Found Alive IN - Richard Landers, 5, LaGrange, 29 July 1994

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed · Jan 22, 2008

Missing Since: July 29, 1994 from LaGrange, Indiana
Classification: Family Abduction
Date of Birth: October 26, 1988
Age: 5 years old
Height and Weight: 3'6, 40 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes. Richard Wayne's nickname is Gizzard.

Details of Disappearance

Richard Wayne was last seen in LaGrange, Indiana on July 29, 1994. He was abducted by his non-custodial grandparents, Ruth Ann and Richard E. Landers. Photographs and vital statistics for the abductors are unavailable. None of them have ever been heard from again. Richard Wayne's case remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Indiana Missing Children Clearinghouse
800-831-8953
OR
LaGrange County Sheriff Deputy John R. Russell
101 N. High Street
LaGrange, Indiana

46375

Charley Project

NCMEC

Amber34 · Jan 10, 2013

There is a thread for this lad but is closed so I can't post the update there.

LAGRANGE COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - A LaGrange County boy who had been reported missing since he was five years old, was found over 18 years later, alive and well, living in Long Prairie, Minnesota.

According to police, Richard Wayne Landers, Jr. was abducted by his paternal grandparents after they were upset about the pending court proceedings regarding the placement of their grandson.

Police said the grandparents, Richard and Ruth Landers, took Landers, Jr. to an unknown destination on July 29, 1994.

http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/lagrange-co-boy-missing-since-1994-found-in-minnesota

Cubby · Jan 10, 2013

Interesting. Though, I wonder how long LE has known..... Both NCMEC and Charley Project still show Richard as being missing.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58945&highlight=Richard+Wayne+Landers

Links for the NCMEC and Charley Project profiles at above link.

mikkismom · Jan 10, 2013

Just saw this:

Indiana boy abducted in '94 found in Minnesota

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/apexchange/2013/01/10/us--indiana-abductee-found.html

:great: :great: :great: :great:

Happy dance even if it took 18 years!

Redhead72 · Jan 10, 2013

Thanks for posting this. Ran across the article and thread earlier this morning and didn't know what to do with it as the other thread was closed...

It seems (from the original missing person's info.) that LE knew he was taken by his non-custodial paternal grandparents when he went missing - but they couldn't find him for 18 years? Did no-one check the Soc. Sec. number before now? So strange that they knew who had him this whole time, but for 18 years they were able to remain under the radar... I mean the man is 23 years old now. I wonder what his G-parents told him? I hope he can find out whatever information he wants to know about what happened, and hopefully the truth about whatever issues were going on that made the GP's take such a drastic action.

CarmelEyesD · Jan 10, 2013

LAGRANGE, Ind. (WISH) - A boy who has been missing since he was kidnapped from northern Indiana by his grandparents in 1994 has been found living, married and well, in Minnesota, the Indiana State Police said.

twall · Jan 10, 2013

The LaGrange County Sheriff's Department said there will be no charges filed against Lander, Jr.'s grandparents because the statute of limitations has expired in LaGrange County.

http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/lagrange-co-boy-missing-since-1994-found-in-minnesota

Betty P · Jan 10, 2013

From the link above, it appears the step-father just recently gave the boy's SS # to LE to investigate

According to police, in September 2012, Landers, Jr.'s stepfather, Richard Harter, gave them Landers, Jr.'s Social Security card. Police found a man living in Long Prairie, Minnesota using the same Social Security number and date of birth as Landers, Jr. The man even appeared to look similar as to how the missing boy might look in his twenties.

http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/lagrange-co-boy-missing-since-1994-found-in-minnesota

Since they couldn't find the grandparents all these years, maybe they assumed they had taken him out of the country or gave him a new identity & SS#.

What terrible grandparents, how could they do that to the child and the parents?

twall · Jan 10, 2013

I am from the area and don't recall this incident.
I wonder what the federal statute for kidnapping is?
Does anyone know?

twall · Jan 10, 2013

Another report with video

Missing LaGrange Boy Found Alive 19 Years Later

http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/n...range-boy-found-19-years-later-186360111.html

momtective · Jan 10, 2013

mikkismom said:
Just saw this:

Indiana boy abducted in '94 found in Minnesota

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/apexchange/2013/01/10/us--indiana-abductee-found.html

:great: :great: :great: :great:

Happy dance even if it took 18 years!

So happy he's been found...I only pray it doesn't take this long for Gabriel Johnson to be found...it's been 3 years already, but this story gives me hope.

watcher9 · Jan 10, 2013

There's another thread with more info on this in the Crimes - Spotlight on Children section.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195622&highlight=landers

watcher9 · Jan 10, 2013

momtective said:
So happy he's been found...I only pray it doesn't take this long for Gabriel Johnson to be found...it's been 3 years already, but this story gives me hope.

That would be great if Gabriel could be found alive.
In fact, how many other cases like this may be out there?

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed · Jan 10, 2013

LaGrange Co. boy missing since 1994 found in Minnesota

A LaGrange County boy who had been reported missing since he was five years old, was found over 18 years later, alive and well, living in Long Prairie, Minnesota.

[snip]

Police said Richard Wayne Landers, Jr., is now 24-years-old and is married.

"It's just too bad that those many years have gone by, but I'm really happy that he was found and everything's ok," said Russell.

The LaGrange County Sheriff's Department said there will be no charges filed against Lander, Jr.'s grandparents because the statute of limitations has expired in LaGrange County.

More: http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/lagrange-co-boy-missing-since-1994-found-in-minnesota

meganx3xo · Jan 11, 2013

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-1994-living-Minnesota.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

According to this article, he knew his real name but chose to go by an alias.

Why did it take step dad 18 years to provide a SS #?

Why did his grandparents have custody in the first place?

I think we're missing most of the story.
http://m.startribune.com/?id=186372571

Apparently mom and dad were getting a divorce and mom ended up homeless so grandma and grandpa took him?

Canadagurl · Jan 11, 2013

Just saw this on my local news...came straight here to post, but it already was...poor kid must have mourned his parents all these years.

Happy ending I guess!

BetteDavisEyes · Jan 11, 2013

Indiana boy abducted in '94 found in Minnesota

By KEN KUSMER, AP
45 minutes ago

INDIANAPOLIS Authorities have identified a 24-year-old man recently discovered living in Minnesota under an assumed name nearly two decades after his grandparents abducted him from Indiana.

The Todd County Sheriff's Office says Richard Wayne Landers Jr. now lives in the small northern Minnesota town of Long Prairie under the name Michael Jeff Landers.

Indiana State Police announced Thursday that Landers had been found, but didn't give his new name. They said Landers' paternal grandparents took him because they were upset over custody arrangements.

Minnesota officials say the grandparents, Raymond Michael Iddings and Susan Kay Iddings, verified Landers' identity...

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20130111/US.Indiana.Abductee.Found/?cid=hero_media

BetteDavisEyes · Jan 11, 2013

Mods: Please merge if this is posted elsewhere. Thanks.

Frigga · Jan 11, 2013

Thank God they found him! Unless these grandparents were protecting him from real abuse I hope they are punished. How sad, all the way around.

deca · Jan 11, 2013

I'm glad he is found for his mom's sake, but I just don't see this having a happy outcome for the son or the mom.

If she sues the grandparents (for some bizarre reason they might not be able to be charged with kidnapping because of the statute of limitations- which is a law that should be changed IMO) then the son will probably refuse to see her. But if I were her, I would want the grandparents put away for LIFE. So she might have to swallow her anger and try to move on.

From all reports, the paternal grandparents were upset that they weren't seeing him as much as they wanted. Mom had just remarried new husband and real father was out of the picture. That is why they took him.

This is horrible and wonderful at the same time. I hope the grandparents haven't been telling lies about the mom the whole time.

Found Alive IN - Richard Landers, 5, LaGrange, 29 July 1994

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