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Posters supporting Justice for Erik Cross defaced

Posted at 4:05 PM, Jul 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-07 20:29:26-04

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Family and friends of a West Michigan man murdered 33 years ago are outraged after their posters asking for Justice for Erik Cross have been vandalized or torn down.

Some of the posters have Erik's name taped over with the name, "Brent", likely hinting at another man who has been named as a person-of-interest in the murder, Brenton Spaulding.  "Innocent until proven guilty" is posted across the bottom of the poster.

The posters that family have been putting up recently do not name anyone other than Erik and don't contain any controversial messages.  They have caught some of the vandalism on camera.

"They stick stickers on them, because they want justice for somebody else that doesn't deserve it," Kellie Yunginger, a member of "Erik's Army" said Thursday.

That somebody else is likely Brenton Spaulding.  He's been named as a person-of-interest in Cross's murder, along with five other people.  Members of Erik's Army say they're disgusted with what's happening, but very telling of the people doing it.

"If I was named a person-of-interest in a murder case that I claim I didn't commit, I'd be out there trying to find the person that did it or helping Erik's Army find justice for Erik," said Tammy Evans.

"All we want is for information to be turned in to the sheriff's department and if somebody is taking the time out to do this, it says a lot about what they're doing," said Yunginger.

Erik's Army says this isn't going to stop them, but just fuels their fire.

"They don't intimidate us," says Yunginger. "They don't scare us a bit.  You just keep on doing what you're doing and so will we, but there's a lot more of us than there is you."

Erik's Army says they are currently trying to raise money to buy a billboard, which they say won't be able to be touched by vandals.

Brenton Spaulding was arrested in Juneon charges of domestic violence.

Cross was 16 when he was last seen leaving a friend's party in Vicksburg in June of 1983.  His father found his body along the side of the road.  Erik's family believes he ran into a group of teenagers on his way home from that party.