(WWJ) What happened to Cassandra Durham?
The Michigan State Police Violent Crimes Unit is reaching out for tips in the mysterious disappearance of a 19-year-old Maryland woman who was last in touch with her family while in Michigan, more than 35 years ago.
According to investigators, Durham and her boyfriend, Eric, left Baltimore, Maryland during the summer of 1987. They were believed to be driving a green 1980 Honda Civic hatchback station wagon. They drove through Ohio on the way, and stopped at Cedar Point.
The Honda allegedly broke down somewhere around Detroit, and the boyfriend bought a new car, an Oldsmobile Cutlass.
According to the FBI, Durham told family that they were in Northern Michigan visiting her boyfriend’s grandparents in August of 1987. She did not say where they were going after that visit, and her family did not hear from her again.
When the boyfriend returned to Maryland, Durham was not with him.
"He apparently had family down in the Detroit area that they visited, and also family up in the Roscommon area that they visited," said MSP Det./Sgt. Brett Nichols, in an interview with WWJ Newsradio 950's Ryan Wrecker.
"I have not been able to track any of that family down to figure out what family they visited so I could talk to them and try to get some ideas," Nichols said. "But we're looking for anything that anybody saw; if they knew Eric and Cassandra.
Along with Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio, Nichols said it's believed the couple traveled through Pennsylvania as well.
"It's unknown right now if they had any friends of associates that they met up with during their travels," Nichols said. "And we're just looking for any information related to that."
Durham is described as a white female, 5'5'' tall and 110 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes. She has two tattoos on her hip/thigh area (unknown which leg). The first tattoo is of her boyfriend’s initials "EB" and the second is the initials of her college sorority (initials unknown).
In his interview with Wrecker, Nichols clarified a statement that was made by the MSP Seventh District on social media that this case has been reopened.
"We received this case in 2019 here in Michigan, and we've been working with the Maryland State Police on this. They're helping us with leads and vice versa," Nichols said. "So, this case has not been reopened, because it was never closed."
In asking for tips, Nichols said even the smallest clue could lead to a long-awaited break in this cold case.
"And at this point, we really rely on the public for things like this, because, you know, like I say...when they see this thing it might spark a memory on them. They might remember seeing something," Nichols said.
Anyone with information about what happened to Durham can calls Det/Sgt. Nichols at 989-422-5103, or send an email to NicholsB2@michigan.gov. Tipsters can also contact FBI ViCAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program) at 800-634-4097 or vicap@fbi.gov.
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