Authorities Recover Ground In Search For Reachelle Smith
Oct 27 2006 11:36PM
KXMBTV Bismarck
Five months have passed since Reachelle Smith disappeared. She would have celebrated her fourth birthday in those missing weeks.
Now, authorities have returned to the site where her suspected abductor took his own life....... the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge.
There, the recovered old ground, looking for any sign of the missing Minot child.
Abby Wuellner has more.
Spring has turned to summer, and summer to fall in the months since anyone last saw Reachelle Smith, but still law enforcement officers continue to pursue her case...
(Cpt. Todd Keller, Ward Co. Sheriff Dpt.) "The sheriff wanted us to come back before the winter months, before everything was covered with snow, and do another search."
Today, searchers from the Ward County Sheriff's Department, the Minot Police Department, and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation retraced their steps at the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge...Where on May 23, authorities found the body of Leigh Cowen, the man believed responsible for the girl's disappearance.
Nearby, yellow tape still hangs on branches where they found things he left before he committed suicide.
Sgt. Larry Hubbard was among those who found the items in initial searches.
(Sgt. Larry Hubbard, Ward Co. Sheriff's Dpt.) "We've done numerous searches. i was out here the first day when we did the initial search."
But since then, he says other than the color of the leaves, little has changed.
(Sgt. Hubbard) "You can see the line a lot better with the foliage change, and a lot of the leaves off the trees, but still it's difficult walking with the steepness of the hills."
No new leads prompted this search. Rather, previous search parties weren't able to re-cover the whole area several months ago.
And as the 14 man search wrapped up this afternoon, those involved say they found nothing new pertaining to the case of the little girl...but added they don't intend to stop searches altogether.
(Sgt. Hubbard) "It's frustrating. You know, we want to have some kind of closure to the case one way or the other, whether we find Reachelle or have a different type of closure. Everybody would like to have closure."
So as fall turns to winter, and snow covers the leaves that now crunch underfoot, they'll continue to look for Reachelle and seek some closure in this case.
At the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge, Abby Wuellner, KX News.
In the next few weeks, Reachelle's family will have a dog-search recover the ground yet again.
Authorities are also asking that hunters be on the look-out for any sign of the little girl.
Showing posts with label Ward County Sherriff's Department. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ward County Sherriff's Department. Show all posts
Monday, March 26, 2007
ARCHIVED ARTICLE: Authorities Recover Ground In Search For Reachelle Smith - 10/27/2006
Authorities Recover Ground In Search For Reachelle Smith
Oct 27 2006 8:06PM
KXMCTV Minot
Five months have passed since Reachelle Smith disappeared. She would have celebrated her fourth birthday in those missing weeks.
Now, authorities have returned to the site where her suspected abductor took his own life....... the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge.
There, the recovered old ground, looking for any sign of the missing Minot child.
Abby Wuellner has more.
Spring has turned to summer, and summer to fall in the months since anyone last saw Reachelle Smith, but still law enforcement officers continue to pursue her case...
(Cpt. Todd Keller, Ward Co. Sheriff Dpt.) "The sheriff wanted us to come back before the winter months, before everything was covered with snow, and do another search."
Today, searchers from the Ward County Sheriff's Department, the Minot Police Department, and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation retraced their steps at the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge...Where on May 23, authorities found the body of Leigh Cowen, the man believed responsible for the girl's disappearance.
Sgt. Larry Hubbard was among those who found the items in initial searches.
(Sgt. Larry Hubbard, Ward Co. Sheriff's Dpt.) "We've done numerous searches. i was out here the first day when we did the initial search."
But since then, he says other than the color of the leaves, little has changed.
(Sgt. Hubbard) "You can see the line a lot better with the foliage change, and a lot of the leaves off the trees, but still it's difficult walking with the steepness of the hills."
(Sgt. Hubbard) "It's frustrating. You know, we want to have some kind of closure to the case one way or the other, whether we find Reachelle or have a different type of closure. Everybody would like to have closure."
So as fall turns to winter, and snow covers the leaves that now crunch underfoot, they'll continue to look for Reachelle and seek some closure in this case.
At the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge, Abby Wuellner, KX News.
Authorities are also asking that hunters be on the look-out for any sign of the little girl.
Oct 27 2006 8:06PM
KXMCTV Minot
Five months have passed since Reachelle Smith disappeared. She would have celebrated her fourth birthday in those missing weeks.
Now, authorities have returned to the site where her suspected abductor took his own life....... the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge.
There, the recovered old ground, looking for any sign of the missing Minot child.
Abby Wuellner has more.
Spring has turned to summer, and summer to fall in the months since anyone last saw Reachelle Smith, but still law enforcement officers continue to pursue her case...
(Cpt. Todd Keller, Ward Co. Sheriff Dpt.) "The sheriff wanted us to come back before the winter months, before everything was covered with snow, and do another search."
Today, searchers from the Ward County Sheriff's Department, the Minot Police Department, and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation retraced their steps at the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge...Where on May 23, authorities found the body of Leigh Cowen, the man believed responsible for the girl's disappearance.
Nearby, yellow tape still hangs on branches where they found things he left
before he committed suicide.
Sgt. Larry Hubbard was among those who found the items in initial searches.
(Sgt. Larry Hubbard, Ward Co. Sheriff's Dpt.) "We've done numerous searches. i was out here the first day when we did the initial search."
But since then, he says other than the color of the leaves, little has changed.
(Sgt. Hubbard) "You can see the line a lot better with the foliage change, and a lot of the leaves off the trees, but still it's difficult walking with the steepness of the hills."
No new leads prompted this search. Rather, previous search parties weren't
able to re-cover the whole area several months ago.
And as the 14 man search wrapped up this afternoon, those involved say they
found nothing new pertaining to the case of the little girl...but added they
don't intend to stop searches altogether.
(Sgt. Hubbard) "It's frustrating. You know, we want to have some kind of closure to the case one way or the other, whether we find Reachelle or have a different type of closure. Everybody would like to have closure."
So as fall turns to winter, and snow covers the leaves that now crunch underfoot, they'll continue to look for Reachelle and seek some closure in this case.
At the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge, Abby Wuellner, KX News.
In the next few weeks, Reachelle's family will have a dog-search recover
the ground yet again.
Authorities are also asking that hunters be on the look-out for any sign of the little girl.
ARCHIVED ARTICLE: Authorites End Search For Reachelle Smith - 10/27/2006
Authorites End Search For Reachelle Smith
Oct 27 2006 4:09PM
Associated Press
Minot, N.D. (AP) Ward County authorities have ended their search today for young Reachelle Smith of Minot, who's been missing since in May.
About 15 law enforcement officers started the search about ten a-m. and searched until about 3 p-m. The search was focused on an area around the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Minot, where the body of 22-year-old Leigh Cowen was found in late May.
Authorities said Cowen claimed to be Reachelle's father. They believe he killed himself, but they found no sign of Reachelle.
A number of searches earlier involving hundreds of volunteers turned up no trace of her.
Oct 27 2006 4:09PM
Associated Press
Minot, N.D. (AP) Ward County authorities have ended their search today for young Reachelle Smith of Minot, who's been missing since in May.
About 15 law enforcement officers started the search about ten a-m. and searched until about 3 p-m. The search was focused on an area around the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Minot, where the body of 22-year-old Leigh Cowen was found in late May.
Authorities said Cowen claimed to be Reachelle's father. They believe he killed himself, but they found no sign of Reachelle.
Sheriff's Captain Todd Keller says nothing but a few animal bones were
found in today's search.
He says another search won't be planned until there are some new leads inReachelle turned four years old in September. She was last seen at her Minot home on May 16th.
the case.
A number of searches earlier involving hundreds of volunteers turned up no trace of her.
ARCHIVED ARTICLE: Authorites Searching Again Today For Reachelle Smith - 10/27/2006
Authorites Searching Again Today For Reachelle Smith
Oct 27 2006 12:00PM
Associated Press
Authorities searching again today for Reachelle Smith
Minot, N.D. (AP) Ward County authorities are searching again today for young Reachelle Smith of Minot, who's been missing since in May.
About a dozen law enforcement officers started the search about ten a-m. It's focused on an area around the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Minot, where the body of 22-year-old Leigh Cowen was found in late May.
Authorities said Cowen claimed to be Reachelle's father. They believe he killed himself, but they found no sign of Reachelle.
Sheriff's Captain Todd Keller said earlier this week that authorities have no new leads, but they want to retrace their steps.
Reachelle turned four years old in September. She was last seen at her Minot home on May 16th.
A number of searches earlier involving hundreds of volunteers turned up no trace of her.
Oct 27 2006 12:00PM
Associated Press
Authorities searching again today for Reachelle Smith
Minot, N.D. (AP) Ward County authorities are searching again today for young Reachelle Smith of Minot, who's been missing since in May.
About a dozen law enforcement officers started the search about ten a-m. It's focused on an area around the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Minot, where the body of 22-year-old Leigh Cowen was found in late May.
Authorities said Cowen claimed to be Reachelle's father. They believe he killed himself, but they found no sign of Reachelle.
Sheriff's Captain Todd Keller said earlier this week that authorities have no new leads, but they want to retrace their steps.
Reachelle turned four years old in September. She was last seen at her Minot home on May 16th.
A number of searches earlier involving hundreds of volunteers turned up no trace of her.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
ARCHIVED ARTICLE: Another Search Planned Friday For Reachelle Smith - 10/25/2006
Another Search Planned Friday For Reachelle Smith
Oct 25 2006 12:00PM
Associated Press
(Don May, KCJB, Minot)
MINOT, N.D. (AP) The Ward County Sheriff's Department plans another search Friday for young Reachelle Smith of Minot, who disappeared in May.
The girl who turned four years old in September was last seen at her Minot home on May 16th.
The body of a family friend, 22-year-old Leigh Cowen, was found on the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Minot in late May. Authorities said he killed himself. But there was no sign of Reachelle.
A number of searches since then have turned up no trace of her.
Keller says Friday's search will be in the area where Cowen's body was found. He says it will be a scaled-down search, involving about 15 officers.
Keller says authorities are not asking for volunteers, but they're asking hunters to watch for anything suspicious and are asking land owners to check shelterbelts, sloughs and other areas.
Oct 25 2006 12:00PM
Associated Press
(Don May, KCJB, Minot)
MINOT, N.D. (AP) The Ward County Sheriff's Department plans another search Friday for young Reachelle Smith of Minot, who disappeared in May.
Sheriff's Captain Todd Keller says authorities have no new leads, but he says
they want to retrace their steps.
The girl who turned four years old in September was last seen at her Minot home on May 16th.
The body of a family friend, 22-year-old Leigh Cowen, was found on the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Minot in late May. Authorities said he killed himself. But there was no sign of Reachelle.
A number of searches since then have turned up no trace of her.
Keller says Friday's search will be in the area where Cowen's body was found. He says it will be a scaled-down search, involving about 15 officers.
Keller says authorities are not asking for volunteers, but they're asking hunters to watch for anything suspicious and are asking land owners to check shelterbelts, sloughs and other areas.
ARCHIVED ARTICLE: Reachelle Smith Turns 4 Years Old - 9/10/2006
Reachelle Smith Turns 4 Years Old
Sep 10 2006 11:36PM
KXMBTV Bismarck
Today is Reachelle Smith's fourth birthday.
Reachelle is the Minot girl who was last seen in Mid-May and has since been the subject of weeks of searching.
And that searching will resume in the next couple weeks.
Reachelle's mother Samantha Smith says a search dog owner from South Dakota will be making another trip to the Minot area soon to comb more areas in search of clues.
It'll be the third trip to the region for the dog-handler.
Samantha says she hopes Reachelle will be found soon and hopes especially that her daughter's birthday is being remembered by whomever has her.
Minot Police and Ward County deputies say previous searches for Reachelle have turned up nothing.
They also say there are no new leads in the case.
Sep 10 2006 11:36PM
KXMBTV Bismarck
Today is Reachelle Smith's fourth birthday.
Reachelle is the Minot girl who was last seen in Mid-May and has since been the subject of weeks of searching.
And that searching will resume in the next couple weeks.
Reachelle's mother Samantha Smith says a search dog owner from South Dakota will be making another trip to the Minot area soon to comb more areas in search of clues.
It'll be the third trip to the region for the dog-handler.
And his lack of success in finding anything related to Reachelle has her
mother encouraged.
(Samantha Smith, Reachelle's Mother) "Him not finding anything has been...has
been a joy. But it's been hard. It's a joy because it doesn't point to she's
dead, but it's hard because she's still not home."
Samantha says she hopes Reachelle will be found soon and hopes especially that her daughter's birthday is being remembered by whomever has her.
"We don't know if they're giving her a good birthday party. We don't know if
she'll get any presents, or a hug, or anything. And that's the hardest part for
us is just not knowing."
Minot Police and Ward County deputies say previous searches for Reachelle have turned up nothing.
They also say there are no new leads in the case.
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