'Living nightmare': Family to hold search party for missing Green Bay man after his car is found in Kenosha

 

GREEN BAY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Green Bay police are asking the community in southeast Wisconsin to be on the lookout for a man who went missing six weeks ago, after some of his belongings were spotted in the area.

On Sunday, Oct. 15, the family of 41-year-old Christopher Belanger held a press conference on his disappearance.

"You're living the nightmare that you see only transpire on TV," said Paul Belanger, Chris' older brother. "This was not in our wildest dreams, you know, something that we thought would be happening."

Belanger spoke one-on-one with CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White, who described his sibling as a "kind and generous" man.

"He's a fantastic friend and a loving father and grandfather," Belanger said. "He's the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back and not think twice about what it meant to him."

Police said right before he vanished in early September, Christopher had suffered a minor injury when he was involved in a "disturbance."

Family had then received a picture of Belanger's bloodied nose, with an accompanying text of "I love you."

"I went over there to Christopher's with my father that morning to just make sure he was all right," Belanger said. "There was no answer... so you're worried, but it's day one. And then it's day two, and into day three."

They eventually filed a missing person's report.

Now listed by officials as missing and endangered, family said they're hoping someone will recognize the 5'11", 210-pound man with brown hair and brown eyes.

Belanger also has several recognizable tattoos, including his son's name Kale written across his neck. 

"It's some of the worst pain you've ever felt," Belanger said.

The family said records show he had dropped off his minivan at a mechanic in Kenosha after it broke down. 

They said he headed back up to Green Bay, but when he tried to return days later to pick it up, they believe that's when he got into the altercation.

He was then spotted at a grocery store on Sept. 7 and filled a prescription at a Walgreens in Kenosha the following day.

"He texts his daughter, 'hi, honey, I'm fine, I love you' on the eighth, and calls the shop again," Belanger said. "That was the last time his phone was active, was a phone call to this mechanic."

It's still unclear if he was able to get in touch with the mechanic, what kind of disturbance he was involved in, and where he went after that last call. 

The car, however, was recovered last week in Kenosha.

Family said the past few weeks have been both "heartbreaking" and "gut-wrenching" and they are hoping for his safe return home.

"He is an incredible person, and I wish I could help him see that so that he could feel it the same way that the rest of us do," Belanger said.

Now, they're planning a search party on Tuesday around the areas his cellphone last pinged, to see if they can find new clues or evidence pointing to his whereabouts.

Anyone with information on Belanger or his whereabouts is urged to contact the Green Bay Police Department at (920)448-3200 and reference case #23-252544. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (920) 432-STOP (7867). You may also submit a tip online at www.432stop.com, or utilize the "P3 Tips" app.