Independence Twp man vanishes, family at a loss

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A man from Independence Township was supposed to leave for New York two months ago. He never made it - and he's been missing ever since.

Bertram Weston told family he was leaving Independence Township for a new job in New York on April 27. He rented a car and hit the road. That rented car is the only clue police have found; it was abandoned and he was a long gone.

"We don't know where he is," Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "The car was reported stolen after it never was turned in on the basic rental agreement. It was found in Pontiac."

The 48-year-old man appears to have vanished. He has family in Staten Island but they never heard from him. Police said they doubt he ever made it to New York.

Weston is married and his wife is in involved. She still lives at a house in Metro Detroit but she wasn't home. The house is for sale and she filed for divorce in February. But she wants to know where he is.

"She does want him found and has encouraged us to raise awareness of him being in the Pontiac area in case anyone's seen him," Bouchard said.

Cops say Bertram's cell phone has had no outgoing calls since he left but cell tower hits show he might still be in the Pontiac area.

"That means he doesn't want to be talked to or found at this point for whatever personal reason there is there," Bouchard said.

Bouchard said it appears her just wants to be left alone, but they still want to know where he is. He's 6 foot 2, 170 pounds. He wears hearing aids and his speech is affected by his hearing impairment.  Sheriff's would like to know where he is but have not launched a full investigation into his disappearance.

"It's a voluntary missing so there's not a whole more beyond that we can do," Bouchard said.