Patrick Joseph Mikes )
Troy — Police made a public plea Monday for information about a 55-year-old Troy man whose sons say went for a bicycle ride last Friday afternoon in his upscale neighborhood and never returned.
Patrick Joseph Mikes, an avid bicyclist, was last seen at 5:30 p.m. Friday headed out for a ride from his home in the 2000 block of Homewood, say his 16- and 21-year-old sons, who reported him missing at 9:30 a.m. Sunday — 40 hours later.
Troy Police Captain Robert Redmond said investigators found evidence in the house indicating that an assault took place at the residence and disclosed that one person is in custody being questioned "in regard to possible involvement in this incident."
"No one has been charged and this is an ongoing investigation," said Redmond, who declined to say whether the person in custody is a relative of Mikes.
"We are seeking information from anyone who may be aware of his bike routes … or might have information at to why someone might want to hurt him."
Family members could not be reached for comment Monday nor did they return telephone calls. Mikes, whose wife died 10 years ago, also has a daughter who lives out of state but returned this weekend after the news that her father was missing, Redmond said.
Neighbors described the gray-haired Mikes as friendly and believed he was an accountant for one of the auto companies. They frequently saw the 6-foot, 170-pound Mikes riding his red and black Cannondale Super 6 bicycle on their street and beyond the quiet tree-lined neighborhood, south of Long Lake Road and east of Adams.
"I like to walk some of the bike trails around here and we would pass each other all the time," said John Kviring, who lives across the street from Mikes.
"His boys are very nice, polite," he said. "They were always playing catch outside and if their ball went into my yard, they would ask permission to get it back."
Kviring said police were stationed outside Mikes' house for several hours Sunday afternoon and into Monday morning.
"There was a lot of coming and going, the lights on all night there," said Kviring. "I saw them take something out … a sofa or possibly a piece of furniture. They sure spent a lot of time in there looking for something.
"It's scary. I hope he is all right."
Stella Patre said the Mikes family moved into the neighborhood about 10 years ago when Mikes' wife was seriously ill. She said one of the sons is always landscaping and planting flowers and that both frequently played catch and basketball with their father in their front yard.
"I can't believe either of the boys would have anything to do with his disappearance," she said. "They have already had so much grief in their lives. First their mother and now, maybe their father taken from them.
"I'm hoping for the best."
Redmond said Mikes was wearing a yellow shirt and black spandex shorts, and asked anyone who might have information about his whereabouts or routines to call (248) 524-3447.
(248) 338-0319
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