Woman gets out of car, disappears. Mary Tornga last seen around 1 a.m. Sunday. Update: Mary's body Found!!

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Updated: Monday, 15 Apr 2013, 7:04 AM EDT
Published : Sunday, 14 Apr 2013, 9:19 PM EDT

GRANDVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - Grandville police need your help locating a woman who disappeared after having an argument with her husband in their vehicle.

Mary Tornga, 51, of Grandville was last seen around 1 a.m. Sunday in the area of Market Street and I-196 in Grand Rapids. She had been in downtown Grand Rapids with her husband at a birthday party, family members said. After they left the party in their car, Tornga and her husband argued. She got out of the vehicle and hasn't been seen since.

Her husband later reported her missing, police said.

Family members told 24 Hour News 8 that Grandville police officers searched the area Sunday with the assistance of a Grand Rapids Police Department K-9 unit and found one of her shoes. Police searched until dark, her family said.

"Near the entrance ramp from Market [Avenue] to the expressway, a shoe was found, so that's what's making them so concerned," said Tornga's sister, Micki Ackerman. She said Tornga's daughter confirmed the shoe belonged to Tornga.

"My sister is the most responsible person I know. Clear-headed. That's why the concern that we have, because we haven't heard from her since last night," said Ackerman.

Ackerman said Tornga's cellphone is off.

Tornga is described as being 5-foot-4 tall, weighing about 140 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a bright pink shirt and blue jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Grandville Police Department at 616.538.6110 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.

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Mary Tornga Disappearance Seems Suspicious
April 15, 2013 01:05 AM EDT

Michigan woman Mary Tornga vanished in the early hours of Sunday morning after reportedly arguing with her husband. This case is still developing, but the details currently available to the public paint a suspicious story that is leaving officials concerned—and rightfully so.

She was last seen in the area of Market Street and I-196 at around 1:00 a.m., Sunday morning. She and her husband had just left a party in their car and reportedly argued. Her husband reported her missing sometime after he claims she got out of the vehicle and disappearing. It's being reported that over the course of the search for the missing woman, officials have located a shoe that was confirmed as belonging to her.

With it being 24 hours since she vanished, it's hard to believe that she is somewhere voluntarily missing. It's even more difficult to believe that she is somewhere voluntarily with only one shoe. What needs to be asked is whether or not there is any evidence of a crime—foul play. Have officials thoroughly questioned her husband and any potential witnesses? What about security footage—is there any available?

Hopefully the search for Mary Tornga ends on a positive note, but the current details are troubling.

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Helicopter searches for missing Grandville woman
5:53 PM, Apr 15, 2013
GRANDVILLE, Mich. (WZZM) -- The search continued Monday along the Grand River for a Grandville woman missing since the weekend.

51-year old Mary Tornga disappeared around 1:00am Sunday, after arguing with her husband.

They were driving home from a birthday party in Grand Rapids, when Tornga got out of the car near Market Street and I-196. She hasn't been seen since.

Grandville Police Chief Dan Steer says the family reported her missing later that day. Police decided to take action soon after she was reported missing. "Due to the fact that she was down here, middle of the night, with the water, the river being a concern too."

Monday afternoon, the Michigan State Police used its helicopter to search up and down the Grand River. There were no plans to search the river. "No, we're not going to put any divers in, heavy current, lots of snags, very dangerous to put boat in. We wouldn't even know where to begin."

A shoe, belonging to Tornga, was found near the area where she disappeared on Sunday evening. Police also tried to call and track her cell phone, but it appears to be turned off.

Grandville Police say the Tornga's husband is talking with police and is not considered a suspect.

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on April 17, 2013 at 8:28 PM, updated April 17, 2013 at 9:34 PM

GRANDVILLE, MI — The last four days have caused the family of Mary Tornga a cascade of emotions.

Concern and worry when she went missing. Hope and determination she would be found safe as the search started. Grief and despair as police pulled a body from the Grand River and identified it as Tornga.

All of this has weighed on Tornga's husband, Greg Tornga, likely the last person to see her alive. Driving home Sunday night from a party in Grand Rapids, the Grandville couple started to argue. Mary Tornga wanted out of the car, police have said. She left and started walking.

"This is hard on him. I'm sure he's just kind of in shock and living in a vacuum right now," Joe Tucker, a family friend and executive pastor at Resurrection Life Church in Grandville, said of Greg Tornga. "He feels a lot of remorse for not turning around and going back, he's stated that."

Two kayakers called 911 Tuesday, April 16, and reported finding a body in a flooded portion of the Grand River along westbound I-196 near Market Avenue, the same area where Mary Tornga left the car. Using boats and a dive team, police and sheriff's deputies pulled the body from the river later Tuesday and identified it as Mary Tornga on Wednesday.

When the kayakers first reported finding the body and described a pink shirt — which matched what Mary Tornga was last seen wearing — police asked Tucker to notify members of the family. Tucker first told Mary Tornga's daughter. Word then spread.

Friends and family of Mary Tornga were at the scene Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Police were able to identify the body without their assistance, Tucker said. When word reached the gathered friends and family, hope turned to despair.

"That was the toughest part for them," Tucker said of learning it was Mary Tornga recovered from the river. "They chose to believe the best up until the last minute. They're a very strong family."

Tucker said early reports from the Kent County Medical Examiner's Office indicate that Mary Tornga drowned and no foul play was involved. Police said Wednesday the situation was still under investigation. Wyoming police Capt. Kim Koster said Grandville police interviewed Tornga's husband once, but they want to speak with him again as a matter of course.

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Another one. I sure hope LE checks out this husband 100%.

I think he's been cleared. He sounds extremely remorseful. I wonder if Mary was intoxicated and fell into the water. I would also like to know more about this marriage.