PIEHL: 'Smiley Face Killers' - Your Questions

Almost everyday, someone emails me a question about the Smiley Face Killer story or a missing persons case. If one person has a question and sends it to me, then there must be more people thinking the same thing.

Here are the answers to a few questions that I've recently received.

1. "I thought I heard an arrest was about to be made. Any word on that?"

The FBI has said agents are not investigating these drownings and blame the cases on alcohol. While some of the drowning cases are classified by the local police departments as "open", my information is that one or two could considered "active."

The father of one of the victims is involved in an investigation in Albany, New York with retired NYPD detectives, Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte. Bill Szostak has told me, that through his work, he believes he knows what happened to his son and has nearly enough information that he could get a conviction in court. Since Szostak isn't licensed in law enforcement, no official action could happen without the involvement of the Albany Police Department. Szostak tells me that his son's case was closed just hours after Josh's body was pulled from the water.

Of the cases that Gannon and Duarte believe are connected, only Chris Jenkins' is classified as homicide. Right now, the homicide investigation in Minneapolis is open. Police have identified suspects and turned data over to the Hennepin County Prosecutor. Last July, attorneys determined there was not enough evidence to put together a criminal case.

2. "What about Brandon Swanson?"

Brandon Swanson disappeared near Marshall in May. Dedicated search crews are spending some weekends looking for him. Swanson's car was recovered, but there hasn't been any sign of him.

There is no reason to believe that Swanson's case is related to any others. However, many people have asked me about it because Swanson fits the general description of other men who have disappeared or been found drowned.

3. My son heard that the body of a missing boy was recovered "on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul... why is there nothing in the news?"

The missing St. Paul boy that this person is referring to is Joey Kaiser. He was last seen leaving his home on his bike in May. His bike was found in the Mississippi River, but there hasn't been any sign of him.

A body was recovered in the Mississippi this week near the area where Kaiser went missing. St. Paul Police tell us that it will take DNA tests to determine identity. There are dozens of people missing in St. Paul and officers are NOT currently connecting the recovered body to Kaiser's case.

Officially, Kaiser has not been classified as "endangered." His family told the media that Kaiser was angry and was dealing with some mental health issues when he biked away from his home in May.