Resources for Missing Persons

According to current statistics, 4,000 people in the United States go missing every day. Sometimes a child suddenly vanishes from the bus stop or the local park or even from their own yard or bedroom. Or a teenager doesn�t return home after a walk to the neighborhood grocery store or a bike ride or a party with friends. Other times, an adult is mysteriously absent from their job or neighbors haven�t seen them for several days, and family and friends haven�t heard from them either.

Missing Person Case Updates with Photos

Ludger R. Belanger









Belanger, date, approximate 1975
Date Missing 11/25/1975
Missing From
Washington, Maine
Missing Classification Endangered Missing
Sex Male
Race
White
Date of Birth 11/05/1950 (71)
Age 25 years old
Height and Weight 5'7 - 5'8, 125 - 165 pounds
Clothing/Jewelry Description A red and black checked or plaid hunting jacket, a blaze-orange hat, green rubber hunting boots, and either jeans, green cotton pants, or navy blue Dickie's pants.
Markings and/or Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Belanger's nicknames are Ludge and Ludgie.
Details of Disappearance Belanger lived in Washington, Maine with his wife of five years at the time of his disappearance. He worked as a heavy equipment mechanic and his wife had a job as a waitress. They had three daughters, one of whom was only four months old.
At 9:00 a.m. on November 25, 1975, his wife and brother dropped him off half a mile from their home on Route 105 so he could go deer hunting. He was carrying a .30-30 rifle. He said he'd be back by noon, but he never returned and an extensive search turned up no sign of him or his rifle. Authorities determined Belanger had shot a deer and dragged it to the roadside, where he was picked up by a passing motorist.
Belanger had a good home life and marriage at the time of his disappearance, and isn't believed to have left of his own accord. His wife thinks he was murdered, possibly over the deer he had shot. Authorities have two suspects in Belanger's disappearance. One of them died in an accident less than a year after Belanger went missing; the other, Danny Collins Jr., is still living in Maine.
Collins supposedly confessed the murder to a friend in 1977. He said he and the first suspect were under the influence of drugs when they picked up Belanger, and ultimately shot him to death in the backseat of the car. Collins's friend reported their conversation to the police. Authorities had examined the car shortly after Belanger's disappearance and noted the interior had been washed and the rear seat was missing. There was a single deer hair stuck to the hood ornament.
Both of Belanger's parents are dead, but all eight of his siblings are alive, as are his wife and children. His wife remarried after his disappearance but remains active in the search for him. His family still hopes for answers in his disappearance and hope his body will be recovered. His remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
Maine State Police
207-624-7143
Other
WGME 13
The Bangor Daily News
Maine State Police
The Doe Network
The Kennebec Journal
NamUs
The Lincoln County News
Facebook Page for Ludger Belanger

Missing Person Photos

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 unknown. 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 to 5 percent 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. A number of organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and images 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.

Resources for Missing Persons

According to current statistics, 4,000 people in the United States go missing every day. Sometimes a child suddenly vanishes from the bus stop or the local park or even from their own yard or bedroom. Or a teenager doesn�t return home after a walk to the neighborhood grocery store or a bike ride or a party with friends. Other times, an adult is mysteriously absent from their job or neighbors haven�t seen them for several days, and family and friends haven�t heard from them either.

Missing Person Case Updates with Photos