Post by LadyBlue on Feb 12, 2013 11:54:39 GMT -5
Website launched to provide details on investigation of missing woman
Relatives of a woman who insist her mysterious disappearance three years ago was the result of foul play have launched a website with never-before-released details about the investigation uncovered by the family's private detectives.
Michelle Romain of Grosse Pointe, the daughter of Joann Matouk Romain, said Monday an investigator charged with finding clues following her mother's disappearance and discovery of her body in Lake St. Clair has made several discoveries that poke holes in the missing persons investigation by Grosse Pointe Woods police.
Police ruled Matouk Romain, who lived in Grosse Pointe Woods, likely committed suicide. She vanished Jan. 12, 2010, and her body was found two months later near the Canadian shore of Lake St. Clair. Police officials said they found foot prints that led from her Lexus in the parking lot of St. Paul Catholic Church to the lake, with no prints returning to the vehicle.
The findings noted on the website 888investigate.org pointed to what the family called discrepancies between its own investigation and the police's.
One example: Police contacted Matouk Roman's family hours after she would have returned from St. Paul, where she regularly attended Mass, telling relatives that they found her SUV illegally parked there. The problem is, Michelle Romain said on the website, the vehicle was registered in her name, not her mother's. How, she asked, would police know to contact the family if they did not know the vehicle belonged to Matouk Romain?
When it became clear that Matouk Romain was missing, her children requested that police use search dogs. The request was denied, which the family argued is an example of shortcomings in the police investigation.
Grosse Pointe Woods police could not immediately be reached for comment Monday. Chief Dan Jensen of the Grosse Pointe Farms Police Department said the department initially assisted a neighboring community's investigation. He said no evidence has been brought forward that would prompt police to reopen the case.
Attorney Jeffrey Lance Abood, who was retained by Michelle Romain several months after her mother's body was discovered, said all of the evidence the family's investigation has uncovered leads him to believe that Matouk Romain's death was a homicide.
"There is nothing consistent with what the signs would be with a suicide," Abood said.
Findings by Abood and private detective William Randall have been forwarded to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, Abood said. A sheriff's spokesman said the department is not investigating the case but has met with family members and agreed to review documents from their investigation.
www.detroitnews.com/article/20130211/METRO01/302110410/1361/Website-launched-to-provide-details-on-investigation-of-missing-woman
Relatives of a woman who insist her mysterious disappearance three years ago was the result of foul play have launched a website with never-before-released details about the investigation uncovered by the family's private detectives.
Michelle Romain of Grosse Pointe, the daughter of Joann Matouk Romain, said Monday an investigator charged with finding clues following her mother's disappearance and discovery of her body in Lake St. Clair has made several discoveries that poke holes in the missing persons investigation by Grosse Pointe Woods police.
Police ruled Matouk Romain, who lived in Grosse Pointe Woods, likely committed suicide. She vanished Jan. 12, 2010, and her body was found two months later near the Canadian shore of Lake St. Clair. Police officials said they found foot prints that led from her Lexus in the parking lot of St. Paul Catholic Church to the lake, with no prints returning to the vehicle.
The findings noted on the website 888investigate.org pointed to what the family called discrepancies between its own investigation and the police's.
One example: Police contacted Matouk Roman's family hours after she would have returned from St. Paul, where she regularly attended Mass, telling relatives that they found her SUV illegally parked there. The problem is, Michelle Romain said on the website, the vehicle was registered in her name, not her mother's. How, she asked, would police know to contact the family if they did not know the vehicle belonged to Matouk Romain?
When it became clear that Matouk Romain was missing, her children requested that police use search dogs. The request was denied, which the family argued is an example of shortcomings in the police investigation.
Grosse Pointe Woods police could not immediately be reached for comment Monday. Chief Dan Jensen of the Grosse Pointe Farms Police Department said the department initially assisted a neighboring community's investigation. He said no evidence has been brought forward that would prompt police to reopen the case.
Attorney Jeffrey Lance Abood, who was retained by Michelle Romain several months after her mother's body was discovered, said all of the evidence the family's investigation has uncovered leads him to believe that Matouk Romain's death was a homicide.
"There is nothing consistent with what the signs would be with a suicide," Abood said.
Findings by Abood and private detective William Randall have been forwarded to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, Abood said. A sheriff's spokesman said the department is not investigating the case but has met with family members and agreed to review documents from their investigation.
www.detroitnews.com/article/20130211/METRO01/302110410/1361/Website-launched-to-provide-details-on-investigation-of-missing-woman