Investigators narrow probe of Okemos woman's 1990 disappearance

A Livingston County cold case team says it has narrowed its investigation into the 1990 disappearance of an Okemos woman to five "strong" people of interest, and investigators are focusing specifically on a Lansing man and a Detroit man.
Mike Frayer, a member of the Livingston County cold-case team, said Monday that both the Lansing man and Detroit man match the description of men witnesses say they saw near the vehicle of Paige Marie Renkoski, who was last seen the afternoon of May 24, 1990, on the shoulder of westbound Interstate 96, about a quarter-mile east of the Fowlerville exit; and both men have a history of targeting women.
Police are not, however, close to an arrest, Frayer cautioned.
"Someone out there has the one link we need," he noted, adding that the team is "more optimistic" about solving the case since taking it on nearly one year ago. "I think we're making progress."
The team continues to work two theories: Renkoski's disappearance was a road rage situation that got out of hand, or a man impersonating an officer got her to stop. A third theory that someone may have tried to simulate an accident to gain access to Renkoski has been "pretty much ruled out," retired Westland Police Officer Joseph Morrow said.
Frayer said both people of interest — both of whom he declined to identify — also frequently traveled the I-96 corridor during the time Renkoski vanished. and "their personality issues" and "behavior patterns" raised red flags with the three-member cold-case team. Frayer said one of the men has a history of impersonating a police officer to get women to stop on the expressway.
That man has declined to speak to investigators.
Witnesses have described the man they saw with Renkoski as black and "extremely tall." All witnesses put the man at 6 feet or taller.
Those tips led to a description of a black male wearing a white shirt, tie, dark trousers and a dark, long coat. The man also was wearing glasses and had a three-day growth of facial hair.
On Monday, the cold-case team released aged composite drawings of men witnesses say they saw near Renkoski's vehicle. http://bit.ly/b40lnh