IL IL - Michael Womack, 25, Alton, 31 March 2008

ALTON - It was two years ago Wednesday that an Alton man disappeared, with his family still holding on to hope he might return - but suffering as they miss him and wonder what happened.

"It has not been good; there has been a lot of worrying and wondering," said Apryll Pitman, 29, of Alton, sister of Michael A. Womack.

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Womack would have turned 31 this Saturday, when the family plans an observance and barbecue.

"It has been a long five years; everyone is still wondering what's going on," said Pittman, 32. "It is shocking no one has come forward. People are acting like nothing ever happened. We have no closure."

Womack never returned home and did not call his family - including his mother, with whom he was close. He also failed to show up for traffic court in Edwardsville the following day, or go to work two days later at the Wood River Walmart store.

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Alton police say it might be awhile before they can identify the person whose body was found in the 2700 block of Powhattan Street on Tuesday afternoon. Alton Police Chief of Detectives Scott Golike said in a news release that the body appears to "have been there for quite some time."

Police are working with the Illinois State Police, the St. Louis County medical examiner's office and the Madison County coroner to identify the remains.

Police wouldn't comment on the possibility that the body is that of Michael Anthony Womack, an Alton man missing since March 31, 2008. Some of Womack's relatives came to the scene Tuesday and were talking with officers about him.

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"It may take a couple months yet,” said Pfc. Emily Hejna, public information officer at the Alton Police Department. “We are waiting on the lab results.”

While police are not saying the body definitely is not that of either of three men missing from the region, Hejna said the investigation appears to be going away from those individuals.

“The leads we are investigating is leading us away from our local cases, but there is no positive identification and it probably will be months before do have an identification,” she said.

The missing men are Michael A. Womack of Alton, who was 25 when last seen in the city on March 31, 2008; Jared Hanna, who was 28 when last seen at his Jerseyville home on July 2, 2011; and Joseph Ryan Wilson of Royal Lakes, who was 24 when he disappeared April 22, 2012.

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ALTON — A family is marking Tuesday with sadness and memories of a loved one who has been missing seven years — while still wanting answers as to what happened to him.
“We are still praying for information, for someone to come forward,” said Apryll Pittman, 34, of Alton, sister of Michael A. Womack, who disappeared March 31, 2008.
“I feel one day it is going to trigger that person’s mind, or that person’s heart to come forward,” she said.
Pittman said she does not want people to forget about her brother, who was 25 and living in the 2900 block of Watalee Street when he disappeared. It remains an open case, confirmed Pfc. Emily Hejna, public information officer at the Alton Police Department.

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With recent discovery of the remains of three once-missing area residents, the family of a man who disappeared eight years ago Thursday continues hoping their painful mystery ends soon.

“This has been eight long years since the last time we’ve had contact with Mike,” said Apryll Pittman, 35, of Alton, sister of Michael A. Womack. “Normalcy for us was taken away at that point. Our lives are far from normal, and they will never be the same. Eight years is a long time. Mike has missed his children growing up, births, graduations, school events, birthdays, family reunions, holidays, deaths, etcetera.”

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In the 10 years since Michael A. Womack disappeared, he has missed countless family gatherings, birthdays and graduations, and now, his first grandchild is due in May.

“His daughters are teenagers, he’s missed everything,” said Apryll Pittman, 37, Womack’s elder sister. “The family is just standing together, we continue to pray. We are begging for somebody to tell us something. We hope somebody will give us an answer.”

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