BALTIMORE — The Charlottesville Police Department in Virginia is searching for a person of interest they believe was involved in the murder of a missing person.
Police say 28-year-old Erik McFadden was a friend of missing 19-year-old Dashad 'Sage' Smith who was last seen on November 20, 2012.
According to CPD, they believe McFadden was the last person to see Smith. They say the two were planning on meeting up the evening of November 20 when Smith disappeared moments after. Police say what happened after they met remains a mystery, which leads them to think McFadden has information that could help them solve Smith's disappearance.
A detective with the department contacted McFadden after Smith vanished, and the officer said he did not show up to a scheduled interview with police. It was reported that he left town and hasn't been seen since by family and friends.
In 2016, the department reclassified Smith's case as an unsolved homicide. And on June 26, 2019, the department filed a missing persons report for McFadden, at the request of his mother.
Detectives believe McFadden may be in Baltimore; Joppa; Lake City, South Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Atlanta; New York City; Rochester, New York; or on the West Coast.
CPD is asking anyone with information about McFadden’s disappearance or Smith’s homicide to contact Detective Regine Wright at (434) 970-3381, or their anonymous CrimeStoppers tip line at (434) 977-4000.
A $10,000 reward is being offered through CrimeStoppers, and an additional $10,000 is being matched by the City of Charlottesville for information leading to an arrest in Smith’s case.
