswick

The legend of Sleepy Hollow by (Washington) Irving-
Ichabod Crane courts Katrina Van Tassel, but is frightened away by his rival

Actual news report on Cranswick below

1/23/10 Lachlan (Cran)swick vanished in the (sleepy) town of Deep River, 190 kilometres north-west of Canada's capital, Ottawa, five weeks ago.Lachlan Cranswick-expert in (earth) sciences mentioned


4/16/10 Matt Albrecht -Mankato- blue (earth) county- earth-also anagram of heart
Police said they received a credible report from friends who said they saw Albrecht in the 200 block of (Washington) (Court) in Mankato . Belongings and bone found in Sleepy Hollow identified as Matt's

In the legend of Sleep Hollow by Washington Irving, Icabod is courting Katrina. The alleged witness says Albrecht was on Washington Court in ManKATo.

Cranswick- worked at The Chalk River Lab
Albrecht- anagram of - The C R Lab


below are 2 disappearance between the above victims

3/13/10 Greg (Hart)
04/08/10: Rydell Longie, (Man)dan, ND-found in (Heart) River

In the legend of Sleepy Hollow icabod Crane goes to a party at the Vantassel's ball room.

Albrecht of Mapleton walked away from his father and a friend after they finished fixing a vehicle near the Kato Ballroom.

anonymous said...

You really shouldn't compare what happens to people's family members to a damn story! It's really kind of rude and inconsiderate, so YOU wake up and smell the coffee, tennessee111.

Anonymous said...

I am Matt's mom. 3 years, on April 16, my son has been gone. I have never seen a spec of evidence in the case of my son's disappearance. The only thing I have been shown is a photo of my son's tennis shoes in a leaf covered, outdoor area...and that was emailed to me by the Blue Earth County Sheriff's Department. After they "found" the first bone and sent it to the BCA, I was told there would be a DNA match test in about 2 to 4 weeks. After that time passed, I was told they were backed up and we should hear something in a couple more weeks. I offered to call the BCA to see if they could speed up the process but was told that would only upset the BCA and may prolong the procedure even longer. I never heard anything until May of 2012...almost 6 months after submitting the bone for DNA matching. We are no closer to finding the cold blooded killers today than 3 years ago. I feel my son's death has been used to catch other drug users and dealers in our area. I think authorities know who is responsible but are protecting them. Some days I even feel my son may be in protective custody somewhere or held somewhere against his will. Any way I look at this...my son is gone, his girls have no father and killers are walking among us.

Lisa said...

@Angel,

I'm so sorry that you are still waiting for answers. I live in Minnesota, and I often hear how the BCA is very backlogged, due to underfunding, I believe. It enrages me to think that a parent should have to wait any longer than necessary to get the DNA test back, and especially when time is of the essence, as I imagine it would be when it's looking like a homicide. I am sorry that you haven't gotten any answers yet; I do hope you and your family find some soon.

Sincerely,

Lisa, Footprints Web Master

bobby sue ladd said...

Angel i cant say it enough for you and your family but ill always be here if you need to talk.

Unknown said...

The MN river valley DTF is as corrupt as they come. They know what happened, but they get more praise and pats on the back for arresting everyone they possibly can. Mankato is full of rats,they need to change the Maverick mascot to a NYC sewer rat.

Clearly he knew he was in trouble, the fact they let the warrant out 4 months later just shows that the cops were using him to lure in the bigger fish, they are the ones who forced him to set others up, and they got him killed. And you wonder why it’s unsolved?

I lived in mankato from 09-15 and quickly saw how many snitches and meth addicts lived there. That task force is a disgrace. They are to blame for this.