A Quiet December Night Turns Tragic

On December 22, 1990, 21-year-old Richard Eugene Dale Hitchcock vanished under mysterious circumstances in Allegan, Michigan. Known affectionately as "Richie" to his family and friends, Richard was last seen at the Riverfront Lounge on Water Street, now known as Mug Shots Coffeehouse. That night, he was escorted out of the bar due to intoxication. Witnesses reported seeing him climb over an eight-foot fence topped with barbed wire near the Kalamazoo River. Despite extensive searches, no trace of Richard was found in the river, leading authorities to suspect foul play. 

Clues Left Behind

A few days after his disappearance, Richard's car was discovered in a nearby parking lot with Christmas presents still inside. His keys were missing, and a distinctive clear epoxy keychain with a scorpion molded inside was never recovered. Richard was known to wear contact lenses, but he didn't have them in at the time he went missing. He also had several distinguishing scars, including on his fingertips, nose, shin, and a skin graft scar on his right hip. 

A Family's Unyielding Search

Richard's family has never stopped searching for answers. His cousin, Kellie Boers, has been a driving force in keeping the case alive. She has organized numerous searches, fundraisers, and awareness campaigns over the years. In 2019, the family held a fundraiser called "Richie's Reward" to increase the reward for information leading to his remains. The goal was to raise $5,000, which would double the existing reward to $10,000. 

The Venus Foundation and Advocacy

Kellie Boers co-founded the Venus Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping families of missing persons. Through events like "Baby It's Cold Outside," the foundation provides cold weather gear to the homeless in exchange for information about missing individuals. This initiative has helped locate nearly two dozen people, although not all wished to be found. Boers emphasizes that any information, no matter how small, can be crucial in solving these cases. ...Read More