FBI says tires could be key to finding missing woman

CLEVELAND - Summer Inman from Logan, Ohio, hasn't been seen or heard from since last Tuesday.

Her estranged husband, William Inman II, and his parents William and Sandra Inman are behind bars for her kidnapping. The police investigation has spanned hundreds of miles, including to an auto parts yard on Pearl Road in Cleveland.

"The FBI guy just showed us a picture of him and I said 'Hey, I know that guy,'" said Rich Lenz, a manager at Pearl Road Auto Parts.

The picture was of suspect William Inman Sr. The FBI thinks Inman was at the Cleveland auto parts yard, 200 miles from Logan, the day after Summer Inman disappeared.

"I wondered how they found out that he was even here and they said they were able to track him by his cell phone," Lenz said. Lenz said Inman asked to swap out the wheels and tires on his Crown Victoria.

"The reason that he said was because he wanted to make his car a little more fancier," said Lenz. "The wheels and tires that he bought from us were aluminum wheels."

Joe Canterbury works in the back of the auto parts warehouse among thousands of car parts and tires. Canterbury said he helped Inman search for the right fit.

"I found him a set of wheels off of another Crown Vic out there," said Canterbury.

Canterbury said, three hours after trading the tires, someone came into the shop and purchased Inman's set. The person paid in cash and left no identification. The FBI hopes that man will step forward.

"We just believe the reason they got rid of those tires and wheels is because they didn't want anybody to find out about the vehicle and where they were," said special agent Scott Wilson with the FBI.

Meanwhile, Lenz wonders about what else he could have done.

"It's kinda scary a little bit," said Lenz. "That a person like that might have harmed somebody or what ever he might have done and he was in our place the whole time. And we didn't think anything of it."

On Tuesday, the FBI released photos of the Crown Victoria at the Blu Sonic Car Wash on Orcharview Avenue in Seven Hills. The FBI said there was no sign of Summer Inman in the surveillance video, but William Inman II took the police spotlight off the car and moved the temporary license plate.

According to the FBI, the Inmans might have stopped at another carwash in McConnelsville. Authorities are working to retrace the Inmans' path and encouraging people to search their properties for anything suspicious.

The Inmans were arrested last week and charged with kidnapping.

Anyone with information should call the Logan Police Department at 740-385-6868.