GRPD, Kent Co. deputies continue to search for missing Cortez McConer Jr.

ROCKFORD, Mich. – “Cortez McConer Jr, age 16, is still missing,” begins a Nov. 18 release from the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD). The next day, November 19, they announced a search area they would begin focusing their efforts on.

Crews with the GRPD, Kent County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police (MSP) spread out across part of Rockford Friday morning, about 25 people in all.

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“I’m scared and also want to be realistic, and that’s why we have the assets that we have out here today. It’s a very large geographic area that we’re searching, and like I said, I want to find answers,” GRPD said -chief Eric Winstrom to the media on Friday.

“I’m not going to say I’m hoping we find Cortez today. I’m hoping Cortez sees this and reaches out and tells us he’s okay.”

McConer was last seen by his family in late October, considered a runaway by Grand Rapids Police until November 2.

However, that was not the last confirmed sighting of the teenager; GRPD says Cortez was seen running from officers near the McDonald’s on East Division, west of Courtland Drive NE and Kies Street NE in Rockford on the evening of Oct. 28.

A friend of Cortez was arrested that night, although Cortez has not turned up.

“We have obviously checked social media with his family and his friends; the communication is just not there,” Chief Winstrom explained Friday.

Their search began Friday near 10 Mile Road, west of Wolverine Drive. Crews slowly worked their way south to Kroes.

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“I think there’s a good chance he’s in this area here,” Chief Winstrom said. “If you are not used to the area, there are a lot of dense forest areas up here. There are many wetlands up here. It can be a dangerous place.”

Crews used drones and search and rescue dogs.

They will go door-to-door in neighborhoods and canvass areas in hopes of finding McConer or a clue to his location.

“One of the things that has been very helpful is the K9s we use; we make sure their handlers are equipped with GPS so we’ve been able to track exactly where the dogs have already been, ” said Chief Winstrom.

“It’s almost like the old days, the grid searches we used to do, flagging it. We do that with technology now.”

WXMI/Michael Martin

Investigators have repeatedly said they worry Cortez is hiding out of fear he is in legal trouble.

“The information we had early on was that Cortez was running from police… 16 years old, this is not a serious crime. He was an occupant of a stolen car,” Winstrom explained Friday.

“Kids make mistakes all the time. We all made mistakes when we were 16 years old, and in no way are we interested in holding Cortez criminally responsible. We just want to make sure Cortez is safe.”

Chief Winstrom said Friday that investigators have also made some progress behind the scenes.

“Sometimes it takes a while to get results back from things like financial transactions, social media,” he explained. “At this point, we have search warrants out for phone, for financial transactions, for social media, and everything we’ve seen so far is negative. There’s nothing to show that he’s had any activity of any kind .”

Investigators do not believe the 16-year-old had much cash on him, nor a credit or debit card, when he disappeared.

The boy’s family has also organized several searches over the past few weeks.

“Babe, come home. We miss you so much,” Cortez’s mother, Kisha Haggerty, said in a previous interview with FOX 17. “I promise I won’t be sad. Just come home. We miss you. We miss you so much. Please come home to us. Please, please, please.”

If you have information on the whereabouts of Cortez McConer, please call GRPD detectives by calling (616) 456-3380 or submit information anonymously at Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345.

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