Missing Man: Peter Achermann--MN--07/24/2009

[Jenn]

http://www.northlandpress.com/CLCalumnusmissing92909.html

CLC Alumnus Missing, Benefit Planned



Peter Achermann of Leader, a Central Lakes College (BraInerd Community College) alumnus, mysteriously disappeared on July 24 about 4 miles north of Staples. He is still missing after exhaustive searching.

Achermann has no dementia nor Alzheimer’s He is a very healthy 82-year-old man who spends his days helping others.

According to Fritz Bertelt, an English instructor at CLC and one of Peter’s former instructors, “Peter provided great contributions to discussions in the class. His life experiences brought immeasurable value to the course. It truly saddened me when I heard that an alumnus from our CLC family had gone missing.”

Dr. Larry Lundblad, CLC president, said “Mr. Achermann’s many friends and acquaintances at Central Lakes College are distressed by his disappearance. A number of our students, faculty, and staff have been involved in the search. As an alum, Mr. Achermann has a special place in the hearts of his instructors and fellow alumni. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”

CLC instructors Dar and Ron Houle of Merrifield have been actively searching for Peter since his disappearance. They are helping coordinate an Oct. 24 benefit at the Bear's Den, Leader, to raise funds to cover continued search costs.

A spaghetti buffet starts at noon. A silent auction along with raffles and games will be available throughout the afternoon. A live auction will be 1-4 p.m.

For information on the Benefit, go to www.helpfindpeter.com

[Kelly]

Project Jason announces the featured missing persons in the October 2009 issue of the CDLJobs.com Online Magazine, which can be viewed at http://www.cdljobs.com/cdljobsonlinemagazine/OCT09.htm  This month's ad is on page 10. The site receives thousands of visitors per day.

Each month, CDLJobs.com publishes a full color ad in their popular online magazine which will feature 5-6 of Project Jason's missing person cases from across the country. The ad has clickable links which take the reader to additional information about the missing person, and a link to their printable poster.  Readers are encouraged to sign up for the AAN program and help with poster distribution. "You can be a Hero" is the theme of the joint venture.

Awareness Angels Network (AAN). AAN, begun by Project Jason in 2008, provides a way for the public to assist the families of missing persons. Missing persons posters designed specifically for the AAN program are disseminated via email to those enrolled in the program. Participants can then upload the posters to websites, print and place the posters in public areas, and forward them to their contacts. The program helps spread the word and increase the chances of finding the person.

In the October issue, the following missing persons were featured:

Peter Achermann, missing from Staples, MN since 7/24/2009
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=6533

Katie Jo Brewer, missing from Bonham, TX since 9/12/2009
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=6902

Emma Carroll, missing from Pembroke, GA since 7/18/2009
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=6477

Patricia Viola, missing from Bogota, NJ, IL since 2/13/2001
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=314

Caleta White, missing from Tukwila, WA since 8/22/2006
http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=334


You can read more about this program at http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=6319.0

[LoriDavis]

http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/event/article/id/20293/group/home/

Benefit planned for still-missing man
Published October 16 2009

Peter Achermann of Leader, a Central Lakes College (Brainerd Community College) alumnus, mysteriously disappeared on July 24 about 4 miles north of Staples. He is still missing after exhaustive searching.

Achermann has no dementia nor Alzheimer’s. He is a very healthy 82-year-old man who spends his days helping others.

“Peter provided great contributions to discussions in the class,” said Fritz Bertelt, an English instructor at CLC and one of Achermann’s former instructors. “His life experiences brought immeasurable value to the course. It truly saddened me when I heard that an alumnus from our CLC family had gone missing.”

Dr. Larry Lundblad, CLC president, said: “Mr. Achermann’s many friends and acquaintances at Central Lakes College are distressed by his disappearance. A number of our students, faculty, and staff have been involved in the search. As an alum, Mr. Achermann has a special place in the hearts of his instructors and fellow alumni. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”

CLC instructors Dar and Ron Houle of Merrifield have been actively searching for Achermann since his disappearance. They are helping coordinate an Oct. 24 benefit at the Bear’s Den, Leader, to raise funds to cover continued search costs.

A spaghetti buffet starts at noon. A silent auction along with raffles and games will be available throughout the afternoon. A live auction will be 1-4 p.m.

For information on the benefit, go to www.helpfindpeter.com

[LoriDavis]

http://ksax.com/article/stories/S1209697.shtml?cat=10230

Staples Community Holds Benefit to Continue Searching for Missing Man
Posted at: 10/23/2009 5:34 PM | KSAX.com
By: Megan Matthews

Motley, Minn. – Saturday marks 90 days since Staples resident Peter Achermann vanished without a trace, and friends and the community are holding a benefit “For Pete’s Sake.”

“It really makes a person realize how much people do care,” Desiree Greenwaldt said.

Desiree is Achermann’s daughter, and she’s doing everything she can to find her dad, who went missing back in July, including helping out with her dad’s benefit.

“We don’t have the means to keep going and going, so this is a way to let people help and fund our search for dad,” Desiree explained.

Friends and family set up table after table of donated items for Saturday’s benefit.  There will be food and a silent auction.  All of the proceeds will help continue the search for Peter Achermann.

“If we don’t keep pushing, if we don’t keep looking it could be a file that gets shut and it’s a cold case.  That’s not good enough for us and that’s not good enough for dad,” Desiree said with tears in her eyes.

The only lead in the search is Achermann’s car, and Desiree is still looking for answers.

“There’s that nagging voice in the back of your head that says maybe someone took him and hurt him.  If that’s the case we still need to bring him home.  We still need to find him and bring him home,” Desiree said, “We still look down the road.  We still look out to see if he’s coming down the road.  We still look out to see if he’s coming across the yard.  We keep waiting for the phone to ring.”

She says the search won’t stop until Peter Achermann is back home.

“We won’t quite.  We won’t quit looking for him.  We won’t quit searching.  We’ll keep praying until he comes home to us, one way or another.” Desiree said.

[LoriDavis]

http://www.pineandlakes.com/stories/122309/news_20091223030.shtml

$10,000 reward offered in Cass County man's disappearance

Wednesday, December 23, 2009
3:03 PM on Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Cass County authorities and the family of a missing Staples man are offering a $10,000 reward in the hopes it may lead to new clues about his disappearance.
Peter Achermann, 82, was last seen in the Staples-Motley area July 24, 2009. His vehicle was located the following day on a minimum maintenance road in Becker Township in Cass County.

Achermann walks with a wooden cane and wears a hat like the one in the photo.

The reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for Achermann's disappearance, if it is determined it happened as the result of foul play.

The reward will remain in effect until March 1, 2010.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cass County Sheriff's Office at (218) 547-1424 or (800) 450-2677.

[Jenn]

Charley Project profile for Peter: http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/a/achermann_peter.html

[Jenn]

http://www.brainerddispatch.com/stories/030510/new_20100305004.shtml

Reward for finding missing man raised to $20,000

By MATT ERICKSON Staff Writer

The offer of a reward for information about the fate of rural Leader resident Peter Achermann has been extended until Sept. 15.

The Cass County Sheriff's Department also reported the reward has doubled in size, to $20,000, in hope that new information will be received that will lead to clues about the 82-year-old man's disappearance.

Achermann has been missing since July 24. He was last seen running errands in Motley and Staples. His station wagon was found on a minimum maintenance road about 10 miles from his home the day after he was reported missing, but extensive ground and air searches have failed to turn up any clues into his disappearance.

The reward is being offered by the sheriff's department and Achermann's family for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Achermann's disappearance, if it is determined his disappearance was the result of foul play.

The original offer of a $10,000 reward was made in December and expired March 1. In that time, no new information had been received on the case, Sheriff's Chief Deputy Tom Burch said.

"We're hopeful someone will say something, we're hopeful for that one little break to get us in the right direction," Burch said. "It's certainly on our minds every day and it's talked about quite frequently."

Achermann's daughter, Desiree Greenwaldt, said the family increased the reward to get answers.

"We can't have a funeral for him, we can't really say goodbye, we can't go through the mourning process, we're just stuck in limbo," Greenwaldt said. "Someone please come forward and tell us where he is, if you saw anything, where to look for him so we can find him, bring him home and move on.

"We don't want to give up on him. He wouldn't give up on us."

Recently, the State Patrol assisted the sheriff's department with an aerial search of the area where Achermann went missing, but nothing turned up, Burch said.

Burch said he hopes people will call the sheriff's department with information, regardless of how unimportant it may appear.

"A lot of times that's what can break things open," Burch said. "We would really like to determine his location and get a resolution to this case."

The increase in the reward size was made possible from the "For Pete's Sake" benefit in Leader in October and through contributions to Achermann's family.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Cass County Sheriff's Department at (218) 547-1424 or (800) 450-2677.

[LoriDavis]

http://www.pineandlakes.com/stories/031010/news_20100310063.shtml
Reward increased, extended in man's disappearance

Wednesday, March 10, 2010
2:47 PM on Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Cass County authorities and the family of a missing Staples man are increasing and extending the reward in the hopes it may lead to new clues about his disappearance.
Peter Achermann, age 82, was last seen in the Staples-Motley area on July 24, 2009. His vehicle was located the following day on a minimum maintenance road in Becker Township in Cass County. He walks with a wooden cane and wears a hat.

The reward of up to $20,000 is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of person(s) responsible for Achermann's disappearance, if it is determined it happened as the result of foul play.

This increase is made possible due to the "For Pete's Sake" benefit and contributions to the Achermann family.

The reward will remain in effect until Sept. 15, 2010. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cass County Sheriff's Office at (218) 547-1424 or (800) 459-2677.

[Jenn]

NamUs Profile for Peter: https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/5129

[porchlight]

Jul 21, 2010 10:14 am US/Central 1 Year Later, Mystery Surrounds Missing Motley Man Reporting
John Lauritsen MOTLEY, Minn. (WCCO) ¯ Click to enlarge1 of 1
Peter Achermann disappeared in July 2009.
Achermann Family

At 82, Peter Achermann wasn't known to venture far. The weekend he disappeared in July 2009 was also the same weekend his granddaughter was set to get married.

He disappeared after a trip to the grocery store. Police found his car on his granddaughter's wedding day, miles away from his home.

"It's been a year of firsts -- the first Christmas without him, the first birthday without him," said Achermann's daughter, Desiree Greenwaldt. "We've kind of run out of places to search."

Volunteers led a search effort last summer. They were soon joined by the National Guard, pushing through miles of thick foliage and swamp to find Achermann. They found nothing.

In the last year, family members and search groups have covered more than 1,000 acres of ground in Cass County. Bloodhounds were even recruited to assist in the search.

"I'll turn to ask him a question or just tell him the news," said his wife, Delaine Achermann. "Where is he?"

There was no sign of foul play, leaving authorities without even so much as a theory as to what may have happened to Achermann. Reward signs in the area offering $20,000 have turned up no leads.

The longer Achermann's disappearance goes without any signs of hope, the more family members are left to contemplate the worst.

"It's a scary thought to think that someone hurt him," said Greenwaldt. "I think it's a very real possibility, a very scary possibility."

Until the family gets closure on the case, there will be no funeral. Until then, his children and more than 20 grandchildren have to wait for an answer.
http://wcco.com/local/missing.man.anniversary.2.1816503.html

[Jenn]

http://www.brainerddispatch.com/stories/091510/new_20100915042.shtml

Reward extended in search for missing man
Peter Achermann's family is not giving up.

September 15, 2010 By MATT ERICKSON Staff Writer

More than a year after the rural Leader man's disappearance, through countless searches and public pleas, Achermann's family is not ready to put to rest their efforts to find out what happened him.

On Tuesday, Achermann's family and Cass County authorities announced the extension of up to a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the those responsible for Achermann's disappearance, if it is determined to be an act of foul play. The reward, established through fundraisers and contributions to the Achermann family, was set to expire Wednesday.

"It would have been better if someone had cashed in and we'd be all done with this, but at least we're able to extend it and hopefully get some answers," said Achermann's daughter, Desiree Greenwaldt.

Achermann, 82, has been missing since July 24, 2009. He was last seen running errands in Motley and Staples. His station wagon was found on a minimum maintenance road about 10 miles from his home in Becker Township in Cass County the day after he was reported missing, but extensive ground and air searches have failed to turn up any clues into his disappearance.

The searches, exhaustive immediately after Achermann disappeared, have dwindled, Greenwaldt said. Cass County Sheriff Randy Fisher said new searches would be based on new tips, which have slowed in the past months.

"The problem is, without someone telling us, giving us clues about what happened that day, we don't know where else to look," said Greenwaldt, whose family has worked with law enforcement and on their own to search for Achermann. "We feel we've exhausted searching where his car was found, we've been over that area so many times and searched it thoroughly. He's just not there."

Achermann's car has so far been the only clue found concerning his disappearance. Greenwaldt said none of her father's clothing; his glasses; his crucifix; his ever-present hat; or his cane, which he always used to walk, have been found - let alone any indication of his whereabouts.

"If they're out there people need to be keeping an eye open looking for these things," Greenwaldt said.

The case remains an open investigation, Fisher said, and with the reward now extended until Sept. 1, 2011, investigators hope new information or new tips will come to light.

"From an investigative perspective, yes, it's been frustrating but it certainly doesn't compare to his family's grief as far as their difficulty and their struggle of not knowing what happened," Fisher said.

Greenwaldt said this past July 24, the anniversary of Achermann's disappearance, was spent privately with family. She said her family doesn't want to plan a funeral because they don't want to give up.

"All we ask is for people to continue to pray for us," Greenwaldt said. "Us humans won't be able to find him. God is the only one who can do that."

Anyone with information regarding Achermann or his disappearance is asked to call the Cass County Sheriff's Department at (218) 547-1424 or at (800) 450-2677.

[Shannon]

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/984620/391/Cass-County-man-still-missing-3-years-after-disappearance

Cass County man still missing 3 years after disappearance

11:09 AM, Jul 26, 2012

WALKER, Minn. - Investigators in Cass County are putting the case of a missing man back in the spotlight on the third anniversary of his disappearance, hoping the public can help determine what happened to him.

Peter Achermann of Staples left his residence on July 24, 2009 to run errands and was last seen on Warner Road by the Crow Wing River bridge between 12:00-1:00 PM.

Achermann's vehicle, a light blue 1995 Chevrolet Caprice Wagon, was located off County Rd. 32 at the end of a minimum maintenance road one day later. Despite extensive searches of the area, no trace of the 82-year-old man was ever found.

Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch says his detectives are working closely with the MN BCA and are committed to solving this case. While several leads have been followed up on, there is nothing substantial to help determine the circumstances surrounding Peter's disappearance.

Achermann was in good health at the time of his disappearance. He is a white male, approximately five feet six inches tall and 170 pounds with gray hair. He walks with a cane and has surgical scars on hip due to multiple hip replacement surgeries.

Anyone with information, tips or leads on Peter Achermann's whereabouts is asked to contact the Cass County Sheriff's Office at (800) 450-2677 or (218) 547-1424 or to call 911. There is a reward of up to $20,000 if Achermann's disappearance is the result of foul play.

[LoriDavis]

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/18248100/new-resources-assigned-in-missing-man-mystery#ixzz25ShrjFKV

New resources renew hope in missing man mystery

Posted: May 09, 2012 10:31 PM EDT Updated: May 10, 2012 1:08 AM EDT
by Scott Wasserman

STAPLES, Minn. (KMSP) - For nearly three years, a mystery has lingered over Staples, Minn. Residents are still wondering what happened to the 82-year-old man who seemed to just disappear, and his family is now hoping the extra resources assigned to the case could provide some answers.

The Cass County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are beefing up their investigation, and the amped-up investigation is rekindling a plea from a the family of Peter Achermann.

"We're still waiting, hoping," Delaine Achermann said.

Though three years have passed, Achermann told FOX 9 News she is still hurting and missing her husband of 57 years.

"He was always so generous and willing to help," she said.

The only piece of evidence investigators have ever found in Peter Achermann's disappearance was his vehicle, which was found on a dirt road near the woods in a secluded area. In the summer of 2009, the National Guard was called out to aid in the search.

His wife says Peter Achermann went out to run an errand on July 24, but "he just never came home."

Two days later, his station wagon was found, but there was still no trace of him -- and his wife said she has no idea why he would have been down that road.

The trail went cold, and investigators say that road simply led them to a dead end after weeks of searching. Officials say it's possible the 82-year-old who walked with a cane may not have driven the car there, and they say it would have been difficult for him to get through the thick forest.

Still, investigators say they don't believe he's in that area now. Foul play is possible, but nothing suggests it so far. When asked if it's possible that he just left, his family said they doubt it.

"He was very dedicated to his family," said Delaine Achermann. "That was his life."

Before he disappeared, Peter Achermann wrote a book about his life and family, about how he came to America from Switzerland, settled down with his wife and raised 10 children. Now, that devoted family is devastated by his disappearance.

"We're hurting," said Delaine Achermann. "We're all hurting. Tell us what happened to dad. Give him back to us."

In his book, Achermann spoke about his eventual death, saying he hoped to have his family with him and his loved ones nearby. That wish certainly cannot be fulfilled until he's found.