Account
Dec 28, 2010
Mar 18, 2024
Jacob
Cabinaw
46
31
69 inches
73 inches
145 lbs
155 lbs
American Indian / Alaska Native
Male
On the evening of March 31, 2010, 31-year-old Jacob "Jake" Cabinaw, a male from the Traverse City, Michigan area, disappeared under perplexing circumstances. Earlier that day, he had enjoyed a game of frisbee golf with a friend at Hickory Hills. Around 7:30 p.m., he dropped his friend off in downtown Traverse City, mentioning he was heading home to study for a class at Northwestern Michigan College, where he was a student. Jacob was a member of the National Guard, a father to two sons, and was in the process of buying a house with his girlfriend. He was last seen wearing his work uniform: a grey jacket with "Dave's Garage" printed on it and dark blue pants. He drove away in his 2002 silver Chevrolet Malibu, which had some minor damage on the front passenger side panel, and was never heard from by his family again. The hours and days following Jacob's last sighting in Traverse City only deepened the mystery of his disappearance. Instead of returning home, his movements were traced through a series of electronic transactions and sightings that painted a picture of a long and seemingly unplanned journey south. At 1:00 a.m. on April 1st, he made an automated call to confirm his college enrollment, a requirement for his GI benefits. An hour later, his bank card was used to purchase gas in Mattawan, Michigan, several hours south of his home. By the early morning of April 2nd, his vehicle's license plate was run by police in Hollister, Missouri, and a few hours later, a sheriff's deputy in West Fork, Arkansas, noted him asleep in his car at a rest area. Later that same day, he was captured on a security camera using his debit card to buy gasoline in Sweetwater, Texas, over a thousand miles from home. This purchase was the last known activity on his account, which had insufficient funds and was covered by overdraft protection. The investigation into Jacob Cabinaw's vanishing has left his family and law enforcement with more questions than answers. Foul play is suspected, though the theory that he voluntarily walked away from his life has also been considered. His family finds this unlikely, emphasizing his dedication to his two sons and his future plans. His only known connection to Texas was a brother stationed at Fort Hood. In the years since he went missing, there has been no activity on his cell phone, which he left without its charger, or his bank accounts. In 2017, a piece of information surfaced suggesting his car may have been taken to a scrap yard in Mexico, but this lead did not bring any definitive answers. Jacob Cabinaw was declared legally deceased in 2015, yet his case remains an active and unsolved missing person investigation, leaving his loved ones waiting for closure.
Mar 31, 2010
Traverse City
Michigan
Grand Traverse County
No
9469
Grand Traverse County Sheriff Department
Traverse City
Michigan
Grand Traverse County
49684
Jason Polzien
Detective
851 Woodmere Ave., Michigan
2319955000
County
Law Enforcement
10-12303
Grand Traverse County Sheriff Department
Brown
Brown
Brown
06/05/2026
