4 College-Aged People Missing in Midwest

Nov. 20, 2002 -- In the course of 10 days, four college-aged students in the Midwest have gone missing, all after leaving a bar or a party, and their families suspect a link.

Christopher Jenkins, 21, a student at the University of Minnesota, went missing while dressed as an American Indian for Halloween. He was last seen leaving a bar in Minneapolis in the early morning hours of Nov. 1.

Michael J. Noll, 22, a student at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, disappeared on Nov. 6, after celebrating his birthday at a bar.

Joshua Guimond, 20, a student at St. John's University, in Collegeville, Minn., vanished Saturday, Nov. 9, after walking away from a card game in a campus apartment.

And a young woman, Erika Marie Dalquist, 21, who is not a college student, went missing Oct. 31, after she was seen leaving a Brainerd, Minn., bar with a man.

Family members of the young men believe that the proximity of their disappearances is more than just coincidence.

Smart, Successful and Similar

Christopher Jenkins' parents, Jan and Steve Jenkins, believe there must be a link between the disappearances and they hope it will lead them to their son.

"There are too many similarities … brilliant kids, high achievers, all about the same height and weight and the time frame," Steve Jenkins told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America Tuesday.

Jenkins says it's also strange that three of the four disappearences were just off Interstate 91. He and his wife say they've reached out to students at the university for help, but nothing has turned up yet.

"We have literally spoken to hundreds of his friends and lacrosse teammates and they know Chris well and they are stunned by this because this is not typical behavior of Chris," Jan Jenkins said.

All three young men vanished within 10 days and within 170 miles of one another.

Searching for a Clue

Guimond's friends figured that he just went off to go to the bathroom during their card game, but he never returned. He was last seen about midnight Saturday on the Collegeville campus, about 70 miles west of Minneapolis.

Divers searched a lake near Collegeville, and dozens of state National Guard soldiers were called in, but they have found nothing.

Authorities have not ruled out a connection in the disappearances, but they have found no evidence of one.

Brian Guimond, the father of Josh Guimond, also believes the disappearances must be related. Guimond says his son, Josh, is a very motivated student who is liked by everyone.

"He knew what he wanted and he was doing everything possible to make those goals happen," he said.

The Minneapolis office of the FBI has sent information on all four of the cases to the behavioral science unit in Washington, D.C.

Noll's parents have spoken with Jenkins' parents and Guimond's mother and father, but they did not join them on Good Morning America.

The families say they believe authorities would have responded more quickly if the students were younger. Many police departments wait a few days before investigating missing adults because many return on their own.

Jan Jenkins, who spoke to her son just before Halloween, says police need to understand that her son wouldn't just be out of touch with his parents and his friends because he's always "full of life."

"He sent me an e-mail — 'Happy Halloween' and we spoke early Wednesday afternoon," Jan Jenkins said. "He ended the conversation as he always does, 'I love you, mom.'"