Lacey Gaines: A Mother Murdered, Remembered

Occasionally I will write about a mother who is not missing in the sense of "vanishing," but who is missing from the life of the child or children which will never see her again.

One year ago today, on December 7, 2009, Lacey Gaines was found brutally murdered, lying on the floor in her apartment in Justice, IL.  One year later, ironically, there is no justice served for Lacey's murder, no one has been arrested, nor named a suspect or person of interest.

Cherry Simpson, Lacey's beloved aunt and staunch activist for victim's rights, has pulled out all the stops, asked for help from various expert sources, and yet, the investigation seems to be moving at a snail's pace.  Her offers for outside help from experts have been turned down continuously, but she has been assured by the authorities in charge that this is an active investigation and that the facts will be presented to the District Attorney at the appropriate time, but still.....she waits.

Cherry's relationship with her niece, Lacey, was a special bond of love, life and laughter.  Her remembrances of Lacey's life brings her into the hearts of total strangers and we now know a piece of Lacey through Cherry.  Now that we know her, her murder is personal to us, and we support all efforts to find out who snuffed out her young life and bring that person/persons to justice.

The most heartbreaking aspect of a murdered mother is the child left behind that will never know the warmth of it's mother's touch.  Lacey's son will grow up without the guidance, love and support of his mother, which can not be replaced by another human being.

By gathering together as supporters of justice, advocates and activists, we all mourn the loss of Lacey along with her family.  Through websites, blogs and radio shows, as well as connections with those with influence, we will continue to remember Lacey Gaines and continue to seek justice for her.

A candlelight vigil was held for Lacey on Sat Dec 4th,2010 in Justice, IL (the site of her murder). It was snowing, family and friends handed out brochures looking for answers in Lacey's murder. Lacey's brother closed by saying a beautiful prayer thanking GOD for Lacey and everyone attending.

Please show your support for Lacey, her son and her family by visiting the various sites set up for her:

www.laceygaines.com
Facebook page
Lacey Claire Gaines

If you have infomation, call your anonymous tip into the hotline at 1-800-535-STOP. Your name is not needed, you will be given a code number to remain anonymous.Or you can call Det.Joe Malloy at 708-458-2194

Mothers Are Vanishing: Children Left Behind

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

Brandon, 14, Michael, 10, and Phillip Clabough 16, discuss their mother, Pamela Knight, who has been missing since October 2005, in their Seymour home on July 10.

Pamela Knight disappeared without a trace on the day her youngest son, Michael Clabough, turned 7.
It was Oct. 27, 2005. That morning, as Michael lay in bed, Knight, 35, kissed him, told him she loved him and promised him a birthday celebration when she got home from work later that day.
Stirred from sleep, her oldest son, Phillip Clabough, got up and noticed that it was around 4:15 a.m.
Standing behind Pamela Knight was her husband and stepfather to her three boys, Paul Anthony Knight. Phillip watched as the couple left their Bruhin Road home in her green 1994 Jeep Cherokee. He was driving.
Phillip, now 16, said his mom did not appear under any stress. All seemed normal - except for the early hour. Pamela Knight usually left around 6:30 a.m. for her job at Hillcrest North.
Later that morning, Paul Knight returned in the Jeep and drove Michael, Phillip and middle brother Brandon to school. He told the boys their mother would pick them up after school.
At 11 a.m., Pam Knight did not show for a lunch date with her mother, Sandy McBee.
"I went to Hillcrest, and they said she had not called in and no one had seen her," McBee said. "I got scared right then. I knew something was bad wrong."
That afternoon, Pam did not pick the boys up after school, as Paul had said she would.
He, too, had disappeared and would not be seen for more than a year.

Pamela Knight

"There is no way she would ever leave her kids, not on (one of their) birthdays or any day," McBee said.
A week later, the Jeep was found abandoned in Guana River State Park near Jacksonville, Fla., but there was "apparently nothing of evidentiary value," said Knoxville Police Department Investigator Phyllis Tonkin.
Many in Pam Knight's family suspect Paul Knight had something to do with her disappearance.
"If he didn't do anything to her, then why did he run off that day?" asks McBee, who is now raising her grandsons.
But it was not unusual for Paul Knight to drop out of sight, often for weeks at a time.
"And then he would just pop back up, right out of the blue," said Charles Davis, the husband of Pamela Knight's younger sister LeAnn Davis.
Arrested in South Carolina
LeAnn Davis said her sister barely knew Paul Knight, and married him after a two-week whirlwind romance.
After the disappearance, Paul Knight surfaced in August 2006 in South Carolina, arrested after a police chase that ended when the stolen van he was driving crashed. A woman described as his girlfriend and her two small children were in the van, which contained numerous credit cards and other items stolen from several states, police said.
Knight was arrested on a slew of charges. He gave South Carolina police five different names until a fingerprint check confirmed his true identity.
Meanwhile, Pam Knight has still not been seen or heard from. And there is conflicting information as to whether or not she made it to work on the day she disappeared.
"I talked to her supervisor myself, and she told me that Pam did not clock in that day," LeAnn Davis said.
But some employees of the nursing home believe they saw her that morning, according to Tonkin.
Resolving that issue is just one of several puzzles about the case that Tonkin faces. Another is determining the true nature of Pam and Paul Knight's relationship.
"I think he was threatful to her," said McBee.

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

News Sentinel

Sandy McBee hugs her grandson Michael Claybough at their home in Seymour. McBee’s daughter Pamela Knight disappeared on Michael’s seventh birthday, Oct. 27, 2005.

"He wasn't around that much, but when he was they were always lovey-dovey," Paul Clabough recalls.
Brandon Clabough said that about two days before the disappearance, Paul Knight showed all three boys a 9mm handgun - and told them not to say anything about it to their mother.
"I think he shot and killed her," Phillip Clabough said.
"I think he does have something to do (with her disappearance), but to be honest, I never saw any violence out of him toward her," Charles Davis said.
Several days before the disappearance, LeAnn Davis said, Paul Knight came to her house and was very angry - not at Pam, but at Pam's friend, who he said was encouraging Pam to leave him.
"And then, he started telling me how much he loved Pam, and loved the boys like they were his own, and that he would never do anything to hurt any of them," LeAnn Davis said. "But I believe he did hurt her."
Serving time in federal prison
After his arrest, Paul Knight was indicted on federal charges in Knoxville, including a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of two stolen 25-caliber handguns. A federal judge declared him an "armed career criminal" and sentenced him to 16 years in prison.
Through prison officials, the News Sentinel has been attempting to arrange an interview with Knight. Those efforts are continuing.
Knight is not the only person being looked at in the case, Tonkin said. "Everyone is a person of interest in this case, until it is resolved."
Tonkin hopes to get a national TV network to feature the case on a true crime show. And she keeps a picture of Pam Knight at her desk.
"I think about this case every day," she said. "It's really hard, knowing that there are three kids out there without their mother and other family members who don't know where she is."
Knight's family is confident in Tonkin and appreciate the fact that she keeps in touch with them. Still, they feel frustrated. "We know there are probably some things she can't tell us," Charles Davis said. "Sometimes, it feels like we are getting nowhere. If we could just get one piece of good information."
But he said the family cannot afford to offer a reward or hire a private detective, and does not have the expertise to create a Web site for Pam's case, he said.
Now in their teen years, Phillip and Brandon Clabough deal with it as best they can. "I just try not to think about it too much," Phillip said.
Michael, now 10, was asked what he thinks about when he remembers his mother. After a long silence, he said, "Hug."
"Somebody, somewhere, knows something," Tonkin said. "I would hope they will ask themselves what if it was their children left without a mother, and come forward with what they know."
Tonkin said anyone with information can call her directly at 865-215-7137, or the KPD crime information line at 865-215-7212.
Jim Balloch may be reached at 865-342-6315.

Justice Coming For Mary Jane Zich?

Mary Jane was wife #5 in the lineup for 6 time married, Thomas Zich. In 1991 little Desiree Anaverde was only 3 years old, witnessing something that she will soon be called on to testify about.

Mary Jane and Tom Zich met while she was a waitress in a small restaurant and he was a customer. They married and Mary Jane's life changed dramatically. Family members say Tom was quite jealous and abusive to Mary Jane soon after they were married. They say that she was isolated from them, that even though Mary Jane was very family oriented, there was no contact with them on a regular basis.

November 29, 1991 was the last time that Mary Jane Zich was seen alive. She and her daughter, Desiree, had just returned to their Toledo, Ohio home after visiting her parents for Thanksgiving. While on her visit, Mary Jane discussed the violence in her marriage to Tom Zich and told her parents that she was planning on divorcing him. According to reports to police given by Tom at the time, she received a phone call, left the house and didn't return, leaving 3 year old Desiree behind.

Apparently when Mary Jane returned home on November 28 from her family visit, she announced to Tom that, although they had been married less than a year, she wanted a divorce. No one knows what happened next or how Tom took the news, but on December 7, 1991 Tom reported her missing.

On December 18, 1991, Toledo police got a tip, found Mary Jane's car, opened the trunk to find her body, frozen. Tom Zich said "he didn't do it" and time marched on, Tom married wife #6, and little Desiree grew up.

In 2005, 14 years after Mary Jane's frozen body was found, cold case investigators took another look at the case, reinterviewing several witnesses, including Tom, who still denies having anything to do with Mary Jane's frozen body. Finally, in 2007, Tom Zich was indicted for the murder of his then wife, Mary Jane Zich.

Desiree Anaverde is now Desiree Pena, married and a mother herself, who grew up with a secret that is only now coming to light. Desiree will testify in her mother's murder trial that she witnessed Tom Zich murder her and put her body into the trunk of her car. I'm sure there will be a lot of legal wrangling on the testimony of a then 3 year old, however, I'm sure that Desiree will rest easier knowing that she will be a part of bringing justice to the memory of her mother.

"[The years after her death] were very difficult. It was very hard," she said. "You have the rest of your family; but to not have the one person you depend on, it's just really hard."

Three of Tom's former wives were also granted their turn to testify. It seems that Tom had a history of attacking the throat when he got angry. Mary Jane Zich's cause of death was found to be strangled with a ligature. So it seems that 4 out 6 wives have had Tom Zich's hands around their throats, and one of them is no longer alive.

So many red flags were waving around Thomas Zich as a choice for a husband, why did these women not see them? This type of controlling, manipulative, chameleon-like man is recently coming to the forefront, although they have been around since the beginning of time. Drew Peterson, the poster boy for Narcissists, is still able to get attention from behind bars!

Maybe with attention and education on the issues of domestic violence and spousal murder from advocates like Susan Murphy Milano, we could see less of these cases. In her new book "Time's Up" she will give you step by step directions on how to safely leave an abusive home and not wind up strangled, frozen and found in a trunk.

Dateline NBC, a weekly television newsmagazine, will be taping the trial of Tom Zich for a future episode of the program, which usually airs on Friday nights.



UPDATE: JUNE 18,2009

A JURY FOUND TOM ZICH GUILTY OF THE MURDER OF MARY JANE ZICH

Liza Murphy, Missing Mother of Three

With so many news reports of fathers killing mothers, mothers gone missing, leaving their children behind, I find the reality of children growing up as victims of violence to be an epidemic. Every day the stories are played out in national news and news talk shows.

On August 19, 2007, it's reported that Liza Murphy just up and walked out of her home after an argument with her husband, Joe Murphy, leaving behind her cell phone, cigarettes, all forms of identification, and most importantly, her three children, now 15, 13, and 10.

Liza Murphy and her husband were having marital problems, her family said. Stellatos described Joe Murphy as possessive of his wife, never allowing her to go out with her friends. She said he was even jealous if she spent time with her parents.

Liza and her children had just returned from a week long visit with her parents, 125 miles away. Liza suffered from fibromyalgia and depression, however, according to her mother, would never walk away willingly from her children.

Oddly enough, Joe Murphy tried suicide by throwing himself in front of a fire truck. He recovered from his injuries, then subsequently "lawyered up" and is now not cooperating in the investigation of his missing wife. Joe Murphy has full custody of the children and has isolated them from Liza's family. They have not seen them since the last visit she made days before she vanished.

Similar in many ways to the Renee Pagel murder case in Michigan, where the father is also isolating the children and not cooperating with the investigation into Renee's murder, although Renee isn't a missing person, she very well could have been.

As in all cases of a troubled marriage, a lot of the truth will remain hidden. We don't know about alleged affairs, lifestyles and habits. What we do know is that there are three children who do not know where there mother is. Three more children have joined the club of many who didn't ask for tragedy and violence to enter their lives, but will now be guided by it forever.

Alice Donovan, Monday4 the Missing

Alice Donovan, My mother who is sadly missed and deeply loved

written by: Angie Gilchrist, Alice's daughter

On November 14th 2002 my family got up that morning and did their normal routine in life..We all got ready for work and my mom Alice Donovan had the day off and was looking forward to her day of relaxation and rest before she had to start a new work week..

At noon mom decided to go to walmart to start her christmas shopping. She pulled in the Walmart parking lot at 2:39pm, parked in a parking spot but never made it into the store.She was ambushed by to young men with guns who forced her to drive away in her car with them..She spent three hours begging and pleading for her life. All her attempts to have her captives let her free failed..After raping her repeatedly and recieving a large chunk of money from her bank accounts they murdered her and left her body in a wooded area in Horry County South Carolina..

Both men were caught several days later and were put in to prision where they surely belonged. But they never told nor brought any law officials to the place where they discarded my mother..

Our family suffered the loss of my mother in different ways..It split our family apart into many different dynamics and the family fell apart. We sat through the trials of both of these men and heard the accounts of what they did to mom and the others over and over. We had to relive the nightmare over again and it seemed that no matter what we did to try to get on with our lives without her, we couldn't..She was still missing..Her body was out there somewhere. We could not except that. We were not at peace with that. For many years I often wondered if my mothers soul was at rest. Later I had to bring myself to believe that it did not matter where a person was placed in death, If they were going to spend their eternity with the higher power then their souls are at peace.
January 17th 2009 almost seven years later one of my mothers murderers decided to come forward and explain where they left my mother all these years with a map and pictures..A search was conducted and skeletal remains were found in that area he said she was..The memory gate lifted and my soul was flooded with all memories of my mother, good and bad and of the events that lead to her death..I relized on that day in January of 2009 standing on that dirt road as CSI came out of the field with brown bags which hopefully hold my mother, that I had been running and hiding from the truth..Not wanting to face the memories of my mother. The pain of losing her was so great and so painful that I thought it would be easier to forget her..And all I did was prolong the innevitable.

Now as I sit and wait for DNA to confirm that it is my mother's remains, my mind is flooded with thoughts of my mother. A woman with integrity, a woman with passion for life, a woman who saw the beauty in all things, a woman who loved like no other, a woman who I am honored to say is my mother.

21 Days For Heather

It's something I just can't let go and today I'm hoping that someone will see this post on my obscure little blog and be able to "be the one." In 21 days the ex-husband of Heather Thompson will be released from Federal Prison in Bennettsville, SC and be able to resume a relatively normal life after being incarcerated for the last 14 years for beating her to within an inch of her life. He has had a lot of time to think about how he can fulfill his promise to kill her and her children, and has made numerous threats over the years from prison.

Today Bloggers Unite has declared "Domestic Violence Day" and I hope that by banding together and writing about this epidemic, it will bring awareness to the many who are still trapped in an abusive relationship, men and women alike. While there are agencies and advocates all across the country, many of the abused aren't aware or savvy enough to figure out an escape plan. There is hope and healing available on the other side of abuse, if only the abused can reach out far enough.

In Heather's, and many other cases, all the right steps have been taken, but yet she and her children are not safe. GPS monitoring has been proven to be a useful tool, but in her case, authorities will not violate her abuser's rights by putting one on him at this time. Apparently he has to take a step towards murdering her and her children in order to be eligible. I know, this makes no sense, but is another flaw in the system that re-victimizes the victims.

The public has become immune to stories of fathers brutally murdering their families in the last few months. The news reports cover these stories and all the gory details, and yet there are families grieving the horrendous losses who are raw in their emotions. Please don't let Heather and her family become just another statistic or another news story and then wonder where the system broke down. The system that should protect the rights of the innocents is protecting the rights of the ones who have beaten, battered and killed in hopes that they are rehabilitated in prison and will become productive members of society again. That rarely happens.

The faces of domestic abuse are bloody and bruised, just like Heather's was, but at least she has survived.....so far. Reach out into your community, your church, your neighborhood and become more vigilant. Really look at that woman in the grocery store with the black eye, listen to her and if nothing else, guide her to a shelter or even a website that will get her the information she needs.

Educate yourself about the ways the abused may be helped. There are many organizations and advocates willing to share this information. Susan Murphy Milano has written the "bible" of safety escape procedures in her book "Moving Out, Moving On" and her new book to be released titled "Time's Up". These are important works which lay everything out in a step by step fashion so that abused women don't wind up dead.

Heather Thompson and her children will be living in great fear starting on May 29. She is in dire need of help, publicity, and protection from the man who most likely will make a move to snuff out her life and the lives of her children. Let's hope he is not successful and that Heather is not another entry at Mothers are Vanishing.

Allison Jackson Foy Case Featured On Dateline Friday, April 10

THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 10: HELP DATELINE SOLVE AN UNFOLDING INVESTIGATION!

Please tune in and watch!

From the Allison Jackson Foy family website:

As one chapter closes another is opened. This new chapter is about seeking and finding justice for our loved one Allison and for Angela Rothen who was found with her. It is my families hope that all of you who have stood by us and walked with us on the journey that brought Allison home after two years will now be with us as we seek justice for her and finally bring closure to this case.

There is someone out there somewhere who knows who and how Allison left Junction Pub and Billiards that night and eventually we will have all of the answers we so desperately seek. No one deserves to die in the horrific way that Allison and Angela did, and we must prevent this from happening again to others. If you have any information at all, no matter how insignificant it may seem please contact our family through this site or call the Wilmington PD.

The blog and guestbook are still up and running and we encourage you all to continue to share with us. When you log onto helpfindallison.com you will be brought to the justice for Allison site, however there is a link back to the original website which will stay up in memoriam and as a tribute to Allison. This site will bring you any new news about Allison's case and keep you updated with any and all media concerning Allison's case.

Please continue to remember all of the missing and their families, as I know my family and I will. There are still so many people out there looking for their missing loved ones and they need our help and support.

It is still so hard to believe that Allison was missing and now she is a victim of homicide. My family and I will stand strong and continue to fight the good fight always persevering and never giving up. We will not stop until justice is served! Allison will never be forgotten and continues to live on in all who loved her, but most especially her two daughters.

Once again, thank you to all for the incredible support and love you have shown my family and Allison over the past two years, we could not have gotten through this without you. May God bless you all and be with us as we get justice for Allison!

Angela Rothen's remains were also found with Allison's although it has been determined they died a year apart.

Please help solve this crime and bring justice to honor these two mothers.

Helping Heather

(although Heather Thompson is not a Missing Mother, it's situations like hers that lead to a woman being missing and, in most cases, murdered by her intimate partner)



While her situation is being played out online in a Facebook Group, through messages and emails, Heather Thompson is watching the clock tick.  A survivor of a severe case of domestic violence, Heather is watching her time run out.

Very soon her ex-husband, Thomas Price, Jr., will be paroled from Federal prison.  The same prison from which he sent threats to kill her and her children.  The same prison from which he has had 14 years to think about and plot ways to carry out those threats.

What are the citizens of Charlotte, NC waiting for?  Are they waiting for the next headline news story of a bloodbath, where a woman and her family are murdered?  Are they waiting to see the day's headlines and then turn away to do the dishes?

This is real life for Heather Thompson.

This is real life for her children and family.

This is not just another headline waiting to happen. Or is it?

Yes, there are things that Heather had the opportunity to do with the last 14 years, but she chose to rebuild her life, remarry, have more children and put the past behind her.  But now that past is back to haunt her.  Maybe she should have done some things differently, maybe she should have just left the family and surroundings that she knows and loves and went underground, knowing that this day would come.

Heather chose to be an outspoken spokesperson for domestic violence.  After her brutal attack, billboards were placed around Charlotte, NC so that everyone could see the injuries inflicited upon her and maybe think twice about going home and beating their partner.  Maybe Heather saved a few women that way.

Heather has spent the last 14 years, the years that Tommy Price has been in prison, speaking out for victims, serving on the board of directors of domestic violence groups , and letting women know that there is hope, that their is a way out of a sickening situation.

Heather's hope has run out.  What will it take to save her life?  Is there a safety plan for her?  Is there anywhere she can turn and not live in fear?  Is there any way to keep Tommy Price from snuffing out the lives of his ex-wife and children? What are the odds?

I'm sure Tommy Price has a cheesy grin on his face today, knowing that his actions have stirred up so much controversy.  If there were any way left in our justice system to keep him behind bars, it would be a blessing, but I doubt that is going to happen.

Every day in our country we read about cases where a partner continues to victimize and uses their children as pawns in their game. Child murder and suicide seems to be epidemic. Where is our judicial system in all this?  It is flawed to say the least.

So what can we do to keep Heather Thompson and her family alive?  There aren't many options left. She is at the eleventh hour and there are not too many places left to turn.  If Tommy Price is paroled, Heather Thompson's death cerificate is as good as signed unless drastic measures are taken quickly.

As just a concerned person with no knowledge of the law and how paroles work, I have no answers, but I know with every breath in my being that someone out there knows.

If you have the knowledge and wherewithall to stand up and do something to help Heather, please do it.  Do it quietly, do it behind the scenes, don't announce to the world and pat your own back, just take the ball and run with it.

Please save a life today.



To read about or contact Heather, please read at her group on Facebook

April Beth Pitzer

I have a best friend who lives in the Mojave Desert near Death Valley. We grew up together and I remember her tales of the fun she and her high school friends had roaming the old gold mine trails, the mountains and the vast expanse of nothing. It takes a tough soul to live there and she is definitely a tough soul. The days of gold mining and borax are long gone, but the area dotted with little towns is still home to families with a strong tie to the harshness and the beauty of the Mojave.

The Mojave is a place that hides many things, remember Charlie Manson and his "family" hid out there for quite some time. It also hides the answers for two little girls and their grandmother who have been searching in mine shafts, behind rocks and under bushes since June 28, 2004.

April Pitzer was preparing to go home again. After a separation from her husband and her family which brought her to the tiny town of Newberry Springs, California, she realized that it wasn't the place she needed to be and arranged to go back to Arkansas to be with her mother. Gloria Denton was anticipating April's return, knowing that the life she was eking out in Newberry Springs was not the life that she was hoping she would find.

The day before April was planning to leave California she talked to her mother several times. Gloria was moving from Texas to Arkansas and taking the last load that day. Not able to be near phones, she tried to reach April for a couple days, calling people April had known in Newberry Springs. When she received a phone call from a man that April knew, asking how she liked having April back with her, Gloria knew something wasn't right. She immediately notified authorities and registered a missing persons report.

Being so far away and only able to make phone calls, she started where most families of a missing person start, calling hospitals and morgues. It was one of these phone calls that brought her to David Van Norman, the coroner for San Bernadino County, and known to many families of the missing as being an angel sent from God. With his help and a detective they were able to determine that there was a possibility that April could have been murdered and dumped into one of the thousands of abandoned mines in the Mojave.

The detective took a team and cadaver dogs to a particular mine that rumors around town said the man who April knew had connections with. During that search, the dogs from a couple search teams all laid down close to the air shaft of a certain mine, indicating the presence of human remains. However, several days later they returned to the same mine and none of the dogs hit again, indicating the possibility that the remains were moved.

Not able to idly sit by any longer, Gloria Denton took off to California to find her daughter, April. While searching in another mine site they found the clothes that Gloria had recently sent to April strewn about, buried, and some burned. It was a poor attempt to cover up evidence. They also found in a desert shack more clothes, duct tape, gauze and iodine, possibly an attempt to "patch" April up. There has been blood found on a sheet and mattress.

The man that April knew, and could be a part of the mystery surrounding her vanishing, has since died. There is another man who some think holds the answers and he is currently in prison on other charges. Authorities say that without a body they really don't have enough circumstantial evidence to file charges against him. So the question of April's whereabouts has yet to be answered.

No mother should have to search for her child like this and no mother should ever have to find evidence of the possibility of her child's demise. April Pitzer has not been found and brought home to her mother and her two little girls. There will be more searches, and until the day that April is found, Gloria Denton will not give up searching for her.



April was last seen in the vicinity of the 30000 block of Caspian Way in Newberry Springs, CA. She indicated she was going to travel to Arkansas to see her mother but never arrived. As of November of 2006, April's case was updated from a missing case to a missing/homicide case.

If you have information regarding the case of April Beth Pitzer, please contact:
San Bernardino Sheriff's Department at 1-760-256-4838 or the Free "No Cops" Tip Line at 1-866-479-LBTH

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

Nadia Kira Kersh

She was born in an orphanage in Russia, a twin of a sister named Vira. Nadia Kira Kersh was adopted by a military family when she was 10, by Kevin and Nancy Kersh, and was separated from her twin who was adopted by another family. The Kersh's lived in many parts of the world, stationed with the military at one time in Alabama.

Nadia was reunited with her twin sister several years ago and moved to the Birmingham area to be near her sister. She had several friends in the area who all describe her as an outgoing, independent, generous person who was very trusting, a free spirit who would give you the shirt off her back if needed.

November 3, 2008 was a typical day for hardworking Nadia. She went to work at the Tria Market, leaving her young son, Christopher, at daycare. Nadia was an extremely devoted mother, content in her role, and stable in her job. She had been working at the Tria Market for two years. She left for lunch that day, but never returned. When she didn't pick her son up at daycare that evening he was turned over to Social Services. Her friends and family were alerted and a search of the area began. A close friend was able to obtain emergency custody of the child.

Two days later Nadia's abandoned car was found in West Birmingham, no evidence of foul play was immediately found, but authorities were concerned for her well being. It only took a few days when police found someone they questioned as a person of interest in her vanishing, and then a second man was detained for questioning and then a third. Evidence was collected and processed by several agencies.

Nadia's family gathered in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham where Nadia lived and rallied the press and organized searches. Texas Equusearch's Tim Miller and Beth Holloway Twitty, Natalie Holloway's mother, lent there expertise and support for several searches of the area. No sign of Nadia has surfaced, no activity on her bank accounts and credit cards, no word from her at all. Rewards are set up, searches continue and the media has kept her case in the public eye. Law enforcement agencies have worked tirelessly to solve this mystery.

Just days ago it was announced by Homewood police that they are close to charging the primary suspect of murder, someone who had harassed Nadia in the past. Along with him, authorities have not ruled out additional charges on others. They feel forensic evidence being processed will seal the case and will only strengthen the charges when the results come in.

As of this writing, Nadia Kira Kersh has not been found. Her son, Christopher, has been motherless for over five months. Just a toddler, he surely misses the hugs and wet kisses of his mother, the lullabyes she most likely sang to put him to sleep. Like his mother and her twin sister, he is orphaned at a young age. May he experience all the love and kindness that life can give him as he grows up and may Nadia be found soon and justice served in her honor.

UPDATE MAY 4, 2010

http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/Arrest-in-Nadia-Kersh-Case/HhQuouqP2UGhSztH9yvH6w.cspx?rss=1659

Police have made an arrest in the case of missing mother Nadia Kersh. An acquaintance of her's was arrested named Joacquas Haywood. Mr. Haywood turned himself in around 9pm last night. According to Jefferson County DA Brandon Falls, Haywood is charged with Capital Murder and that the murder occurred during a burglary. Haywood, from Irondale,  is currently in the Jefferson County Jail. No body has been recovered.

Nadia Kersh was last seen on November 3rd, 2008.  Surveillance video showed her leaving Tria Market, where she worked. 

Sandra Travis

Hitting a brick wall is what it feels like to the children of Sandra Travis and many others who have a missing loved one. You hit that brick wall so many times it's a wonder it doesn't leave bruises. All of the bruises are hidden within a broken heart unlike some of Sandra's bruises which were visible on her tiny body.

Sandra Travis was living in a violent marriage when she disappeared July 31, 2005 from Mayfield, Kentucky, a rural area near the borders of Illinois and Tennessee. Sandra took a lot of punches over the years from her husband, Bobby Travis, probably another man who treated his wife as a piece of property, there to do his bidding, no caring for the way she felt.

Many women in rural areas believe they are supposed to live this way. This is the unbroken circle going back generations in some families and carrying forward to the children of today. In some families hunting dogs are given better care by their master than the wife and mother living in the home. I'll speculate Sandra's life was just as many others, doing everything in their power to please the one who thinks nothing of using them as a punching bag when the notion hits. Living in daily fear that this day will be just like the last one, Sandra most likely was beaten to death that last day of July.

According to information found online, Bobby Travis had sad news for the family, he said Sandy died while on a trip to Illinois visiting other family members. When that story was easily proved false, he had another ready. The "whore" left with a truck driver and was never heard from again! As he continues to abuse Sandra by lying about her, she has never been found, the abuser is still victimizing.

It's reported that Graves County has a new Sheriff that is willing to take a second look at Sandra's disappearance, a new set of eyes on the evidence. Bobby Travis has been a "person of interest" for quite some time, but there doesn't seem to be much movement towards justice for Sandra Kay Travis. Her daughter, Dawn Vowell, is certain there is someone else who knows what happened to her mother, but lips are sealed and Bobby Travis isn't cooperating, either. All it would take is a search warrant to search the property near where Sandra was last seen, but that has not been forthcoming.

In the meantime, Sandra Travis is just another missing mother, forgotten by many, but not forgotten by her family who loved her dearly. Every day they face that brick wall, the same brick wall many family members across our country hit when there seems to be nowhere else to turn, no one else to listen, and nothing active happening in their case.

Justice Interrupted will be presenting Sandra's case and Dawn Vowell, her daughter will be a guest on Justice Interrupted Radio tonight, Tuesday, March 24th starting at 11PM Eastern time. Investigator Vito Colucci will join the panel to discuss this case.


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Kathleen Savio, Justice Vanishing

As her white casket was pulled from the ground on November 17, 2007, questions arose concerning her "accidental" death, drowning in her own bathtub. Her peaceful rest was disturbed by questioning, probing and sampling. It would mark the beginning of a spotlight that has not shone on Kathleen Savio and the circumstances of her death, nor the two boys she left behind, but on her ex-husband, Drew Peterson, and the three ring circus he has created, basking in every minute of the limelight and insisting on his innocence.

Kathleen's last day on earth was March 1, 2004, not a date that too many are remembering these days, as her death has been overshadowed by news of Drew's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, and possible fifth, fiancee Chrissy Raines, but the Savio family continues to mourn and seek justice on her behalf. Little did they know, but suspected, that their beloved "Kitty" did not die accidentally, and, as a new investigation has reported, she was a victim of homicide.

Kathleen lived with and reported many beatings, threats and petitioned for Orders of Protection. Police were called to her home several times, many reports were take, but many were not. She went so far as to write to the Illinois States Attorney describing what would happen to her according to the threats she was receiving. She laid it all out describing in detail what was happening in her life and the lives of her children, and what was going to happen to her next. Kitty eerily knew she was going to die, and die at the hands of her ex-husband, according to her letters and petitions. Please take the time to read for yourself the words she wrote predicting her fate.

But where is the proof? Was Drew Peterson responsible for her death? A Grand Jury in Will County, Illinois has been probing into this for over a year and still no arrest has been made. Was Drew Peterson, as a veteran Bolingbrook police officer, able to conceal every piece of evidence of a crime scene? It's a very real possibility that he will never be charged, never found guilty, never be sentenced, and although the mother of two of his children has been gone for five years, circumstantial evidence and the layout of Kathleen's letters must not be good enough to arrest or convict.

It's hard to find accounts of Kathleen before her connection with Drew, but I am assuming she, as other of his wives, thought she had found what she was looking for. A nice home, two children, nursing school, a police officer husband, all look like a positive lifestyle from an outsider's viewpoint. However, Kathleen, as so many others, was living a nightmare behind closed doors, the dirty little secret of domestic abuse hiding behind the policeman coward's badge.

As many before, and many will again, Kathleen lost her life.

She had no safety strategy plan set in place to get out of this marriage with her life. Police officers are trained in crime scene evidence, in how to use weapons, and, in a lot of cases, how to cover up a crime committed by one of their own. It seems that the circumstances Kathleen predicted five long years ago have come true. In her words she stated that he threatened to kill her and no one would suspect. So far, Drew Peterson was telling the truth.

May the Savio family and the children of Kathleen and Stacy know that there are many, many out here that have not forgotten, that wish to see justice served, that continue to keep the memory of Kathleen as a woman and a mother alive and not just yesterday's news article about the "puppetmaster", Drew Peterson. May Kathleen rest assured that many are concerned for her children and only want what's in their best interest.

Peace to you, Kathleen.

Maria Fernandez, Goodbye

Sadness grips the family and friends of Aretha Maria Fernandez as they say their final goodbyes to the missing mother who held such a sweet part in their lives.

Maria was reported missing on September 3, 2008 after she failed to report to one of the two jobs she held.  Maria was a single mother raising a young son, extremely well liked by all of her co workers and family alike, and it was gut wrenching when they realized that she was gone.  Her remains were discovered recently by a utility worker, her lifeless body tossed aside, while her boyfriend and father of her son, retained the services of an attorney and refused to speak to the authorities.

On February 9, 2009, Jamel Goode was arrested and charged with the murder of Aretha Maria Fernandez, the mother of his son.  Authorities were able to use cell phone records to place Jamel in the same remote area where Maria's remains were found.  Although they were critisized early on for lack of leads in this case,  they thoroughly investigated every angle, not always made public or told to the family members. 

Why, oh why, does this have to happen? Questions abound not only from family and friends, but from those of us who have gotten to know Maria from afar.

"Our beautiful butterfly is now free," said Kathi Dalton after she described Fernandez's grace, strength and compassion.

 May Maria be resting in God's loving arms, may her family be comforted by His angels, and may her son know the love of the Mother who would never have left him behind by choice.

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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.

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Renee Pernice, Not The Only One Missing?

There have been questions asked about Shon Pernice in connection with another missing woman, Star Boomer. It seems Shon was present at the same bar, the same night Star Boomer went missing. Coincidence?

For the family of Star Boomer who have been searching for her all these years, I pray that there are answers. I hope that this is a very active investigation into the whereabouts of Renee Pernice and Star Boomer!

Fox News reported the following story:

Monday, February 02, 2009

Renee Pernice

While the case of a missing mother from Missouri remains a mystery to law enforcement, but a possible link to another woman's disappearance may be emerging.

Renee Pernice vanished from her Northland home last month. Shon Pernice, her husband, whom she was in the process of divorcing, was the last person to see her alive.
Ten years ago, another woman, Star Boomer, disappeared from a bar in Kansas City and hasn't been seen since. On that night in February of 1999, Shon Pernice was at the same bar, sources told FOX4KC.com.

Witnesses said Boomer got into a fight with a man at the bar. Two men were originally charged with second-degree murder, but the case was eventually dropped to avoid "double jeopardy."

Boomer’s family believes it was because none of the witnesses at the bar that night would testify.

"There were 13 witnesses in the bar and no one wants to come forward or say anything," Cynthia Hurtie, Star’s sister, told FOX4KC.com.

Hurtie, now a private investigator, has never stopped trying to solve her sister’s case. When she heard about the specifics of Renee’s case she said, “My heart just fell to my stomach. I just put two and two together, there were two witnesses and Shon was one of them.”

Although Shon Pernice was never on the list of official court witnesses, he has been linked to the Boomer investigation, according to FOX4KC.com sources.

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

Boomer’s mother, Hazel Hurtie, holds out hope that her daughter will be found.
"I believe that we will find her," she told FOX4KC.com. "I really believe that. I have never given up hope."

Shon Pernice and his attorney could not be reached for comment about the story.
There is a $5,000 reward for information in the Star Boomer case.

Samantha Burns

Although Samantha Burns is not a mother, she is a missing person whose case is closely connected to missing mother, Alice Donovan. When two escaped convicts started their crime spree through several states, Samantha was one of the first victims, losing her life on November 11, 2002. Her car was found the next day, still burning, in a remote area of West Virginia, but there was no sign of Samantha, and she remains missing.

Samantha was a student at Marshall University enrolled in physical therapy classes, an employee of a department store, and lived at home with her parents in East Hamlin, West Virginia. As a typical 19 year old, she was visiting friends and on her way home when she called her mother using her cell phone. It was the last time Samantha was heard from and her cell phone was uncharacteristically turned off.

Although the murderers were tried, convicted, and sent to death row, Samantha's remains have yet to be found. Her family and friends have no closure, no way to mend the gaping hole in their hearts, and continue to live the daily torture brought on by selfish acts of two monsters.

As the news continues about finding the remains of Alice Donovan, there have always been two families waiting for the same results. There is the expected possibility of resolution for Alice's family, and hope that the family of Samantha Burns can reach the same conclusion. Through much prayer, and the selfless work of organizations like CUE Center, their volunteers, SAR groups, K-9 and all the branches of law enforcement involved, we hope Samantha Burn's family will one day soon have their questions answered.

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

DOB: 23-apr-1983 HAIR: Brown
MISSING: 11-nov-2002 EYES: Hazel
SEX: F
HEIGHT: 5' 4" WEIGHT: 110

MISSING FROM: HUNTINGTON, WV, USA