Name: Eric Lee Franks
Age: 38 years old
Last seen: March 21, 2011
Location: Saginaw, MI
Status: Still missing
Disappeared: Season 8, Ep. 9 “The One That Got Away”
Case Information
38 year old Eric Lee Franks was last seen in Saginaw, Michigan on March 21, 2011. He disappeared after checking out of the Miller Motel, and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
Disappearance
Eric Lee Franks checked into the Miller Motel in Saginaw, Michigan in late 2010.
He moved there from Ohio to reconnect with a former girlfriend after finding out that that he had a 15 year old daughter with her. He was there for approximately 5 months when he disappeared.
Eric checked out of the motel on March 21, 2011. His former girlfriend told police that she saw Eric that day removing belongings out of his motel room.
The motel owner says he did not see Eric that day, but stated that he did see the former girlfriend removing items from Eric’s motel room.
Eric was reportedly last seen leaving the motel in his dark bronze 2001 Chevy Malibu sedan with Ohio license plate number EMH-4902, heading north on Dixie Highway.
Eric’s cell phone was used after his disappearance, but never left the Saginaw County area.
2020 Update: Eric’s Car Located in Clare County (Northern Michigan)
Eric’s car, which was last seen in 2011 when he disappeared, was found in northern Michigan in September of 2020.
The tip came in after a woman in California, who was watching a video about Eric’s disappearance on Youtube, ran a Carfax check on his car and discovered that it had gotten an oil change in Clare on August 31.
The police contacted the shop, and contacted of the current owners of the car. The vehicle is currently at the Michigan State Police Lab being processed.
The garage that the car was presumably hidden inside for the past 9 years has a connection to Eric’s former girlfriend, Kendra Firmingham. The garage belonged to Gerald Rutledge, who Kendra was a caretaker for at the time of Eric’s disappearance. Kendra later moved to Florida, and died in 2016.
Gerald Rutledge died in April 2020, and his belongings, including the missing car, were put up for sale. A man in Clare County purchased it, and that individual is who police obtained it from.
Whereabouts
Eric’s family believes Eric is deceased, and the last person known to have seen him alive died in 2016. The details regarding his disappearance remain unclear, and his case remains unsolved.
Appearance
Caucasian male with black hair and brown eyes. He stands 6’0 tall and weighs 175 pounds.
Eric’s left toe is partially amputated, and he wears a full set of dentures. His ears are pierced and he had chin-length hair at the time of his disappearance.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Eric Lee Franks please contact the Michigan State Police at (989) 495-5559 or the Crime Stoppers Anonymous Tip Line at (989) 495-5557.
Resources & Further Information
Find Eric Lee Franks – Facebook
Eric Franks – MibSAR
Eric Lee Franks – NamUS
Eric Lee Franks – The Charley Project
Where is Eric L Franks? – Wixsite
Media & News
Eric Franks: The One That Got Away – UnFound Podcast (3/17)
Witness in Mid-Michigan Missing Person Case Dies – ABC12 (9/16)
Eric Franks: Missing in Michigan – Already Gone Podcast (7/16)
The Missing Voice: When a Loved One Goes Missing – Podcast (5/16)
MissingNMurdered Blog Talk Radio – Podcast (2015)
Hi. I am located in Shelburn Indiana. There is/was a guy that has worked off and on at the gas stations located on highway 41 & state road 48. I’ve seen him and talked to him many many times. Looks just like him and same quiet demeanor. The owner of gas stations is named Josh . He would verify this. Last time I seen him was about a month ago,. He usually worked the nightime / overnight shift. Saw him last about December 2017. The tan/ gold car used to be parked up there also while he worked. It had some body damage to it. Don’t think he is driving it anymore.
Hi Kim . I’m in the U.K. watching the disappeared episode featuring frank which prompted me to look for updates. Has anyone got back to you regarding the information you’ve given on frank ? Seems a viable sighting but I can’t seem to find any follow up on this. Maybe if you see him again you could approach the subject with him or try to find some reliable proof that it is him so put his family’s mind and rest he’s alive & well.
Emma U.K.
I have just googled and can’t find a update
Hi Kim – is this the vehicle you are referencing?
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.185633,-87.3963244,3a,22.1y,77.67h,86.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2Bkd5lXB3EhsM7rCU9E5tg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656