James Wilkins Missing Person Case

Jul 08, 2023

Jul 15, 2023

James

Wilkins

30

27

72 inches

220 lbs

Black / African American

Male

In the late spring of 2023, the life of 27-year-old James Henry Wilkins, a beloved father and youth football coach from Warren, Michigan, took a tragic turn. On June 8, 2023, Wilkins was last seen at his apartment. His family grew concerned when their usually consistent communication with him abruptly ceased, and he was officially reported missing the following day. The disappearance was immediately considered suspicious by authorities, as it was highly out of character for Wilkins to be out of contact, especially with his children, for whom he was a very active and loving father. His family noted he would not have missed his son's football games or his daughter's kindergarten graduation, and his absence on Father's Day was particularly painful for his loved ones. The investigation into Wilkins' disappearance quickly focused on his roommate, Donald Renfroe. Detectives executed search warrants on their shared apartment and a vehicle connected to Renfroe. During the search of the apartment, investigators discovered disturbing evidence, including a recently patched bullet hole in a wall and the presence of suspected blood. Further investigation revealed that on the day Wilkins vanished, Renfroe had rented cleaning equipment and purchased cleaning supplies from a local store. Authorities also learned that Renfroe had enlisted the help of a friend, Darius Glenn, to clean the apartment and dispose of Wilkins' body. This evidence led investigators to believe that foul play was involved in Wilkins' disappearance. Tragically, after a five-month-long investigation, the search for James Wilkins came to a devastating end. In November 2023, acting on credible information, law enforcement located his body buried in a remote, desolate area in Oscoda Township, approximately 130 miles from Warren. The discovery was made with the assistance of a Michigan State Police cadaver dog in a location described as being covered with thick brush and trees. In the months prior to this discovery, both Donald Renfroe and Darius Glenn were arrested and faced charges related to Wilkins' death. Renfroe was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and concealing the death of an individual, while Glenn faced charges of tampering with evidence and being an accessory after the fact. Ultimately, Donald Renfroe pleaded no contest to second-degree homicide and was sentenced to 31 to 60 years in prison for the murder of his roommate. The case, which began as a missing person report, concluded as a homicide investigation, leaving a family to grieve the senseless loss of a devoted father and community member.

Jun 08, 2023

Warren

Michigan

Macomb County

Warren

No

126336

Warren Police Department

Warren

Michigan

Macomb County

48093

Paul Kulisek

Detective / Corporal

29900 Civic Center, Michigan

5865744700

Local

Law Enforcement

230031818

2023-06-09

Warren Police Department

Black

Brown

Brown

Yes

07/13/2026