Disappearance of Paige Renkoski

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Paige Renkoski
Born
Paige Marie Renkoski

(1960-02-02)February 2, 1960
Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
DisappearedMay 24, 1990 (aged 30)
westbound on Interstate 96, near Fowlerville, Michigan
StatusMissing for 33 years, 11 months and 7 days
NationalityAmerican
Height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Parents
  • Carl Renkoski (father)
  • Ardis Renkoski (mother)
RelativesMichele Renkoski-Hollis (sister)

Paige Marie Renkoski (born February 2, 1960)[1] was a substitute schoolteacher from Okemos, Michigan who disappeared on May 24, 1990.[2] She was last seen talking to two men on the shoulder of Interstate 96 near Fowlerville, Michigan. Her disappearance is one of Michigan's longest running cold cases.[3] Her vehicle was reported abandoned on I-96, and though the responding officer discovered her car was still running and both her purse and shoes were in the vehicle, the police did not process this as suspicious, but merely had the vehicle towed.

Disappearance[edit]

At around 11:30 a.m. on May 24, 1990, Paige Renkoski drove her mother to Detroit Metropolitan Airport and then visited a friend in Canton, Michigan. She was seen between 2:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. at a store that has since closed down,[4] west of Interstate 275 in Canton, where she bought a beer that was later found in her car. The store clerk remembered seeing Renkoski because she was wearing "distinctive multi-colored, loose-fitting, flower-patterned pants and a distinctive necklace".[5]

Renkoski was last seen on the shoulder of Interstate 96 near Fowlerville, talking to two African American men who were standing next to a maroon-colored minivan.[6][7] According to witnesses, she had seemed upset and one of the men was seen putting his hand on her shoulder as if to comfort her. Hours later, the 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais she had been driving was found still idling, with her shoes and purse inside.[6][8] Many people claimed to have seen Renkoski driving west on I-96.[9] One was a woman who said she might have seen her at a rest-stop kiosk. Others include two long-haul truck drivers who reported seeing a blonde haired woman matching Renkoski's description and may have passed her when she was driving her vehicle on I-96.[10] Renkoski was last seen wearing a white silk shirt, with a long beaded necklace, and silk patterned slacks.[10]

Investigation[edit]

Investigators found Renkoski's Oldsmobile, but it was not processed as a crime scene because at the time it was considered by the responding officer to be an abandoned vehicle.[4] The car was undamaged and the door was unlocked.[11] The vehicle was later towed. Someone had reported seeing Renkoski near her car at about 3:00 pm, and officers had not responded to the scene until after 6:00 pm. They then had learned that Renkoski was in fact missing and the car was not abandoned.[5] When examining the vehicle, police found several fingerprints and palm prints, but a match has yet to be identified on any law enforcement databases.[4] Renkoski was engaged to be married at the time of her disappearance, but had been reported to have been having problems with her fiancé at the time. He was quickly ruled out as a suspect.[1]

In 2009, detectives told reporters that they had a list of six potential suspects, one of whom had been murdered in Detroit in 1999. They did not release his name, but noted that he did once have a burgundy minivan similar to the one witnesses reported seeing on the day Paige disappeared.[12]

In May 2011, authorities began searching a pond in Handy Township using ground-penetrating radar. A woman reported seeing a pair of cement-covered boots there around the time of Renkoski's disappearance.[13] In November 2011, the FBI, state and local police began a dig operation in Conway Township in search of Renkoski's remains. Cadaver dogs identified the site a week before the dig started. Investigators went to the property after reviewing a 1999 case file, which included a "hand drawn map indicating Renkoski's remains were buried there".[3]

Aftermath[edit]

The police have ruled the case a homicide, even though her body has never been located and no one has been charged in her disappearance or death.[3][14] Michigan Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $2,500 for any information about Renkoski.[15] As of 2019, cold-case investigators of the Livingston County Sheriff's Department continue to work on the case.[16]

On June 27, 1990, workers began erecting billboards featuring Renkoski along Interstate 96; a total of 25 billboard ads were planned.[17][18] In May 2013, authorities announced that they would be erecting billboards featuring Renkoski and two other missing women.[14][19]

On February 2, 2018, a dual memorial service was held for Renkoski and her mother, who died in December 2017.[20][21]

Renkoski's disappearance is discussed in a book about the death of Linda Sobek entitled Death of a Model by true crime author Clifford L. Linedecker.[6]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Good, Meaghan Elizabeth. "The Charley Project: Paige Marie Renkoski". Charleyproject.org. Archived from the original on 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
  2. ^ "The Doe Network: Case File 294DFMI". Doenetwork.org. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
  3. ^ a b c Campbell, Mike (November 18, 2011). "Police Begin Dig Operation In Paige Renkoski Search". CBS Detroit. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Renkoski cold case: 'Someone out there' does know". Daily Press & Argus, livingstondaily.com. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
  5. ^ a b "Paige Renkoski search hits 25 years". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved 2017-04-25.
  6. ^ a b c Linedecker, Clifford (1997). Death of a Model. Macmillan. pp. 140–143. ISBN 0312961634.
  7. ^ George, Maryanne (May 30, 1990). "Missing woman seen talking to man on I-96". Detroit Free Press. p. 3B. Retrieved March 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  8. ^ "25th anniversary of missing Okemos woman approaches". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
  9. ^ "Paige Marie Renkoski". Delayed Justice. 2009-02-03. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
  10. ^ a b "Page Marie Renkoski". Nampn.org. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
  11. ^ "Paige Renkoski : CUE Center for Missing Persons – Serving Missing Persons Nationwide". Ncmissingpersons.org. Archived from the original on 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-04-25.
  12. ^ "The Strange Disappearance of Paige Renkoski". medium.com. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  13. ^ "New Search In The Case Of Paige Renkoski: Missing For Over 20 Years". CBS Detroit. May 31, 2011. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "Billboards to Feature Woman Missing Since 1990". CBS Detroit. May 27, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  15. ^ Cruce, Gillian (2016-05-24). "Paige Renkoski still missing 26 years later". WDIV. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
  16. ^ Fulton, Veronica (2019-05-24). "Paige Renkoski still missing from Michigan nearly 30 years after disappearing". NBC News. NBC Universal. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  17. ^ "Billboards show woman's picture: Family continues search". The Marshall Chronicle. Marshall, Michigan. Associated Press. 28 June 1990. p. 5. Retrieved 10 March 2018 – via NewspaperArchive.com. Free access icon
  18. ^ "Police still tracking leads: Okemos woman still missing". The Marshall Chronicle. Marshall, Michigan. Associated Press. June 18, 1990. p. 5. Retrieved 10 March 2018 – via NewspaperArchive.com. Free access icon
  19. ^ Edwards, Tara (May 24, 2013). "Investigators hope new billboard will help solve local cold cases". WXYZ-TV. Archived from the original on March 12, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  20. ^ Putnam, Judy (December 15, 2017). "Putnam: Dual memorial planned for Ardis Renkoski and daughter Paige, missing since 1990". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  21. ^ Emmerich, Ann (February 1, 2018). "Double memorial will honor Ardis and Paige Renkoski". WILX-TV. Retrieved March 9, 2018.

External links[edit]

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