Renee Kyles Missing Person Case

Jul 19, 2010

May 31, 2023

Renee

Kyles

71

53

63 inches

115 lbs

Black / African American

Female

In the late summer of 2007, 54-year-old Renee Lynette Kyles, a Black female standing 5 feet 3 inches and weighing 115 pounds, disappeared from Kalamazoo, Michigan. She was a mother and grandmother who had moved to the area from Chicago in 1999 to be closer to her family. Those who knew her described her as someone who talked fast and often wore a short, black wig. Renee had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder but was not taking medication for her condition at the time of her disappearance. A family member last saw her on September 8, 2007, at a residence on Southworth Terrace. She had mentioned plans to watch a college football game at a friend's house. The last known sighting of Renee was later that day when eyewitnesses saw her getting into a black Pontiac Vibe on Portage Street. There was also a possible, though unconfirmed, sighting of her in a large SUV that could have been a Nissan Pathfinder. The days turned into weeks with no word from Renee. Her family, deeply concerned by her uncharacteristic silence and lack of contact with her daughter and granddaughter, officially reported her missing on September 17, 2007. The investigation into her disappearance began, and on September 19, which was also her birthday, her Toyota Camry was found abandoned in the 1900 block of Portage Street. Inside the vehicle, investigators discovered her clothes and a suitcase in the trunk. One of the car's windows was broken, but it remained unclear if anything had been taken. Despite the broken window, authorities stated there were no other immediate signs of foul play within the car itself. The lack of activity on her food stamp card after she went missing was another troubling sign for investigators hoping to trace her whereabouts. The circumstances surrounding Renee Kyles's disappearance have been described by law enforcement as highly suspicious, and they fear she may have been the victim of a criminal act. At the time of her disappearance, she was living with her sister in Kalamazoo but had family ties throughout the Midwest, including Chicago. Despite the passage of time, her case remains an active and troubling mystery. The initial hope that she might be located through financial transactions or contact with her loved ones quickly faded. The discovery of her car with personal belongings inside suggested a sudden and unplanned departure. The broken window of the car remains a piece of ambiguous evidence in a case with very few clues. The lack of resolution has left her family with unanswered questions about what happened to the woman they describe as a beloved grandmother.

Sep 08, 2007

Kalamazoo

Michigan

Kalamazoo County

49001

21163

Kalamazoo Department of Pubic Safety

Kalamazoo

Michigan

Kalamazoo County

49001

150 E Crosstown Pkwy., Michigan

2693378994

Local

Law Enforcement

07-19773

2007-09-17

Kalamazoo Department of Pubic Safety

Black

Brown

Brown

No

07/15/2026