Ricardo Evangilio Garcia
This by Stacey Langley at The Huron Daily Tribune:
Detectives search for missing men
BAD AXE – Detectives from the Huron County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the possible abduction of two migrant workers last seen in a vehicle driving away from a Bad Axe motel.
By STACY LANGLEY
Published: Monday, August 5, 2002 3:00 AM EDT
According to Detective Richard Koehler, the missing men have been identified as Ricardo Evangilio Garcia, 56, and Jose Fidencio Felix, 31, both of Hidalgo County, Texas. Koehler said he believes the men traveled from Texas to Michigan separately in mid-July.
“One of the men spent the night at the Bad Axe motel [Maples Lanes Motel], and the next day on July 18, the second man arrived at the motel, walked across the motel parking lot, and the two haven’t been seen since,” Koehler said.
Detectives have learned that there was a confrontation between the missing men and the suspects at the motel over what Koehler believes to be illegal activity. Witnesses reported that both Garcia and Felix got into the vehicle with the suspects, two man and a woman. The missing men haven’t been heard from since.
Numerous interviews of witnesses, family and friends have been […] seeking leads as to the whereabouts of the two men. So far, Koehler said, two vehicles believed to be tied to the case have been recovered.
“Those vehicles have been impounded and have been examined by the Michigan State Police Crime Lab out of Bridgeport,” Koehler said. “The description of the third vehicle has only been given to police agencies which have been alerted to be on the lookout.”
Both Koehler and Detective Ron Roberts have been investigating the disappearance of Garcia and Felix since family members reported them missing on July 21 – four days after the incident in the motel parking lot.
Koehler said both Garcia and Felix traveled to the Thumb area to work in the fields with their families. Koehler said family and friends of the missing men said it is uncommon for the men to go without contacting them – especially this long.
Koehler believes the suspects in the case are long gone from the Thumb area, and that they frequent the Texas, Indiana or Chicago areas. Both Roberts and Koehler continue to be in contact with detectives from those areas.
“From what we gather, the suspects have strong ties to the Texas and Indiana areas,” Koehler said.
Anyone with information about suspicious activity involving people from out of the area around July 18 is asked to contact Roberts or Koehler at the Huron County Sheriff’s Office at (989) 269-6500.