12/07/11: Jimmy Slack, 25, Pittsburgh, PA

Jimmy Slack

Jimmy Slack, 25, had gone to a String Cheese Incident concert at Stage AE on the North Shore of Pittsburgh, Pa. on Dec. 6, 2011. He was last seen around 9:30 p.m., then became separated from friend, Paulette, who left with another person when she failed to find him. They finally reached Slack on his cell phone at 1 a.m. and he said, "I am still partying." They last talked to him at  3 a.m. when he said he would probably walk home.

Family members became concerned when he didn’t return or answer calls to his cell phone, and then missed his niece's birthday that weekend. Slack was getting ready to return to his job working on a barge.

His body was recovered from the Allegheny River on Jan. 23, 2012.

09/18/11: Matthew Sloan, 26, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Matthew Sloan

Twenty-six year old Matthew Sloan, a teacher in the Fredericton area of New Brunswick, Canada, was last seen around 12:30 a.m. on September 18, 2011 near City Hall. He had been taking part at the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival and had also been spotted near the iRock bar.

He was reported missing at 8:45 p.m. on September 18.

Sloan's friends started a Facebook page and put up posters around the city in the hopes of bringing in tips that might lead to his whereabouts.

Sloan's body was found the morning of Friday, Sept. 23 in the St. John River in downtown Fredericton, by someone walking across the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge.



About Matthew Sloan
(Source: Excerpt from Obituary)


Born on April 27, 1985 in Fort McMurray, AB, he was the son of Stephen and Janet Sloan.

Matt was a proud graduate of the Kinesiology (Recreation) program at UNB and of the Education program at the University of Maine Presque Isle. He believed strongly in the power of recreation to enrich lives. From his early childhood, Matt played on many sports teams and, in recent years, coached a number of school and community teams. Guided by his studies and his convictions, he worked for several summers with the Fredericton District Soccer Association and as a counsellor at Camp Takajo in Naples, Maine.

Matthew was a respected supply teacher who taught mostly at Nashwaaksis Middle School, Leo Hayes High School and Bliss Carman Middle School. He was also a sports coach and greatly enjoyed music, soccer, volleyball, camping, fishing, coaching and all forms of pop culture.

Matthew is survived by his parents and grandparents, along with his brother, Eric; sister, Lauren and many other members of his family.


Case Details

Name/age: Matthew Stephen Sloan, 26
Date of Birth: 04/27/85
Hometown: Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada
Last seen: 09/17/11, downtown Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, near City Hall
Physical Description: 5’10,” 190 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes
Recovered: 09/23/11, St. John River
Investigating Agency: Detective Rodney Wadden at 506-460-2300.

08/14/10: Owen Rooney, 24, Grand Forks, BC, Canada

Missing - Owen Rooney

Owen Rooney is missing.
Owen Rooney, 24, an electrician from Sydney, Australia, was on a working holiday at the Big White ski resort in Kelowna, British Columbia with his sisters Bree and Kelly. When the season was over, Owen decided to stay in the area for the summer and work at a local restaurant while his sisters headed to Vancouver.

Rooney had been to the Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo, B.C. where, according to RCMP Corporal Dan Moskaluk, he ingested psilocybin mushrooms. "It was noted by his friends that this caused Owen a certain degree of paranoia and that he appeared a little confused," said Moskaluk. "He did seek medical attention at the medical tent during that festival."

While hitchhiking the 248 miles (400 km) back to Kelowna after the festival on August 13, Rooney trespassed on a Christina Lake property, repeatedly insisting that his friends were on the property. The property owner removed Rooney by force, and in the ensuing altercation, Rooney was struck in the face. (Kelowna News, 11/1/10).

It appears to have been the first time that Rooney had ever been in a fight, but the young man was badly beaten and may have become confused.

A short time later, Rooney was picked up in Christina Lake by a police officer who received a call about someone behaving oddly. The officer spotted Rooney wandering along Highway 3 with two black eyes and bleeding from his ears. He offered to take him to the hospital. When Rooney declined, the officer dropped him off at the Grand Forks bus depot, and Rooney purchased a ticket back to Kelowna. Rooney boarded the bus; he got off the bus a short time later and asked someone for directions to the hospital.

He left the bus station and did make it to Grand Forks Boundary Hospital in Grand Forks, B.C., where he was treated and spent the night, but he disappeared the following evening before he was formally discharged from the hospital.

Rooney was last seen around 8 p.m. on Oct. 14, sitting at a picnic table on the west side of the hospital. He left without his backpack which contained clothing and his cell phone. Discrepancies exist about whether Rooney's wallet was in the backpack.

"We don't know what has happened to him," Bree told the Daily Telegraph. "We're just appealing to anyone who has seen Owen or been in contact with him to get in touch with us."


The Search for Owen Rooney

Rooney's passport was left behind in his apartment in Kelowna. His bank accounts, credit cards, and Facebook page have not been accessed since he was last seen, and he has not picked up his paycheck.

Ground searches have yielded no clues.

His family has been handing out missing person leaflets and putting up posters between Grand Forks and Kelowna. They have also started a blog, http://www.find-owen.com/. At least three Facebook sites are also devoted to Owen Rooney's disappearance, and videos have been posted on You Tube, including a re-enactment video by the police.

On Nov. 26, CTV.ca reported that police on Vancouver Island had received four credible sightings of Rooney in the past month:

In three cases, the man was trying to sell homemade dream catchers door-to-door, and was accompanied by other people.

The first sighting happened in Nanaimo on Nov. 5., when a woman reported seeing said Rooney selling the homemade crafts with a man with dreadlocks and a Jamaican accent.

Four days later, Saanich police received a report of a man matching Owen's description.

The next day, a business owner in Parksville told police he sold her a dream catcher at her office.

Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Gary O'Brien said they've assigned a plainclothes unit to investigate, starting with checking cheap hotels and hostels in the area.

"A woman who insists she saw him said he looks in good health, he's polite, looks like he's staying somewhere inside. If he sells one of these crafts he could have money for a day or two, and the hostels are cheap."

Adeline Setterfield said Rooney came into her office in October trying to hawk his wares. She alerted police yesterday after seeing his picture on television.

‘When I saw his face it was like ‘bingo' – and he had an Australian accent," she told ctvbc.ca from her downtown Nanaimo office.

Setterfield said Rooney looked scruffy and needed a haircut, but otherwise seemed okay. She said the man told her he was travelling for "a cultural experience" and trying to save money.

Owen Rooney is 5'9", 160 pounds with very short brown hair. He has an Australian accent.  He also has two tattoos. On his right calf is an "Australian Made" logo with a kangaroo in a triangle. On his shoulder is a circle with a Celtic star around it. Click here to see photos. He was last seen wearing a dark shirt and three-quarter inch shorts.

Given the head injury Rooney suffered, it is possible that he may not know who he is.

If you have any information about Owen Rooney, please call:
Grand Forks RCMP 250-442-8288, Kelly Rooney: 778-686-3534 or Crimestoppers: 1-800-222-8477.


Facts of Interest
Name/age: Owen Rooney, 24
Last seen: 8/14/10, Grand Forks Boundary Hospital, Grand Forks, BC
Physical Description: 5'9", 160, Australian accent. Last seen wearing a dark shirt and shorts. Rooney has two tattoos. On his right calf is an "Australian Made" logo with a kangaroo in a triangle. On his shoulder is a circle with a Celtic star around it.  Click here to see photos of his tattoos.
Investigating Agency: Grand Forks Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 250-442-8288
Links:
http://www.find-owen.com/
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=153559174657446&v=wall
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=144227432275360
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=153559174657446

11/09/09: Tyler Walton, 26, Williams Lake, Canada

Tyler Guy Walton, an outgoing 26-year old “filled to the brim with a vital joy of life” has been missing since November 09, 2009.

On the day he disappeared, he made a deposit at the bank, then was seen at a store before heading to a spiritual gathering around 7 p.m. in Williams Lake, British Columbia. It was the last time he was seen.

His left behind his wallet and ID at home, along with his bicycle, vehicle (bought a few days before), and laptop (which he usually carried with him). He also did not take a jacket, toothbrush, clothes or other personal belongings.

While Tyler does have friends all over and loves to travel, he is not the type to leave without telling anyone where he is going. His disappearance is considered very uncharacteristic. Police have conducted extensive interviews with everyone he knows and have checked his financial/medical/phone and travel records.

A helicopter and numerous ground searches of the forested area around Williams Lake yielded no results, and after all this time and numerous inquiries by investigators, there are still no solid leads to explain why he disappeared or where he could be. A friend told the Vancouver Observer, “he just disappeared, like he got plucked off the face of the earth.”

In 2015, Corp. Jason Pole of the Williams Lake RCMP general investigation section told BC Local News that he does not believe that Walton took his own life or intentionally left Williams Lake. Pole told the paper that while Walton was involved with the drug trade, police don't have any direct evidence to suggest his disappearance is related to a drug dispute. Pole also points out that Walton was known to take spontaneous hikes, "and the possibility is there that he’s gone hiking and succumbed to an injury or something out there.”


About Tyler Walton

Friends say that Tyler is "a bright, articulate young man who loves to learn." He treasures books, loves to discuss things at a deeper level than most, and is always trying to improve his mind. Tyler's friends and family also say that he is an affectionate young man, who is always the first to initiate "amazing hugs" to those he cares about, and always the last to let go. "Tyler believed that people were innately good and caring toward one another, " they said. "He shared generously and called a wide variety of people his friends.”

Tyler’s mom, Chantal Desruisseaux, dad, Ken Walton (who passed away of cancer in 2018) and  Tyler’s girlfriend of six years, Leah, have been desperate to find some answers to the tragedy that has turned their lives upside down.

“Any answer at this time would help us,” Leahtold the Williams Lake Tribune. “It would help in the healing process to have an answer. We’re still hoping he’s out there somewhere. Tyler is such an amazing person, he’s just meant to keep going.”

Anyone with information regarding Tyler should contact police in Williams Lake at 250-392-6211 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477). You can also contact Everett Lightfoot by phone at 250-395-7736, by cell phone at 250-706-1151, or by e-mail at info@elightfootcoltd.ca.



Case Details
Name/age: Tyler Walton, 26
Last seen: Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Physical Description: Caucasian male, 5’10”, 1451-150 pounds, physically fit and with brown hair, brown eyes. Tyler wears his hair at medium length and sometimes has a full beard.
Investigating Agency: Williams Lake RCMP, 250-392-6211.


Sources
Lamb-Yorski, Monica. (December 3, 2015). RCMP look for new information in Walton disappearance. BC Local News. Retrieved June 7, 2019 from https://www.bclocalnews.com/news/rcmp-look-for-new-information-in-walton-disappearance/



Published August 13, 2010.  Last updated June 7, 2019.

11/04/07: John Kahler, 29, Mission, BC, Canada

John Kahler, 29, a resident of Langley, British Columbia, disappeared on Nov. 4, 2007 while attending the King of the Pit 4×4 truck festival on the mud flats of Stave Lake near Mission, B.C. with two friends. The festival drew a crowd of more than 1,000 people.
 
Kahler was last seen around 4 a.m. having a drink around the campfire. His white Ford F150 pick-up truck was then found at 6:30 a.m. by one of his friends who left early. It was stuck in a ditch about 200 meters from the campsite. The engine was still running, the doors were opening, the radio was on, and the wipers were on. There was no sign of John Kahler.

08/02/99: Rashad Burnley, 20, Toronto, ON, Canada

Rashad Lateef Burnley, a twenty year old student at Wooster College in Ohio was with a tour company attending a Caribana music festival in Toronto, Canada. On Sunday, August 2, 1999 Rashad and six of his buddies went to a bar on Polson Street. Friends later told the family that Rashad was shouting and acting strangely. "At one point he began running backwards" and a car bumped into him. Rashad was last seen running from his friends outside the bar on Polson Street.

His body was recovered ten days later in the Toronto Harbor.

08/13/06: Robert Barrington Leigh, 20, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Robert Barrington Leigh, a promising 20-year old math and physics whiz at the University of Toronto, was home for two weeks to visit his parents in Edmonton, Alberta. On Aug. 13, 2006, he waved goodbye to his mother, who was sitting on the couch watching TV, and headed off on his bike to the nearby Edmonton Folk Festival  to meet some friends.

Around 11:30 p.m., he text-messaged his girlfriend, Lucy Zhang, who was studying in Italy, to tell her that he was in Queen Elizabeth Park heading toward the festival in Gallagher Park and would not be able to call her later. According to Lucy, he wished her luck on her mid-term exams and "there was nothing weird about his message."

But he never returned home.

The disappearance led the local newscasts for nine days until his body was found in the North Saskatchewan River across from Gallagher Park, the site of the festival.

09/30/07: Christopher Melancon, 24, La Crosse, WI

Twenty-four year old Christopher B. Melancon, an easy going former Marine and Iraq veteran, died after falling from the Cass Street Bridge and drowning in the Mississippi River. Melancon, a resident of Bloomington, MN, formerly from Milwaukee, WI, was in LaCrosse celebrating Oktoberfest with his friend and roommate, Anthony Triplett, when the pair became separated. La Crosse Police say 24-year-old Christopher B. Melancon fell about 30 feet from the Cass Street Bridge early morning on September 29th. It is still unclear if Melancon fell from the bridge, if he jumped, accidentally fell, or if he was pushed. A witness at a nearby campground who saw Melancon fall into the water jumped a fence to try to get to him, but he disappeared.

Timeline
Christopher B. Melancon walked across the hall from the apartment where he was staying, befriended a fellow inactive Marine and got a football party moved into his new friend's place. Melancon, an aspiring filmmaker who served as a Marine for four years, including a stint as a supply clerk in Iraq, had been excited about meeting up with yet another inactive Marine whom he had befriended in Iraq. That was typical of the 24-year-old Iraq veteran and Bloomington resident, said Anthony Triplett, another inactive Marine who was Melancon's best friend and housemate in Bloomington. He, Triplett and their friends watched the Badgers game and at 6 p.m., headed about six blocks toward downtown bars. According to Triplett, he and Melancon split up and regrouped a few times while bar-hopping. At 11 p.m., Melancon left him to rejoin his friend from Iraq. The two had had some beers, but "when Chris left me, he wasn't drunk," Triplett said. "He wasn't drunk at all." Triplett headed to a friend's apartment and at 12:15 a.m. text-messaged Melancon, instructing him to call if he needed to get into the apartment to sleep or to call the next morning if he was staying elsewhere. He never texted back. According to Chief Ed Kondracki, "There is no evidence of any crime having been committed... Christopher clearly went over the railing," Kondracki says. However, police don't know how or why Melancon found himself at the end of the Cass Street bridge.

Witnesses
According to reports, campers at the Pettibone campgrounds heard a splash, saw someone in the water and called 911. Police officers were dispatched to the scene around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday for a report of "a person in the water under the bridge," in the slough immediately to the west of the main channel that connects to Pettibone Lagoon. When they arrived, officers were told by an eye witness that an individual fell into the water from the bridge. The witness was a 21-year old La Crescent woman who was 100 feet away. "She was in La Crosse with friends, and then she decided to go home and call her parents to pick her up," says La Crosse Police Sgt. Cary Joholski. "She walked over the bridge so they wouldn't have to drive into town, that's when she made her observations," he says. She then tried to rush down to the river to help Melancon, but when she got down to the water it was too late. "She entered the water in a futile attempt to save him, and that's when she said it appeared as if he gave up and disappeared," Kondracki says.

Additional Details
The woman said she could not tell whether Melancon bumped into the railing and flipped over or jumped off the side. The railing runs the length of the bridge and is forty two inches high (3-1/2 feet). The sidewalk is barely wide enough for two people and the structure vibrates with passing traffic. Investigators do not suspect foul play. The Police Chief says there is no way someone could easily stumble over the side. Melancon was the only person on the bridge when he went over. He had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit, .24.The witness says Melancon did try to swim after he fell into the Mississippi but police say his ability to swim with such a high blood alcohol level would be extremely difficult. The bridge sits just three blocks from La Crosse’s downtown bar district.

Recovery
Melancon's body was found about an hour later at 2:23 a.m. after La Crosse Area Dive and Rescue was called in. The body was found in about 8 feet of water in a slough west of the main channel of the river. Medical personnel attempted to resuscitate Melancon, but were unsuccessful.

Autopsy
Melancon's body was taken to Hastings, MN for an autopsy by the La Crosse County Medical Examiner's office. The autopsy indicated Melancon has a preliminary blood-alcohol level of 0.24 percent and that he drowned. There were no other signs of trauma or injury.

Coincidences
According to one report, Melancon drowned just as the city’s famous Oktoberfest celebration was getting under way. Exactly a year ago, Luke Homan drowned just as Oktoberfest was beginning.

Sources
http://www.johnweeks.com/upper_mississippi/pagesA/umissA05.html
http://www.startribune.com/local/11591096.html
http://www.wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=7160157
http://www.wxow.com/News/index.php?ID=13483
http://www.wxow.com/News/index.php?ID=13510

Facts of Interest in this Case
Name/age: Christopher B. Melancon, 24 (originally from Milwaukee, WI, living in Bloomington, MN)
College: attended college in Atlanta for two years then joined the Marines because he could no longer afford school.
Military: Marine, formerly stationed in Iraq as supply clerk
Physical Description: Athletic, former Marine, swimmer since childhood
Last seen: 09/30/2007, 1:20 a.m., downtown LaCrosse, WI then Cass Street Bridge
Recovered: 09/30/2007, 2:23 a.m., Mississippi River
Cause of death: drowning
Blood alcohol content (preliminary): 0.24

11/21/06: Jesse Ross, 20, Chicago, IL

Jesse Ross has been missing since 11/21/06.

In November 2006, Jesse Ross, 20, a sophomore in college, traveled to Chicago with a group of thirteen of his fellow University of Missouri-Kansas City college students and their faculty sponsor. The group was in town to attend a model United Nations convention held at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. The conference drew more than 1,000 college students from around the country.

On Nov. 20, Jesse called his mother, Donna, to say that he was having a blast at the conference and that he would call her the next day when he and the group were headed back home.

The next night, Nov. 21, the last night of the conference, a dance was held at the hotel. Jesse was spotted on a surveillance photo just before 1 am. He was then seen again at about 2:30 a.m. by friend Ralph Parker. He and Parker were taking part in a simulated emergency U.N. meeting with 30 other students when Jesse left the conference room through a side door. A surveillance camera in the hotel lobby caught the unmistakable image of the red-haired Jesse, clad in a white T-shirt, jeans, and a green warm-up jacket, walking toward the main doors. He was carrying a Gatorade bottle. Parker assumed Jesse had either gone to the restroom or headed back to their hotel to sleep. The hotel was at the Four Points Sheraton at 630 N. Rush St., about ten minutes away, but Jesse never arrived. No one has seen him since.

When the meeting concluded at about 5:30 a.m., Parker walked back to the hotel room alone. He turned on the hall light so he wouldn’t disturb his roommate. “There was a big mess on the bed, and he’s so skinny, I figured he was under the mess somewhere,” Parker says of Jesse. But when he woke up at 10 a.m., he realized Jesse had never returned. No reason to panic, he probably just crashed in someone else’s room, Parker thought. “So I just packed up his stuff thinking he should be thanking me,” he says. It wasn't until about 3 p.m., 12 hours after Jesse had last been seen that Parker and the other UMKC students on the trip realized there was a real emergency.

Jesse Ross is still missing.


About Jesse

Jesse Ross is described as intelligent and funny--a very likable young man not known for ever being depressed or negative. While friends say he had the occasional drink, he never became belligerent or disorderly if drinking. Jesse also has a very bright future mapped out and was on the path to achieving his goals. To anyone who knows him, there is nothing to lead them to believe that Jesse could have walked away from his life or that he would have committed suicide.

Jesse was majoring in communication studies/broadcasting with a minor in political science. He had received a scholarship to attend the University of Missouri Kansas City because of his high ACT score in high school. While at school, he had gotten a promotion from unpaid intern to paid morning on-air personality at Kansas City radio station 95.7 FM - "The Vibe"--- dream job for a sophomore communication studies/broadcasting major. He was now a popular radio personality on the "Shorty and the Boyz" morning show. Coworkers decided he needed an on-air name, so they named him "Opie Cunningham," after Ron Howard's TV characters, Opie Taylor and Richie Cunningham, said Don.

He was also looking forward to finishing up his new room in his parents' home, and he was pledging the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.



No clues in disappearance

Since Jesse Ross was reported missing, police divers and cadaver dogs have searched along the Chicago River near the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. Police have also searched the area around both hotels---the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, where Jesse was last seen, and the Four Points Sheraton, where he was staying. They have not turned up any leads. Chicago police have found no evidence that he was a victim of foul play. There has been no activity on Jesse's credit cards or his cell phone, neither of which have been found. GPS tracking could not be used on Jesse's cell phone because it is either turned off or the battery is dead.

On a Web site dedicated to her son, Donna Ross has expressed her frustration. "When you lose someone you love when they pass on, you grieve and then you move on with your life," Donna said. "We are nowhere. We are still stuck in that revolving door. We know nothing more than we knew that first day."

Anyone with information about Jesse Ross’ disappearance should call Chicago police at (312) 744-8266.


Facts of Interest
Name/age: Jesse Ross, 20 (from Belton, MO)
http://www.findjesseross.com/
College: University of Missouri at Kansas City
Last seen: 11/21/06, 2:30 am, Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers (301 E. North Water St).
Notes: Jesse was staying at the Four Points Sheraton (630 N. Rush Street), 10 minutes away.
Physical Description: 5'10," 140# and has red hair and freckles. He was last seen wearing a green warm-up jacket and blue jeans.
Investigating Agency: Chicago Police, (312) 744-8266.

Published: 11/21/06. Updated: 6/17/11.

09/30/06: Luke Homan, 21, La Crosse, WI

On September 30, 2006, University of La Crosse junior Luke Homan celebrated with friends at the annual Oktoberfest celebration in downtown LaCrosse. He was last seen at approximately 2:15 am at The Vibe bar at 322 Jay Street early Saturday morning. His roommates called police Saturday after he failed to show up for a scheduled golf outing. Loved ones spent a horrific weekend searching for Luke. On Monday, it was discovered that he had drowned.

Luke Found

On Monday, October 2, his body was found in 10 feet of water near a levee in the Mississippi River close to the south end of Riverside Park. The autopsy report, completed by Dr. Lindsey Thomas, indicates there were no signs of trauma, no signs of a struggle, no signs of foul play. Homan's blood alcohol content was .32; authorities believe he drowned accidentally.

About Luke Homan

Homan's high school basketball team at Brookfield Central went to state two of the three years he played varsity ball, and Homan set a school record for three-point shots, with 165, and made 16 free throws in one game. In college at UW-Milwaukee, Homan joined the basketball team as a walk on. He played in nine games during the 2004-'05 season when the Panthers advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 before transferring to LaCrosse. At La Crosse, he played in all 28 games for the La Crosse Eagles this past season and helped deliver the school's first 20-victory season in more than two decades.

Aftermath

On 9/22/07, The LaCrosse Tribune reported:

Austin Scott, 19, of Palatine, Ill., is the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse sophomore accused of lying about events leading up to the disappearance and drowning death of fellow UW-L basketball teammate Lucas Homan last fall.

He will spend 48 hours in the La Crosse County Jail after pleading no contest Friday to two misdemeanor counts of obstructing officers.

La Crosse County Circuit Judge Elliott Levine also gave Scott a year on probation after he leaves jail at 6 p.m. Sunday.

"Whether or not he had anything to do with Luke's death, we don't know, and we might not ever know," La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke said in court Friday. "But he still obstructed the investigation into that death and threw a cloud over it that will remain probably forever."

Homan's body was recovered from the Mississippi River off the Riverside Park levee Oct. 2, 2006. An autopsy showed cold water drowning, with acute alcohol intoxication as a major contributing factor.

A group of Homan's friends said they last saw the 21-year-old from Brookfield, Wis., with Scott at The Vibe, 332 Jay St., about 9 or 10 p.m. Sept. 29, 2006. But Scott told UW-L police he saw an intoxicated Homan leave The Vibe alone about 12:30 a.m. Sept. 30, according to the criminal complaint.

Scott was cited at 9:58 p.m. Sept. 29 for underage drinking near the Radisson hotel, the complaint reported. A blood test at Franciscan Skemp Medical Center registered a 0.33 percent, Gruenke said.

"The number of lies he was telling, all of them seem to be going the same direction -- he doesn't want police to know he was in Riverside Park," Gruenke said. "... We don't know why he lied and that's the mystery here. "Scott told authorities he doesn't know how he got to the Radisson or the hospital, but remembered heading from the hospital back to UW-L's Sanford Hall dorm. He later said he recalled "sitting at The Vibe, I ... would never leave him in the water" but could not elaborate, according to the complaint.

Scott said it was possible he and Homan were in Riverside Park together that night and Homan fell in the river -- his best guess was Homan tripped -- but he could not remember, according to the complaint.

He said he gave investigators a false story of three men arguing with Homan at the Vibe on Sept. 29 because he didn't know what happened, according to the complaint. That led police on a "wild goose chase" for men who didn't exist, Gruenke said.Defense attorney Mark McCabe said Scott admits lying about his birthdate, address and walking home from the bar, but objected to all other facts in the complaint. He stressed Scott has no memory of that night.

"This community is frustrated by eight separate river deaths that have occurred, there's no question about that," McCabe said. "My client is not to blame for all of those prior deaths. My client is not to blame for Luke Homan's death."

Scott apologized to "everyone" Friday and said it was wrong to lie about that night. "My heart goes to out to Luke's parents," he said. "I wish I knew what happened. The Homans would be the first people I would tell."

Patti Homan said she "truly, truly believes Austin knows what happened that night," but asked Levine to spare him from jail."I want for Austin to have a happy, productive life," she said. "The only way he's going to be able to do that is if he actually tells what he knows --even if it's the worst, even if he pushed Luke into the water, even if it's that, I'd wrap my arms around him right now and tell him we'll get through this."

Since Homan's death, city leaders have enacted a public intoxication ordinance and spent about $60,000 on fencing in Riverside Park. A consortium of local medical centers is studying ways to reduce alcohol-related injuries. Three colleges have also launched a safe drinking campaign.

Facts of Interest in this Case
Name/age: Lucas Homan, 21
College: University of Wisconsin, La Crosse (transfer from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
Major: Finance
Physical description: 6'3," athletic build (basketball player)
Last seen: 09/20/06, early a.m., The Vibe bar at 322 Jay Street
Recovered: 10/02/06, Mississippi River levee near Riverside Park
Cause of death: drowning
Injuries: no signs of foul play or trauma
Blood Alcohol Content: .32

07/26/06: Max Walker, 26, Milwaukee, WI

Max Walker

Max Walker, 26, a former Army Reservist from Davenport, Ia had adjusted well to his return from military duty. After driving a truck in convoy duty in Iraq from 2004 to December 2005, he got back together with his girlfriend and was excited about his new job as an intern for Northwestern Mutual Life. He had been hired by the Milwaukee-based insurance and finance company in December 2005.

On July 26, 2006, the Saint Ambrose University honor student and a colleague were in Milwaukee for the company's annual financial representatives meeting, a convention that draws 9,000 people from around the nation. The educational and business-oriented conference was held at the Midwest Airlines Center and the Bradley Center civic arena. 

A colleague, named Dan, last saw Max about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday outside the Buckhead Saloon, 1040 N. Old World 3rd Street. The saloon is located in a popular downtown Milwaukee night spot and tourist area known as the RiverWalk. A security video camera shows that Max left the bar by himself. Employees at the salon told police that Max appeared to be very intoxicated when he left.

The colleague called the police about noon on Wednesday to report that Max never returned to his hotel room the night before and wasn't answering his cell phone, which was out of character for him.

Max Walker's body was found in the Milwaukee River on Thursday, July 27, about one block from the bar where he was last seen. The Milwaukee River runs behind the bar. 

12/05/05: Matthew Soumakis, 31, Chicago, IL

Thirty-one year old Matthew Soumakis, a mutual fund accountant from East LongMeadow, MA was in Chicago in order to attend a business conference on Monday, December 5th. He called his mother that morning and a short time later was seen on security cameras walking out of the hotel. He never made it to the conference and missed his return flight home. His body was found fifteen days later in the Chicago River.

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Details
Matthew Soumakis, a mutual fund accountant for SS&C Technology of Windsor arrived in Chicago on Friday, December 2 for a business conference (National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Meeting). On Sunday, December 4, he called his wife to say he would be going out to dinner with his cousin who drove up from Indianapolis, IN to meet him. On Monday, December 5 at around 6:30 a.m., he called his mother. Just a short time later, at approximately 7:49 a.m., security cameras at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers at 301 E. North Water St., where he was staying observed Soumakis walking out of the hotel towards Illinois Street. He failed to show up at a meeting that day, and after his coworkers called his home, his family filed a police report. He was supposed to fly home on Tuesday, December 6th, but he never made it home. When investigators searched Matthew's hotel room, it was undisturbed. They found his laptop, luggage and other personal belongings. His credit cards had not been used.

Possible Sighting
A bartender at Lizzie McNeil's bar, across the street from the Sheraton and just off the bank of the Chicago River, believes to have seen Soumakis was drinking in the bar for five hours later that night. Soumakis was reportedly talking business and having a couple of drinks with a professionally-dressed older gentleman with gray hair and beard and wearing a dark coat. They both left the bar at closing time, around 1:30 a.m. The man believed to have been Soumakis was seen walking back in the direction of the Sheraton hotel.

The Search and Recovery of Matthew
Early on police feared he may have fallen into the Chicago River. The area near the Sheraton Hotel was searched by the police marine unit and its scuba team without results. Sonar equipment was also used in the search of the river. The river water temperature was about 39 degrees, according to police.

On December 20, 2005, Soumakis' body was pulled from the river near Halstad and Division Streets two weeks later after Department of Streets and Sanitation employees working near the river spotted the body and called police. The body was taken to the Cook County medical examiner's office, where it was positively identified through a body and clothing description and other identifiers. Soumakis' body was found several blocks from the hotel where he had been staying. An autopsy performed the following day determined Soumakis drowned, but the manner of death was undetermined pending a police investigation, according to a Cook County medical examiner's office spokesman.

Clues
In to a Chicago Tribune article, Matthew's cousin said his cousin’s clean-shaven face suggests that he died in the morning, as all of the men in the family have heavy beards and develop a shadow of stubble early in the day. Matthew was also still wearing an identification tag from the conference he was supposed to have attended.

A family man
Soumakis, a Springfield native, lived in East Longmeadow with his wife, Kelly, and 6-year-old stepdaughter. His wife was four months pregnant with their first child. "I can't tell you how uncharacteristic this is of him,” said Kelly Soumakis, his wife of eight months. “Matt’s such a reliable person -- a great friend; a great husband." Matthew was also described as being "in touch"--never hesitating to pick up his cell phone and check in with his wife.

Facts of Interest
Name/Age: Matthew Soumakis, 31 (from East Longmeadow, MA)
College: University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduate
Physical description: 6'1," 220#, black hair, brown eyes
Last seen: 12/5/05, 7:49 a.m., exiting Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers at 301 E. North Water St. May have been seen later that night at Lizzie McNeill's bar across the street at 400 N. McClurg Court.
Recovered: 12/20/05, 9:39 a.m., Chicago River, near Halsted and Division Streets near Goose Island
Cause of death: drowning
Manner of death: undetermined
Injuries: no information
Water temperature: 39 degrees
Blood Alcohol Content: no information

04/29/05: Frank DiMattia, Troy, NY

Frank DiMattia Jr.

On April 29, 2005, Frank DiMattia Jr., 21, went with friends to see a concert featuring the band Phix (billed as "celebrating the music of Phish") and opening act Rezi at Revolution Hall at 425 River Street in Troy, N.Y. The Johnstown resident left the concert because he was reportedly not feeling well. He was last spotted at the Troy waterfront, near the Green Island Bridge.

One friend, Chris Bailey, who posted comments about Frank's disappearance online under the handle "Rovo," wrote that instead of watching the show, he looked for Frank for over two hours after he disappeared. He had been told that Frank was very intoxicated and sitting by a picnic table at the waterfront near the Green Island Bridge, but when he went to find him, Frank was nowhere to be found.

"After searching for a while," wrote Rovo, "I saw a cop car with lights on talking to someone and put someone in the car and I figured they were taking my friend Frank to the drunk tank to sober up. But the cops never took him and we have been searching for him for the past two weeks. I guess people who saw him that that night said he was really upset."

Friends also told police that Frank was distraught at the time he was last seen.

Frank's fully clothed body was discovered two weeks later in the Hudson River by the dock master at the Troy Town Dock and Marina at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 13, 2005. The river runs next to the venue where the concert was held. The Schenectady Daily Gazette reported that the body was under the dock floating two to three feet off the sea wall.

Frank's father, Frank DiMattia, Sr., told the paper, "From what I understand, he went outside and he wasn't feeling that well. And when they came back to look for him, he was gone. They don't know if he jumped in the river, if he's been wandering the streets -- nobody knows what happened to him."

The cause of death was asphyxiation due to drowning. Police initially believed it was suicide because Frank reportedly had past issues with substance abuse, but friends say he was recovering and doing well and was looking forward to the future.

According to reports, police were going to review video surveillance footage to see if the young man was on any of the tapes.




About Frank DiMattia

According to friends, Frank "always told someone where he was going" and he "always brought pictures of his lil brother and sister if he was gonna go traveling."
"He was one of the kindest and friendliest people I've ever met," one friend said. "Oh, Frank was far from perfect but he was a kind person and he would do anything for friends and that is why this is so tragic. There is not enough people like him in the world anymore. If you find someone like that hold onto them cause they are a dieing [sic] breed."


Case Details
Name/age: Frank DiMattia, 21
Residence: Johnstown, NY
Parents: Tiena DiMattia of Broadalbin and Frank DiMattia Sr.
Description: Tattoos on right arm and forearm.
Investigating Agency: Troy Police Department at 518-270-4421



Sources
Capital News 9 web staff (2005, May 3). Troy man reported missing. Capital News 9. Accessed September 13, 2012 from: http://capitalregion.ynn.com/content/top_stories/79172/troy-man-reported-missing/

Bailey, Chris. (2005, May 14). Losing a Friend. [Msg 549016]. Message posted to:

http://www.homeofpoi.com/ubbthreads/linkto/-Losing-a-friend-/549016



Published: 09/14/09. Revised 9/13/12.

09/28/97: Charles Blatz, 28, La Crosse, WI

Charles Blatz, a 28-year old military veteran from Kiel, WI, had come to La Crosse, WI for the annual OktoberFest celebration (very hip with the La Crosse college crowd). Friends last saw Blatz alive around midnight at Sneakers, a popular downtown bar in the Pearl and Third area known for its drink specials. Blatz's body was found five days later in the Mississippi River.

Recovery
On October 3, 1997, Blatz's badly mutilated body was pulled from the main channel of the Mississippi River after a fisherman reported seeing a body floating face down not far from the Seventh Street landing. He was missing one sock and one of his black sneakers, his skull was fractured and he was missing an arm. An autopsy was performed by the Milwaukee County medical examiner. According to the medical examiner's report, since there was no tissue hemorrhaging to suggest trama while he was alive, the injuries most likely occurred after Blatz was dead. Police believe his body was struck by a barge.

Facts of Interest in this Case
Name/age: Charles Blatz, 28 (from Kiel, WI)
College: University of Wisconsin-Platteville (mechanical engineering)
Physical description: 5'10", 130#, physically fit, strong swimmer
Last seen: 9/29/97, 12:00 am, Sneakers Bar (223 Pearl Street) heading toward Happenings, (215 S. Third St).
Recovered: 10/03/97, main channel of Mississippi River near 7th street boat landing (near Municipal Boat Harbor south of Houska Park)
Cause of death ruling: drowning
Manner of death ruling: accident
Injuries: post-mortem injuries (fractured skull, missing arm)
Blood Alcohol Content: 0.20
Reported water temp: 66 degrees