Case of missing Neenah man baffles police, family

NEENAH – For the past 11 months, Kyle Blohm's family and friends have pleaded with him to come home.

But those desperate efforts on social media and via news outlets have yet to pay off. Blohm's loved ones — along with Neenah police — are at a loss to explain to why the 23-year-old man left the Neenah-Menasha area in his pickup truck on Aug. 8, 2014, and never returned.

"It's frustrating," said Mike Bogan of Neenah, Blohm's father. "I've just got to keep the faith and believe that he's still out there."

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The prevailing theory by law enforcement is that Blohm left the area for personal reasons. There has been a number of sightings of Blohm in Wisconsin and outside the state since he went missing. But none of the reports has been confirmed, and his whereabouts remain a mystery.

"It's still very much on our dashboard as we try to figure out what we can do," said Neenah Police Chief Kevin Wilkinson, who is hopeful that answers to Blohm's disappearance will eventually surface. "You can't help but think of his family (and what it has endured)."

There's been no activity on Blohm's bank accounts, no social media messages or posts and no cellphone calls. And Blohm hasn't reached out to Bogan or to Ann Kuehni, Blohm's mother.

Sightings still coming in

Blohm, a 2010 graduate of Neenah High School, was last seen on Aug. 8. His girlfriend reported him missing Aug. 9. He apparently took a computer and a bicycle when he left, police said.

Bogan said he "has no idea" why his son left the Fox Cities. He has speculated that Blohm needed time to sort things out or was feeling overwhelmed. He thinks Blohm is "living off the grid" outside of the Fox Valley and is concealing his identity.

Bogan also believes that his son is getting some assistance in staying under the radar.

"I think more and more that someone is helping him," Bogan said. "With today's media, it's hard to be off the grid, and to do it this long is extremely difficult."

Neenah police officer Edgar Gonzalez said sightings of Blohm are still being reported.

"The tips keep coming in — slowly, but surely," Gonzalez said. "So far, they have all come back negative. We haven't been able to confirm (any of the reports)."

Gonzalez said some people have reported seeing a vehicle that matches the description of Blohm's 1999 red Ford Ranger, while others say they have seen Blohm at restaurants or other public places.

"The case is still open, and detectives are working on it," Gonzalez said.

Wilkinson said the absence of any concrete evidence has made it difficult to draw any conclusions about Blohm's whereabouts.

"There is simply no confirmed sightings," he said. "And there is nothing in particular that points to foul play."

Wilkinson said as time passes, there is a stronger likelihood that Blohm is no longer alive. But he is committed to following leads until the disappearance is solved.

"It's frustrating," Wilkinson said. "You're trying to find closure, and you can't. Early on, (detectives) had all kinds of things to check. Then after awhile, just try to find out what else (they) can do."

Hoping for the best

Bogan has checked out a number of tips on his own since his son disappeared, including sightings in small and large Wisconsin communities.

"There's been a lot of tips recently; unfortunately nothing has turned out," he said. "(But) it's good that people are still keeping their eyes open. (Kyle) hasn't been forgotten."

Bogan, who praised Neenah police for their handling of his son's disappearance, said he believes his son is alive, but is prepared for the worst.

"If it's bad news, I would like to know that," he said.

Meanwhile, Bogan is grateful to the community for its support to Blohm's family members during the ordeal.

"So many people are helping from the outside," he said. "They have been very consoling."

— Andy Thompson: 920-993-1000, ext. 320, or awthompson@postcrescent.com; on Twitter @Thompson_AW

Have you seen Kyle Blohm?

Kyle Blohm, 23, is 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighs 170 pounds, and has green eyes and brown hair. At the time of his disappearance, he was driving a 1999 red Ford Ranger with a Wisconsin license plate number JA4344. He was last seen Aug. 8, 2014 in Menasha. Authorities said he took some personal belongings, including a computer and a bicycle. Anyone with information about Blohm's whereabouts should call the Neenah Police Department at 920-886-6000.