ALL COUNTIES: The search for a missing North Carolina man continues.
Candlelit vigils for Kyle Fleischmann, 24, have been held in dozens of locations, including New York's Times Square, Denver, Washington, Charlotte and Raleigh.
His case has also appeared on America's Most Wanted.
Fleischmann is the Elon graduate who disappeared from the Buckhead Saloon in Charlotte.
In one vigil, six girls stood outside a bar in downtown Raleigh Sunday with tears in their eyes for their missing friend. They attended Elon with him and were only a few of the many people who are missing Kyle.
“We really want to keep his name and his story alive,” said Suzanne Roberts, Fleischmann’s friend.
Surveillance camera video from the Charlotte bar shows Fleischmann the last time he was seen.
Internet sites have created communities dedicated to finding him. Despite the effort, every day that goes by gets a little tougher.
“It’s challenging because you can only lead yourself to believe the worst, so it has been hard” Roberts said.
Daniel Scagnelli is Kyle Fleischmann’s best friend. Both attended Elon University and Kyle was the best man in Daniel’s wedding. Knowing Kyle as well as he does, Daniel fears the worst. He hasn’t heard from his best friend in over a month.
It is obvious that Kyle is a social guy. Any pictures you can find on his Myspace or Facebook pages show a guy who likes to hve a good time and enjoyed his friends. Those closest to him say Kyle is very much a people person.
“Generous, outgoing and kind,” says Scagnelli. “Didn’t like to be alone. Always liked to be around people.”
Kyle was last seen in the early morning hours of Friday, November 9th, in Uptown Charlottle. He had met Daniel and some friends Thursday evening for some drinks at the Buckhead Saloon. Daniel and his wife eventually left but Kyle stayed behind.
“He kind of hung behind to hang out with some girls he knew,” says Scagnelli.
Kyle was last seen on surveillance video leaving the Buckhead Saloon around 2:20am. He left a black pea coat and his credit card behind. According to Scagnellie, Kyle made two calls about an hour after he left the bar. One call was to Daniel, the other to his roommate. Kyle didn’t leave a message. He has not been seen or heard from since.
In the days following his disappearance, Kyle’s friends and family found they had little to go on. They searched the area where they believe he made his last call, based off the phone signal, but nothing was found. The females Kyle hung out with that evening said there were rumors of a party in the hotel next to the bar.
“They had mentioned something about a party at the Holiday Inn and he may have gone there,” Scagnelli says. “That didn’t pan out.”
After hearing about Kyle’s disappearance, people who were at the Buckhead Saloon that evening came forward but no one remembered seeing him there. Investigators have hit a dead end.
Over the last four weeks his friends and family have worked tirelessly conducting searches, holding vigils and organizing fundraising events, hoping to keep Kyle’s case in the public eye. His story has gained national attention, being feature on America’s Most Wanted, along with several news stations and newspapers in the Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham area. His friends also started a “Help Find Kyle” page on Facebook in addition to the website, www.helpfindkyle.com. Today, there are almost 70,000 members.
Exactly one month after he disappeared, vigils were held in dozens of locations including Charlotte, Raleigh, Denver, Washington and even Times Square in New York City.
“The more thoughts and prayers the better,” says Scagnelli. “It’s been hard. It’s been even harder on the family.”
Kyle’s family is working to find answers, but they are fighting a different battle. Shortly before his disappeared, Kyle’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Daniel says Kyle was in good spirits, saying they caught it early.
“At that point they didn’t think she would have to go through chemo,” he says.
Kyle’s mom has had several doctor’s appointments and one surgery and Kyle was going to take off work to spend time with her. Knowing he had plans to be by his mother’s side raises suspicions of foul play.
“At this point, we assume the worst but hope for the best,” Scagnelli says. “I would love for him to be in Mexico with a pretty girl. One the other side, you have to be realistic.”
The night he disappeared, Kyle was wearing a black shirt, jeans and black dress shoes. He is 24 years old. He has green eyes, brown hair and is six feet tall, weighing 180 pounds.
If you have information on this case, call NC WANTED toll free at 1.866.43.WANTED (1.866.439.2683) or click on "Report a Tip" Your identity can be kept confidential.
