Student disappearances remain unsolved
Date 11/21/2002 12:00 AM | Topic: NewsFour college-aged adults have disappeared within the last 30 days within a 170-mile radius encompassing both parts of eastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
Jim Ahles, Luther director of security, sent out an e-mail early Tuesday morning, Nov. 19 informing students about the disappearances occurring in the Midwest. The e-mail entitled, "Be Safe this Holiday Season," was written in response to many Luther students recognizing names of those who have disappeared and to answer concerns over student safety.
"Although we have no reason to believe Luther students are in danger, we want to bring this matter to your attention and ask that you be cautious, particularly as many of you will be traveling throughout the Upper Midwest for the Thanksgiving holiday," said Ahles.
Early Wednesday morning on Oct. 30 Erika Dalquist, 21, was last seen leaving Tropical Nites, a bar in her hometown of Brainerd, Minn. with an unidentified man. Dalquist, an employee at a telemarketing company, had spent the night partying with friends when she decided to cancel her cab and instead leave with the unidentified man, who was described as being a Caucasian with brown hair. The Dalquist family is currently offering a $10,000 reward for any information regarding her whereabouts.
The following night, Oct. 31, student Christopher Jenkins, 21, of the University of Minnesota disappeared after leaving a Halloween party at the Lone Tree Bar and Grill. Jenkins, an Eden Prairie, Minn. native, was last seen wearing his American Indian costume. Ashley Rice, Jenkins' friend, reported him missing the following day, Nov. 1, when she arrived at his apartment to return his keys, wallet and cell phone. Rice, who had been holding Jenkins' possessions due to his Halloween costume having no pockets, notified authorities that he was missing. The Jenkins family is currently offering up to $50,000 for any information regarding his whereabouts.
According to the New York Times, "Jenkins left the bar alone in the early morning of Nov. 1," said Cyndi Barrington, a Minneapolis police spokeswoman. "He may have been thrown out. Although, some said he left on his own and was not allowed back in."
Six days later on Wednesday, Nov. 6 student Michael Noll, 22, of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire disappeared. Noll, a Rochester, Minn. native, had been celebrating his birthday at the Nasty Habits Saloon, a popular college bar in Eau Claire. According to authorities, Noll, intoxicated and confused, was last seen by a neighbor when he mistakenly entered the wrong house on his way home after the bar. His baseball hat was found the following day on his neighbor's lawn.
Authorities dragged the Chippewa River, which lays between the bar and Noll's home, in response to Noll's disappearance. However, the investigation currently has no leads or evidence to build from.
On the early morning of Saturday, Nov. 9, only three days after the disappearance of Noll, student Josh Guimond, 20, of St. Johns University in Collegeville, Minn. also disappeared. Apparently, Guimond, a Maple Lake, Minn. native, had gone to a college party where he had played cards for the majority of the night. Guimond was last seen leaving the party at approximately 12 a.m. and walking across campus to his dormitory.
According to the St. Clouds Times, which contacted students who also attended the college party, it is unclear if alcohol played a role in Guimond's disappearance. Guimond was first notified as being missing by his friends after he missed a Sunday afternoon mock trial team meeting.
In response to Guimond's disappearance, dozens of Minnesota National Guard soldiers and over 250 volunteers have been searching the surrounding area by horseback, helicopter and boat. Authorities have also dragged Stumpf Lake on campus, which is located near the dormitory where the campus party was held.
All four disappearances have commonalities with one another. All the disappearances have taken placed near the I-94 corridor, and all the abducted are in their early twenties and were allegedly drinking.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "In two of the three cases, the amount of alcohol they consumed versus the way they acted was suspect," said Steven Jenkins, father of Christopher Jenkins. "And there was water in every case, close to where the young adults disappeared."
Authorities are currently comparing these four disappearances to the disappearance of student Cindy Song of Penn State University over a year ago. According to authorities Song, then 21, disappeared after her friends dropped her off at her apartment after a Halloween party last year. Currently the investigation has no leads.
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Christina Erb
News editor
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