Brittany Shank has been missing for 2,120 days as of Thursday, September 19. That’s too long to be without answers, according to family, friends, and an advocate who addressed the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners.

“I grew up in this county,” a crying Greg Wallace said Tuesday, September 17. “I’m no longer a resident in this county. But I’ve tried to get people to work with me. I come here tonight to ask the only people that I know can have an influence to do something to make a change.”

Wallace is Brittany Shank’s father. Shank, then 23, was last seen on November 30, 2018, Watershed Voice previously reported. She had emerged from a car crash in the area of Fawn River Road near Workman Road, Fawn River Township, around 9 p.m. that day.

Shank reportedly walked to nearby homes for help, noticeably bleeding from her arms and feet and without a coat or shoes. When a homeowner attempted to find better cell phone reception in order to call police, Shank vanished. Her cellphone pinged for the last time near the intersection of Watt Road and Fawn River Road in Sturgis.

“Today, you get to see Brittany Wallace Shank’s father in the face. The face that most of you have let down over and over again,” Lindsay Ann Turner said as she introduced Greg Wallace to the commissioners.

Turner’s sister-in-law, Egypt Covington, was found murdered in her Ann Arbor home in 2017. Turner became a victim advocate, helping to move Covington’s case from the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office to the Michigan State Police (MSP).

Emails calling for Shank’s case to be transferred from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office to MSP were sent to all seven county commissioners, Turner said. She claims each commissioner was emailed at least five times. Before Tuesday’s meeting, only Commissioner Dennis Allen had directly responded.

“On May 2, Greg Wallace officially requested that Brittany’s case be transferred to MSP,” Turner said. “Det. Jason Auton replied with, ‘That’s not how things work.’”

Turner subsequently contacted Det. Sgt. Todd Peterson, MSP, she said. Peterson said MSP does not take over cases unless they are asked to do so by a department or a prosecutor.

“It’s that simple. That simple. It’s one request,” Turner said.

Shank’s supporters have quietly allowed St. Joseph County four-and-a-half months to do the right thing, Turner said. MSP has more expertise and resources readily available.

“But we are not going to be quiet anymore in our fight. We’re ready to let the community know the truth. It’s time to let the community know that if or when your loved one goes missing, these are the same detectives that will be on your case. The same department that is understaffed,” Turner said.

The board of commissioners has the authority to make a difference, Turner said. She wondered if they would be so passive if their own loved ones were missing.

“Or do you sit up here today knowing that if or when this happens to you, you’ll be treated much better?” Turner asked.

Turner also spoke about the possibility of St. Joseph County’s next sheriff and county prosecutor deciding to allow MSP to take the Shank case, and it gets solved.

“Imagine knowing that you had the same opportunity to be humble and admit that you’ve done all that you can do, and it’s someone else’s turn,” Turner said. “Imagine if you had the opportunity to do that, but instead, you chose to continue to keep your hope, (and) hope away from this grieving father.”

Chad Spence won August’s Republican primary for St. Joseph County sheriff. That same month, Deborah Davis won the Republican primary for county prosecutor. There were no declared Democratic candidates for the office. Spence, the presumptive next sheriff, did not respond to Watershed Voice’s calls as of publication time. His comments will be included when they are available.

Later in Tuesday’s meeting, Board Chairman Ken Malone spoke about the commissioners’ role with the sheriff’s office. It is his understanding that yes, a prosecutor can get involved in having a case transferred to MSP. However, “unfortunately” the sheriff is the one who runs the office and makes the decisions.

Malone’s use of “unfortunately” led to comments about current St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite. Lillywhite has “been AWOL for a year-and-a-half.” The person commissioners would normally speak to about the sheriff’s office isn’t here, Malone said.

“We control the budget, but we don’t control their actions,” Malone said about the sheriff’s office. “We control budgets, not elected officials’ offices.”

Shortly before that, Turner she is willing to bring national attention to the Shank case.

“I’ve been on ‘Dateline’ multiple times. They already know about this story. I tried to let you guys do this in a quiet manner, to be the heroes, to give her case up to someone who can possibly – I’m not saying they can solve it, but it’s new eyes,” Turner said.

Frank Stanko is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.