HOLLAND, Mich. – It’s been one month since Fred Byrne, a father, husband, and lawyer from Big Rapids went missing.
His family said since his disappearance on February 12th, their lives have been turned upside down. The family spends most of their efforts creating and distributing flyers containing Byrne’s picture and information.
His brother, Mike Byrne, said he’s logged hundreds of miles going back and forth from Big Rapids to the state line dropping off flyers and looking for clues of his own since he went missing.
Byrne’s mother-in-law, Marie Hamilton, said there is no handbook to describe how to handle a situation they are now in.
“We are a family that has very little drama in our lives,” said Hamilton. “When something like this happens, you are in shock.”
Fred Byrne was last seen leaving his mother’s house in Holland with every intention of going to the Rivertown Crossing Mall in Grandville. Police say he never got there.
His sister-in-law, Terri Smith said there are a lot holes in the story from there, “We know his car ended up in Missouri but we don’t know what happened in between there.”
Two days after his disappearance his car turned up near the Mark Twain National Forrest in Missouri. His wallet and keys were still in the car. The location makes no sense to Smith.
“They enjoyed antiquing, they enjoy football games, but not camping,” she said.
Though the details are puzzling, the family knows they have a job to do. That’s why they created a Facebook page, Find Fred Byrne.
Anyone with information on his disappearance is asked to call Big Rapids Police at (231) 796-4811.
