This case has really been haunting me the past few days. After rereading everything and thinking on it some more, I still think that foul play is the most likely theory, but I don't think the idea of him disappearing of his own accord can be ruled out either.
Richard's recollection earlier in the thread that a cousin of Henry's may have been involved is corroborated in MSM here:
http://www.mlive.com/living/jackson/index.ssf/2010/05/peek_through_time_more_than_30.html
Lonnie, who was then 17, tried to investigate what might have happened to the older brother he idolized. He theorizes that Davis may have had a connection to a Baltimore family cousin who also lived in Flint and like Davis had previous brushes with the law.
The same article states:
The pressure of the court case may have been too much for him to take," younger brother Lonnie Baltimore said. "He was home the weekend before for Memorial Day and he said he needed to get someplace by himself to get away from that apartment."
I think the fact that a family member was likely involved would explain why Henry would not take any chances with ANY of his family knowing where he was, if in fact he voluntarily disappeared. I'm still unable to figure out why he would have left his car, though.
The same article linked above also states this, which is not stated in most reports.
"His car was there and all his things were there in their places, but he wasn't there," she said. "I kept calling and his roommates said he went to the library and never came home. The time to turn in the paper came and went and no Henry. I had to call my father. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done."
bbm
So he actually left. That would suggest that when the two men were reportedly knocking at his door the day he disappeared, he either wasn't there, or was still alive after they left. The fact that the men were seen knocking on his door that day and my belief that he hadn't been seen since, was one of the things that made me think foul play. It's still possible that he went to the library, came back, and then the men knocked on the door. The men knocking was seen by a neighbor.
From Post #15 in this thread
Lott said that the stolen goods had been returned to Baltimore in return for a promise that Baltimore would not testify at Davis' preliminary exam, which would then have caused the case against Davis to be dismissed.
I just can't imagine the situation Henry must have been in. He could either testify and live in fear of retaliation, or not testify and go to jail, and end up with a criminal record that would hinder his career goals. (He wanted to be a social worker.) He initially did not show up for the preliminary hearing, I can't imagine that he ever expected to be arrested for it, but he was, and a new date was set. He did show up the second time and testified. So I can imagine that he might be inclined to leave.
It appears that he testified on 5/24 and disappeared on 5/30.
Would Witness Protection apply in a case like this? I'm wondering if something like that occurred, and the program did not allow contact with family, I have heard that people in witness protection aren't supposed to contact anyone at all. Would LE know if that were the case though?
Just thinking out loud because it's been on my mind.
Where are you, Henry??
