The disappearance of a local teacher has become a possible homicide investigation, police say, and her husband is a person of interest in the matter.
Police say they have been unable to find Schoolcraft teacher Theresa Lockhart, 44, since she was last seen on May 18.
They say that — along with a lack of cooperation from her spouse, Christopher Lockhart — are causing them to adjust their investigation.
“The key elements of it, the complete void of ‘proof of life’ for the duration of the time, the lack of communication input, and the lack of cooperation by the spouse, has refocused us,” said Senior Deputy Chief John Blue, of the Portage Department of Public Safety. “At this point, we are moving the course of the investigation toward a homicide investigation.”
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Lockhart has not been seen since she drove away from her home in Portage at about 10 p.m. on May 18. Police have searched and say it is possible she may have simply left the area, but there has been no “proof of life.”
That refers to the lack of such things as phone contact with friends, family and others, use of credit cards, the unusual place her vehicle was found, and no signs of pre-planning (evidence that her absence was pre-planned, as if she was going on a trip).
Blue said Lockhart’s car was found a few miles from her house at a park-and-ride lot off West Centre Avenue and U.S. 131 later that day.
They say her husband has shown little interest in helping.
“Our contacts with him were met with non-cooperative elements and then through an attorney,” he said.
Public Safety was notified about Theresa Lockhart’s disappearance by her school district rather than her spouse. After no communication with her for a few days, the high school Spanish teacher was reported missing on Saturday, May 20, by Schoolcraft Community Schools Superintendent Rusty Stitt.
Blue said public safety investigators have worked with the Michigan State Police, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office and a cadaver dog with an expert handler to try to locate Theresa Lockhart. They have conducted four searches, including a boots-on-the-ground search of the area near the place her vehicle was found, an aerial search and checks of other areas. He said they are prepared to do even more expanded searches.
Blue said the woman’s husband has had no involvement with any vigils or activities related to finding her and has not followed-up with police.
Of investigators’ contacts with the man, he said, “there has been almost no cooperation whatsoever.”
Public Safety asks anyone with information about Lockhart ‘s disappearance to contact them directly 269-329-4567 or anonymously via the Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.
