Police: Missing Lakewood Man Victim Of Foul Play
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4)- Police detectives in Lakewood believe a man who disappeared on May 19 is a victim of foul play.
Dave Noren's roommate has been arrested in Arizona on unrelated charges but he has been labeled a "person of interest" in Noren's disappearance.
Police officers with Lakewood said they did get the chance to talk to Hicks while he was still in Colorado in the days after Noren's disappearance.
Police served out a search warrant at Noren's, 45, home on Wednesday. He shares that home with a roommate, Ryan Hicks.
Forensic evidence recovered from the residence at 863 Depew Street leads detectives to believe that Noren was most likely the victim of foul play.
Crime scene tape continues to surround the home.
"We collected evidence that would show us, A: there was a struggle and B: there was forensic evidence that indicates Mr. Noren was probably the victim of foul play and most likely suffered some pretty serious injuries," said Lakewood Police spokesman Steve Davis.
Noren was last seen at The Pub on West Colfax Avenue. Workers there say he was a regular and they noticed when he didn't show up. For all those who know Noren, they say no news means something is wrong.
His employer, Mike Matchinsky, at BCT Wholesale Printing in Denver called police when he didn't show up to work. He said when Noren didn't show up, they went to his home where they found his car and his beloved dog, Olivia.
Matchinsky and other coworkers of Noren's spent Friday canvassing the Lakewood neighborhood where he lives. They handed out fliers to neighbors in hopes that someone might know something.
"Right now we're kind of grasping at anything we can get in terms of information," said Matchinsky.
Matchinsky said although he's never met Hicks in person, "I've never met him but it sounds like he's just a very reserved, stoic individual."
Matchinsky said Noren is more than just an employee, "He's a friend. He's a life long friend, he came to my wedding."
Detectives also believe that Noren's cellphone was in the area of 6th Ave. and Simms/Union for several hours beginning on the early morning of May 20 until sometime in the afternoon of May 21.
"Mr. Noren's cellphone was in the area of 6th and Simms for almost 40 hours from early morning on the 20th until late afternoon on the 21st. We were pinging his cellphone and we know it was there," said Davis.
Detectives are asking anyone who may have found a Samsung Galaxy cellphone in that area to call the Lakewood Police Department with that information.
Police said they're not done talking to Hicks.
"We have not cleared him of any involvement in this disappearance of Mr. Noren," said Davis.
"Wherever he disappeared to it's not right, whatever is going on is not right," said Matchinsky.
If you have any information about Mr. Noren's whereabouts or information which would be helpful to detectives are asked to call the Lakewood Police Department at 303-987-7111.
