[UPDATE] 5/29/12 Press Conference About The Search For Mickey Shunick – New Info

At this time the volunteer portion of the search effort is indefinitely suspended, however it is still ongoing. This suspension includes food, beverage, and material donations of any kind as well as manpower coming in to participate in the search effort.

This suspension however does not include benefits that are already scheduled to take place. We would also like to reiterate that upon the concl...usion of the search effort, all supplies and money in all donation accounts will be given to non-profit organizations.

This in no way means that our efforts will decrease , only that they have changed out of necessity, and we encourage everyone to reblog, repost, reshare, and keep talking about Mickey. We cannot begin to express the gratitude and affection we have for everyone who helped us in any way. We would not have gotten anywhere close to where we are today without you guys.

Thank you so much from the bottom of all of our hearts and please keep checking in with us. We’ll do our best to keep you updated.

Find Mickey Shunick Volunteer Effort

LAFAYETTE, La. — Lafayette Police confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Mickey Shunick’s bike, which was found under Interstate 10 Saturday at the Whiskey Bay exit, had damage to the rear tire, fueling speculation that Shunick may have been hit from behind.

Speaking at a press briefing, though, Corporal Paul Mouton was quick to point out that such assumptions are premature.

“The one thing that we don’t want to jump to conclusions and the thing that we didn’t want to release the damage to the bike initially,” Mouton said, “is because the first initial assumption would be that it was struck by a vehicle.”

“We do not know that for a hundred percent that that’s where that damage came from,” Mouton said.

Mouton said the tire, which had a bent rim with the tire “dislodged from the rim itself,” was the only visible damage to the bike. It has been turned over to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab to be looked over by forensics experts, Mouton said.

“They’re going to do the quickest turnaround as possible,” Mouton said about the crime lab, but he took care to mention he hopes they take their time to look over the bike carefully.

It’s not believed the bike was tossed over the side of the interstate, Mouton said, but that it may have been placed at the Whiskey Bay exit the morning Shunick disappeared.

“Our belief currently is that the bike was dumped beneath the bridge and was not thrown from the bridge,” Mouton said.

A pair of fishermen found the bike submerged beneath the water, Mouton said.

The drivers of the three vehicles of interest which were captured on surveillance cameras in the area where Shunick was last seen have still not been found, Mouton said. The car spotted by one surveillance camera is believed to be an older model “80′s or 90′s GM type vehicle four-door” with bondo on the rear right quarter panel.

“It’s very obvious,” Mouton said. “That vehicle should be able to be spotted by the public.”

One of the two trucks is believed to be a white Chevrolet Z-71 four-door pickup truck. The other is believed to be a GMC or Chevrolet with a bed cover.