Skip to main content

Miller in custody, charged with kidnapping

A 29-year-old Ely man sought in connection with the disappearance of an Embarrass resident turned himself in last week and faces felony kidnapping charges.Frank Alan Miller was apprehended Monday in Virginia when he appeared in court for an unrelated charge.According to a complaint filed in St. Louis County District Court, Miller and 28-year-old Jason Anderson of Eveleth kidnapped Travis Joseph Holappa outside a Gilbert bar July 24.Holappa, 25, hasn’t been heard from since and authorities suspect that he is dead.Miller, who has a criminal record that includes several drug convictions and who just a month prior to the disappearance led Ely and Babbitt police on a high-speed chase that ended outside of Embarrass, is being held in the St. Louis County lockup on $1 million bail.Charges filed last week shed further light on a case that law enforcement officials have worked on since July 25, when Holappa was reported missing by his sister.Anderson, who was arrested July 27, told police that Holappa owed Miller over $10,000 for drugs and that Miller sought the money.Witnesses say they saw both Miller and Anderson beat Holappa with their hands, feet and a vehicle fan belt at two separate locations.At one point during the beating, Holappa apparently was able to run away but was caught after Miller chased him in a vehicle.Anderson said Holappa was placed in the trunk of a car at gunpoint and tape was allegedly placed around Holappa’s legs, head and hands.Authorities found wadded-up duct tape, a belt, a broken watch and blood in the trunk of a 1992 Mitsubishi Diamante.One witness told police that he believed Holappa had been killed, and that Miller and Anderson bragged about “taking Holappa down gangster style.”

Sign up for News Alerts

Subscribe to news updates