Father Vanishes During Family Resort Trip, Found Dead a Week Later

The Frankenmuth Police Department confirmed that the body of Robert Loren Bacon, 52, was found on Saturday, January 4 around 2pm after an 8-day search. His remains were recovered by a dive team at Cass River, with authorities saying his preliminary cause of death "appears to be drowning."

At this point, the circumstances around Bacon's death remain unknown.

Bacon arrived at the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth on December 27th, where he was to meet with his two daughters, ages 15 and 13. According to his ex-wife Melissa McLenna, who spoke with WNEM about his disappearance, he arrived around 6:40pm.

She said he then "went to the hotel room to change out of his shoes and slides, was going to meet our daughter down at the pool area." McLenna claimed her ex "said he had to move his car because he was on the further entrance from where their room was."

Bacon, however, never returned.

McLenna said the hotel has surveillance video showed Bacon "going to the fun center after leaving the hotel room, never coming back to his car." She added, "They don't have any video showing he exited the building. However, there are exits without cameras."

His car was still located at the resort, while McLenna said authorities found nothing suspicious in the vehicle. He reportedly had his keys and wallet on him when he disappeared, as well as his phone, which was turned off.

She said one of their daughters said "he was in a great mood" before he vanished, adding that he's a nature lover. "That’s just his personality. I wouldn't put it past him to come outside to smoke a cigarette and walk along that river," she told the outlet.

He was reported missing on December 30 to the Frankenmuth Police Department, with multiple agencies utilizing dogs, divers and drones in their search. In a previous update about their search,  police said there was no activity on Bacon's financial accounts and no confirmed sightings of him after the 27th.

Search efforts focused on the Cass River and its banks, said police, who were "confident" Bacon wasn't on land anywhere near the area. Per a social media post by McLenna, police told her that there was "thin ice" on the water the day he disappeared.

"I have no words to describe how we feel," she shared on Sunday morning, after Bacon's body was found. "We are so sad. I just want to say thank you to everyone that helped look for Robert, thank you to all that prayed for us and that are continuing to pray for us."

According to police, the investigation is ongoing.