the family had booked airplane seats to return to germany on july 27 but never arrived. rimkus' ex-wife heike weber became concerned when her ex-husband and son did not return from their vacation and she began to inquire about their whereabouts. on july 31 the german travel agency that arranged the vacation contacted the rental car agency the family had used. after the travel agency failed to establish the family's whereabouts it reported the family missing to interpol.