In this episode of Crime Watch Daily Updates: The nearly 40-year-old unsolved murder of 16-year-old Erik Cross.
The night before Erik died, he went to his friend’s house for a “kegger,” where several people gathered to drink cheap beer for hours on end. Erik reportedly indulged in the drinking and got very drunk.
On June 26, 1983, Erik’s father walked outside to pick up his newspaper when he saw his son’s body on the side of the road. Erik suffered rope burns and cuts all over his body.
At first, police thought he was killed in a hit-and-run. Then, they theorized he had been “hood surfing” that night, which means he was tied to the roof of a car that swerved down the road, and he fell off and got hit.
As detectives dug into the case, it seemed Erik’s death was not accidental. They believed he had been tied up and dragged by a car.
Investigators honed in on a “core group” of teens they believed were involved in the alleged crime, which included a man named Brent Spaulding and his girlfriend, Amber Thomas. There were rumors that Brent allegedly bullied Erik at the party and later admitted to one friend that he killed Erik, but there wasn’t enough substantial evidence to arrest him.
Detectives still believe Brent drove the car that killed Erik, and over 35 years after his death, Erik’s family is still fighting to get justice.
In 2017, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office sent charges to the prosecutor’s office and requested murder charges against five suspects, including Brent and Amber.
In 2019, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office announced they would reopen the investigation, but in January 2020, said there was not enough evidence to charge any of the suspects. Brent, however, has been in and out of jail on unrelated charges.
Let’s take a look back at the case of a teen who was killed on a summer night in Michigan, whose death remains unsolved all these years later.
Erik is with you. He is always around.
I wish those cowards would talk.
Ik Bill knows what happened
That lady amber is hiding something she prolly helped tie him up. How evil people are…
local kids, knew… suspected….
Vicksburg has lots of weirdos as I remember back in the 80’s. Lots of keg party and homeless trailer parks.
This story is right next to my home town. My mom knows the family – and I had known the story but forgotten til she reminded me. This story breaks my heart and I hope more true crime pages take off with his story. The family so desperately deserves answers in this. Heartbreaking.
I Hope They Are Jailed For The Rest Of Their Lives And Never See Their Children Again As They Did To This Family RIP…
Can’t believe those responsible STILL live in that town, I would’ve moved on years ago.
I got a feeling that Eric dad did it for some reason the dad was the last person to hear Eric alive at the door and the first person to find his body
What dogs , driving someone around by the rope on back of a car… truly heartlesa
She said "no it's okay" and closed the door. You're a mother. How could you not want to bring closure to another mother and family grieving. Horrible people. I'm glad they are putting these people on blast. Rest in peace Erik.
This is NOT Healthy Entertainment. Its Weird. No different then the detective magazines they had in grocery stores during the 70's!
They may think they've gotten away with it BUT there will be judgement after we have completed the journey in this life. I do not associate myself with any religion or any religious group, but I do believe that for what we do not fess up to in this life and attuone for will follow us into the next stage!
The father killed him
I read there wasnt enough evidence to press charges!Someone needs to TALK!! THIS IS MURDER!
I promise this: God is very real, I KNOW!! Noone is getting away with anything. They are all going to be in for a SURPRISE!!!
I cried when his best friend cried!! He may of been killed also. I hope the town realizes he had nothing to do with this horrific CRIME!
Prayers for eveyone Innocent that has been hurt by this! God bless you!
Parasitic insects
Put them all in jail they will talk then quick
Justice for Erik!
So sad his friend Bill broke my heart terrible how he is being treated by the townspeople
So sad 😢
Brent did it and the others were accomplices so they helped cover it up. Hope they all go to jail for this. Unless one of them has finally come forward and provided this new break in the case, they should be granted amnesty.