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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Krishonda Townsend: Mother Missing From Texas (Found)



July 4, 2010, 19 year old mother, Krishonda Leanne Townsend, known as Shonda, celebrated with friends in the small town of Mineral Wells, Texas.  West of Fort Worth, Mineral Wells and surrounding small towns sit literally in the middle of nowhere surrounded by the bobbing of oil rigs.  Little towns are notorious for people knowing everyone's business, families mingling by marriage and cousins and in-laws being the best of friends.

Some time after the fireworks displays and Fourth of July celebrations were winding down, Shonda texted her mother to let her know she would be home soon.   Records say that message was texted at 12:10am.  Shonda never made it home to her young son and the rest of her family.

It would be 2 days later when her 1997 gray and purple Toyota was found in what some say was the "bad part of town."   According to interviews, the car stereo was ripped out and the car was vandalized.  Was this considered a crime scene?  Apparently law enforcement agents who responded to the call did not know there was a missing person and did not secure the car or process it for evidence of foul play.  The family had the car towed.

The internet has been buzzing with rumors and accusations, pitting friend against friend, family against family, but the bottom line is, someone stole Shonda Townsend away like a thief in the night, away from her family, friends and her son.  Someone likely hurt Shonda, possibly taking her life and hiding her body.  Someone, most likely several someones, know where she is and what happened that night.

 Rumors will soon be turning into truth and justice will be the next move in the chess game.  Checkmate!


Investigative Agency
Jack County Sheriff’s Office
(940) 567-2161
If you have any information on this case please contact CUE Center For Missing Persons using the contact form below or Contact Cue Center at (910) 343-1131 24 hour tipline (910) 232-
1687.
Facebook group dedicated to Shonda: 


UPDATES


October 28, 2011



Family says missing mom identified


MINERAL WELLS — The skeletal remains found Thursday in Mineral Wells have been identified as Shonda Townsend, family member April Hambrick released in a statement late Friday afternoon.
"It is with heavy heart and bitter sweet relief that I inform everyone that ... the skeletal remains in Mineral Wells, Texas are that of our precious Shonda," Hambrick said. "I thank you all for all your prayers and support I ask that as of now please give our family some time to heal and grieve. I will notify everyone of memorial services as soon as my family have them in order.
Authorities began searching an area Friday in far southwest Mineral Wells where skeletal remains were found Thursday, the Mineral Wells Index reported.
Palo Pinto County Sheriff Ira Mercer said a human skull and bones were discovered by a prospective buyer of an approximately 100-acre tract who was walking the land.
The remains were found at the edge of a tree-lined area off Sand Hill Road.
Mercer along with interim Mineral Wells Police Chief Scott Mitcham said Friday morning the remains would be sent to a forensics lab for positive identification.
Mercer said officials met with Townsend's family Thursday night to inform them of the developments.  ......read complete story: 



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Billboard Unveiled for Missing Teen

February 24, 2011
It's been nearly eight months since the disappearance of 19-year-old mother Krishonda Townsend.  For family and friends hope for finding her is not lost. 
A national organization is throwing its weight into the investigation and just yesterday a billboard with the missing teen's picture was unveiled.
It's a billboard no mother would ever want to see, the face of their child next to the word missing, but for Carolyn Rittenbury, it's a blessing.

Hoping for a sign

Efforts to generate new information, search for Shonda Townsend under way

February 25,2011

Mineral Wells —  Missing since July 5, a billboard for Shonda Townsend was put up Wednesday morning as a missing persons organization prepares to head up a physical search for Townsend over the weekend. 

Seven months later, search for missing North Texas girl continues


February 28, 2011


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Sunday, February 6, 2011

Is There Hope for Hope Meek?



In the Southeast corner of Oklahoma, near the Texas and Louisiana border, is the small town of Valliant which sits on land originally designated as Indian Land and part of the Choctaw Nation.  In the 1970's Weyerhouser Paper Mill (now International Paper Company) came to town and, at that time, was the largest mill in the world. The company also brought with it many jobs for the surrounding area and prosperity to the residents of Valliant.  As in other small towns across America, everyone knows everyone, and most of their business.

Hope and Jerry Meek, along with their three young children, lived on Section Line Road, most likely a road cut by the section of timber which Weyerhouser may have been harvesting at one time.  Hope Meek worked as a jailer who transported inmates to court, and was preparing to soon graduate with a degree in criminal law. Jerry Meek worked for Weyerhouser (International Paper Company) when, in February, 2002, Hope disappeared.

Family members describe Hope as being very close to her family, talking to her mother by phone several times throughout each day, which is verified by phone records, so when there was no word from her the family was worried and took action by sending the police to the home for a wellness check.  On that day, Jerry Meek told them Hope had just left to go to the store, however, upon searching the home they found that her vehicle was still there, all her belongings, credit cards, her purse, cell phone, and her glasses and contacts, unusual for someone who can't see without them.  The three children were also at home.

It was five days before Hope Meek was reported missing, at the insistence of her immediate family.  Apparently Jerry Meek changed his story about Hope going to the store and admitted that he hadn't seen her for five days, reporting that he had taken the children camping, at a location he was unable to remember 5 days later. According to accounts from friends and family, the winter night of February 21 was quite cold, too cold for three small children (ages 6, 3 and 10mo.) to be sleeping outdoors.

Family and friends allege the marriage was beginning to unravel, there were police reports made about domestic violence incidents and the couple were separating.  The night he went camping with the children, Jerry Meek says he left Hope with $500, and when he returned, she was gone as well as the $500.

Her employer, McCurtain County Sheriff's Department, says it was not in Hope's character to be absent from work without a valid excuse, and was highly unusual that she did not pick up her paycheck.  As in almost all cases of missing mothers, friends and family say that she would NEVER leave her children behind and discontinue contact with them.

According to public records found online, Jerry Meek petitioned for divorce from Hope Danielle Meek on March 6, 2002, 10-12 days after Hope went missing.  Others report that another woman, a former babysitter and now elementary teacher, moved into the marital home within a short period of time.  According to family members, Jerry Meek was having an affair with the "other woman," and Hope knew, but that wouldn't be a reason for her to leave everything and walk away.

Nine years have gone by, and Jerry Meek has managed to erase Hope's very existence in the lives of her children, including fighting Hope's family for full custody of her oldest child from a previous marriage.  Hope's family has been denied visitation which was court ordered, leaving them with no contact with her biological family, and theirs.

Jerry Meek has not cooperated with investigators, searched for his wife, nor answered any questions concerning what has happened to her.  He refuses to take a polygraph.  In this writer's opinion, Jerry Meek is probably well connected to the area, being born and raised there, and someone, somewhere is covering up the truth of what happened to Hope Meek.

In cases such as this, speculation runs very high, but no matter what the circumstances are today, the fact remains that Hope Meek is missing and needs to be found to give her family peace of mind and her children the truth.




Missing Since: 02/21/02

Missing from: Valliant, Oklahoma


Classification: Endangered Missing

Date Of Birth: 1976

Age at disappearance: 25 years old
Height:5’1
Weight:90 lbs.
Hair Color: Sandy Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Race: White
Gender: Female
Distinguishing Characteristics: Hope wears eyeglasses,
but she left her pair behind inside her residence at the time of her disappearance.

NamUs MP # 5169

.
Investigating Agency

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Valliant Police Department
580-933-4555
OR
Oklahoma State Bureau Of Investigation
800-522-8017


If you have any information on this case please contact CUE Center For Missing Persons at (910) 343-1131   24 hour tipline (910) 232-1687.

Interview 5/5/2011 with sister of Hope Meek




http://www.ncmissingpersons.org/hope-danielle-meek/#comments
http://hope-meek.memory-of.com/About.aspx
http://lostnmissing.posterous.com/unsolved-missing-hope-meek-25-oklahoma-who-ha
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/valliant-ok/TM9KOQNOK62MBI7LF
http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_report/2010/05/hope-meeks-family-demands-answers-in-loved-ones-disappearance.html
http://www.valliantchamber.org/index.html
http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=637.0
https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/5169
http://www.helpfindthemissing.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21141

UPDATE
AUGUST 11, 2012
OSBI agents arrested Jerry Meek, 39, where he works, at the International Paper Company in Valliant.
He was booked into the McCurtain County Jail on one count of first degree murder. His bond was set at $250,000.
The bureau said the arrest was made possible by a new District Attorney, who was willing to prosecute the case despite the lack of body. They said they believe the passage of time proves Hope is deceased.
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