Where is Andrea Hayslette? No Child Should Have to Wait 19 Years to Know

As I opened my computer this morning, I saw a story that, once again, touched my heart deeply; a 24 year old son doing an interview pleading for knowledge about his missing mother. As the tourist season on the Grand Strand in South Carolina is preparing to open, with headlines about all the latest attractions, we have forgotten a story that one family lives with each and every day.

It's reported that in 1990, Larry Hayslette, Andrea Hayslette's husband and father of her two children, was convicted of a charge of domestic violence against Andrea, an incident where he attacked her in the shower, held her hostage in a locked bathroom for hours, then tried to make her leave the home, still naked. She stated that Larry was often violent if under the influence of alcohol.

In 1993 Andrea Hayslette was a straight A student at  local Coastal Carolina University where she also held a part time job. She was married and the mother of two small children, a devoted mother, preparing for a career in marketing and communications, getting ready to take her final exams.  One of the things in her regular routine was taking her two children to the library in Surfside Beach twice a week. By all accounts of both friends and family, Andrea would never leave her children behind, so to assume that she somehow walked away from her life doesn't add up.

On April 24, 1993, Andrea was last seen by a neighbor at the Deer Track Villas in Surfside Beach where the family of 4 lived. By April 28, 4 days later, she was reported missing by her parents because it was not in her character to be out of communication with them for that length of time, and to be away from her two small children. Her truck and her van, along with all of her clothing and jewelry, were still at the home, but missing was her suitcase, toothbrush, her purse and other personal identifying items.

When her parents returned from a trip to Disney World with grandson, Ryan, his younger sister, Katie, only 2 years old at the time, stated that "Daddy put Mommy in those bushes." Because of her young age, this statement was not allowed to be presented in court, but led investigators to believe that foul play existed and Larry Hayslette became the number one suspect.

By May 24, 1993, a mere four weeks after Andrea disappeared, Larry Hayslette returned to his father's in West Virginia, returning to Surfside Beach one time after that to gather his belongings and move back there. Family court judge awarded Andrea's parents permanent custody of her two small children, a move that was definitely in their best interest considering some of the headlines we read today.

Eventually, in 1995, Larry Hayslette was convicted of forging Andrea's signature on the title of her vehicle for the purpose of selling it, and in 1996 he was charged with Andrea's murder, however, the charges were dropped in 1997 for lack of evidence and this case has grown cold over the years.

Here we are today in April of 2012 still without answers or justice for Andrea Hayslette and her family. Along the Grand Strand we have a couple high profile, nationally known, missing persons. Alice Donovan's case came to a close in 2009, 6 years after she was abducted from Conway's WalMart parking lot, when her remains were finally found, and Brittanee Drexel who vanished from an Ocean Blvd. hotel while on Spring Break in 2009, yet we haven't heard much about Andrea Hayslette and the circumstances surrounding her case.

What can we in our community do to help find the answers? With so many advances in technology in the last 19 years, including DNA and social media, we can do a lot to at least bring the name Andrea Hayslette back into the forefront.  News pieces like the one today from WPDE, Carolina Live, helps tremendously, it's this piece that brought my attention to the case, and I'm sure there are others in the area who were not aware of it before. Registering the case with a missing persons organization like CUE Center for Missing Persons located in Wilmington, NC,also raises the awareness level and continues to educate the public on the fact that she is still missing, and offers advocacy for the family and for the case.

The family can continue to make noise publicly and on social media networks to bring awareness back to the investigation. Clues are there, we just need to find them, and to assist investigators in bringing a resolution and justice for Andrea and her family. Over 19 years memories tend to lapse, but someone knows something and has been living with it all this time; hopefully they hold the key and will come forward.

If you feel you have that key, please reach out and contact Horry County Police, Lt. Russell Jordan at 843-915-5350. Case #1993-00014009

NamUs MP # 10575

Case Information

Status	Missing
First name	Andrea
Middle name	Lynn
Last name	Hayslette
Nickname/Alias
Date LKA	April 24, 1993 00:00
Date entered	05/04/2011

Age LKA	29 to years old
Age now	48 years old
Race	White
Ethnicity
Sex	Female
Height (inches)	64.0
Weight (pounds)	100.0

Information for this article gathered from the following sources:

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=745973#.T5kg46tYvoO

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/h/hayslette_andrea.html 

http://www.helpfindthemissing.org/forum/showthread.php?p=846784

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1993-09-05/news/9309050403_1_reburn-hayslette-andrea

http://doenetwork.org/cases/2979dfsc.html

Renee Pernice: Remembering You

Two years ago on New Year's Day 2009, Renee Pernice vanished, leaving behind her home in Kansas City, MO, her husband and three children.  Two years ago her husband, Shon Pernice, says she just walked out of the house on foot and he couldn't "remember" where she said she was going.  Renee has not been seen nor heard from since.

Following this case for the last two years has been a series of twists and turns, watching Shon Pernice sidestepping with inconsistencies in his original story, never participating in searches for his wife, and being arrested on several charges, finally for the murder of Renee.  He will go to trial in 2011.

The pattern of conduct of Renee Pernice leading up to the day she vanished could be like so many other women trying to leave a marriage.  Renee held a good job with a salary enough to support herself and her children, in fact, Renee alone cared for her children while her husband was stationed overseas.  During the investigation divorce papers were discovered in Renee's home office, leading us to believe she was serious about leaving her marriage this time.

Renee Pernice was close to her family, was in constant contact, and, as is often heard in cases of missing mothers, "she would NEVER leave her children."  Most of the statements from Shon Pernice are in direct contrast with the woman and mother her family knew her to be.  Perhaps Renee confided in her family or close friends about the upcoming divorce, or the problems in her marriage leading her to make the decision to finalize it.

Maybe Shon Pernice has a history of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, being one of the last to see another missing mother, Star Boomer who vanished in 1999.  It would be a great service to the family of Star Boomer if information on her whereabouts would come forth during the investigation of Renee's murder.  Although there were a reported 13 witnesses, no one is talking.  As always, someone knows where the remains of these two mothers are today.

Hindsight is always valuable, and one of the reasons many blog about cases like this is to learn and use the information to educate others in the hope that another mother may be spared.  Had Renee Pernice, or Susan Powell, or Stacy Peterson taken precautionary measures while preparing to leave their marriages, this blog would not have been written.  A revolutionary new procedure has been introduced by Susan Murphy Milano in her latest book, "Time's Up: A Guide on How to Leave an Abusive and Stalking Relationship" called the Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit.  This simple procedure is likened to a living will, spelling out in notarized, witnessed documents and video testimony the evidence of what went wrong in the relationship and, if abuse is present, it's documented as well.  Procedures utilized by Murphy Milano over the last 20 years have led to a perfect track record in keep women alive during the traumatic end to their relationships.

Writing about missing mothers has given me an insight, as well as working closely with advocates and organizations surrounding the issues of intimate partner violence and missing persons.  In many cases, there is a clear pattern of conduct in the actions of those involved, a relationship with violence, or at the least an "ownership" attitude, that if you leave me, no one else will have you and my children.  It's a pattern that is seen over and over, and the results, unfortunately, are usually the same.

While remembering Renee on the second anniversary of her missing, I also urge readers to remember her children.  They are now in the care of Renee's father, Rick Pretz, and although trying to give them the best childhood they deserve, it can't be easy.  Children left behind with no answers, children left to deal with the trauma, children who were unconditionally loved by their mother, have daily reminders that their lives have changed dramatically.  They have needs expressed in ways that we sometimes don't understand, and will be forever branded in their psyches.  They are the innocent bystanders in the chaos surrounding them that makes no sense to them.  Never will they have the opportunity to know what could have been.

Missing Mother, Diane Corado: A Victim of Intimate Partner Violence

On a cold December morning Diane Corado, a 57 year old mother, awoke to the front door being kicked in and her ex-boyfriend pulling her out of bed by her hair and beating her with a pipe.

Kenneth Patterson, who was released from prison in January, then kidnapped Corado and a friend, releasing the friend a short time later, and drove away towards a park in which he and Corado spent time when they first met approximately 5 years ago.  Diane Corado has not been seen since being abducted from her Falls, PA home.  Her car was later found abandoned with a "substantial" amount of blood inside, according to news reports.

It's known that Patterson then drove to Trenton, NJ, stayed in a motel, and was arrested with stains consistent with blood on his clothes.  Kenneth Patterson has a previous arrest record from 2008 for kidnapping, assault and carjacking involving a different ex-girlfriend, however, most of the charges were dismissed during a plea bargain and Patterson spent time in prison on weapons and stolen property charges.

Neighbors reported that Patterson still spent time at Diane Corado's home, unsure when they were broken up, and her friend reported she heard Patterson yell, "I told you this wasn't over," and saw him go into the kitchen and return with a butcher knife.

"He told Corado, 'I told you Diane that I would kill you - I will kill you' as he stood over her," the police affidavit reads.

Extensive searches continue around the Falls, PA area including checking toll booths on bridges leading into New Jersey, under bridges and through several acres of land using K9 units.  At this point, nothing has turned up that would point to Diane Corado.

This case is a classic example how the dots connect from intimate partner violence to missing persons.  Patterson's past shows a pattern of violence towards women, which was all but excused in plea bargaining the former charges and allowing him to continue his violent ways.  His arrogance is evident during his hearings in New Jersey when he refused to face the judge and plans to fight extradition back to Pennsylvania.

Until our court system recognizes that certain behaviors can not, under any circumstances, be excused or reduced, we will continue to see cases of missing women, cases which have their roots in intimate partner violence.

Another family spent Christmas in the world of the "not knowing," no doubt agonizing over the fate of their mother, Diane Corado.

Call Falls Township police at 215-949-9117 or county detectives at 215-348-6534

UPDATES

Former Flemington woman, kidnapped, is feared dead

“We haven’t found the body yet, but we’re far, far from giving up,” said Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler, who on Monday admitted the chances are “pretty slim” that Corado is still alive.

“We certainly can prosecute him for the kidnapping,” said Heckler, who expects Patterson to be tried in Pennsylvania, where the kidnapping took place. Even if the victim is not located, “we will prosecute for homicide not withstanding,” he said.

Searches at Maple Beach at the foot of the Burlington-Bristol Bridge and near the Pennsylvania Turnpike Interchange in Bristol Township, Pa., and examination of surveillance tapes from three bridges linking Morrisville with Trenton, returned no results.

http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2010/12/former_flemington_woman_kidnap_1.html

Investigators search Camden for missing woman

December 30

Investigators on Wednesday swept through Camden, NJ and searched 4 square miles of the roughly 9-square-mile city where the alleged abductor, 48-year-old Kenneth Patterson, had abandoned Corado’s car shortly after the kidnapping, a police source said.


http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times/courier_times_news_details/article/2463/2010/december/29/investigators-search-camden-for-missing-woman.html

Ex-boyfriend to be charged with murdering missing Bucks woman

January 13

Kenneth L. Patterson will be charged with murdering his missing ex-girlfriend, Bucks County District Attorney David W. Heckler said Wednesday, regardless of whether Diane Corado's body is ever found.

"That is our intention," Heckler said after Patterson, 48, of no known address, was arraigned on kidnapping, assault, and other charges in the Dec. 19 abduction of Corado from her Falls Township apartment. "I am satisfied that, this far into the investigation, there is ample circumstantial evidence to prove that Ms. Corado is dead and that the death penalty is warranted."

http://articles.philly.com/2011-01-13/news/27026017_1_bucks-woman-falls-township-police-county-detectives

The Price of a Life?

Many who know me, know that I stand and support many issues, from missing persons, domestic violence, mothers without custody, human trafficking, self-defense, and victim’s rights. Whew, it’s a lot to take in and a lot of information to spread around to bring awareness to all of these inter-connecting, real life tragedies that are played out daily in our news and on the internet. But, there are two things I’ve been working on for quite some time that, to me, are life and death issues.

The Help Find the Missing Act (Billy’s Law) is one of the most important national pieces of legislation that will benefit the families of missing persons. With a grass roots effort started by the mother of missing Billy Smolinski, Janice Smolinski lives the nightmare shared with thousands across the country and millions worldwide. She has worked non-stop through the process of our government to bring this change for all. The bill was passed quickly and unanimously through the Judiciary Committee and the House of Representatives and now sits in the Senate.

As I reflect over this past year, I look at the lessons I’ve learned from many about how our system of government works. I regard myself as an average citizen with an average education, but there was so much I didn’t know! The Help Find the Missing Act needs to be expedited through the Senate, but there is one Senator Coburn (R-OK) who is holding it up. Senator Coburn, who is also a doctor, is well known for holding back the reins of spending, but, I ask, what is the price of a life?

Day after day, on all forms of social media, I see case after case of a missing or unidentified person, some new, some very old and cold. To know that there are families and communities who are affected by each and every one missing fuels everything I try to do, but it’s not enough. It’s not enough to spread the awareness and to try to educate the general public; it’s not enough to know that every day a mother wakes up and starts her quest all over again with only faith and hope to hang on to.

WAKE UP! You can’t put a price on the life of even one missing human being in this country. You can’t put a price on the heartache of each family represented who struggle to get information out about their missing loved one. With as many organizations and support groups as there are online, it’s still not enough to bring them home. Our families and American citizens deserve the benefits outlined in The Help Find the Missing Act.
Janice Smolinski, and the thousands of other family members of a missing loved one, did not ask to be a part of this growing community. They also didn’t ask to be in the limelight or have media cameras staring at them. They don’t look forward to another appearance on the Nancy Grace Show, but they do it because they know it’s another opportunity to show a picture or to speak about their loved one.

My second wake-up call was how closely domestic violence is related to murdered and missing persons. With many of the cases I review and highlight, it hits me that if we could find a way to solve the mystery of family violence, we could effectively reduce the numbers of murdered and missing persons.

Family and domestic violence was put on the plate of Susan Murphy-Milano the day she was born. She didn’t ask for it, it asked for her, perhaps knowing that somewhere in her soul was something that could make a difference in the way that cases of domestic violence were handled. Living and breathing it daily in her home growing up, she survived for a reason, and, in my opinion, that reason is to help the helpless, to guide those who are living in violent chaos and having a hard time making sense of their own lives. She has been doing it for over 20 years!

This year Susan wrote and published the book, Time’s Up: A Guide on How to Leave an Abusive and Stalking Relationship and laid the procedures she created and used during the last 20 years of working directly with victims of violence. Point of fact…not one woman in 20 years died while on Susan’s watch, and that alone should speak for her knowledge and expertise.

This book is even more important to Susan because it was written to be something that will be used by victims who cannot be helped by her personally. Each day hundreds of emails come into her box seeking her help. Most inquiries are those in which someone will die, the “high risk” cases of a woman living in the danger zone, reaching out desperately in the eleventh hour. Susan is only one person, and realizing that, she offers the Time’s Up book and the Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit to all who need it.

After the book was launched in April, 2010 on her murdered mother’s birthday, there have been many accolades and great reviews, but that is not enough! While all the good things said and written about Time’s Up are flattering, it’s not enough to get this book into the hands of the victims who are being beaten and killed every day. This book was not written and distributed for the sake of book sales, or for flattering words, it was written for one purpose only…..to save lives.

How many celebrities have supported the issue of domestic violence and how many organizations have been built around the need to help? Thousands of people have taken to the streets to educate and bring awareness to the general public, and yet, we are seeing lives lost in epidemic proportions due to family violence. Many wonderful laws have been passed, many advocates have spoken to Congress, and every day people still look the other way. Why?

In order to get Time’s Up, and the information contained to the victim who needs it right now is a daunting task taken on by one woman with a passion and a mission to save lives. Susan Murphy-Milano is not out to become the next media darling looking for a gig on the latest news talk show, although she would definitely appear if asked, she would appear as the spokesperson for those who cannot speak for themselves because they are frozen with fear wondering how long they have to live!

So, what is the price for a life? What more do we need to do? All of the “yays” and “shares” and pats on the back only go so far in these two issues which are consuming many! How much do we have to pay to scream from the rooftops until people “get it?” If one missing person’s family is given the peace of mind they deserve, if one victim of a violent relationship is spared their life, is it worth it? Who are those “in charge” that can make a difference and why are they not stepping up to the plate? Is it money, fame, recognition that they want? What’s the price they are willing to pay? And why, oh why, does it have to come down to money?

I have been blessed to have the opportunity to get to know each of these women this year, each of them fighting a fight they didn’t ask for, yet, trying like hell to pave a smoother path for those who will come after them. Both are facing the obstacles set before them every day, but waking up to face a new challenge with courage and strength. Although they both deserve all the accolades in the world, neither of them is seeking the limelight or 15 minutes of fame, no awards can take the place of the work each is trying to accomplish. I’m trying to shine a light into the darkness that each of them has lived and I’m trying to show the world the importance of what they each are trying to achieve.

Does anyone have Oprah’s personal phone number? If so, give her a call.

By Delilah

“Time’s Up!” NOW AVAILABLE AS AN EBOOK!

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• Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK): Why No Support for the Missing? (mothersarevanishing.blogspot.com)
• Funds sought for missing persons database (msnbc.msn.com)
• Michelle Renee: Have We Become Comfortably Numb to Violence and Abuse? (huffingtonpost.com)

Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK): Why No Support for the Missing?

As a former resident of the great state of Oklahoma, I'm more than surprised that Senator Coburn is showing resistance for The Help Find The Missing Act (Billy's Law) S3019.   Although all Americans are suffering through a bad economy, and I can understand  budget and funding concerns as  mentioned in Senator Coburn's latest newsletter, however, there are other things that affect every American, either directly or indirectly, and one of them is the fact that almost 1 million of our citizens are reported missing every year as recorded by FBI and NCIC reports.  Yes, some return home safely within a few days, but thousands do not, and thousands NEVER come home, but are part of a vast repository of unidentified remains.

The Help Find the Missing Act will act to bridge the gap between the active missing persons cases and those who are unidentified, enabling thousands of families, like the family of Billy Smolinski, to find resolution to their cases.  Many of these families have accepted the fact that their loved one has met with foul play, but not one of them can, nor will, accept the fact that the remains of their loved ones are unable to be found and put to rest properly.

I urge every missing person's websites, databases, family members and supporters to UNITE and help get this important piece of legislation passed into law for the benefit of a national response to the epidemic of missing persons.

Becky Castillo, a volunteer with the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department – Coroner Division, who assists the Unidentified-Missing Persons Coordinator, Deputy Coroner Investigator David Van Norman in handling cases of missing and unidentified persons, has given  a sample letter to send to Senator Coburn on the missing person's support site, Peace4 the Missing.

Please take just a few minutes of your time today and personalize the following sample letter with your own stories or opinions.  If you do not live in Oklahoma, it's best to mail a letter from your post office as emails from outside Oklahoma will most likely not be read.

NOTE:  Remember this is a sample letter, all the facts are here; use some of it, part of it, and in some cases, if you have to, use it all. In the letter you will see (Insert personal story or Oklahoma's statistics) make sure you do this, when you are finished have it be your own.

Senator Coburn,

I am writing this letter in support of pending legislation, Billy's Law

(S3019). According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, over 4,000

unidentified remains are discovered each year.

After one year, 1,000 of these bodies remain unidentified. With tens of

thousands of people reported missing each year, it is likely that a

family member, friend, or loved one is looking for that unidentified

person and simply can't find them due to the absence of a cooperative

effort by law enforcement across the country.

Some law enforcement agencies have a lackadaisical attitude when they receive a report for the “voluntarily missing” and often there is very little effort to search for them. The problem is when the case goes long term. If there is any follow-up at all, often it is long after the initial report. Often those long term cases have not been resolved because the missing person has died and their remains lay unidentified in a county morgue or cemetery.

(Insert personal story or Oklahoma's statistics)

The problem we face is there is no national protocol in play to assist

investigators to bridge the gap between missing persons and unidentified

persons cases.

The Help Find the Missing Act will bridge the gap.

The National Missing Persons and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) is

by far becoming one of the best ways for the public and law enforcement

agencies across the country to work together to help bring missing loved

ones home! Since its launch in June of last year, the database of

unidentified decedents and missing persons has proved essential in

solving 16 cases. With the passing of Billy's Law, this number only

stands to grow. Unfortunately, without the funding of Billy's Law not

all law enforcement agencies are able to allocate the resources

necessary to use the NamUs system.

The passing of Billy's Law would make it possible for agencies across

the country to input information on their unidentified decedents,

increasing the number of case resolutions and potentially bringing

closure to families of missing persons all across our country.

I support this funding and hope that you do as well. I respectfully urge

you to pass S3019 when it comes before you.

Respectfully,

More useful information from Becky Castillo:

Unidentified Persons:

There are more than 40,000 unidentified human remains are held in evidence rooms of medical examiners throughout the U.S. but only about 7,000 active unidentified persons cases in entered into NCIC.

Sources:

NCIC Active/Expired Unidentified Person Analysis Report; NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics for 2009

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/missingpersons2009.htm

• As of December 31, 2009, there were 7,302 unidentified person records in NCIC.

• During 2009, 1,040 unidentified person records were entered into NCIC

Bureau of Justice Special Report: Medical Examiners and Coroners Offices, 2004; June 2007, NCJ 216756

http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/meco04.pdf

• 4,400 unidentified human decedents reported in an average year; 1,000 remained unidentified after 1 year

• An estimated 20% of ME/C offices reported they used the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) “somewhat often” or “very often” while 80% of ME/C offices reported they “rarely or never” used NCIC

• (California was the only State that mandated information about the unidentified be reported to NCIC within a specified period. About 42% of all records in the NCIC unidentified persons file were from California.)

Side Note: If your missing loved one ended up deceased in a jurisdiction that does not report to NCIC, they may never be identified! NamUs can help to change that!

Missing Persons:

Every year, tens of thousands of people vanish under suspicious circumstances.

On any given day there are approximately 100,000 active missing person cases in the U.S.

(Approximately 2,300 persons are reported missing per day)

Sources:

NCIC Active/Expired Unidentified Person Analysis Report; NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics for 2009

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/missingpersons2009.htm

• As of December 31, 2009, NCIC contained 96,192 active missing person records.

• During 2009, 719,558 missing person records were entered into NCIC.

These are only statistics. This is not meant to be used "as is" in the letter. Use it as a resource to state your facts confidently. Your letter must come from your heart...

“ON THE ROAD TO REMEMBER TOUR” 2010

Every missing person is somebody’s child…

From CUE Center for Missing Persons:

Dear Families of the Missing and Supporters
It’s that time of the year again when we are preparing for the “ON THE ROAD TO REMEMBER TOUR” and invite all of you to participate in this national awareness campaign for the missing, unidentified/unsolved homicide and cases fallen cold. Below you will find much needed information about the tour and history.. see you soon!

If you are a family of a missing person, law enforcement agency, organization/group or volunteer and you would like to host a rally stop featuring missing person – unidentified person – unsolved homicides, please contact our center.

The following states are the chosen ones we will travel through if you are in the tour path and want your case featured please at a hosted stop please contact us now. See below, states.

North Carolina
Tennessee
Kentucky
West Virginia
Pennsylvania
New York
Connecticut
New Jersey
Maryland
Virginia

About the Tour Honoree
In keeping the tradition of the tour – an honoree is selected each year, one who needs fair coverage of their disappearance. .



Patricia Viola – you can view her information athttp://patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com/ or the CUE Center web site athttp://www.ncmissingpersons.org/patricia-marie-viola/

FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION HOW YOU CAN HONOR YOUR MISSING LOVED ONE, OR SPONSOR A RALLY STOP IN ONE OF THE ABOVE STATES, PLEASE GO TO CUE CENTER FOR MISSING PERSONS.

PO Box 12714 Wilmington, NC 28405
(910) 343-1131 / (910) 232-1687
Contact CUE

Rachel Conger Missing for 2 Years

I don't want to write this article.  Why, you may ask?  Because I was hoping and praying that long before now Rachel Conger would have been found, this case solved, and her daughter, Amber, would be embarking on a new phase of her life, finding a semblance of peace in knowing where her mother will rest.

This picture is one of my favorites of Rachel, although there are so many that radiate her beauty, this one radiates her love.  I can imagine this day as she walked along the path with Amber, having a great time that day, as she looks over at her daughter, beaming with pride.  Maybe, at the time, Amber didn't realize it, but I'm sure she felt the energy of her mother's love for her.

Rachel Conger was missing for just a few months when I first became aware of her case.  What drew me, as well as many others, to her case was Amber.  Reading about all the things that Amber was willing to do to help in the search for her mother was astounding to me.  Raising money by having bake sales, car washes, any way she could think of, was a huge endeavor for a 13 year old living in a small town like Paris, TN.  Like so many other families with missing loved ones, no stone was left unturned in trying to bring attention to their case, but no 13 year old should have to spend her time like this, searching for her mother.

It's just so hard for me to believe that it's been 2 years!  With the help of missing persons organizations, like CUE Center for Missing Persons, massive searches and investigations have been done, yet Rachel is still missing.  I just knew that she would be found, and I still hold that belief!  She will be found, maybe not today or tomorrow, but her time is coming soon.

Amber is now 15, a beautiful teenager trying to carry on a "normal" teenage life.  She has a close knit family who love her dearly and watch out for her well being.  She still works on keeping her mother's memory alive and would love to have her case featured on Investigation Discovery's new television show, "Disappeared" which does an amazing job of bringing the facts of missing persons cases into our living rooms in hopes that someone who watches holds the key to a resolution of the cases which they feature.

The family of Rachel Conger has connected with many other missing person's families as well as others who advocate and support them online.

Today there will be an "internet" candlelight vigil for all who have become close these past two years.  Please light a candle and say a prayer in Rachel's name that she is found soon.  Keep Amber and the rest of the family in your prayers as well.  Go to the Facebook event and instructions and links can be found.

Rachel Conger Online Anniversary Vigil 

Jana Morton:Still Missing After One Year

Jana Morton left her ex-husband's home to visit her mother in Caswell County, NC.   Although her ex-husband, Charles Morton, wasn't too concerned when she didn't return the next day, he knew that when she hadn't been heard from in a week that something was wrong.  Her daughter reported that she was missing and her car was found weeks later in the parking lot of a grocery store.

According to reports it would be unusual for her to abandon her car, it was the only thing she owned and it was unlikely that she would give it up willingly.  Charles Morton admits that Jana "fell apart" when he got sick and had to have a leg amputated, she got into the wrong crowd and started using drugs.   She had been arrested and had just finished serving a short jail sentence, but was in need of help.

It's reported there is a person of interest in the investigation, Robert Mitchell Foust, who has a long criminal record including drugs and violence related crimes.  He admitted to authorities that he had possession and use of Jana Morton's car.

There is a family who waits for any bit of information on what happened to Jana, living with the fact that she is most likely deceased, except for her 17 year old daughter who holds out hope that her mother has just lost her memory and will come home safe.  Jana Morton's mother, Sherry Cloninger, hopes her granddaughter is right, but accepts that it's unlikely.

The teen has created missing person posters. The latest one announces that the family and sheriff’s department are offering a $6,000 reward for information about her disappearance. The poster says that “Michelle is a mother of a 17-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy who miss her.”

Jana Morton is part of Project Jason's Angels Awareness Program and you can go to their site and download a missing persons's poster to have copies made and distribute in the area of Alamance and Caswell Counties in North Carolina.  If you live near the area from which Jana vanished, please consider helping this family bring their loved one home.

The investigation into the disappearance is open and ongoing.  If you have any information you can add to help this family find their loved one, please call authorities.

“I drive to Burlington or Graham and I think and wonder if she is there,” Cloninger said. “I see a stretch of woods or a pond and wonder could she be there. It’s constant. It’s not just trying to accept the fact that she is gone. You just want to know where she is at. You just want to bring her home. I don’t want my kids to have to continue to live with it.”

When Morton’s white 1997 Dodge Intrepid was found, it had some damage to the hubcaps and steering. Cloninger wonders if anyone saw the car stuck somewhere before it was found on Feb. 27. She doesn’t know if anyone saw anything that could help the case. But if someone did, she hopes that person will come forward and give that information to the sheriff’s department.

Morton is white. She is 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 115 pounds. Her hair is brown. Her eyes are hazel. She was last seen wearing a tie-dyed short sleeve shirt, blue jeans and white tennis shoes. She has a tattoo of a rose on her left upper chest.

Anyone with information can contact the sheriff’s department at 570-6313 or can give information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 229-7100.

Star Boomer: Loved and Missed

The name "Star Boomer" fascinates me, I don't know why, but I remember the day I first saw it, thought it was actually pretty cool, like something my "60's" mind would make up.  But Star Boomer is not just a cool name, but a real woman, a woman who has been missing under suspicious circumstances for way too long.

I first wrote about Star Boomer's disappearance, a mother of a young boy at the time, last year when I learned that another mother was missing from the same area, Renee Pernice, and that her husband, Shon Pernice, was one of the last persons to see each of them alive.   Another year has passed and still there is nothing to investigate until bodies are found.  Each family has dealt with the fact that murders have occurred, however, they can't come close to starting the grieving process until they have answers and until these women are in a place of peace.

The following is an article written about Star's sister, Cynthia Hurtie, who has made a mission of finding, not only her sister, but, as many others with missing loved ones do, she has set out to help find other missing persons.  So many family members I've communicated with seem to have a need to give.  Whether it be by physically searching, changing legislation, calming spirits with support or setting up internet sites for information, all of them have the need for a way to give answers to others if they can't have the resolutions they want for themselves. Each day may be a personal struggle, but they find a way to step above it and face each obstacle with courage.

While researching "Star Boomer" I came across the site of someone from Australia who designs and makes toys.  One of her toy sets are called "Star Boomers" based on an Australian Christmas song.  As she explained the toys there was a paragraph that struck me as being written for the "real" Star Boomer!

I hope that next time you look up into the night sky you might imagine a mob of Star Boomers traversing the heavens, bounding over the Milky Way in search of green starry pastures.

I hope one day, while looking into the heavens for answers, the family of Star Boomer will find her.

WOMAN SEARCHES FOR MISSING SISTER

Finding the lost has been something of an obsession for Cynthia Hurtie, Spring Hill. She’ll settle for finding just one missing person, but ideally, Hurtie, a recent graduate with a degree in forensic science, would like to find her sister, Star Boomer.

"If you have a person go missing in your life, it’s unrepairable," she said. "It does major damage to the family members."

The last people to see Boomer alive told police that Boomer got into an altercation on Feb. 23, 1999 at Uncle Mike’s Bar in Kansas City, Kan. She was allegedly knocked to the ground and where she lost consciousness.

According to old news accounts, Boomer went to the local watering hole with friend and roommate, Carolyn Marshall. Marshall stayed for one drink and planned to return to pick up Boomer later in the evening. Marshall was told that Boomer had left with two men, when she returned to pick Boomer up. Investigators believe she was killed at the bar and her body was dumped.

Susan Powell: Familiar Scenario

If you follow this blog about missing mothers you know some of the familiar circumstances, phrases, and words that ring through most cases.  This case, again, sounds so familiar.  Many prayers go up for the safe return of Susan Powell, and may her children be loved and cared for.

DESERET NEWS

WEST VALLEY CITY — There are many theories about what could have happened to Susan Powell.
There are also assumptions about what already has happened.
But almost everyone who knows her agrees that Powell would never have left her two young boys, one reason why police are now calling the 28-year-old's disappearance "suspicious."
Josh Powell told the Deseret News he last saw his wife about midnight Sunday at their home. He said that was when he decided to leave the house and take his two sons, ages 2 and 4, camping "down south."
He said he didn't realize his wife was missing until a friend called him Monday and told him that police officers were looking for him and his family.
Since then, no one has seen Susan Powell. She failed to go to work Monday, and no one has an explanation about where she could be — not police, friends or family.
"It's a still a missing-person case, but the circumstances surrounding it are very suspicious," West Valley Police Capt. Tom McLachlan said Thursday. "Nobody can tell us where she is at, and she has not contacted family or friends that we know of."

Police obtained a search warrant for the Powell home, 6254 Sarah Circle, late Wednesday and have collected various pieces of furniture to submit for forensic tests. While he wouldn't go into specifics, McLachlan said Susan Powell "left items at the house that you would normally associate if you were going on a trip or going somewhere."
Susan Powell's father, Chuck Cox, said his daughter's purse and cell phone were still at the home. McLachlan said police focused their efforts on the home because it was the last place she was seen. An endangered-person alert was issued Monday, but police have heard nothing as a result of the alert.
"There's a lot of different scenarios you can put with the situation," McLachlan said. "Because we don't have enough information on any one of those possibilities, you have to work all of them. It keeps us busy."
About 100 of Susan Powell's friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members — including, for a short time, her husband and two sons — gathered in the cold at a candlelight vigil Thursday night at West View Park. In addition to holding lighted candles, they prayed for Susan Powell's safe return, shared stories about her, passed out missing-person fliers and sang "Silent Night."

"She's really special to us," said Crystal Peterson, who attends the same LDS Church ward as the Powells. "We just want to see her home. We want her home. That's all we want."
Investigators have interviewed Josh Powell and were working Thursday to verify what he had told them.
Josh Powell told the Deseret News that when he returned home Monday night, he discovered a front window had been broken out. The window had been broken by police, who worried the family might have been poisoned by carbon monoxide. Josh Powell said he didn't see "any sign of anything" out of the ordinary inside.
When asked what was going through his mind on the fourth day since his wife's disappearance, he said it was "hard to concentrate," before going into detail about how he had placed cardboard in the broken window.
Close friend and neighbor Kiirsi Hellewell, who has become the self-appointed advocate for Susan Powell because the woman's family lives in Washington, has pieced together a detailed timeline of events. She said she walked home from church with Susan Powell and her sons around noon Sunday. Another friend from her LDS ward ate dinner with the Powells Sunday evening. That friend told Hellewell she left the home shortly after Susan Powell said she wasn't feeling well and Josh Powell announced that he was going to take the boys sledding and then go eat.
Josh Powell said he last saw his wife around 12:30 a.m. Monday as she headed to bed.
Josh Powell described his wife as a "really good mother" who enjoys singing in her church choir and doing art projects with her boys.
"She really takes care of us," he said. "She's really committed to the family, and I guess she puts up with me, too, and does a good job of it."
Neighbor Stephanie Olson said as soon as she heard her neighbor was missing, she had a bad feeling.
"I know she would never leave her kids," Olson said. "If anything, she would have left with the children while Josh was at work. She'd take her kids. I believe that 100 percent. She was really good with her children."
Olson and other neighbors said about a year ago, Susan Powell began talking openly in church about obtaining a divorce. Olson said Susan Powell was very open about her home life and the issues in her marriage.
"She wasn't shy," Olson said. "She talked about divorcing and trying to save money to leave him."
Hellewell started a Facebook group with updates about her friend. At this point, she said she has to keep busy, because if she stops to think about what may have happened to her friend, she "can't handle it."
She described Susan Powell as "very outgoing, very friendly, an instant friend to everyone." In addition to being funny, pretty, talented, healthy and athletic, Susan Powell is "fearless," Hellewell said.

"If she had any way to contact somebody, she would," Hellewell added. "She's not the kind to go and hide. She's not scared of anything."
In the meantime, as he tries to "get things normal," Josh Powell said he wants his wife to know that he and the two boys "love her and miss her."
"I want to try and do the best I can to get the word out, even if it's hard," he said. "If anyone knows where she's at, have them call police."
A candlelight vigil is scheduled for 9 p.m. tonight at West View Park, 6050 W. 4100 South.

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