As part of their Cold Case Tuesday, State Police are highlighting the 1987 case of Erica Franolich of Middleburgh, 26 at the time of her disappearance and believed to be the victim of foul play.
The case remains under investigation and anyone with any information on Ms. Franolich’s disappearance is urged to contact SP Princetown at (518) 630-1700.
At the time of her disappearance, Ms. Franolich, the mother of two, was living in Middleburgh with her husband and their young son.
She is believed to have last been seen at about 9pm on October 13, 1986 in the area of Main Street and Railroad Avenue in the Village of Middleburgh.
However, she wasn’t reported missing until February 25, 1987 when family living in Waterford, Michigan who’d been unable to get in contact with her alerted authorities there.
Ms. Franolich moved to Middleburgh from Michigan in August 1986.
According to a Times-Journal interview with one of her brothers, Dana Poprafsky, in 2017, 30 years after she’d disappeared, Ms. Franolich had called one of her brothers from the local bar that night saying she feared for her life and wanted to get back to her home in Michigan.
Mr. Poprafsky said his sister was supposed to call the next day to arrange her return, but they never heard from her.
Mr. Poprafsky died at his home in Waterford January 14.
Ms. Franolich is described as having brown hair and eyes.
She has a mole on her left knee and a small indentation on her forehead slightly left of center.
She is 5 feet 3 inches with a small build.
“It is believed that she may be the victim of foul play,” State Police said.