Electronic billboards offer Funk family new hope
By Knoxville Daily Sun Staff
February 22, 2011
Derek Funk has been missing since May 2010. Today the Funk family has decided to upgrade their search and find new hope in modern advertising.
After a nine-month investigation and several interviews with key people, the Knoxville authorities are baffled and are suspecting foul play.
Funk called his parents (Tricia and Kevin) in Oak Ridge, TN every day. They describe him as outgoing with a free spirit. One day the daily phone calls stopped and since then there's been a confusing void of unanswered questions.
Kevin's father is convinced that someone knows something. While handing out and posting fliers throughout the past several months he wanted to take the information to a bigger platform and reach even more people. Today Funk's parents have decided to continue their hope and have rented electronic billboards with Kevin's description and picture while offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the return of their son. The billboards are scattered throughout East TN.
Derek left a friend's house in Powell on May 12, 2010. He was driving a white Ford Ranger and was headed to his home in South Knoxville when something went wrong. He was never seen again.
It's natural for someone's immediate thoughts to be: Derek got mixed up with the wrong crowd; however, he has absolutely no criminal history. It's also not realistic that he would just take off. He had a good job that he loved and was content with his life. He was family oriented and respected throughout the community.
Derek has blond hair and blue eyes. He's 5'10" with a thin build. He has several tattoos and weighs 130 pounds.
If you have any information that could help investigators, please call KPD at (865) 215-7212.
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