Cassandra Elizabeth Durham

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Michigan State Police (MI)

Missing From:

Roscommon, Michigan

Summary:

During the summer of 1987, Cassandra "Cassie" Durham and her boyfriend left their home in Maryland without notifying family. Vague messages and letters were sent to family indicating they shouldn't come looking for her and she was sorry. When her boyfriend returned to Maryland over a year later, Cassie was never seen by her family again.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

Family was first notified of a problem when Cassie's father received a phone call reporting there had been a problem with the weekend deposits from Cassie's work and they could not find or reach her. Family had been off on vacation which they promptly left and went to Cassie's apartment. There, they found it empty with boxes and a note (listed in the gallery). Cassie had been working as a manager for TCBY yogurt shops and was covering multiple stores. In September of 1987, Cassie spoke to her dad on the phone and said not to come look for her and spoke of having to repay the money. Eric later made it back to Maryland in 1988 or 1989 and said they had been staying at his grandparents in Roscommon, MI. Police believe she may have traveled to Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Michigan. One of her last letters to her father reads: “Dear Dad, please will you ever forgive me? I’m in trouble and I don’t know when I’ll be back. I will call & write. God knows I love you!!” Another says: “I don’t know when this will all be over and seem like a bad dream. Dad, there is one thing I ask, please I’m begging you, don’t say anything about Eric. He’s my only chance, and if it gets mentioned I will never come home. I love him.” The final letter adds: “Don’t try to find me, please. It will only make things worse. I’ll call you very soon. I’m doing fine, okay?”

Additional Details:

When the couple left Maryland, they were driving a 1980 Honda Civic station wagon. They traveled through Ohio and stopped in Cedar Point. Somewhere around Detroit, MI, the Honda broke down and the boyfriend (Eric Buikema) stated he bought a new car, an Oldsmobile Cutlass. Eric reported he had a grandmother in Detroit and a grandfather in Roscommon, MI. Eric reported to law enforcement that after they made the trip to see his family as planned, they returned to Baltimore, MD together. Eric reported they lived together on an off at his apartment after they returned. Cassie drove off in a tan Ford Escort that Eric thought she was borrowing from someone. Eric moved to Pennsylvania and received a phone call from Cassie just checking in after Cassie got Eric's phone number from a friend named "Stoney". Eric also reported to law enforcement that Cassie was using cocaine and spent money on drugs.

Case Last Updated:

Oct 17, 2024