Tung Tran Missing Person Case

Feb 29, 2012

Jun 22, 2023

Tung

Tran

46

24

64 inches

160 lbs

Asian

Male

In the late summer of 2003, a young man named Tung Dieu Tran, aged 24, vanished under troubling circumstances. On September 18, 2003, Tung left his family's home in Goshen, Indiana, with the intention of visiting a friend in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a journey that should have been straightforward. He was last seen in Cooper Township, Michigan, and after that day, he was never heard from again. Concern grew when he failed to return home or make contact with his family. His sister took the step of officially reporting him as a missing person to the Elkhart County, Indiana Sheriff's Department. Tung is described as an Asian male with black hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he stood at 5'4" and weighed approximately 160 pounds. A notable distinguishing feature was a labret piercing located just below his lower lip. The investigation into Tung Tran's disappearance took a concerning turn when his vehicle, a black 2003 Honda Civic, was discovered in Allegan County, Michigan. The car was not abandoned; instead, it was being driven by the very friend Tung had set out to visit in Kalamazoo. This discovery immediately raised alarms for law enforcement, and from that point on, foul play was suspected in connection with his disappearance. The absence of Tung, coupled with his friend's possession of his car, created a disturbing and puzzling scenario for investigators to unravel. Both the Michigan State Police and the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department in Indiana became involved in the investigation, working to piece together the events that transpired after Tung left his Indiana home. The case of Tung Dieu Tran remains an unresolved and deeply concerning matter. Despite the passage of time, the central questions surrounding his disappearance persist: what happened to him after he reached Michigan, and what role, if any, did his friend play in his vanishing? The discovery of his car in the possession of another individual strongly suggests a criminal element, a belief that has guided the investigation from its early stages. The lack of any communication from Tung since that September day in 2003 paints a grim picture. The investigation is a cross-state effort, reflecting the journey Tung himself took, from his home in Indiana to his last known location in Michigan. This overview encapsulates the known facts of the case: a young man's journey to visit a friend that ended in his mysterious disappearance, the suspicious recovery of his vehicle, and the lingering suspicion of foul play that has left a family searching for answers for years.

Sep 18, 2003

Cooper Township

Michigan

Kalamazoo County

21920

Michigan State Police - District 5 Headquarters

Paw Paw

Michigan

Van Buren County

49079

Shane Criger

D/Lt.

108 West Michigan Avenue, Michigan

2696576081

State

Law Enforcement

50-141-06

Michigan State Police - District 5 Headquarters

Black

Brown

Brown

No

07/20/2026