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Posted on Wed, Nov. 18, 2009

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Foul play feared in man's disappearance

BY HURST LAVIANA

The Wichita Eagle

Bel Aire police said Tuesday they suspect foul play in the March disappearance of an 82-year-old man.

William L. Howell was last seen about 3:30 p.m. March 5 at the Bel Aire Recreation Center.

Detective Craig Pentecost said Howell often hitchhiked into Wichita and rode buses to visit friends in the 900 block of North Topeka.

"Every once in a while he would be gone overnight, but never for this long," Pentecost said. "Due to the length of time involved, we're suspecting foul play."

Howell is 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighs 140 pounds, has brown eyes and short gray hair and walks with a limp or cane. He was last seen wearing a tan jacket and white tennis shoes.

Howell is diabetic and insulin dependent.

Howell's family is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone offering information that leads to Howell's whereabouts or the arrest of any person or people responsible for his disappearance.

Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County also is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Bel Aire police at 316-744-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Reach Hurst Laviana at 316-268-6499 or hlaviana@wichitaeagle.com.