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Post by theczar on Jun 24, 2013 15:28:03 GMT -5
 Fugitive Profile as of December 2nd, 2017: (Based on Unsolved Mysteries website profile)Gender: Male DOB: 7/12/57 Height: 6’0” Weight: 170 lbs. Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Defining Characteristics: Vertical scars under each armpit I decided to check up on cold cases that were aired on Unsolved Mysteries, and to see whether they were aired on AMW as well; Richard Bocklage being one of them. I'll be posting some more after this. Richard Bocklage is wanted for the murder of his girlfriend Tanya Kopric back in 1980. Kopric had left Yugoslavia, came to the U.S. to study medicine, and was determined to make a successful career for herself. By the time she was 34, she was a doctor at a hospital in Kansas City and began dating Richard Bocklage, a pharmacy student at the University of Missouri. Bocklage moved into her apartment shortly after, and eventually proposed to her, which she accepted. But several of Kopric's colleagues and friends didn't like Bocklage, believing he was only using her financially. Bocklage, described by a professor as an unmotivated student, was on the verge of failing due to him spending less time in class. Eventually, school officials notified him that he was expelled. He begged Kopric to use her connections to have him re-admitted, but after several months of erratic and violent behavior, Kopric ended their engagement and kicked him out. Bocklage continued to attend class, as if nothing was wrong. He wrote to officials, begging them to reconsider his case and let him back in. They denied his appeal, and quickly left the school in order to avoid a confrontation. Shortly after he received the call denying his appeal, he was spotted driving to the dean's office. He roamed the hallways look for the dean of admissions, carrying a large manila folder, which some speculate carried a weapon. He left when he realized the dean wasn't in. Later that night, Tanya Kopric returned to her apartment, but was shot three times in the head while still in her car. Witnesses stated the shooter was Bocklage, and investigators found out he had purchased the murder weapon not long before. A week later, Bocklage's car was found abandoned in Canada. A few months after the murder, Tanya Kopric's parents in Yugoslavia received a letter postmarked two days before the murder stating that Tanya had been executed by the government in Missouri, that she had caused much grief, anguish, and turmoil to several people, and that her death was inevitable. It was Richard Bocklage's handwriting. Where do you guys think he is today? Obviously, the easy guess is that he's still in Canada. But there's always the possibility he came back to the U.S. I could see him living in the west, like Colorado, or even somewhere like Illinois. Thoughts? UPDATE from site admin: As of July 26th, 2018, Bocklage is still mentioned on Unsolved Mysteries Wiki as "Results: Wanted": unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Richard_BocklageAdmin Note #1: If you have any information on the whereabouts of Richard Bocklage, based on wanted location, our advice would be to submit a web tip to Kansas City Metro Crime Stoppers at the following link: www.tipsubmit.com/WebTips.aspx?AgencyID=452&HR=http://www.tipsoft.com/index.aspx?p=webtips Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form |
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Post by Scumhunter on Jun 25, 2013 8:05:06 GMT -5
I don't see why he wouldn't still be in Canada. Although in AMW's early years it was the go-to place for fugitives and a lot got captured there before Mexico become the undisputed "favorite fugitive destination", Canada still is a decent place to hide and not get noticed.
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Post by theczar on Jun 25, 2013 9:17:14 GMT -5
I read on another blog a while ago a theory that Bocklage went into the woods near where his car was found and committed suicide. It'd explain why he hasn't been found, and this type of crime, murdering your significant other, has ended in suicide before, especially if they were last spotted near a wooded area. Unfortunately, with no evidence to support that theory, we'll just have to assume he's still in Canada.
Question. Does anyone know if Bocklage was profiled in the early days? I know he was last profiled in 2001, but I have a feeling he was shown back in the late 80s or early 90s.
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Post by HeadMarshal on Jun 25, 2013 10:55:22 GMT -5
I read on another blog a while ago a theory that Bocklage went into the woods near where his car was found and committed suicide. It'd explain why he hasn't been found, and this type of crime, murdering your significant other, has ended in suicide before, especially if they were last spotted near a wooded area. Unfortunately, with no evidence to support that theory, we'll just have to assume he's still in Canada. Question. Does anyone know if Bocklage was profiled in the early days? I know he was last profiled in 2001, but I have a feeling he was shown back in the late 80s or early 90s. msn.tv has an episode listing that references this case from the Dec 18, 1992 episode (Kansas City pharmacy student allegedly murdered a Yugoslavian doctor) tv.msn.com/tv/series-episodes/america's-most-wanted/?ipp=40&si=201 (Copy the link into your internet browser) Going back to Bocklage's whereabouts, it's possible that he committed suicide although it's rather weird that he would flee all the way to Canada just to do that. Considering he's been wanted since 1980 and was only first aired in 1992, it wouldn't have been difficult for him to have altered his appearance to be not detected by AMW tipsters. |
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Post by theczar on Jun 25, 2013 13:20:25 GMT -5
Thanks for the info. And it's true that he probably just changed his appearance. Back in the early 90's, they had a few age-enhanced photos of him, but IMHO, they were so poorly done that it's no wonder they didn't help.
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Post by HeadMarshal on Nov 30, 2017 14:14:42 GMT -5
 Above is the 1988 wanted poster done of Richard Bocklage by the FBI. Credit goes to the Ebay poster who is currently advertising it. I just check periodically at wanted poster listings on Ebay just in case one of the fugitives listed turns out to still be wanted and hasn't been profiled here yet. Key thing to note from the wanted poster is that Richard has a long surgical scar running vertically under each of his armpits. |
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Post by Maddog on Feb 24, 2018 3:19:00 GMT -5
Someone noted on another blog that Bocklage had been exhibiting schizophrenia-like symptoms at the time of the killing, and that both of his parents have passed away. The detective assigned to the case in the 90s stated that they never found the .45 Bocklage used to kill Dr. Kopric. I think it's possible he's still alive, but very little broadcasts or public appeals for information besides the AMW broadcast in 2001 leads me to believe the cops aren't sure he's even alive.
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Post by Scumhunter on Feb 24, 2018 19:13:17 GMT -5
True, there have been some cases where AMW seemed to give up (probably because law enforcement wasn't really begging them to air the case again) and the fugitive gets captured and we go "wow, if only they had aired him one more time in the mid-90's, they could have caught him." (Ronald Lyons recently surrendering comes to mind). But usually the lack of attention could possibly be of the police department assuming a death or something like that.
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Post by Maddog on Mar 4, 2018 0:50:27 GMT -5
They do have an airtight case against him: two witnesses saw him shoot Kopric to death and walk away. One of them knew immediately that it was Richard who had pulled the trigger.
I don't know that this was ever in the forum, but I have read an article that said when the RCMP discovered his car in Manitoba, he left a note inside that said the owner was returning to the U.S. I honestly think Richard was trying to throw the cops off and was going to stay in Canada for a year, but he may have then gone to the U.S. when the time was right, as Detective Miller stated on Unsolved Mysteries. I don't think Richard could have lasted a self-sufficient lifestyle in Canada longer than that time.
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Post by Scumhunter on Mar 4, 2018 0:54:21 GMT -5
I could see that scenario. Entirely different case, but similar to the theory some have that Dan Hiers purposely abandoned his car near the Mexican border to throw everyone off.
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Post by Maddog on Mar 4, 2018 1:01:07 GMT -5
Yep: There was also the case of Pinkney Carter who was profiled on AMW in the early 2000s - he gave everyone the impression that he was burrowing deeper into Mexico, when we now know he headed up to Kentucky and was busted there.
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Post by mbado2003 on Jul 11, 2019 14:54:53 GMT -5
This is similar to Robert Fisher, is it not? He commits an unspeakable act and then disappears. His car is found by a woods and there’s no trace of him after that.
These kind of cases fascinate me. Ones where someone remains Wanted after 30+ years on the run. Are they still out there? Did they die in the woods and their bodies decomposed before anyone could find them? Did a bear drag them into a cave? Or are they just out here living a normal life, yet to be detected?
I think it’s definitely going to be harder for criminals to do that nowadays with the rise of social media.
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Post by Maddog on Dec 28, 2019 1:29:41 GMT -5
I recently had the opportunity to re-read on this case and watch the Unsolved Mysteries segment on this. I am leaning 60/40 towards Bocklage still being alive and on the run. I think this is a case that can still be solved for reasons I will divulge a little later:
Evidence leaning towards Bocklage being alive:
1) He planned this crime out in advance. He mailed the letter to Tanya Kopric’s parents two days before killing her. I think he was planning on not just the murder, but where he would flee after the killing (I am wondering if he knew he would flee to Canada and cover his tracks there).
2) I have read articles that the RCMP did do a thorough search of the area around Thompson, Manitoba, Canada, and no trace of human remains or anything similar was found. All they found were two eyewitnesses who saw Richard in the area.
3) Even if Richard did stay in the area, it’s my understanding that he had an excellent amount of knowledge about the outdoors and camping. This would make it easier for him to live off the grid.
4) Richard’s .45 pistol wasn’t found in the area where the car was found.
5) He apparently left a note in his car when he abandoned it saying that whoever found it could keep it, and that he was going back to the US. I think this was his way of deliberately throwing the police off his trail.
6) In 1991, Detective Warren Miller implied on Unsolved Mysteries that he didn’t believe Richard was dead, and in all actuality, believed he was somewhere in the US again.
Evidence Pointing Towards Death:
1) There have reportedly been few leads on Richard’s whereabouts since 1980.
2 Both of Richard’s parents are deceased. The FBI had agents at both funerals, but Richard never appeared.
3) Richard was reportedly showing Schizophrenia-like symptoms at the time of the murder according to someone who posted on an online forum. No idea if this is true or not, but from my experience in working with people with Schizophrenia, without treatment, their health is at great risk of declining because of an inability to care for oneself. Richard has been on the run for nearly 40 years, and likely has had little medical treatment for any mental illnesses.
4) Richard seemed to be highly dependent on other people, and there is no evidence he has reached out to family or friends in the last 40 years.
I think it would help if the FBI put this case on their site. One thing this investigation has been hampered by is the fact that there aren’t many good photos of Richard. They should check with family and friends to see if there is something better they can use (it worked with the Donald Webb case). Plus, age-enhancement technology is much better compared to 1991, and a better age-enhanced photo could prove helpful.
I’m guessing before security measures put in after 9/11, that Richard was living primarily in a different area of Canada, but was making trips back to the US on occasion. I think he could be in either Country at this point. I believe, though, that he is likely living in a rural setting, since that is the type of area he fled to, and additionally, he is a skilled outdoorsman.
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Post by Scumhunter on Dec 28, 2019 2:22:35 GMT -5
Granted, there is no way to verify their credibility so it should be taken with a grain of salt, but there are people commenting on the unsolved.com page that Bocklage still has family in St. Louis and they claim he passed away in 2005. Another person claims Bocklage is his third cousin and "he still gone". They then added an LOL which proved they were an a-hole regardless of whether or not he was related to them, but that's besides the point. unsolved.com/gallery/richard-bocklage/I am always extremely suspicious when the family of a fugitive claims he/she is deceased, but once again we don't know the validity of the claims. I will say Bocklage had to have family to pay for his college and while legally I have to walk a tightrope when it comes to accusing family members, I will in what is an admittedly passive-aggressive comment state that the entitled laziness along with the arrogance Bocklage allegedly displayed, killing Tanya and then having the nerve to write to her family as if it were her fault for her own senseless murder, that type of entitlement and arrogance is usaully something that runs in one's family and those types of families aren't the most likely to help the police. Sorry mbado as I didn't see your comment before, but after comparing to Dan Hiers, I'll compare to Robert Fisher as well in there is evidence towards dead or alive. I am leaning towards alive in that I think Bocklage did stay on the run and did not commit suicide. The only thing I will give is that it is possible Bocklage passed away while on the run. |
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Post by Maddog on Dec 28, 2019 9:22:15 GMT -5
Granted, there is no way to verify their credibility so it should be taken with a grain of salt, but there are people commenting on the unsolved.com page that Bocklage still has family in St. Louis and they claim he passed away in 2005. Another person claims Bocklage is his third cousin and "he still gone". They then added an LOL which proved they were an a-hole regardless of whether or not he was related to them, but that's besides the point. unsolved.com/gallery/richard-bocklage/I am always extremely suspicious when the family of a fugitive claims he/she is deceased, but once again we don't know the validity of the claims. I will say Bocklage had to have family to pay for his college and while legally I have to walk a tightrope when it comes to accusing family members, I will in what is an admittedly passive-aggressive comment state that the entitled laziness along with the arrogance Bocklage allegedly displayed, killing Tanya and then having the nerve to write to her family as if it were her fault for her own senseless murder, that type of entitlement and arrogance is usaully something that runs in one's family and those types of families aren't the most likely to help the police. Sorry mbado as I didn't see your comment before, but after comparing to Dan Hiers, I'll compare to Robert Fisher as well in there is evidence towards dead or alive. I am leaning towards alive in that I think Bocklage did stay on the run and did not commit suicide. The only thing I will give is that it is possible Bocklage passed away while on the run. Another problem I had with him being dead that I forgot to list: There has been no evidence of a suicide. I think Richard was planning on taking flight the entire time. Granted, a mental illness could certainly raise his chances of being a suicide risk, but it would be out of the ordinary for him to drive all the way up to Canada, just abandon the vehicle, and commit suicide elsewhere. In many domestic violence crimes where there is a suicide, it usually happens at the scene or very close by. I agree with your statements on the entitledness. Dr. Kopric would still be alive if he has just gone to class. I think his former advisor said it best, “You have to want it bad enough (to become a pharmacist) to devote many, many hours to the academic study, end of it. And I’m not sure he was willing to do that.” |
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