Breitung Police Seek Public Help Finding Missing Tower Man, 45

Derek Lerfald, 45, was last seen Saturday, March 21, according to the Breitung Police Department, which serves Tower and Soudan. Five days have now passed with no confirmed sighting, and police are calling on anyone in the surrounding area to help bring him home.

Lerfald is described as approximately 5-foot-6 and about 160 pounds. He has gray hair and a gray beard, with brown eyes.

The Breitung Police Department serves the residents and visitors of Breitung Township, and the City of Tower contracts with Breitung for police coverage, making the department the primary agency coordinating the search across the region.

Authorities have received reports that Lerfald may have been traveling on foot, but Police Chief Daniel Reing said that detail has not been confirmed. "Right now, we're just doing our due diligence and doing what we can," Reing said. Investigators are following up on any leads they receive.

The Breitung Police Department also works alongside the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Enforcement Division on calls, giving the department access to a broad network of regional law enforcement resources as the search continues.

Police are urging residents in Tower and surrounding areas to remain alert and check any available security or trail cameras for possible sightings. The rural terrain around Tower, set within St. Louis County's Iron Range landscape, includes extensive wooded areas and trail networks where camera footage from hunters, property owners, or outdoor recreationists could prove critical.

Anyone with information about Lerfald's whereabouts is asked to contact the Breitung Police Department at (218) 753-6660.