When did Raleigh man William Banks go missing?
A NORTH Carolina man has mysteriously vanished after he reportedly met two men in an upscale shopping and residential district to sell his SUV.
Police have now arrested and charged a suspect in connection with a stolen SUV that belongs to Banks.
Here’s what we know so far about William Banks’ disappearance.
When did William Banks go missing?
Raleigh Police said 39-year-old William Anderson Banks was seen around 2 pm on Saturday, September 12 near Cameron Village, an upscale shopping and residential district in North Carolina.
Authorities said Banks was reported missing after he met with people interested in buying his 2011 Silver Range Rover Sport in a parking lot of K&W Cafeteria, a restaurant in the posh neighborhood.
CBS 17 exclusively reports the 911 call released earlier this week shows that Banks planned to walk the other side of town where his newer car, a BMW, was parked.
“He met two people from Craigslist to try and sell his car,” Banks’ friend Amanda Finch told local news the Star-Tribune.
“He hasn’t been seen or heard from since.”
CBS17 said the restaurant is currently closed and cameras from nearby businesses point away from the parking lot.
How is Justin Merritt involved?
Detectives located Banks’ 2011 Land Rover on September 14 in Danville, Virginia – a town located over the North Carolina border.
Danville is also about 90 miles away from the location where Banks was last seen.
Shortly after police discovered the SUV, 34-year-old Justin Merritt of Danville, Virginia was arrested and charged with robbery, larceny of motor vehicle, and possession of a firearm by convicted felon in connection with the stolen vehicle.
What happened to Banks’ phone?
The Star-Tribune reports that Banks’s cell phone was also found on North Carolina interstate 440 heading west from Raleigh toward Danville.
“We have friends that are tech people,” Banks’ friend Amanda Finch told the news agency, referring to Banks as Andy as Anderson is Banks’ middle name.
“They were able to look through Andy’s messages through a cloud on his laptop that was at home. They were able to find out that the phone number they were using to text Andy was a burner phone.”
The burner phone was reportedly last pinged in Danville.
What does William ‘Andy’ Banks look like?
William Anderson Bank, 39, is blond and stands about six feet tall.
He was seen in driving a silver 2011 Range Rover Sport near Cameron Village.
At that time, Banks was wearing blue Patagonia shorts, a grey shirt with a picture of a mountain on the front, and flip flops.
Has William Banks been located?
Banks is still missing and the investigation about his disappearance is ongoing.
Raleigh Police Department told the Sun its officers are working with the Danville Police Department to locate Banks.
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CBS17 also reports that the FBI confirmed agents are providing technical assistance to Raleigh police.
Anyone with information about this case or who sees Banks should contact the Raleigh Police Department at 919-996-3335.