Vincent Adamczak Missing Person Case

Jul 13, 2011

Feb 26, 2024

Vincent

Adamczak

71

41

72 inches

185 lbs

American Indian / Alaska Native

Male

Vincent Frank Adamczak, a 41-year-old man, was last seen in Wellston, Michigan, around August 13, 1995. A member of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, he was described as being 6'0" tall and weighing 185 pounds, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a mustache. He had a distinctive tattoo of the word "Hell" on his left forearm. Not long after he was last seen, his 1985 burgundy Plymouth Reliant was discovered in the parking lot of a nearby bar and was subsequently impounded. For reasons that remain unclear, Adamczak was not officially reported as a missing person until January 2002, more than six years after his disappearance. The passage of so much time without any contact with friends or family led investigators to suspect foul play early on in the investigation. The case remained cold for many years until a significant break occurred in September 2011 when authorities arrested Rosemary Skrzycki and charged her in connection with Adamczak's murder. In a pivotal development, Skrzycki pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of being an accessory after the fact in January 2012. As part of her plea agreement, she admitted to having witnessed Adamczak's murder and agreed to testify against others involved. Her cooperation pointed investigators toward two other individuals, Peter Lee Peterson and Robert Scott Knauss. The investigation revealed that Adamczak was likely shot and killed during a gathering at Peterson's residence. A search of the property uncovered a human bone fragment, leading to charges against the two men. In October 2014, both Peter Peterson and Robert Knauss were charged with first-degree murder in the death of Vincent Adamczak. During their trial in June 2015, both men maintained their innocence. Despite their claims, the jury convicted both Peterson and Knauss of first-degree murder, and they were subsequently sentenced to life in prison. Although small bone fragments believed to be Adamczak's were recovered, a full recovery of his remains has never been accomplished. Investigators believe that his body may have been moved to another, still unknown, location. The case, which began as a missing person report years after the fact, ultimately transitioned into a complex, long-term homicide investigation that spanned nearly two decades before culminating in the convictions of those responsible for his death.

Aug 13, 1995

Wellston

Michigan

Manistee County

49689

No

10461

Michigan State Police - Cadillac Post

Cadillac

Michigan

Wexford County

49601

Mark Miller

D/Sgt.

7711 U.S. 131, Michigan

2317796040

State

Law Enforcement

www.michigan.gov/msp

77-180-02

2002-01-23

Michigan State Police - Cadillac Post

Brown

Blue

Blue

07/08/2026