KWCH - Kansas News and Weather - Foul Play Suspected in Bel Aire Man's Disappearance

Foul Play Suspected in Bel Aire Man's Disappearance

UPDATED Tuesday Evening

(BEL AIRE, Kan.)

Can $2,000 buy some leads in a months' old mystery? Police hope that's the case, in the disappearance of a Bel Aire man. Both Crime Stoppers and the man's family are putting up $1,000 for information that leads to William Howell.

It's been 8 months since he walked out of his house - and didn't come back.

"Whatever we can do, whatever it would take," said Marc Howell, son of William Howell, "we're more than willing to do it."

The wait has lasted eight months. "And at this point, I just want to know what happened."

The younger Howell hopes the wait doesn't stretch out another eight. "We're still hopeful, I guess," he said. "I don't know what else to say."

In March, the then -81 year old Howell went for a walk - and didn't come home.

The Bel Aire Police Department devoted a lot of energy to search for him.

"We canvassed that entire neighborhood," said Det. Craig Pentecost as he gestured towards Hedgerow Street, south of 48th street. "No one remembers seeing him coming to the door, or asking him for a ride. Or anything."

The last place anyone reported seeing William Howell was next to the Bel Aire Recreation Center. Two employees say they saw him walk out of the Rec Center, and down a walking path. A student at Sonrise Christian School told police he saw him on that same path, going into the Hedgerow neighborhood. What happened after that, police and the Howell Family don't know.

"And if he's alive," said his son Marc, "we absolutely want to get him, you know, back with us, and get him a place to stay, or just make sure he's comfortable."

He continued, "If something else happened, we want to know what it was."

More than half a year passed since anyone heard from the man who loved to walk. Police suspect the elder Howell could be the victim of foul play, because no one has heard from him, and no one has tried to access his bank accounts.

But his son continues to hope his father walks back into his life - as suddenly as he walked out of it.

Police in Bel Aire say they suspect foul play in the case of a man missing since March. 82-year-old William Howell hasn't been seen since March 5th, when he was last spotted near 45th St. N. And Woodlawn.

Investigators say Howell walks with a limp and also needs medication for diabetes. Police say Howell frequently hitch-hiked from Bel Aire to northeast Wichita, where he would catch city buses to downtown Wichita. Bel Aire Police say they suspect Howell may be the victim of foul play, due to the length of time he has been missing.

Howell's family is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for anyone who can provide information about Howell's whereabouts. Anyone who believes they may know where Howell is can call the Bel Aire Police at (316) 744-6000 or CrimeStoppers at (316)267-2111 or toll free at 1-800-222-TIPS.