Missing Adults Found Alive: What's the Appropriate Reaction?

The reasons adults go missing are as vast as the ocean; foul play, homicide, abduction, and in some cases an adult walks away, abandoning their family, children and friends. But, what happens when a missing adult is found alive and what questions are they, or their family, obligated to answer, and to whom?

There is no law that says an adult can’t walk away from their family, their job, or everything they once held dear, and create another life somewhere else. Is it the right thing to do? It depends on who you ask. While a family is devastated when someone walks out with no warning, no goodbye note, no clues as to what happened, an adult still has a legal right to do so. Morally and ethically, it may not be the best choice, but, there again, no laws have been broken.

Several cases have made national headlines; we all remember the “runaway bride,” Michelle McMullen and others, and recently a case of a 19 year old college student, Aisha Kahn, whose family reached out for help and received media attention, the aid of missing persons advocates and organizations, and the hard work of local law enforcement. Found alive and well, she’s got a lot to answer for, but to whom? Me? You? The media? The public?

The “ugly” rears its head all over the social network sites clamoring for justice, screaming for answers, and the “professional pundits” fuel these debates, the “yeas” and the high fives surrounding some of their opinions and comments, at the least, tasteless, and at the worst, shades of lynch mob mentality. Looking for appropriate answers is one thing, but wanting to dole out punishment is another, that's up to the law enforcement agency in charge.

So what exactly is our society’s fascination with passing judgment? Many are demanding answers, repeating that the attention and resources given to finding these adults takes away from the “truly” missing. What a stupid statement. What if it was YOUR missing adult, would you expect less, or would you expect every resource known on earth to be expended for your loved one? And, if that husband, wife, sister or brother suddenly reappears, for whatever reason, would you feel your “taxpayer” dollars were spent unwisely?

Prayers are never wasted. At a time when a loved one goes missing, sometimes that’s the only thing families can rely on. To see those of all faiths come together to pray for a safe return is a display of unity of mankind that doesn’t happen very often. The boundaries are erased and people embrace for a common cause, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity.

It’s after a missing adult suddenly reappears that all the unity is forgotten in an instant, and if the media gets hold of the story, the pundits start shouting about the wrongs that have been done, and what they think should happen to this person. If the adult hasn’t broken any laws, there’s nothing to shout about, and if they have, then it's up to the local legal community to investigate and bring charges, not America's media commentators. If there is information that needs to be made public, they should have all the facts to back up what's put out there before the cameras start rolling, or fingers start twittering!

The return of a missing adult becomes an accountability issue to their left behind family, law enforcement, and those whose resources were used to find them, not me, and not you, they owe us nothing.

How we can be critical when the prayer to find a missing person alive and well is answered? Do they realize the alternative?

The circumstances surrounding an adult who goes missing may not be what we would like or expect, but, until there are laws in place prohibiting adults from walking away from their families, it's none of our business.

Celebrate a life spared and pray that whatever happened to precipitate any adult who feels they need to walk away from their life is rectified fairly through their family or through the legal system, not through public comments.

And, yes, this is my opinion and I welcome yours!

Melanie Metheny

There is a letter on the family website of Melanie Metheny that her family discovered among her belongings that they didn't even know was there. At the end of the letter Melanie writes the following:

"Being a single mom is not easy at all but watching my kids grow up and watching them learn new things is the greatest feeling that I ever had. I would not change them for the world and I don't know where I'd be right now if I didn't have them but I know my life wouldn't have as much meaning."

The rest of the letter is a mother's tribute to her children, a heartfelt look at them individually, something deep for young 21 year old mother with 3 children. The letter gives the reader a peek into the depths of love a mother has for her children.

After reading those words lovingly put down on paper by Melanie Metheny, there can be no question in the reader's mind that she did not drop them off at day care on the morning of July 19, 2006 and walk away into a new life. Something has happened to Melanie and someone knows exactly what that something is.

Melanie had too many life plans in place to just take off, 3 children, nursing school, and money saved in the bank for a new home. Not the typical things someone who is unhappy with their life would have. Melanie had a lot to look forward to in her life and in the lives of her children.

There have been extensive searches which have turned up nothing so far except her minivan found parked on "the wrong side of town", which, as usual, leaves rumors and speculations running rampant. It is reported that she was last seen by her boyfriend of 5 months, Jared Davis. The family has not given up, and will not give up, looking for her. Her children ask questions and in an earlier article in the WV Gazette, grandmother Sandra Winnings is quoted:

“What can you tell them? What can you say?” Winnings said. “They don’t understand time, thank God. The one says, ‘Mommy’s going to come and get me when she finds her keys.’”

To further put pressure on the "someone" who must know what happened to Melanie Metheny,
CUE Center from Wilmington, NC has erected a billboard with Melanie's information on it in hopes of finding a resolution to this case for her family. After erecting a billboard in Whiteville, NC, within 2 weeks there was a break in the case of Carol Dowless, someone came forward, and she was found after 3 years. We hope that the same answers can come for the Metheny family and that 3 children will have answers.

For further information, updates, or to leave an anonymous tip:

Official Family Website
Find Melanie
Charley Project
Missing Pieces
CUE Center

Investigative Agency:  Kanawha County Sheriff's Office
Phone:  (304) 357-0169
Investigative Case #:  71924
or contact CUE Center For Missing Persons
24 Hour Tip Line  (910) -232-1687
or submit a confidential tip Here

Why Do We NEED Billy's Law?

3 Simple Steps to Help Find the Missing - Billy's Law

http://peace4missing.ning.com/forum/topics/3-simple-steps-to-help-find

The search continues for Rachael Anderson

Missing since friday April 16,2010. If you have seen this women please call 509-758-2331

5' 4", 120lb, small stature, Black Hair, Brown eyes

KLEWTV

By Stephanie Smith

 Watch the video

CLARKSTON - Where is Rachael Anderson? Police, family, friends and much of the Valley want to know.

On Thursday Amber Griswold, one of Rachael's' daughters, talked about her mother and her connection to family.

"She's a mom of four," said Griswold. "She's a great mom. She's always there, very supportive. She is also a grandma. She has grandkids also."

Amber said her mother's disappearance is not a case of someone just leaving town.

"She cares for her family a lot, her family and friends. And she would never walk away," said Griswold.

She said her mother was being harassed and her mother's car vandalized.

"Her tires had just been slashed and I had to help her buy some tires because she had no money left," said Griswold. "Her window had been broken in, a couple other things done to her car. Muffler falling off, when she's driving away, oil pan, just random things like that."

The window on Rachael Anderson's car was broken while at work at St. Joe's. That's why she had a friend's car, a Yukon, when she went missing.

The SUV was found Wednesday afternoon in North Lewiston. Amber Griswold said her mom was also getting strange calls and text messages.

"All through the night, all day constantly," said Griswold. "She had no idea who's doing it, She had no idea where it was coming from. She didn't know who she could trust, who she couldn't."

Police said all indications are that Anderson was last seen in Moscow on Friday.

"Nobody knew actually she was going to Moscow. That was the thing, none of her friends knew," said Griswold. "She had prior plans with another friend in Clarkston and so she wasn't supposed to be in Moscow."

But it wasn't until Monday that family got concerned.

"I didn't even get concerned because Saturday, I had a barbecue and she told me earlier in the week, 'Oh I may not be there, I might be working (because she said she might work on Saturday) or I might be doing some other stuff trying to dig around and trying to figure out who's doing all this,'" said Griswold. "She said she probably wouldn't come, so when she didn't show up I didn't think anything of it and then I got a phone call on Monday saying she didn't show up, and then I knew something was wrong."

Along with posting fliers throughout town, Amber has started a FACEBOOK page to share information. As of Thursday afternoon there were over 2,800 members. With it, she is trying to dispel rumors.

"You know it's kind of hard to say (whether it was random or somebody she knew) because it could be the person supposedly that was stalking her or it could be totally just random chance that it happened to her and it was just someone that was passing through," said Griswold. "We don't know, we don't know at this point. Detective Halley (Asotin Co. Sheriff's Office) said it was okay that I said something about that there might possibly be suspects, but they are not even sure. They just don't have any evidence at this time."

Griswold said there were no signs of a break-in at her mom's Clarkston home.

Police have organized a task force comprised of officers and deputies from various local agencies. The FBI has also been notified but has yet to directly join in on the case.

Lewiston Police said there is security video from the bus stop where the SUV was found. They said they are going through three days worth of video from several different cameras.

If you have any information about Rachael Anderson or saw the GMC Yukon over the weekend, call the 24 hour police dispatch line 509-758-2331.

Tina and Bethany Sinclair, Monday4 the Missing

Video and text written by: Angie Gilchrist



Find more videos like this on PEACE4 THE MISSING









As I begin to write the events of Tina and Bethany's disappearance my eyes are filled with tears and my heart bleeds with pain for Tina and Bethany and their family...I know first hand what this family has and is going through and know the nightmare that this family has been forced to live and without a choice.

In the year of 2001 34 year old single mother Tina Sinclair shared a residence on Mountain road in Chesterfield New Hampshire a quiet community, with her daughter 15 year old Bethany Sinclair, her boyfriend Eugene Van Bowman Jr and another young male.

The relationship Tina and Eugene had was a stormy relationship and Eugene often abused Tina..On one occasion Bowman tried to light Tina on fire..He poured kerosene all over Tina but she managed to get away from him..But it would not end there..Many people believe that Tina and Bethany met their fate at the hands of the man Eugene Van Bowman Jr...However finding proof and fact has been an obstacle for law enforcement..Or is it just plain ignorance on law enforcements part?

Febuary 3 2001 at around 9:30pm Tina and Bowman got into a heated argument at the Marina..Tina left the parking lot in her vehicle a white Neon peeling out and angry.
Tina picked up her daughter Bethany up from the Movie theater and returned home to her residence around 11:30pm on Mountain road, where she then got into another argument with Bowman..According to Bowman he left the home and when he returned Tina and Bethany were gone..Here is where the story gets confusing and unclear. Tina's car was still parked at the home, along with all of their personal things and their pet cat. If someone was going to leave wouldn't they take some of their personal items and their vehicle?
Also an unidentified woman phoned Bethany's school to say that Bethany would not be at school Monday..Who was this mystery lady?

This is what the family of Tina and Bethany do know...
They know that Bethany was on the phone with her boyfriend until almost midnight and had to hang up so she could finish her laundry in the cellar.
The Stepfather also says that Tina was angry with Bowman earlier, when she stopped over to ask her Stepfather to borrow $50 and made plans to cut his hair on Sunday. The stepfather was turned away when he showed up for his haircut by Bowman. He was cleaning the house.
at 4:30 am on Feb 4, 2001 Bowman was cursed at by his neighbors for being out on the river in his hover craft. It had a loud engine and a very bright light.
Bowman had a mistress who was married to one of his friends and co-worker..The four of them would go out on couple dates together.
Two Yankee Nuclear Power Plant barrels were allegedly taken from the plant. Allegedly driven home by Bowman and his truck.Had the markings VT Nuke Power Plant on them.Were black and oval, not like your normal oil barrels. One was on the property (said to be used for ice for parties), the other one was missing.
After Tina and Bethany went missing, Eugene Van Bowman, Jr. was sent to prison for an unrelated sexual assault conviction (child sex offense victim under 13 years old).He was released in April, 2005 to the same home they all lived in.
Eugene Van Bowman, Jr. has been released from jail this fall 2007 on an unrelated offense, and is residing at his home in West Chesterfield, NH.Since then Bowman has sold his residence and has moved.

There is so much more to the mystery of Tina and Bethany's disappearance that remains to be seen..And we can only begin to imagine the horror that Tina and Bethany suffered at the hands of Bowman or from who ever that is responsible for their disappearance.

Most people just don't vanish off the face of the earth for no reason. And if someone does leave on their free will, surely they don't go eight years without contacting a family member. Especially when they have close ties to their loved ones..

How can anyone not have or feel compassion for Tina and Bethany. And for their family? Why and how can anyone live with themselves knowing that they know what happened to these girls? Surely someone has the answer to where Tina and Bethany are and they need to come forward and give this family some sort of peace..All they have of Tina and Bethany is memorial site..A place for them all to go to find some closeness to Tina and Bethany..The family deserves more than that..Tina and Bethany deserve more than that..These girls deserve to be brought back home to their loved ones..

What this family lives day to day I can ASSURE you ALL that it is torture!! PURE TORTURE!! How would you FEEL if someone MURDERED and then DISPOSED of your LOVED one like they were a PIECE of TRASH!!??
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL HUH! You would feel Like your heart has just been ripped right out of your chest. Your life as you once new it is no longer the same..You are forced to become someone else, a person you no longer know or understand..And your whole purpose in life is to find your missing loved one. And to find that existence of peace that you once new, cherished and loved..

Here is a quote from Tina's sister Sharon..

Since my sister and my niece have been gone, so has a part of me. I havent ever been the same. My heart is broken and so is my spirit. My mother has gradually crumbled as time has passed without her precious daughter and grand daughter. The anger, hatred, confusion, nightmares have shredded through me and made me into a person I dont even recognize anymore! Our family was divided at first for a long time, as nothiing was the same. The holidays, birthdays, family gatherings were like a bad dream because Tina and Bethany werent there.
A memorial will replace the one that was stolen last fall in time for the anniversary of Tina and Bethany's missing. Please visit if you can, at the CT River's bend, on Mountain Road, off RT 9 in West Chesterfield, NH. Please light a candle, say a prayer. I will never give up! No one should!

I BEG of you, if anyone has information regarding Tina and Bethany Sinclair please contact

CONTACT: COLONEL FREDERICK H. BOOTH, DIRECTOR
TELEPHONE: (603) 271-3636
CASE: C-01-0161
DATE: 03-19-01


New Hampshire Division of State Police at (603) 271-3636 or (603) 358-3333 or send an email to: missingpersons@safety.state.nh.us

Let this family finally have peace...

Star Boomer, Who Is She, and Where Is She?

It's been reported that Shon Pernice of Kansas City, MO. is not only being questioned about his role in the disappearance of his wife, Renee Pernice, but now he is linked to another missing mother, Star Boomer. Star Boomer has been missing since 1999, 10 years, and she left behind a son and a family that deserve some real, truthful answers.

According to recent reports, Star Boomer was last seen during an altercation in a local bar. By all accounts there were 13 witnesses who saw Star literally beaten to unconsciousness. That's where the story of Star Boomer ends. No one is talking about what happened afterwards. Not one of 13 witnesses has told authorities where to find Star Boomer after 10 long years, and now it's stated that Shon Pernice was one of the last persons to see her alive.

Who is Star Boomer? In light of all the recent attention given to missing women, missing mothers, and the men suspected of knowledge, we often forget the main characters of these mysteries, the one who no longer has a voice to say to the world, "here I am!". The media tends to look closer at the ones who are possibly involved in these women's vanishings, scrutinizing their every move, and, in some cases (Peterson), surrounding the case in a circus atmosphere. But who are these Vanished Mothers?

Ten years ago, Star Gail Hurtie Boomer was a mother of a young son, Cody. Being the mother of a young son is not an easy task, and I would imagine that she took time off to unwind at a local bar.

Sources say that Star did not drink that much while at the bar, but went to the aide of another woman who was being physically beaten by another patron. Star was the only one to step up to help the woman, and later she was hit her off her own bar stool by a friend of the patron as he walked by and said something to her. She was knocked unconscious and dragged out of the bar. It's at this point, witness have said, Shon Pernice injected her with something and Star was never seen again.

Star Boomer came to the aide of another woman and paid the ultimate price for it.

There is a young man who does not know what has happened to his mother, and has only local rumors and stories to fill in the blanks. I have to believe that Cody wants answers, and he deserves the truth, along with other family members who love her and miss her in their lives.

"Until the day we find closure and justice for her, I can't give up and I have to be a voice for Star," said Cynthia Hurtie.

"I believe we will find her. I really believe that. I've never given up hope," said Hazel Hurtie.

I hope that during the investigation into the now declared death investigation of Renee Pernice, that her husband Shon will at the very least be questioned about the last night in the life of Star Boomer, and help her family find resolution.

I am pleased to include some personal insight about Star from a source close to the family:

Ten years ago, Star never thought to herself that this photo, would be used to help bring her home.

She had no way of knowing.. she wouldn't be going home..ever again, that the bright spot of her world..her son, would be left behind. She would never see him open his Christmas gifts, watch him play ball.. she wouldn't be there for her father..before he passed away, or to hug her Mother when he did. The chance to finish school.. Gone. No more shopping trips with her nieces, or getting her hair done in the new style. All Gone.

Gone by two men who ruthlessly removed the future of this young woman. The witnesses, who keep her family 'suffering' by their deafening 'silence'. There has been no justice, no one has been punished. There is no resting place to visit to acknowledge Star existed..no place to run to when the their tears fall, no place to put the flowers she so loved.. in her remembrance .

She was instead taken, and hidden.. in a place where no one visits. There are no flowers. No family ever comes...

She dreamed of one day living on a farm and watching her son enjoy the warmth of a day, tending her beautiful garden..and caring for a variety of animals. Most importantly to watch her son grow to be a man.

Star was a florist at heart, who loved flower arranging, she created beautiful arrangements and wreaths and had

won awards for her creations at local craft shows. She had nearly completed her GED and had plans to further her education. She was a warm hearted soul, that would offer her hand to others, and make it a point to bring a smile, even when times were troubled.

A true optimist is hard to find, and the loss her family has endured is inconsolable.

Cindy recounted to me when Star bought corrective shoe's for Cindy's daughter. A wonderful sister, and Loving Aunt to Cindy's children. She is remembered by the twinkle in her eye, I thought to myself while the family spoke of her.. that her name was rightly 'given' at birth "Star"

Her bright smile has been handed to her son Cody, who shares her warmth, kindness and love, and his laugh is a thought of Star brought home..and brings back those 'wonderful memories'. Star would be so very 'proud' of the young man she brought into this world. So, grateful for her family who have all come together in the nurturing of her son. She would be "so" very grateful to her Mother who has kept her in prayer 'everyday'. Hazel has waited on bended knee, for the day her daughter would come home. Her fervent prayers have been answered and faith will bring closure..soon. Cindy who has taken up the torch to find her sister, is a timid loving soul. Having been lost for a time herself... has found her strength and has become a 'star' herself. In Star's legacy Cindy will assist families of the lost, and help them to find the closure that she yearns for in her own life.

The pub that Star was in the evening she was taken. The twelve that sat by, watched. Those that were witnesses and have kept quiet 'all these years'. The burden lays with them. For a family to experience a death of a loved one, is an excruciating experience. To have that loved one plucked from life and out of reach for all 'time' is beyond horrific. To those who know and will not speak. I would like you to imagine the face of a small boy.. who sits on the edge of his bed.. and waits. His eyes looking up to 'you' for the answer. Where is my Mom? For her Mother who sits with folded hands at her kitchen table, still waiting. She smiles and it is apparent 'where' Star got her shine. To Cindy, Star has given you the greatest gift. Your direction..your path.

Please help give "Star" a gift. A place to rest..a place to be remembered. If you have information, no matter how small.. it will be kept confidential. Please visit http://helpfindthelost.blogspot.com/ and bring star home.

Please join us at Peace4 the Missing
Network and support for missing persons and victims of abuse.

Trevor Morse, Monday4 the Missing

Las Vegas, land of glitter, glitz, gambling and gluttony! The excitement runs 24 hours a day, and on the Strip you never know what time it is with lights blaring brightly and the sound of slot machines giving a big payoff. That is what most of us picture when we hear "Las Vegas"! Not all of Las Vegas is littered with gamblers and it has become a wonderful, suburban, affluent place for families to raise their children in one of the largest and best school systems in the nation.

2006 was the year that Trevor Morse moved to Las Vegas from his home town of El Paso, Texas to work for a major contractor as an electrician during a year where housing and building was a booming business across the country, especially in Las Vegas. It's reported that Trevor did well for himself there and lived in an upscale area of west Las Vegas. He was not unhappy, depressed or suicidal.

What happened to Trevor Morse on May 5, 2007 after he called a taxi, leaving his car, keys, wallet, cash and credit cards in his home?

Trevor's family has outlined Trevor's daily life in the months before his disappearance and it shows that he purchased furniture, registered for classes, bought books, even bought pet turtles and a new car. It shows the day before Trevor vanished he did laundry and paid his bills. This doesn't sound like someone planning to walk away from a life he seemed happy with, nor someone planning a suicide.

Trevor's family made the long trip from El Paso to join searches, expecting to find at least a corpse, and warned to expect the worst. Video of Trevor exiting the taxi was made available, showing him walking away, looking back once more and continuing along his way, the opposite of what the family was told by detectives. According to them, Trevor was shown on video wandering aimlessly around the desert. Just one of many inconsistancies the family would hear from authorities.

Unfortunately the family was unable to forge a working relationship with detectives assigned to the case and have not been kept informed of new developments. As often happens with missing adults, the cases are given a very low priority and tend to sit idle while families are daily sitting on the edge waiting for a clue.

Trevor's father, Rick Morse states:

Since our return to El Paso any communication with defective Marin LVMPD has been spotty at best with him rarely returning our calls (nearly weekly) and not returning any e-mail. I was informed by defective Marin of a RUMOR that started three months after Trevor went missing that he was in a rehab in California. After the defective imparted this there has been no further contact with him, even though I’ve tried to contact him several times a week!

The strength of family will get them through, but there will remain a gaping void in their lives until there is news of what has happened to Trevor Morse.

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

Missing Since: May 5, 2007 from Las Vegas, Nevada

Classification: Missing

Date Of Birth: October 20, 1976

Age: 30

Height: 5'8"-5'10"

Weight: 165 lbs.

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Blue

Race: White

Gender: Male

Distinguishing Characteristics: Small crescent scar
on chin from childhood. Recently underwent Lasik corrective,
eye surgery. Light complexion.

Clothing: Usually wears muscle T-shirts, blue jeans,
orange and black baseball cap with "Ford Mustang" on it.

Case Number: 070508-2842

NCIC Number: M-236504733

Dentals: Not available

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Las Vega Metro Police Department
Detective Marin
(707) 828-5678

Please join us at Peace4 the Missing
Network and support for families of missing persons and victims of crime

Alice Donovan, Coming Home

Much has been written and on broadcast news the past couple days about the discovery of human remains in Horry County, SC and speculation about those remains being Alice Donovan. If you follow the news you know that CUE Center for Missing Persons, and specifically, Monica Caison, has had a connection with this case since Alice was kidnapped and murdered 6 years ago. Monica searched the rural fields and woods of North and South Carolina every day for over 4 months back in 2002. Nothing was ever found, and two daughters hit the downward spiral of unending torture and grief.

Angie Gilchrist and Jennifer Warner were left, not only without their mother, but with the open wound of not knowing where her final resting place would be. When a family member is missing, there's no closure, no conclusion to the grieving process, and daily torture. The case made national news, the two killers were sentenced to death row, and the news dropped off the radar, but Angie and Jen, with their emotions boiling over, continued to live the daily nightmare.

One day I was wondering what happened in that case, googled Alice's name, and found a little entry on a blog, with some personal pictures, written by daughter Angie. It broke my heart to see her words with all the sadness still there, and I felt I needed to see where this was heading. I started this blog, Mothers are Vanishing, and wrote an entry about Alice. I knew her case details well, it all happened in my little home town at the beach, and wondered if she was ever found.

Angie contacted me through the blog, we corresponded, became "online friends", and met for the first time at the final stop on the Cue Center "Road to Remember" Tour in Whiteville, NC. Angie was instrumental and a big part of our networking site, Peace4 the Missing, and there her words began to bloom, she met several others who knew her pain, and she's become known for her compassion. Angie and Jen have endured every tumultuous emotion the last six years and have had to deal with pressures unknown to many.

Yesterday the dam broke. After making the decision to actively get back into finding her mother, after heroically holding a memorial benefit, after contacting Monica Caison to reopen the case, after days of searching, after finding remains exactly where the killer said they would be, after news reporters hovering all day long, after 6 years of not knowing where her mother might be, Angie broke down and cried.

If the DNA results confirm that indeed these are the remains of Alice Donovan, Angie and Jen and all of us who know and love them, will travel down a different emotional path, one that has been on hold for 6 long years. The grieving process will find it's way to completion for them, in its own way, it its own time, but at least now they will know that Alice, their mother, is finally home and her soul is resting in peace.

Jennifer Warner made the comment in a news interview that even if the DNA proves that it's not her mother, it's still someone's family member, another family that has been waiting to know, and it gives her a small bit of comfort to know that someone's family will find resolution.

With the unending quest of Monica Caison and her band of selfless volunteers, the friends online and in real life, a "special" FBI agent, and family members close to them, Angie and Jen will have a huge network of support and encouragement to help them cope and help them find the peace that has been missing in their lives for 6 long years.

Please join us at Peace4 the Missing

Network and Support for Missing Persons
and their families and friends.

Bradley Olsen, Monday4 the Missing

What were you doing when you were 26?  Some readers may be in that age bracket, but I've been living twice that long, yet I can remember the days of being 26, drinking with my friends and closing the bar.  What if it was January 19, cold and frigid, 8 degrees,  your friends left earlier, and you were pretty well intoxicated?   Wouldn't you  call your friends, ask them to come for you, maybe call a cab?  They say the first thing to go when you're drinking is your judgement, and being numb to the cold, maybe you would catch a ride with a stranger.

All speculating aside, this is precisely what happened on a cold January 19 night in DeKalb, Illinois.  Bradley Olsen vanished into the night, intoxicated, last seen in the parking lot looking for a ride home.  No one knows if he got that ride or where he ended up that night.  It's safe to say he didn't walk away from his family, his daughter, and his life.

According to reports, Brad's family was on vacation, returned home on January 24, and when they had no contact with him, filed a missing persons report and started searches of the area around Bar One, the last place Brad was seen.  The family had never been out of touch with Brad for more than a couple days, so it was totally out of character, and they feel he has been harmed.

Something has definitely happened to him because he lived here with us,” his mother, Sue Olsen said. “There was never a 48-hour period where we didn't know where Brad was. Even whenever we would go out of town, he'd always call.”

Sue Olsen, Brad's mother, describes him as always smiling, living life to the fullest. Brad's little girl sees his billboard and waves, telling her daddy "hi".

Over the last two years, extensive searches have been made, over land, under water, air searches and scent dogs. Nothing has turned up as a clue to what happened to Brad.  Hope is very powerful, but when it fades, families seek closure, they need to come out of limbo.

"I would have never thought that when this all started we would be talking about a two-year anniversary," Maple Park resident Sue Olsen said Tuesday, her voice quivering.

They will never give up the search for Brad, never stop looking for the answers to pass along to his daughter, never will they give up hope that he is found.  There is a close knit family that is waiting, 2 years and 6 days as of this writing,  and they need to know that Brad Olsen is resting in peace.

The man with the infectious smile, the love of life, his family, and his daughter is out there somewhere.  If you hold the key to finding him, please come forward and give this family the answers they need.









Please join us at Peace4 the Missing

Renee Pernice, Clues

Even though news reports have slowed down the past few days, Renee Pernice is still missing, and her children, as far as what I can find, are still in the care of their father, Shon Pernice, the last person to see Renee alive on January 2. He has given inconsistent statements to police regarding exactly when he last saw her and the circumstances.

Clues according to search warrants made public:

• Shon Pernice used an electronic key card to enter the rear door of a hazmat station where cleaning solvents are stored. This took place at 4:30am, January 3.
• Detectives saw Shon Pernice drive away from the home with Renee's dog, go to a park, drop off the dog and drive away. This took place on January 6. (Detectives picked up the dog)
• Police have collected blood evidence, and discovered a reddish stain on the ceiling and a spot on the garage floor that tested positive as human blood.
• Police recovered latex gloves from coat and pants pockets which had various stains on them.
• Paperwork for divorce proceedings was found in Renee Pernice's home office.

Renee's family has done everything right, keeping her name in the public arena, candlelight vigil, press conferences as well as cooperating with the ongoing investigation, all the while riding the roller coaster of emotions packed into the information they are required to process. They have yet to see their grandchildren since their mother vanished.

Renee and Shon have two children together and are said to be staying with their dad. Shon also has a daughter from a previous marriage.

They haven't seen their grandparents since Renee went missing.

"As you can imagine, we've lost our loved one and we can't reach out to her and we'd dearly love to see those boys," said Pretz.

According to comments found on some online discussion boards, Shon Pernice is not a stranger to the grisly ugliness of violent death and, according to some, had a strange fascination with it. Apparently he is living by the words spoken in another case with the same initials, S.P., "Deny, deny, deny".

All we, the public, can do at this point is help Renee's family keep her picture and information out there to keep the story alive until such a time as she is found. Pray for her children and family members that the time will be soon and the wheels of justice can start to turn.


Please join us at Peace4 the Missing

William (Billy) Smolinski, Monday4 the Missing

In two days, January 14, William "Billy" Smolinski will be 36 years old.

On August 24, 2004 Billy vanished.

The most comprehensive series of articles about the disappearance of Billy Smolinski is written by Holliston of ZeroGossipand I urge everyone to read all of the entries to get the details of the story from the beginning to the present.

This is a missing person's case that has been convoluted from the very beginning when Waterbury, CT police made the family wait three days before they would take a missing persons report. That was only the start of an uncooperative relationship ultimately leading to the arrest of Billy's mother, Jan, lost DNA samples, and Jan's relentless pursuit of the States Attorney and Governor of CT and contacting the FBI herself to get action.

I just want to let you know if you ask anyone who knew me my life prior to Billy's disappearance, I was quiet, minded my own business and would not challenge. I was forced to either sink or swim and of course I chose the latter.

Had Jan Smolinski not been the consummate mother, never, ever giving it a second thought to do everything in her power to search for her son, this case may have never even been opened. She has tirelessly, day after day, worked this case with tenacity in an effort to get answers about her son. Media outlets, bloggers, and writers have tried to get this story told, but officials and Waterbury in general, for some reason, don't want that.

The media, with the exception of Billy's hometown newspaper, The Waterbury-Republican, has been excellent, Jan said. "I don't know why, but they (the newspaper) washed their hands of Billy. We went to see the state's attorney in Waterbury and asked him for help and his answer to us was 'you care about your son, but no one else does.' I never thought people in authority would ignore situations like this."

Not only has Jan worked daily for Billy, but has given so much of herself to helping others in the same situation with nowhere to get answers. She has not only been instrumental in setting up vigils, making contact with organizations, making a quilt for the missing and speaking engagements, but she has reached out to our congressional leaders to change legislation nationally to benefit how missing persons cases are handled in the future.

This entry has not turned into a spotlight for Billy Smolinski's mother, Jan, but a spotlight on what a family of a missing person often endures.We all want to change that.

Every family of a missing son or daughter, mother or father, sister or brother wants to know that the tragedy they are experiencing is not in vain.

Billy Smolinski will be 36 years old, he is a much loved son, brother and friend. The day he is found and brought home to his family will be the day they will rest their hearts, rest their minds and soothe their souls.

Jan ends all of her correspondence, "Always Hope".

We will always keep the hope alive, and the candle burning .

From Jan Smolinski:

On January 14 Billy would have been celebrating another birthday. This is the fifth birthday that has gone by without him. A senseless act of violence has taken him away. $60,000 is a BIG NUMBER put some dollars in your pocket by coming forward IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT HIS DISAPPEARANCE, it is all yours for the RECOVERY OR RETURN of our son. Happy Birthday Billy we love and miss you. Giving up is NEVER an option no matter how long it takes. 2009 is the year for answers. With God ALL things are possible. EVIL FLOURISHES WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING

William "Billy" Smolinski

Missing: August 24, 2004

Missing Age: 31 Years Old

Sex: Male

Race: White

Hair: Light Brown

Eyes: Blue

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 200 lbs.

DOB: 01/14/73

Missing From: Waterbury, CT USA

TATTOO’S: A tattoo of a blue cross with the name Pruitt in the cross on left forearm, a tattoo of a blue cross with an orange outline on right shoulder. His left ear is pierced with a small diamond.

Please join us at Peace4 the Missing

2009 Hope For The Future

My first foray into blogging started in 2008, mostly as an outlet for my concerns about missing persons, especially missing mothers. I have covered a range of missing mothers from long ago cases to recent cases as well. As I researched and read about each one of them, they became personal to me, reaching out to me to tell a small story about them, but especially their children. These mothers needed to be heard, to once again have their story told.

I have been fortunate to get to know several of the "children" who, for the most part, are grown. I have communicated with family members who have offered their remembrances and vented their frustrations. These are the feelings that are almost universal in cases of missing mothers. The unanswered questions which, in some cases, may never be answered, but in all of them there is still hope. They will never give up and they will always hope.

I have also been incredibly blessed to be a Co-Founder for Peace4 the Missing, which is a haven for a lot of the "children" who contacted me as well as other family members and friends of missing persons. It is an interactive network that strives to be a place of comfort and encouragement, not necessarily a place to solve cases. With it's diverse membership, the site has grown to be a place where support is found, a community like those of days gone by, where people and the way they feel still mean something.

As 2009 is upon us, the load is great. Almost a million people are reported missing in this country every year.

The internet has proven to be a wonderful place to get information, spread awareness and find support. My goal is to do all I am able to help expose this national tragedy that strikes randomly, in any town, in any home. No one is immune.

So please join me in a toast to the memories of the mothers still missing and to the future of the children who miss them so.

Please join us at Peace4 the Missing

Michelle McMullen, Missing Mother Featured at AMW

Pennsylvania Mother Missing Or Maligned?

 

Michelle McMullen, 27, disappeared on Sept. 28, 2008 and police are reaching out to the public for information on this missing mom.

Michael and Rev. Lillie McMullen are desperately trying to hold on to hope that their daughter, Michelle McMullen, is alive somewhere in the world.
Their daughter went missing on Sept. 28, 2008 after dropping off her six-year-old son, Jayden, to a friend in Harrisburg, Pa.
Her family says after Michelle dropped off her son, she got back in her car and started the 17-hour drive back to school in Louisiana.
But speculation regarding Michelle's disappearance has cast a shadow over the search - sometimes putting the family at odds with law enforcement who believe Michelle may be running from the law.

 

 

Relatives say Michelle McMullen would never abandon her six-year-old son.

According to the family, in Aug. 2008, Michelle and her six-year-old son, Jayden, moved to Ruston, La., a small town next to Grambling University where Michelle was a student.
Though Michelle was trying to better her life, her parents say the transition was not without complications. Michelle had a difficult time finding a job and daycare for her son, so she made the decision to return Jayden to Harrisburg, Pa. where he would stay with relatives.
On Sept. 27, relatives say Michelle attended a school fair with friends in the afternoon. The family says no one noted anything out of the ordinary in her behavior. In fact, Michelle was said to be in good spirits and having a wonderful time with Jayden.
Her parents think Michelle made the drive from Ruston Saturday afternoon and arrived in Harrisburg on Sunday evening around 8:30 p.m. at which point Michelle dropped her son and his things off at a friend's house. Her parents say Michelle spoke to one person via phone and then got back on the highway to return to Ruston.
They say Michelle called her friend around 9:30 p.m. from the road to check on Jayden and then ended the call -- telling her friend she would call her back later. According to relatives, cell phone records confirm that that was the last call Michelle made and no one has spoken to her since.
On Oct. 7, 2008, cops say Michelle's car was found abandoned near an exit near Hagerstown, Md. According to her parents, Michelle's vehicle had been parked across from the Mack Truck Plant security check point entrance 10 days earlier. Security staff reported the abandoned car to the Washington County Sheriff's office who confirmed that the 2002, black Honda Accord belonged to Michelle.
The car was found unlocked with the driver's seat leaned back. Inside, police retrieved Michelle's cell phone, purse, a pillow and additional personal items.
A team of investigators, air scent, tracking and cadaver dogs were brought in to search the area. According to relatives, the dogs were only able to track Michelle's scent for about 50 feet.
Police say they found nothing at the scene to suggest foul play.
Far from giving up, Michelle's family is working with private investigators combing through Michelle's phone records, checking with her friends on MySpace and Facebook as well as going through her e-mail accounts.

Cops: Missing, Yet Wanted

 

Susquehanna Township police say they are also looking for Michelle McMullen, the fugitive, not the missing person.
Before her sudden disappearance, detectives say Michelle was the focus of a police investigation -- an investigation of which she was aware.
A warrant for her arrest alleges forgery, theft by deception and theft by unlawful taking. Michelle allegedly stole over $19,000 from a Harrisburg church in Susquehanna Township, where she worked as an administrator. 
Detectives were in the process of making contact with Michelle to discuss the accusations when they learned that her parents had reported her missing to Harrisburg, Pa. police.
Walking a precarious line, Susquehanna Township police cops say Michelle is missing, yet wanted.

 

Pressing Forward Despite The Doubt  

Despite police suspicions, Michelle's father, Michael, makes a compelling case for his missing daughter.
While Michael realizes that Michelle is the focus of an investigation by Susquehanna Township police, he is sure that it was not enough to make his daughter abandon her son.
He believes something unexpected happened, but for the life of him he can't imagine what. He believes that Michelle was probably tired after making the long drive down from Louisiana and probably pulled over to get some shut eye before heading out again. Michael says, if Michelle were fleeing from authorities then she would have taken her belongings. He says, "How far can a person get without any money?"
Michael McMullen says Michelle's car sat parked across the way from a 24-hour manned-security office in a well lighted area at the entrance to the facility, yet its presence didn't evoke any concern from security personnel. It would be another eight days before anyone reported the abandoned vehicle to police. Why? What took so long?
Air scent dogs were called to the scene and were only able to track Michelle's scent for about 50 feet. "The length of a tractor trailer," her father says. A massive vehicle which could have hidden the car from view long enough for someone to commit their deeds and be gone before anyone noticed a thing.
With each day that Michelle is missing, his fear grows.
In order to combat the frustration, the sense of helplessness and to keep the case in the public eye, on Nov. 8, 2008, Michael headed down to Hagerstown with volunteers to conduct a search for his daughter -- a search that was organized by Black and Missing, Inc. (BAM) -- a non-proft organization based in Washington, D.C.
BAM's CEO, Derrica Williams, says, "When it comes to missing minorities, they don't really get the publicity and they like to associate our disappearance relating it to crime."
Michael McMullen believes that even though police may want to jump to the most convenient conclusion regarding his daughter and her disappearance, for him there are still too many unanswered questions.
Michael says, "Something has happened here. We need to focus less on a person's situation and more on finding her."
Harrisburg police detectives emphasize that since Michelle was reported missing on Oct. 1, 2008 by her parents, they continue to investigate her disappearance as a missing person's case. Susquehanna Township police are looking into the accusations against Michelle, therefore they consider Michelle a fugitive.
Michael McMullen doesn't care as long as the police stay focused on finding his daughter.
                            -- by Denni Michael Wagner, AMW Staff

Jeramy Burt, Monday4 the Missing

Jeramy Burt (written by Peace4 Admin, Ange)

As I sit here this late sunday evening starring at my blank computer screen,I am wondering how to write this piece..There is not alot of information to report and so little to go on..

Jeramy Burt is a son, brother and father who is deeply sadly missed. On Febuary 11th 2007 Jeramy left his home in Boise Idaho at ten thirty in the morning to go visit a friend..He never made it to his destination. Shortly after he went missing his ex-wife recieved a text stating that Jeramy was leaving and starting a new life else where..The question then and still is, Would a loving, caring father just up and abandon his three year old daughter? I would not think so..His family says that he would never leave behind his daughter..He loved her with every fiber of his soul..Months later the car he was driving which belonged to his ex-wife was found burnt in a remote desert..After sifting through the vehichle it is obviouse that someone was trying to destroy evidence of some sort..What actually happened in that car? Or for that matter who else was in that car? Who wanted so badly to hide something? And who was so desperate to hide or destroy Jeramy Burt?

I can't even imagine what the family of Jeramy Burt have and are going through..To have your loved one torn from you and vanish without a trace..Not knowing if he is alive or not..


IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING JERAMY BURT OR HIS WHEREABOUTS

PLEASE CONTACT:
BOISE, IDAHO POLICE DEPARTMENT
(208) 373-5406 OR (208) 377-6500
OR
TEXASEQUUSEARCH.ORG
(281) 309-9500 OR
TOLL FREE (877) 270-9500

Websleuths
Porchlight
KTVB
Milkman
MySpace

Please Join Us on...
Peace4 the Missing