The Ecorse community is mourning the loss of 25-year-old Tyler Bojanowski, whose body was found Monday along the waterfront, ending weeks of uncertainty after he went missing in early February. Sources confirmed to 7 News Detroit that the body matched Bojanowski’s physical description and was wearing clothing consistent with what he had been last seen wearing. Authorities have notified his family of the tragic discovery.
Bojanowski was last heard from on Wednesday, February 4, around 11:30 p.m., when he spoke with his mother, Nicole Dillon. He told her he was heading to a friend’s house, but he never returned home the following day. Concerned for his safety, Dillon reached out to local authorities when his phone began going straight to voicemail, realizing something was wrong.
According to the Wyandotte Police Department, Bojanowski had visited two bars in the Wyandotte area the night he disappeared. Around 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, police observed his vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed and attempted to locate it. Officers soon discovered his car crashed near Enterprise Drive, close to the Best Western in Allen Park. However, the vehicle was empty, with airbags deployed and Bojanowski’s cellphone and wallet left inside. Surveillance footage later showed Bojanowski walking away from the crash scene.
Nine hours after the crash, Bojanowski’s passport was found at Dingell Park in Ecorse. While the park is equipped with surveillance cameras, they were not operational at the time, leaving unanswered questions about how the passport ended up there. Chief Archie Hamilton of the Wyandotte Police Department noted the uncertainty: “Was it dropped by him or somebody else prior to this crash? Or was it dropped by him after the crash?”
Bojanowski’s mother shared that her son had previously suffered a brain injury in a separate car accident but had remained in good spirits and committed to his recovery. “He was on his way to full recovery, getting back to work, which was his main goal. He just constantly talked about getting back to work,” Dillon said.
The circumstances surrounding Bojanowski’s disappearance and death remain under investigation. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward to assist in the ongoing inquiry. Friends, family, and the community continue to remember Tyler as a resilient and determined young man whose life was tragically cut short.
His passing is a somber reminder of the fragility of life and has left an enduring impact on those who knew him, highlighting the importance of vigilance, community support, and the ongoing search for answers in such tragic cases.