KALAMAZOO COUNTY, Mich. – Michigan police believe there is evidence of foul play in the case of a missing woman who disappeared nine days ago.
Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller said during a Monday news conference that Heather Kelley, 35, of Portage, has not been seen since about 10 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, in the Comstock Township area, mlive reported.
Kelley’s vehicle was located on Sunday, Dec. 11, about 3 miles from the Comstock Township business where she was last seen on video, according to Fuller. Her car was found near the intersection of Sprinkle Road and East Michigan Avenue, per information contained on a missing person poster.
Fuller confirmed there is evidence with the automobile that makes law enforcement authorities believe foul play is involved, although further details were not provided.
Kelley is the mother of eight children. She called her kids about 10:20 p.m. to tell them she would be home shortly, yet she never arrived.
“We have hope that she is still alive,” Fuller said. “That’s why we still continue to work a missing persons case.”
The Portage Department of Public Safety is also actively engaged in working the case. Both law enforcement agency’s are in contact with the family, according to mlive.
Police have a “person of interest” in custody on an unrelated charge, Fuller said. They believe this individual possesses information that may help authorities find Kelley.
Portage Chief Nicholas Armold said, “We’ve got everybody we have working on this in our Detective Bureau.”
“As a decent human being, I’m hoping we find her healthy and happy and we can return her back to her family,” he said.
Police declined to provide further details regarding the investigation.
The missing person poster says Kelley is about 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with long blonde hair, and has tattoos of a lion and rose on one forearm and a dream catcher on the other.
Law enforcement authorities ask anyone with information to call Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch at 269-488-8911 or 911 if there is an emergency.
