Canines locate ‘likely remains’ of missing Perry native Up North

Invesitgation continues into 44-year-old man’s disappearance

FRIDAY, Aug. 1 — Authorities said yesterday they have found the “likely remains” of a Perry, Michigan, native  Up North in Oscoda Township.

“On Thursday, July 31, 2025, canines from All County Search and Rescue located the likely remains of Leslie Brown in a wooded area near Van Ettan Creek,” they said.  “Investigation into Brown’s disappearance continues until the identity of the remains is confirmed, and a cause of death is determined.”

“Les” Lewis Brown, 44,  a graduate of Perry High School, was reportedly last seen on or around July 12 while fishing with a companion near his Oscoda Township  home.

While the exact timeline of his disappearance remains unclear, police said his longtime girlfriend  reported  him missing  July 19 after she returned from a trip downstate and found he had not returned from his fishing trip the week before. The couple previously lived in Perry but had moved to Oscoda in June, just weeks before his disappearance, according to police.

Brown was described as a white male, 6 feet, 1 inch tall, weighing approximately 235 pounds, with short dark brown hair and a beard.

The Oscoda Township Police Department conducted more than a week-long search for Brown in the area where he was last seen, using drone aircraft from All County Search and Rescue, watercraft from the Department of Natural Resources, search dogs and crews of volunteers on foot.”

According to Oscoda Township Police Sergeant Curtis Hall, this candid photo is a still from surveillance footage showing the last confirmed sighting. However, the police decllined to share any additional information about the photo because  the investigation “remains open and active.”

“As of right now, it [the photo] is the last time we’ve confirmed he was seen, and it is what we believe is the best information on how he was dressed/appeared before he disappeared,” Oscoda Township Police Sergeant Curtis Hall said via email. “For the time being, we’re withholding the date, time and location of the photo for investigative purposes.”

The Oscoda Township Police were being assisted by the Michigan State Police, the Department of Natural Resources, the Perry Police Department, the Shiawassee County Sheriff’s Office and the Flint Police Department.

Anyone with information about Brown were encouraged to contact the Oscoda Township Police Department at (989) 739-9112 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP (1-800-773-2587).