MORGAN COUNTY, Ala. — UPDATE: 4:40 p.m. July 7: The Morgan County Sheriff's Office announced that a man traveling from Indiana to Florida who was allegedly robbed and abandoned by his 'friends' at a Montgomery gas station is back with his family in Indiana.
The sheriff's office said a good samaritan picked him up from an officer in Nashville, Tennesse, and dropped him off to his mother and sister in Indiana on Wednesday, July 7.
UPDATE 3:01 p.m. July 7: On July 6, the Morgan County Sheriff's Office updated its Facebook post saying part of the man's story may be inaccurate. The updated statement reads as follows:
"We have since learned that some of this young man's story may be inaccurate, if not an outright lie. It appears his mother still has both legs and his deceased father is still alive. However, our agency, and others, acted in good faith based on the information we were given and we were happy to do it and would do it again."
After our sister station in Indianapolis, WTHR, shared our report, the missing man's sister reached out and told them there is more to the story. The man told police his name was Wilinaus Bolin and was 23-years-old, but his sister told reporters his real name is Sangre Bolin and is really 29-years-old.
Breezy Stamps, his sister, said her family is trying to locate Bolin who they say haven't heard from or seen since Sunday. She told reporters he was likely using his brother's first name because Sangre has a warrant in Marion County for violation of home detention and was scared.
Stamps said Sangre struggles with several mental health issues and is also recovering from hip surgery. She believes someone may have lured him into their car, robbed him and left him near the interstate after he received his disability check.
Stamps is grateful for how law enforcement rallied around Sangre, but is worried that he is confused and in need of medication. She told reporters he had never been out of town.
The family is filing a missing person's report and is asking for help in finding him.
"We all love him, miss him, worry about him and hope he's safe," Stamps said.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Morgan County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), along with several other Alabama law enforcement agencies, helped a 23-year-old man get back home after he was robbed and abandoned in Montgomery by some "friends" he was traveling with.
Willinaus Bolin, 23, was on his way from Indianapolis, Indiana, to Florida with some "friends" when they allegedly physically pushed him out of the car and robbed him at a gas station in Montgomery. MCSO said they left Bolin with nothing but the clothes on his body.
He told police his "friends" took the money he had earned by mowing lawns for several days.
Officers with the Montgomery Police Department helped Bolin, who is autistic, get in touch with his family. His family told police that his father was killed during 9/11, his mother is diabetic and disabled and he has no other family.
Montgomery police transported Bolin to Vestavia Hills, where the Vestavia Hills Police Department was contacted. VHPD made attempts to purchase a bus ticket and flight for Bolin, but nothing was available. This kicked off a chain of kindness.
VHPD transported him to the Fultondale Police Department, which transported him to the Cullman County Sheriff's Office. Sgt. Ferguson with the Morgan County Sheriff's Office met up with the Cullman County Sheriff's Office and Bolin and purchased him food and something to drink.
Sgt. Ferguson then contacted Lt. Flanagan with the Limestone County Sheriff's Office and made arrangements to help Bolin continue on his journey home.
"We are happy to play a small part in helping get this young man back home and thankful for the multiple agencies that have and will assist on his journey," said MCSO.
