On May 8, 1977, a 20-year-old man named Christopher Harold Freeman, also known as Chris, made a phone call to his parents from somewhere in Minnesota. This would be the last time his family ever heard from him. At the time of his disappearance, his family was not aware of his exact residence, but it is believed he may have been living in either Red Wing or Saint Paul, Minnesota. Christopher stood at 6'0" and weighed approximately 170 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.
The call he made to his family was on Mother's Day, to let his mother know he would not be able to make it to a family celebration that day. Because his family did not have his address or phone number, some time passed before they realized he was officially missing.
The circumstances surrounding Christopher's disappearance are intertwined with that of his friend, Geno Ranelli, who also went missing a few weeks after Christopher was last heard from. The two had previously been business partners, co-owning a shop in East St. Paul, Minnesota, that specialized in products made from redwood. They had closed the shop earlier in 1977, the same year they both vanished. Before going into business, Christopher had briefly moved to Arizona with a friend in 1975 to attend school, but he met Geno and decided to return to Minnesota to start their business instead. When he disappeared, Christopher left behind a number of personal belongings in a storage unit, including his car, a collection of coins, and some items from their closed shop.
The disappearances of both Christopher Freeman and Geno Ranelli remain unsolved. One theory that has emerged is that the two may have disappeared together, with some speculation that they could have been en route to Pennsylvania. Geno's sister reported that her brother and Christopher left for Philadelphia on May 20, 1977, and might have had plans to travel to Miami from there. The lack of contact and the abandonment of his possessions have left his family with unanswered questions for decades. The Hastings Police Department continues to be the investigating agency for this case. This case is an overview of the known facts surrounding Christopher's disappearance and the subsequent investigation.Last Seen: May 8, 1977
