MISSING PERSON
CASE #: 1981-28
Michael Lee Hanset
Status:
Open
Date of Last Contact:
Date of Last Contact:
Jurisdiction:
Missing From:
Portland, Oregon
Summary:
Michael Hanset disappeared from a park near his home in Portland, Oregon during the summer of 1981. A man named Larry Lerch was later convicted of his abduction and murder despite his body never being recovered. Lerch continues to serve a life sentence for the crime.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Disappearance:
Michael was last seen in Portland, Oregon on July 27th 1981. He left his home located at 1618 Southeast Belmont Street and told his family he was going to the movies with friends. Hanset was last seen between 6:00 and 7:00 pm playing in Colonel Summers Park located at Southeast 17th Avenue and Taylor Street, just a few blocks away from his house. He never returned home that evening. A massive search ensued for the young boy. Officers went door to door with his photo and scoured his entire neighborhood but no trace of him was ever found. Police believe someone abducted him while he was in the park. Investigators got reports that Michael was seen in the company of an unknown man in Colonel Summers Park on the evening of his disappearance. There were other reports that placed Michael in a parking lot located at Southeast 14th Avenue and Morrison Street.
Additional Details:
Police initially suspected that Eugene Thomas Ward was the man seen with Michael. He had previously lived in Portland and was wanted for first degree sexual abuse by Multnomah County police. He matched the man’s description. Ward was eventually located in Oakland, California where he worked at the area Plasma Center. Records show he sold plasma 3-5 times during July 1981, the most recent sale being on July 24th. A witness also told investigators they saw Ward purchasing eye glasses in Oakland on July 31st. Investigators do not believe he was in Oregon when Hanset went missing and was eventually ruled out as a suspect. Police were eventually alerted to Larry Lee Lerch, an escaped convict. Lerch had previously been convicted of child sex abuse and forgery. On May 16th 1981, he walked out of a corrections division work camp in Tillamook where he was incarcerated for burglary and assault. He made some disturbing comments to his sister about the Hanset case. He told her he had seen the boy in the park on the day of his disappearance. Lerch also stated he saw a white laundry bag that belonged to him with human feet sticking out in the dumpster outside of Sea Sand Market, located at Southeast 9th and Belmont Streets. As a result, Lerch was arrested on July 31st for the escape and his home was searched the following day with his permission. Inside, they found blonde hair strands that matched up with Michael’s hair. They also found fecal stains on the kitchen carpet. He later admitted to being responsible for the boy’s death during questioning. Lerch admitted he lured Michael to his apartment located at 1513 Southeast Morrison Street where he manually strangled the boy. He then put the boy’s body in his laundry bag and placed him in the dumpster. The contents of the dumpster were taken to Rossman Landfill in Oregon City. Police spent weeks sifting through garbage but were unable to locate Michael’s body. Lerch was charged with Michael’s murder on September 2nd 1981. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered to stand trial for the crime which began in April 1982. During his trial, his defense attempted to convince the court that Lerch was innocent of the boy’s death. He brought witnesses who allegedly saw Michael alive after Lerch confessed to the murder and attempted to throw suspicion back onto Eugene Ward. Ward testified in court that he was not involved in Michael’s death and that he wasn’t even in Portland when the boy disappeared. After a nearly month long trial, Lerch was found guilty of Michael’s murder. He was sentenced to life in prison. For years, Lerch denied he was involved in Michael’s case. Eventually, he realized he had done the horrific things he confessed to. Lerch has tried to appeal his murder conviction and get early release through parole. His bids for parole have all been denied and he continues to be incarcerated for Michael’s murder. Despite extensive search efforts, the boy’s body has never been found.
Case Last Updated:
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