Cullen Finnerty: Local football hero goes missing: NOT Murdered featuring Don Mastro

This episode unravels the tragic and deeply perplexing disappearance of Cullen Finnerty, the beloved Grand Valley State quarterback whose larger‑than‑life presence on the field made his sudden vanishing all the more shocking. What begins as a missing‑person search in the Michigan wilderness quickly turns into a case clouded by confusion, conflicting theories, and a heartbreaking truth that challenges early assumptions.

With their signature blend of empathy, clarity, and Michigan‑rooted storytelling, the hosts guide listeners through Finnerty’s final hours, the frantic search efforts, and the medical and environmental factors that ultimately shaped the real explanation behind his death. They cut through years of speculation to focus on the human story — a gifted athlete battling unseen struggles, a family desperate for answers, and a community grappling with the loss of a hometown hero. The tone remains grounded and respectful, emphasizing understanding over sensationalism.

After the emotional deep dive, the episode shifts into its musical spotlight, featuring Don Mastro

Don Mastro
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Michigan Murders & Music
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Written by Your Highness 
Hosted by Ron and Mary Boot
Hosted  by the Boot Productions

Transcript

Cullen Finnerty

1.   Cullen was born August 18, 1982 in Brighton, MI where he also grew up.
2.  During high school, Cullen excelled in track, baseball but dominated in football
3.  While attending Brighton High School and playing football for them,  he received the following accolades:

                      Livingston County Player of the Year (Senior year)

                          Ann Arbor News All-Area First-Team

                          Ann Arbor News Player of the Year (Junior year)

                          Honorable mention all-state

                          All-area, all-league and all-county (Junior year)

1.   2001 redshirted his freshman year in Toledo, Ohio
2.   2002 Cullen transferred to GVSU but didn’t start playing football for them until the following season.
3.   Then the 6’3” 236 lb quarterback led GVSU to 3 National Championships.
4. While attending GVSU listen to THESE accolades:  

51–4 career record as a starting quarterback—the winningest quarterback in college football history, regardless of NCAA Division

2003 GLIAC Freshman of the Year    

2003 GVSU Rookie of the Year 

GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week 2003(2 times)

D2Football.com Player of the Week 2003

2005 GLIAC Offensive Back of the Year

GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week 2006 (2 times)

2006 GLIAC Player of the Year

2006 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' All-America Team

2006 Daktronics First Team All American

Finalist, 2006 Harlon Hill Trophy - 2nd place

D2Football.com Player of the Decade (2000-2009)

1.   Being large for a quarterback, Cullen still liked to hit.  Which is not usually a qb’s thing.
2. Cullen however, was known to play very aggressively.  He was bigger than most qb’s and he liked to play that way.
3. In fact, one team mate said he was not a qb but a linebacker playing qb
4. It’s likely he took more hits and harder hits than the average qb
5. One game he ended up in the hospital because he was hit so hard his lungs were bleeding.
6. He 
7.   After going undrafted in the 2007 NFL Draft, Finnerty was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent.
8.  He was released by the team in July before the preseason.
9.  Finnerty was re-signed to the practice squad during the season was promoted to the active roster for the final two games of the season after an injury to Kyle Boller.

1. March 27, 2008, Finnerty was signed by the Bronco’s however, Finnerty was then placed on waivers by the Broncos
2. In October, 2008, Finnerty joined the Cineplexx Blue Devils of Austria.
3. Finnerty led the team to win the Bodensee Cup tournament. He threw three touchdown passes, ran for a touchdown, and kicked a 26-yard field goal in a 31–13 win over the Swiss national team in the Bodensee Cup title game.
4. Finnerty was named MVP of the Bodensee Cup tournament.
5. Finally ending his career in football with the Muskegon Thunder (later known as Thunderhawks)  they started playing at the LC Walker Arena and ended up playing at the Deltaplex.
6. Each of these teams was a big step down the football ladder
7. Cullen eventually quit playing football and started his family and moved to Michigan.  His parents still live in Brighton.
8. By 30 years old, two kids 2 years old 3 months old
9. He started working in medical sales and had just been promoted.
10. Prior to  Memorial weekend, Cullen complained of headaches and restless sleep 
11. He also spoke of pain in left arm and jaw
12. He was on oxycodone for back pain from football, shit probably whole body pain.
13. Memorial Day Weekend, 2013 Cullen and his family  traveled north as so many do to his in-laws cabin
14. Cullen was excited to use his blow up pontoon boat to fish
15. Before they left to go back down to Detroit Cullen wanted to go fish for a couple of more hours first. 
16. His family dropped Cullen off at Bray Creek State Forest campground Sunday and agreed to pick him up a few hours later
17. He had waders and vest on when they dropped him off to fish the Baldwin River
18. Many people said that the river isn’t a known good fishing spot.  But you & I both know Boot….sometimes you don’t care, he wanted to use his new boat and enjoy the water some more.
19. During the trip Cullen called his wife, he sounded panicked and said he was being followed by 2 men he ran into on the river
20. His wife tried to call back but he didn’t answer so his brother called and he DID answer. 
21. That was at 9:36 pm Cullen said he was scared and did not know where he was. It was a 20 second call.
22. It reminded his brother of a time in December 2011.  Cullen was out with co-workers in Detroit.  Thought someone was following him after and drove from Detroit to Grand Rapids to his brothers house, where they discovered there was nobody following him.
23.  when they went to pick him up his boat was near a set of stairs coming up from the river but Cullen was gone
24.  Sunday, May 26 10:30 pm. Finnity family called 911
25. Police started a search in the area
26. Helicopter and search covered a 16 sq. mile area
27. Between the cell tower pings and where his boat was they set up the search area.
28. his cell tower pings which were as far as 3 miles south & five miles north
29. When the search began there were loads of people who showed up to help.
30. A literal bus of GVSU players and coaches drove up to help with the search for Cullen.
31. GVSU alumni set up a tent for food and water
32. There were so many people, that they actually had to turn some away.  Approx 300 people
33. Police were a little overwhelmed with the amount of people and it was near cumbersome.  
34. Most people stood and talked because there were just too many people.
35. On Monday, they had one last area they planned to search
36. GVSU Coach Chuck Martin & Curt Anes QB & his wife Lindsey pushed through shrubs and downed trees, then came to a clearing
37. Tuesday evening around 7:40 pm Lindsey,  Curt’s wife found Cullen lying facedown 
38. 100 yards from a road, out in the open ½ mile west from his boat was docked.
39. It was all they could do not to clutch him and hold him, despite his obvious death.
40. It was a crushing blow to everyone to have found him, passed away.  Face down with his waders and all his clothing on.
41. The helicopter had not been able to see him from above because he was mostly under a large pine tree.
42. He did have a few drinks that day.  None of which seemed to play into the disappearance. 
43. Cullen was a big guy, most likely had built quite a tolerance to his pain meds.
44. GVSU sent all of Cullen’s med records to authorities
45. It noted that he had 1 concussion that freshmen year when he was red shirted, in Toledo, Ohio.
46. Cullen’s body was sent to Spectrum Health on medical mile for his autopsy.
47. No signs of heart attack, no bruises, no cuts, no indication of foul play.
48. They had no real answers as to how he passed away.
49. Initial autopsy:  Inconclusive  
50. Cullen’s family was crushed.   You can tell how much he was loved.
51. The family bravely sent Cullen’s brain to Boston University, to determine if Cullen suffered from CTE.
52. CTE is Chronic Traumatic Ensentholopy, a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma.
53. They discovered Cullen was stage 2 of 4 in the progression of the disease.  He had been suffering from it for a few years.
54. The second autopsy still found nothing conclusive for his cause of death. 
55. Drs thought CTE played a role, but wasn’t the cause
56. The final autopsy stated that Cullen died from pneumonia that was caused by inhaling his own vomit after becoming disoriented.
57. Ultimately, there are no definitive answers as to what caused Cullens death, a mix of odd circumstances.
58. His wife, blatantly still hurts but is simply as strong as Cullen was.  She moves through each day raising their children with her huge heart.
59. Making sure they know who their dad was.
60. A memorial trust fund was set up for his beautiful babies. 
61. GVSU paid tribute to Cullen and his family during one of their games.
62.