Found Deceased IL - Steven Asplund, 32, Moline, 9 Jan 1994

Steve Asplund of Moline disappeared January 9th 1994.

24 years later his brother speaks about his brother's disappearance and the impact it has had.

"One morning we got a phone call from Steve's fiance that he didn't come home that evening after going to a friend's house to borrow some tools for some home remodeling he was doing. We knew something was up, was wrong, pretty much immediately. Very uncharacteristic."

"Started looking right away. The following day they found Steve's vehicle in Bettendorf down by the river. They tested the car but didn't really find anything. Searched a number of places in the Quad Cities in the month of January. Later that summer there was an insurance card found on a bridge railing out at Loud Thunder Forest Reserve. Probably a hiker or something found the card on the trail or someplace and set it up on the railing of a bridge. Someone else picked it up and recognized the name."

"It was quite a large search. I don't believe the police had any big leads or much to go on. There was a composite drawing at the time from someone who thought maybe it looked like Steve, but we don't know for sure it was Steve either."

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http://www.ourquadcities.com/news/search-for-missing-moline-man-enters-24th-year/916901205

Older article from 2014:

Williams says a recent review of old tips has garnered new information, specifically, about an old sketch of a man potentially seen with Asplund by a witness who came forward after his disappearance. Police say they have now identified the man, who was described back then as a man with a beard, an "HR" tattoo on the back of his left hand, and wearing a Green Bay Packers jacket.

Police are not identifying him. They also say the investigation has expanded to include the Henry County Sheriffs Department and Illinois State Police, and issued a warning to those who may have information after all these years.
"We believe more than one person was involved in Steve's disappearance. We have narrowed our scope to several individuals of interest. Now is the time for those individuals to step forward and make themselves known to police. Now is the time to call and try and get the best outcome for them," he said.

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http://wqad.com/2014/01/09/break-in-the-case-on-20th-anniversary-of-missing-moline-man/

Police still seek Moline man missing 24 years

“Forensic testing was completed on the car and evidence in 2014, but all the evidence in the car belonged to Steve or his fiancée,” Moline Police Detective Michael Griffin recently told KWQC.

“There are hair fibers that were recovered that are being examined for mitochondrial DNA evidence, but we don’t have those results yet.”

Another clue surfaced in 1994 several months after the discovery of Asplund’s car when his insurance card was found at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve in Rock Island County, according to Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities, which also reports that “foul play is suspected in his disappearance.”

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Steven Asplund, 32, of Moline, last was seen Jan. 9, 1994, leaving his best friend's house in Moline. His car was found eight hours later near the Mississippi River in Bettendorf.

The last significant tip came in August of 1994 when Asplund's insurance card was found on a footbridge at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve. However, a massive search party turned up no other clues in the wooded area near Andalusia.

Asplund was engaged to be married within three months of his disappearance.

The Big Story: Some Q-C missing remain unfound, others discovered after a violent death

Steven R. Asplund – The Charley Project

Steven R. Asplund

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Asplund, circa 1994

• Missing Since01/09/1994
• Missing FromMoline, Illinois
• ClassificationEndangered Missing
• Date of Birth07/28/1961 (57)
• Age32 years old
• Height and Weight6'0, 180 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionA Chicago Bears pullover jacket, a white sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and sneakers.
• Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian male. Blond hair, blue eyes. Asplund's nickname is Steve.

Details of Disappearance
Asplund was last seen at a friend's house on January 9, 1994. He left that evening to go home, which was only a short distance away, but never arrived. When he didn't come home by 6:00 a.m. the following day, his fiancee began searching for him.

Asplund's red Ford Mustang was discovered abandoned in a parking lot at the base of the Interstate 74 Bridge in Bettendorf, Iowa. There was no sign of him at the scene. Unspecified forensic evidence was discovered inside the vehicle, but test results on it were inconclusive.

Several months after the car was found, Asplund's driver's license was located on a bridge at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve in Rock Island County, Illinois. Police searched the river below for his body but found no evidence relevant to the case.

For years, authorities sought to locate a bearded man who was a possible witness in Asplund's case. He had a tattoo of the letters "HR" on the back of his left hand and wore a Green Bay Packers jacket. The individual was finally identified in January 2014, but hasn't been named in the press.

Asplund worked for a local tool and dye maker at the time of his disappearance. Both authorities and Asplund's brother believe foul play was involved in his case. Since his disappearance he has not used his credit cards or withdrawn any money from his bank account. His case remains unsolved.

Steven Robert Asplund – The Charley Project
''Last updated January 14, 2021; middle name and picture added, details of disappearance updated.''
Steven Robert Asplund

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Asplund, circa 1994
''Asplund was last seen at a friend's house at 4th Street and 20th Avenue in Moline, Illinois on January 9, 1994. He was doing a remodeling project at home and went to his friend's to borrow a caulking gun. After collecting the caulking gun, at 7:30 p.m. he left for home, which was only a short distance away. He never arrived. When he didn't come home by 6:00 a.m. the following day, his fiancee began searching for him.

A few days later, Asplund's red or black 1987 Ford Mustang was discovered abandoned in a parking lot at the 13th Street landing at the base of the Interstate 74 Bridge in Bettendorf, Iowa. There was no sign of him at the scene. Unspecified forensic evidence was discovered inside the vehicle, but test results on it were inconclusive.

In August 1994, Asplund's medical insurance card was located sitting on the rail of a footbridge at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve in Rock Island County, Illinois. Police searched the river below for his body but found no evidence relevant to the case. They stated they thought the card had been deliberately placed on the rail, perhaps by someone innocently who found it elsewhere, and said they weren't sure whether it had any connection to Asplund's disappearance or if he had lost it beforehand.

For years, authorities sought to locate a bearded man who was a possible witness in Asplund's case. He had a tattoo of the letters "HR" on the back of his left hand and wore a Green Bay Packers jacket. The individual was finally identified in January 2014, but hasn't been named in the press.

Asplund worked for a local tool and die maker at the time of his disappearance. Both authorities and Asplund's brother believe foul play was involved in his case. Since his disappearance he has not used his credit cards or withdrawn any money from his bank account. His case remains unsolved.''

Moline police still searching for missing man 26 years later

Moline police are still searching for Steve Asplund after he disappeared 26 years ago.(Moline Police Department)by KWQC Staff Published: Jan. 11, 2021 at 2:09 PM EST


MOLINE, Ill. (KWQC) - The Moline Police Department is still searching for a missing man 26 years later.

According to the police department, 26 years ago Steve Asplund left his residence on 28th Avenue to go to his friend’s house. Police say he was going there to pick up a caulking gun to finish a home remodeling project.

Police say he picked up the caulking gun and left that residence on 20th Avenue heading eastbound in his 1987 Ford Mustang. No one has seen him since.

A few days later, the Bettendorf Police Department recovered the unoccupied Mustang along the riverfront near the base of the I-74 River Bridge.

Moline police say they have never stopped searching for Asplund or any clues regarding his disappearance.

Moline police ask anyone with information regarding this case to call (309) 524-2140 or Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities at (309) 762-9500.
Moline police still searching for missing man 26 years later

Jan 11 2022 by Sean Kernan
Moline Police Shining New Light on Cold Case – Illinois News Now



''The Moline Police Department are continuing to highlight cold cases via social media and call on the public to offer evidence or new leads in long ago cases. In a post on social media, the Moline Police Department are asking for anyone to come forward with evidence related to the disappearance of Steven Asplund. In January of 1994, Steven Asplund left his home in the 1500 block of 28th Avenue to grab a caulking gun from his friend who resided in the 400 block of 20th Avenue. He was last seen leaving his friend’s home traveling eastbound. He was never seen again. Steven Asplund was reported missing by his fiancée on January 10th, 1994.

One week later, on January 17th, 1994, Steven Asplund’s black 1987 Mustang was located by Police in Bettendorf, Iowa near the base of the now former I-74 Brige. Several items of evidence, including the red caulking gun, cigarette butts, and stands of hair were located in the vehicle and in 2012 the items were sent to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for processing. All evidence returned were matched to Steven Asplund via familial DNA provided by Asplund’s family. Moline Police re-opened the investigation in 2014 but no new evidence was uncovered. The case has been designated a cold case.''

His NamUs page has been removed.

IMO he could be a match to UP5306 who was recovered two months later from the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri.

He drove away …. and vanished​

He left a friend’s Moline residence near 4th Street and 20th Avenue in his Ford Mustang and vanished.

He had gone to his friend’s house to borrow a caulking gun. At 7:30 p.m. he left for home, which was close by.

He never made it home. When he hadn’t shown up by 6 a.m. the next day, his fiancée reported him missing to Moline Police.

His 1987 Ford Mustang was found abandoned in a parking lot at the 13th Street landing at the base of the Interstate 74 Bridge in Bettendorf. Evidence gathered from the car was inconclusive.

Rest in peace, Steven.

Sept 23 2022
''ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Two 1994 unsolved cases in Missouri and Illinois have baffled investigators for decades.

Three investigative agencies in two states came together to solve a 28-year-old mystery.

In January 1994, Steven Asplund was reported missing in Illinois. He was last seen driving a Ford Mustang in Moline. Three months later, a barge worker spotted a body in the Mississippi River near the Jefferson Barracks Bridge in St. Louis County.

Both cases remained unsolved mysteries until this month, when Moline Police Detective Mike Griffin reached out to St. Louis County Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Lindsay Trammell.

“We’d exhausted all efforts with trying to identify him,” Trammell said.''

''Cold case investigators believe this case could be groundbreaking in not only broadening out a search area, but also showing how different jurisdictions can work together. Det. Griffin said there are more than 14,000 unidentified remains nationwide that could be connected to missing person cold cases.''

The Moline Police Department has shared the recognition a Moline Detective earned after he solved a decades-old missing-person case.

“Please join us in congratulating Detective Michael Griffin on receiving the Moline Police Department Meritorious Achievement Award during a ceremony at Moline, IL – Official City Government Council meeting,” a Facebook post says.

Griffin was nominated for his work on the Steven Asplund missing person case.

The remains of an Illinois man who was first reported missing almost three decades ago have been identified, police said Monday in an announcementconfirming the 28-year-old cold case had officially been closed.

Using forensic tests, investigators were able to link what were previously anonymous remains to Steven Asplund, who went missing in January of 1994 after visiting a friend's home to borrow a caulking gun, according to the Moline Police Department. Authorities said in a news release this week that their investigation into Asplund's disappearance did not suggest foul play, and they are not seeking charges

"We now know what happened, though we may never know 'why' it happened. We will bring you home soon and you'll get to rest where your family wants you to, they will be able to visit you and every night they will now know where you are," the department said. "Even at the darkest times, with seemingly no investigative leads to follow, we never gave up. May your soul finally rest at peace, Steve."

So, I wonder what they think happened. Suicide? Accident? Misadventure? I am curious as to how he came to be in the river. MOO