Post by LadyBlue on Mar 5, 2005 13:56:29 GMT -5
After hundreds of people have spent five fruitless days hunting for clues to explain the disappearance of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford from her home last week, Citrus County's sheriff said Monday that he is narrowing the search.
Jeff Dawsy said that starting today, experts search teams will scour an area covering a three-quarter mile radius around the girl's home on Sonata Avenue. The search teams are organized by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and are trained in what the Dawsy described as "clue detection." The new group of about 20 searchers will use dogs and also be be paired with Citrus deputies.
Dawsy said he's hoping that an intense search of the immediate area will yield results.
"My gut instinct is that the girl is still nearby," the sheriff said Monday afternoon.
In tightening its focus, Dawsy called off the massive, widespread search that had involved hundreds of volunteers and had been going on since Thursday, the day Jessica was reported missing.
"We've searched an enormous area," the sheriff said. "To continue with this would be spinning our wheels."
Dawsy said that Jessica's father, Mark Allan Lunsford, passed a voice stress analyzer test administered by the Sheriff's Office, and then passed a polygraph examination administered by the FBI. Dawsy said the missing girl's grandfather, Archie Lunsford, also passed a voice stress test and is scheduled to take a polygraph test from the FBI in the next couple of days.
Earlier on Monday, Mark Lunsford faced the media with a tearful plea for his daughter's safe return.
"I just want her to come home," he said. "To Jessie: I'm trying, baby. I love you."
When asked if he had anything to say to whomever might have his daughter, Lunsford said.
"Just drop her off any place. Give us a call, and I'll come get her."
On Monday, search teams fanned out to cover the last grids of a 5-mile radius from the Lunsford home in Homosassa.
Like the days before, no evidence of the girl was found, investigators said.
The lack of evidence from the case has left Dawsy searching for answers.
"I'm still trying to get a true handle on how she got out of the house," Dawsy said. "We're all trying to find that little piece of the puzzle that we haven't found to explain it all.
"I don't believe she left alone," he said.
Jessica, a third-grader at Homosassa Elementary School, was last seen Wednesday night, as her grandmother put her to bed. She lives with her father and grandparents. When her father returned home about 6 a.m. Thursday to prepare for work, he noticed her gone.
Sheriff's officials said the 4-foot-10, 70-pound girl was wearing a pink nightgown and white shorts, and nothing, except for a purple stuffed dolphin doll, appeared to be missing from her bedroom.
The case is classified as a missing person, and Dawsy said he isn't calling it an abduction because there is no evidence that specifically indicates that.
"But look at all of this," he said, pointing to the mobile command post set up in front of the Lunsford residence. "We've got the FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement sent two investigators that worked with the Carlie Brucia case (in Sarasota County). We've got bloodhounds and volunteers. She's in grave danger, and we're taking this very seriously."
Searchers who spent several days combing through palmetto scrubs for any clue for Jessica's whereabouts remained upbeat Monday.
"It's good that we haven't found anything, because, to me, that means she's still alive," said Sherri Mimnagh of Beverly Hills.
She searched all day Sunday, through a heavy rain, and was back for a two-hour search on Monday.
Dawsy also confirmed on Monday that investigators had searched the Lunsford family's computer, which they purchased six weeks ago, and found no clue of any online activities between Jessica and a possible cyber-predator. He did say some adult-oriented pictures were found on the computer, and that investigators had made note of their presence but that he didn't think it was directly tied to the case.
A total of $100,000 is being offered as a reward for her safe return, with $25,000 coming from Atlanta Braves baseball pitcher Mike Hampton, who is a native of Homosassa.
A group of friends of the family has helped put together a Web site: www.jessicamarielunsford.com Anyone with information on the case should call the Citrus County Sheriff's Office at 352 726-4488.
tinyurl.com/5ptd3
Jeff Dawsy said that starting today, experts search teams will scour an area covering a three-quarter mile radius around the girl's home on Sonata Avenue. The search teams are organized by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and are trained in what the Dawsy described as "clue detection." The new group of about 20 searchers will use dogs and also be be paired with Citrus deputies.
Dawsy said he's hoping that an intense search of the immediate area will yield results.
"My gut instinct is that the girl is still nearby," the sheriff said Monday afternoon.
In tightening its focus, Dawsy called off the massive, widespread search that had involved hundreds of volunteers and had been going on since Thursday, the day Jessica was reported missing.
"We've searched an enormous area," the sheriff said. "To continue with this would be spinning our wheels."
Dawsy said that Jessica's father, Mark Allan Lunsford, passed a voice stress analyzer test administered by the Sheriff's Office, and then passed a polygraph examination administered by the FBI. Dawsy said the missing girl's grandfather, Archie Lunsford, also passed a voice stress test and is scheduled to take a polygraph test from the FBI in the next couple of days.
Earlier on Monday, Mark Lunsford faced the media with a tearful plea for his daughter's safe return.
"I just want her to come home," he said. "To Jessie: I'm trying, baby. I love you."
When asked if he had anything to say to whomever might have his daughter, Lunsford said.
"Just drop her off any place. Give us a call, and I'll come get her."
On Monday, search teams fanned out to cover the last grids of a 5-mile radius from the Lunsford home in Homosassa.
Like the days before, no evidence of the girl was found, investigators said.
The lack of evidence from the case has left Dawsy searching for answers.
"I'm still trying to get a true handle on how she got out of the house," Dawsy said. "We're all trying to find that little piece of the puzzle that we haven't found to explain it all.
"I don't believe she left alone," he said.
Jessica, a third-grader at Homosassa Elementary School, was last seen Wednesday night, as her grandmother put her to bed. She lives with her father and grandparents. When her father returned home about 6 a.m. Thursday to prepare for work, he noticed her gone.
Sheriff's officials said the 4-foot-10, 70-pound girl was wearing a pink nightgown and white shorts, and nothing, except for a purple stuffed dolphin doll, appeared to be missing from her bedroom.
The case is classified as a missing person, and Dawsy said he isn't calling it an abduction because there is no evidence that specifically indicates that.
"But look at all of this," he said, pointing to the mobile command post set up in front of the Lunsford residence. "We've got the FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement sent two investigators that worked with the Carlie Brucia case (in Sarasota County). We've got bloodhounds and volunteers. She's in grave danger, and we're taking this very seriously."
Searchers who spent several days combing through palmetto scrubs for any clue for Jessica's whereabouts remained upbeat Monday.
"It's good that we haven't found anything, because, to me, that means she's still alive," said Sherri Mimnagh of Beverly Hills.
She searched all day Sunday, through a heavy rain, and was back for a two-hour search on Monday.
Dawsy also confirmed on Monday that investigators had searched the Lunsford family's computer, which they purchased six weeks ago, and found no clue of any online activities between Jessica and a possible cyber-predator. He did say some adult-oriented pictures were found on the computer, and that investigators had made note of their presence but that he didn't think it was directly tied to the case.
A total of $100,000 is being offered as a reward for her safe return, with $25,000 coming from Atlanta Braves baseball pitcher Mike Hampton, who is a native of Homosassa.
A group of friends of the family has helped put together a Web site: www.jessicamarielunsford.com Anyone with information on the case should call the Citrus County Sheriff's Office at 352 726-4488.
tinyurl.com/5ptd3