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Man traveling to Oceana County found safe

"Bill had been with friends and forgot to call."
Credit: Provided
William Saunders

UPDATE: William Frederick Saunders, 50, who was missing since Friday May 18, safely returned to his parents’ Rothbury home Tuesday morning, May 22.

“He just showed up a little while ago,” said his mother Melodie Hughes. “Thank goodness.”

Bill had been with friends and forgot to call, Melodie said. “We’re very upset and very happy at the same time. He’s ashamed and sorry.”

ROTHBURY, Mich. - A missing person’s report has been filed with the Michigan State Police for 50-year-old William Frederick Saunders.

Saunders has been missing since last Friday, May 18, said his mother Melodie Hughes of Rothbury.

Saunders flew to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids on an American Airlines flight from his home in Hawaii. He was planning to stay at Melodie’s and her husband James’ house in Rothbury, but has never appeared. He flew into Grand Rapids after a lay-over in Dallas, Texas.

It is totally out of his character to not call them, she said. “He calls me every day from Hawaii,” she said. “He is always in close contact.”

His disappearance is also particularly perplexing to the family since Saunders traveled to Michigan to attend his son’s graduation from Caledonia High School scheduled for Thursday, May 24. He had also made plans to help his son acquire his driver’s license while he was visiting Michigan, Hughes said.

Saunders, who sports a full black beard and several tattoos, was last seen on airport surveillance cameras leaving the airport Friday at 1:44 p.m. in a rented black Toyota RAV 4 with New Jersey license plates. Plate number is Z12JJR.

Hughes said that her son has two cell phones, and both of them are turned off.

Saunders had been planning to stay in Michigan until May 30. His disappearance is especially concerning for her and her husband after their younger son passed away in 2015.

Anyone who has information about Saunders’ whereabouts should contact the Hart post of Michigan State Police at 231-873-2171.

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