LANCE THOMAS HARRIS - 18 yo - Kalamazoo MI

An 18-year-old is considered missing and endangered, according to a news release from Kalamazoo investigators. Lance Thomas Harris was last seen around 6 p.m. Sunday near Sprinkle and Bishop in Portage, police said. His family reported him missing the next day. Harris was last seen wearing a red T-shirt, baggy blue jean shorts and riding a red men's 10-speed bike. He often visits Kalamazoo, Portage and Gobles, the release states.

Harris is about 5-foot-9, 135 pounds, has brown hair, blue eyes and a tattoo on the inside of his right forearm. He may have dyed his hair black, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at (269) 337-8994, the Criminal Investigation Division at 337-8139 or Silent Observer at 343-2100.

Body of 17-year-old boy found in Kalamazoo River


Associated Press - September 14, 2010 7:24 PM ET KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) - Kalamazoo police say a body found in the Kalamazoo River has been identified as that of a 17-year-old boy reported missing a week ago.Police say the body found Monday belongs to Lance T. Harris of Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo Gazette says Harris was last seen Sept. 5 riding his bicycle.Public safety officials say they don't suspect foul play.A jogger reported seeing the body near the Mills Street bridge. Authorities pulled the body from the river about a mile downstream.Information from: Kalamazoo Gazette, http://www.mlive.com/kalamazoo

Death of teenager found in Kalamazoo River ruled an accident, police say

Published: Thursday, September 16, 2010, 9:53 AM Updated: Thursday, September 16, 2010, 10:54 AM


KALAMAZOO — The death of a Kalamazoo teenager who was found floating in the Kalamazoo River was ruled an accident by a forensic pathologist, police said Thursday.

An autopsy report on Lance Thomas Harris, 17, however, failed to pinpoint a cause of death and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety detectives are awaiting the results of toxicology tests “to draw a final conclusion” on how Harris died, Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley said.

Police found Harris at about 1:20 p.m. Monday after a jogger spotted the body in the river near Mills Street south of East Michigan Avenue. Public Safety officers recovered the body about a mile from where Harris was initially spotted.

Hadley said investigators found no visible trauma to Harris’ body and are treating his death as an accident.

Harris was last seen Sept. 5 and Public Safety detectives had been investigating his disappearance since he was reported missing Sept. 6.

Police said last week that Harris was last seen at about 6 p.m. Sept. 5 on his red 10-speed bicycle near the intersection of Sprinkle Road and Bishop Avenue in Portage. He was wearing a red T-shirt and baggy blue jean shorts at the time.

Hadley said Thursday that police have not recovered Harris’ bicycle and, at this point, have not determined how he ended up in the river.

Police ask anyone with information about Harris’ disappearance or death to call KDPS at 269-337-8994 or contact Silent Observer at 269-343-2100 or www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com.