SEARCH ENDS FOR MISSING BALTIMORE CO. MAN AFTER APPARENT SUICIDE IN WEST VIRGINIA

(BALDWIN, MD) – Maryland State Police have ended the more than two-week search for a missing Baltimore County man after he was found yesterday in West Virginia, the victim of an apparent suicide.  

The man is identified as Michael Diffenderffer, 52, of the 12000-block of Fork Road, Baldwin, MD.  He had been reported missing to Maryland State Police at the Bel Air Barrack late on October 5, 2011.  His wife told troopers when she made the report that her husband had left her a note stating he was out, but would home for dinner that night.  He did not return.

For more than two weeks, Maryland State Police had conducted an extensive search for Diffenderffer.  Troopers had enlisted the assistance of multiple units within the State Police, as well as that of multiple other state and local police agencies in the region.  

Maryland State Police at the Bel Air Barrack were contacted about noon yesterday by West Virginia State Police, who reported they had found the body of a man tentatively identified as Diffenderffer.  West Virginia troopers were called to Milo School Road in Morgan County after receiving a call from citizen who reported an abandoned vehicle on the property of a private hunting club.  

Troopers found the body of Diffenderffer in his 2005 Acura MDX, along with two empty pill bottles.  There were no signs of foul play.  

West Virginia troopers said a local resident advised the vehicle had been parked there for about two weeks.  The person did not report the vehicle to authorities until yesterday.  


CONTACT: Lt. Chuck Moore
Cmdr., Bel Air Barrack
410-879-2101