In the summer of 2016, a story of a devoted family man and hardworking contractor from Fort Worth, Texas, took a dark and mysterious turn, ending tragically in New Orleans. Mike Gene Randle, a 60-year-old male, was a man known for his kindness and dedication to his family. On July 30, 2016, he was working on a house he was renovating. Concerned about a recent burglary at their home, he had dropped his wife, Lorie, at her mother's house for her safety while he continued his work.
This would be the last time his family saw him alive.
The following morning, alarm bells rang when the dependable Mike Randle didn't show up for church and wasn't answering his phone. His family went to the house he was renovating to check on him. There, they found the back door unlocked and his navy Honda CRV missing, along with some of his larger tools. With no signs of a struggle, the initial report with the Fort Worth Police Department was for a missing person, a classification that his family felt didn't capture the gravity of the situation. They were certain he wouldn't just leave.
Investigators were able to track his cell phone, which pinged in New Orleans, Louisiana, a significant distance from his last known location. This led to a grim discovery that would not be confirmed for several months. On August 1, 2016, firefighters in New Orleans responded to a call about a commercial dumpster fire in the Broadmoor neighborhood. Inside the burning bin, they found human remains. It wasn't until February of the following year that the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office was able to identify the badly burned body as that of Mike Randle.
The autopsy revealed that Mike Randle had not died in the fire but was a victim of a homicide, having suffered from blunt force injuries. His death was a violent end to a life characterized by generosity and hard work. Despite the discovery of his body and the determination of foul play, the case has remained unsolved. No suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with his murder. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance from Fort Worth and the discovery of his body in a burning dumpster in New Orleans remain a baffling mystery, leaving his family with unanswered questions and a profound sense of loss. The New Orleans Police Department continues to seek information from the public that might bring closure to this tragic cold case.
