Dad leaves to get something from car only to be found dead 1 week later

Robert Loren Bacon, Michigan dad’s mystery death after saying he was going to the car to retrieve an item only to never return during resort trip to Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth. Missing man found dead in nearby river a week later. 

A 52-year-old father who went missing during a family holiday in Michigan (after saying he was going to go to the car and retrieve an item) has been found dead a week later.

On December 27, Robert Loren Bacon of Byron, MI, disappeared from where he and his family were staying at the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth after telling family members he was going to the car.

After failing to return, it wasn’t until a further three days later that the missing parent was reported missing on December 30 according to the missing man’s ex wife, Melissa McLenna who had gone to the resort to be with their two daughters and his mother. 

No video exists showing the dad leaving resort

According to McLenna, Bacon arrived at the hotel on December 27 around 6:40pm, and ‘went to the hotel room to change out of his shoes and slides’.

The dad was going to meet one of his daughters – aged 13 and 15 – down by the pool area, however, Bacon had reportedly told one of his children he needed to ‘move his car’ first ‘because he was on the further entrance from where their room was’.

McLenna also told Centre Daily Times Bacon said he was ‘going to his car to get something’ too. Except Bacon never returned, with the man last seen around 7.20 pm.

McLenna continued: ‘From there, they have video showing him going to the fun center after leaving the hotel room, never coming back to his car. They don’t have any video showing he exited the building. However, there are exits without cameras.’

Bacon’s car remained parked in the lot of the Inn on January 1, with police saying nothing appeared out of place when they searched the vehicle, MLive reported.

Bacon’s phone had been turned off since December 27 with police saying the missing man had his keys, wallet and phone on him.

What went wrong? 

Had he met foul play? Gone to meet someone that he did not want to bring attention to? Or simply gotten lost and somehow ended up ‘dead’? Had dad gone on an impromptu yet another bender only to get carried away? (is that why the family had waited 3 days before finally calling police?).

A break in the case came over the weekend, when search crews discovered the missing man’s body at a nearby river. 

On January 4, the Frankenmuth Police Department in a Facebook release stated divers discovering Bacon’s body during a search of the Cass River near Heritage Park. 

Read a police statement in part: ‘The preliminary cause of death appears to be drowning, but a final determination will be made by the Saginaw County Medical Examiner’s Office. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Bacon’s death is ongoing.’

Posted McLenna to Facebook: ‘I have no words to describe how we feel we are so sad I just want to say thank you to everyone that helped look for Robert thank you to all that prayed for us and that are continuing to pray for us.’