Heather Mae Kelley was last seen on December 10, 2022 and then told her children on the phone that she would be home soon, authorities previously said. She never came back. Investigators are now investigating his disappearance as a homicide. (Image: Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office)
The FBI steps up its efforts to find a missing and presumed dead mother by offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to her body. Investigators previously said they discovered the blood of Heather Mae Kelley, 35, in her burned vehicle.
“The local FBI office in Detroit, along with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office and the Portage Michigan Department of Public Safety, are requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing person,” the FBI wrote on Friday. . “Heather Mae Kelley is a resident of Portage, Michigan and has been missing since December 10, 2022. There is evidence to suggest she may have been the victim of a homicide.”
THE #FBI is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the location of Heather Mae Kelley of Portage, MI. SSRA Ellis joined the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office and Portage DPS for a @ABC case interview. Read here: https://t.co/LG77MipQ55 pic.twitter.com/nWvXG635c7
— FBI Detroit (@FBIDetroit) March 31, 2023
Investigators previously said Kelley was last seen on December 10, 2022 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She told her children over the phone that she would be going home, but she never did, officials said. His vehicle was found burned the next day.
“Kelley told her family she was on her way to pick up an acquaintance in downtown Kalamazoo and was last seen 10/12/2022 at approximately 9:30 PM,” NamUs wrote. “She has not been seen or heard from since and her vehicle was found abandoned in Comstock Township.”
Authorities didn’t initially name anyone of interest in the case, but WOOD noted that Kelley’s boyfriend reportedly left Kalamazoo’s probation program on Dec. 11. He was charged with getting rid of his GPS tether, but he was arrested three days later.
The boyfriend reportedly wrote to his federal judge that he fled because one of Kelley’s brothers had texted him death threats, including pictures of an AR-15. The man says he reported to the police. Cops denied WOOD’s FOIA request, saying an investigation was ongoing. Kelley’s brother denied to the outlet that he threatened the boyfriend.
Authorities accused the boyfriend of lying to them about when he was with Kelley. He reportedly said she dropped him off at the Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program on the afternoon of December 10. Phone records and his GPS tether showed they were at the Park Club, where he worked as a busboy, that night. . Her phone was turned off after that, but followed near there Kelley’s car was found, officials said. The tether was off the night of Dec. 10 and re-ignited the next morning, authorities said.
The FBI is asking anyone with information to call the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office at 269-383-8748 or the Portage Public Safety Department at 269-329-4567.
“You can also contact your local FBI office, the nearest US embassy or consulate, or you can submit advice online at tips.fbi.gov,” they wrote.
The FBI describes Kelley as white, having brown eyes and blonde hair and weighing 125 pounds,
Do you have a tip we should know? [email protected]