Digest

This podcast delves into the mysterious disappearance of Eric Frank in 2011. The episode begins with a recap of Eric's relationship with his daughter, Emily, and his ex-partner, Kendra, and the suspicious emails received by his family after he went missing. The investigation focuses on new information uncovered by Eric's brother-in-law, Chad, who discovered discrepancies in the statements of John, Kendra's current husband. John claims he never met Eric and didn't know what he looked like, but witnesses contradict this. He also claims he never discussed the case with Kendra, despite being questioned by police. John's statements about Kendra's guns and his belief that she acted in self-defense raise further questions. The episode explores interviews with other family members, including Chris, Kendra's brother, who claims he never met Eric and was kept in the dark about the situation. Emily's interviews reveal her mother's instructions to lie about her interactions with Eric, and her account of finding a dismantled phone in Kendra's purse raises questions about Kendra's potential involvement in Eric's disappearance. The episode examines Cassie's interview, who had a relationship with Kendra's brother, and her account of seeing a dismantled phone in Kendra's purse corroborates Emily's statement. Chad believes this development is significant, as it suggests Kendra may have been using Eric's phone. The episode explores a potential motive for Kendra's involvement in Eric's disappearance, suggesting that Kendra may have acted to protect her daughter from Eric's alleged inappropriate behavior. John and Emily both recount an incident where Eric became enraged and yelled at Emily. The episode revisits the airplane owned by John and Kendra, highlighting inconsistencies in John's statements about the airplane's re-upholstery. Cassie's statement that John was known as "John the Con" adds to the suspicion surrounding him. The episode focuses on John's knowledge of Eric, revealing that John identified Eric in a vehicle with Kendra, contradicting his claim of never having met him. Cassie also believes Kendra's interest in Eric was driven by his potential inheritance. The discussion focuses on Kendra's potential involvement in Eric's disappearance, highlighting her history of reacting impulsively and potentially making mistakes. They also mention Kendra's knowledge of firearms and her potential motive to silence Eric due to his knowledge of her family's criminal activities. The speaker discusses Cassie's testimony, which paints a picture of Kendra's family as a small-time crime family. Cassie's death, which occurred shortly after she planned to reveal information about Eric's case to Kendra's brother, raises suspicions and adds another layer of complexity to the investigation. The speaker expresses frustration with the lack of cooperation from those close to Kendra, particularly her daughter Emily and brother Chris. They believe that these individuals are withholding information and protecting others involved in Eric's disappearance. The speaker analyzes John's written statement about Eric's disappearance, highlighting inconsistencies and contradictions in his account. They believe that John is deliberately withholding information and attempting to maintain plausible deniability. The speaker shares the positive news that Eric's case has been taken on by the Cold Case program at Western Michigan University. They express hope that this will bring fresh eyes and resources to the investigation, potentially leading to a resolution. The speaker explores the possibility that Kendra did not act alone in Eric's disappearance. They analyze the evidence and witness testimonies, suggesting that others may have been involved in covering up the crime. Eric's family remains hopeful that the Cold Case program will provide the necessary resources and attention to solve the case. They urge anyone with information to contact the Michigan State Police. The speaker discusses the impact of Eric's mother's advocacy efforts, particularly her decision to share personal information on a podcast. While they understand her frustration and desire for answers, they also express concern about the potential consequences of sharing sensitive information. The speaker acknowledges the lack of evidence pointing to a third suspect in Eric's disappearance. They believe that Kendra was likely involved, but question whether she could have acted alone.

Outlines

00:00:00

Eric Frank's Disappearance and Suspicious Emails

The episode begins with a recap of Eric Frank's disappearance in 2011. Eric traveled to Michigan to meet his teenage daughter, Emily, and rekindled his relationship with her mother, Kendra. He went missing in March 2011, but emails from him continued to be received by his family. The emails were later determined to be suspicious, and Eric's family reported him missing in 2016.

00:01:59

New Information and John's Discrepancies

The episode focuses on new information uncovered by Eric's brother-in-law, Chad. Chad's frustration with the lack of progress in the case after Eric's car was found led him to conduct further requests for information. He obtained documents and interviews from 2017, including interviews with John, Kendra's husband, and Emily. The episode delves into John's interviews, highlighting discrepancies in his statements. John claims he never met Eric and didn't know what he looked like, but witnesses contradict this. He also claims he never discussed the case with Kendra, despite being questioned by police. John's statements about Kendra's guns and his belief that she acted in self-defense raise further questions.

00:40:51

Family Interviews and the Dismantled Phone

The episode explores interviews with other family members, including Chris, Kendra's brother. Chris claims he never met Eric and was kept in the dark about the situation. John's frustration with being left to carry the burden of the investigation is highlighted. The episode focuses on Emily's interviews, revealing her mother's instructions to lie about her interactions with Eric. Emily's account of finding a dismantled phone in Kendra's purse raises questions about Kendra's potential involvement in Eric's disappearance. The episode examines Cassie's interview, who had a relationship with Kendra's brother. Cassie's account of seeing a dismantled phone in Kendra's purse corroborates Emily's statement. Chad believes this development is significant, as it suggests Kendra may have been using Eric's phone.

00:42:57

Potential Motive and Eric's Inappropriate Behavior

The episode explores a potential motive for Kendra's involvement in Eric's disappearance. Investigators questioned John about Eric's alleged inappropriate behavior towards Emily, suggesting Kendra may have acted to protect her daughter. John and Emily both recount an incident where Eric became enraged and yelled at Emily.

00:49:56

John's Inconsistent Statements and the Airplane

The episode revisits the airplane owned by John and Kendra. John's statements about the airplane's re-upholstery contradict police reports and raise further questions. Cassie's statement that John was known as \"John the Con\" adds to the suspicion surrounding him.

00:54:09

John's Knowledge of Eric and Kendra's Motivation

The episode focuses on John's knowledge of Eric. Cassie reveals that John identified Eric in a vehicle with Kendra, contradicting his claim of never having met him. Cassie also believes Kendra's interest in Eric was driven by his potential inheritance.

01:03:46

Kendra's Potential Involvement and Family History

The discussion focuses on Kendra's potential involvement in Eric's disappearance. The speaker expresses concerns about Kendra's possible actions, highlighting her history of reacting impulsively and potentially making mistakes. They also mention Kendra's knowledge of firearms and her potential motive to silence Eric due to his knowledge of her family's criminal activities.

01:07:46

Cassie's Testimony and Suspicious Death

The speaker discusses Cassie's testimony, which paints a picture of Kendra's family as a small-time crime family. Cassie's death, which occurred shortly after she planned to reveal information about Eric's case to Kendra's brother, raises suspicions and adds another layer of complexity to the investigation.

01:10:49

The Silence Surrounding Eric's Disappearance and John's Inconsistent Statements

The speaker expresses frustration with the lack of cooperation from those close to Kendra, particularly her daughter Emily and brother Chris. They believe that these individuals are withholding information and protecting others involved in Eric's disappearance. The speaker analyzes John's written statement about Eric's disappearance, highlighting inconsistencies and contradictions in his account. They believe that John is deliberately withholding information and attempting to maintain plausible deniability.

01:13:17

Hope for Resolution with the Cold Case Program

The speaker shares the positive news that Eric's case has been taken on by the Cold Case program at Western Michigan University. They express hope that this will bring fresh eyes and resources to the investigation, potentially leading to a resolution.

Keywords

Q&A

• What new information did Chad uncover that led him to believe John may have been involved in Eric's disappearance?

  Chad obtained documents and interviews from 2017, including interviews with John, Kendra's husband, and Emily. He found discrepancies in John's statements, including his claim of never having met Eric and his denial of discussing the case with Kendra. John's statements about Kendra's guns and his belief that she acted in self-defense also raised further questions.

• Why did Kendra ask Emily to lie about her interactions with Eric?

  Chad believes Kendra asked Emily to lie about seeing Eric at the mall to distance Gerald Rutledge, the elderly gentleman Kendra cared for, from the investigation. Eric's car was found in Gerald's garage, further linking him to the case.

• What evidence suggests that Kendra may have been using Eric's phone after his disappearance?

  Emily and Cassie both mentioned finding a dismantled phone in Kendra's purse. This, combined with the fact that Eric's phone never left the area where Kendra lived and that emails were sent from his account after his disappearance, suggests that Kendra may have been using his phone.

• What was the alleged inappropriate behavior that Eric exhibited towards Emily?

  John and Emily both recounted an incident where Eric became enraged and yelled at Emily, calling her materialistic and questioning her loyalty to John. Emily also mentioned that Eric asked if she would consider him to be her father.

• What discrepancies exist in John's statements about the airplane owned by him and Kendra?

  John claims the airplane was re-upholstered long before Eric disappeared, but police reports contradict this. He also claims he can't remember when the re-upholstery occurred, but suddenly remembers it happened before Eric's disappearance when questioned about it. Cassie also stated that John was known as \"John the Con,\" adding to the suspicion surrounding him.

• What evidence suggests that John may have known more about Eric's disappearance than he initially claimed?

  Cassie revealed that John identified Eric in a vehicle with Kendra, contradicting his claim of never having met him. He also admitted to seeing documents related to Eric's car in Kendra's purse, suggesting he may have been aware of her involvement in Eric's disappearance.

• What was Kendra's motivation for wanting to meet Eric?

  Cassie believes Kendra's interest in Eric was driven by his potential inheritance. Kendra repeatedly mentioned Eric's inheritance and believed he was going to receive a large sum of money.

• What is the significance of the country murder ballad that John referenced?

  The song tells the story of two friends who kill an abusive husband. John's reference to the song suggests that he believes Kendra may have acted in self-defense if she was involved in Eric's disappearance. However, the lyrics of the song, which describe the murder as a planned act, raise questions about John's understanding of the situation.

• What evidence suggests that Kendra may have been involved in Eric's disappearance?

  Kendra's history of impulsive reactions, her knowledge of firearms, and her potential motive to silence Eric due to his knowledge of her family's criminal activities raise concerns about her possible involvement.

• Why is Cassie's death considered suspicious?

  Cassie's death occurred shortly after she planned to reveal information about Eric's case to Kendra's brother, and the timing of her death raises suspicions about a possible connection to the case.

• Why is John's written statement considered inconsistent?

  John's statement contradicts his previous statements to police, particularly regarding his knowledge of Eric's appearance. He also appears to be deliberately withholding information and attempting to maintain plausible deniability.

• What are the potential benefits of the Cold Case program taking on Eric's case?

  The Cold Case program brings fresh eyes and resources to the investigation, potentially leading to a re-examination of evidence and new leads, which could help solve the case.

• Why is it unlikely that Kendra acted alone in Eric's disappearance?

  The complexity of the crime, including the disposal of Eric's body and car, suggests that Kendra may have had help from others. The lack of cooperation from those close to her further supports this theory.

• What is the impact of Eric's mother's advocacy efforts?

  While Eric's mother's advocacy is understandable, her decision to share personal information on a podcast raises concerns about the potential consequences of sharing sensitive information.

Show Notes