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Missing

Michelle Rae Vanek










Missing Person Case September 2021



Missing Person Case September 2021



Missing Person Case September 2021



Missing Person Case September 2021


Vanek, approximately 2005; Vanek in the clothes she wore on the day of her disappearance




Date reported missing : 09/24/2005

Missing location (approx) :
Eagle County, Colorado
Missing classification : Lost/Injured Missing
Gender : Female
Ethnicity :
White


DOB : 02/05/1970 (51)
Age at the time of disappearance: 35 years old
Height / Weight : 5'8, 145 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A blue lightweight ski jacket with white stripes on the sleeves, a black or red shirt, black stretch pants, a blue hat with a white stripe, and blue and white mittens. A photo of Vanek in those clothes is posted with this case summary.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos : Caucasian female. Blonde hair, blue eyes.





Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Vanek was last seen on September 24, 2005, when she and a friend, Eric Sawyer, went to hike on the 14,000-foot Mount of the Holy Cross in Eagle County, Colorado. She was carrying a small Camelback water pack, some energy bars and ski poles.
The pair started out at 6:30 a.m., but they accidentally took a more difficult trail than they had intended and they moved much slower than they had planned.
Vanek lagged behind Sawyer most of the way. By 1:30 p.m., she had run out of water. About 400 yards short of the summit, she stated she couldn't go any further and told Sawyer to continue on without her. He told her to either wait for him, or go towards the East Cross Creek Trail, where they were going to begin their descent.
Sawyer arrived at the summit at 1:42 p.m. and called his wife from there. He stayed only a few minutes before turning back to rejoin Vanek. When he arrived at the boulder field where he'd last seen her, she was gone. She has never been heard from again.
An extensive, week-long search of the mountain turned up no indication of Vanek's whereabouts. She is presumed to have died in a mishap in the wilderness, perhaps a fall. She left behind a husband and four children.


Other information and links : ncy

Eagle County Sheriff's Office
970-328-8500



September 2021 updates and sources

The Casper Star-Tribune
The Denver Channel
The Vail Daily
9 News
A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.
Colorado Bureau of Investigation