Thursday, January 4, 2007

'WE ARE NO CLOSER'

Searchers scour state game lands for woman

By CHRIS A. COUROGEN

Several dozen searchers spent yesterday combing the rugged terrain around the home of a Perry County woman who has been missing since last week.

Teams trekked through Bryson Hollow, climbed Little Mountain and scoured the valley on the mountain's south side. At the end of the day, though, all they had to show for their efforts were tired legs and muddy hiking boots.

"We are no closer than we were yesterday," state police Sgt. Charles Ringer said as search teams assembled at the Rye Twp. Municipal Building to disband for the evening.

Searchers will renew their efforts at 9 a.m. today, checking the rest of the planned search area, which centers on the state game lands adjacent to the Trout Lane home of Elaine Pierson, 48, who was last heard in a cell phone conversation about 8:15 p.m. Dec. 27.

"We want to search the areas she could have gotten to in a short time without being prepared," Rye Twp. Emergency Management coordinator Jim Cassidy said.

Police said they have no clues to what happened to Pierson, a saleswoman for financial information company Dun & Bradstreet.

Family members who went to check on her after she failed to show up for a hair appointment on Dec. 28 found the front door to Pierson's house closed but not locked. Her purse, wallet, keys, cell phone and glasses were in the house. Her two vehicles were in the garage.

"It's baffling," state police spokeswoman Trooper Jackie V. Capriotti said. "It's like a mysterious poof. She just disappeared."

Police termed the search part of a process of elimination.

"We have nothing clue-wise to make us search back here," Capriotti said. "We just decided this was the next step."

The case remains a missing-person investigation because police have no evidence that a crime has taken place, authorities said. But searchers were told to treat the area as a crime scene.

"There could be possible foul play here. Keep your hands in your pockets. Do not touch anything," Ringer told them. Searchers were advised to look for signs of a shallow grave.

Police didn't do a ground search last week because "we didn't think at the time it was necessary," Capriotti said. Helicopter searches were conducted Saturday and Sunday, she said.

More than 40 volunteers, including many of Pierson's friends and neighbors, joined police and state game officials in yesterday's search.

Several of Pierson's friends were interviewed by investigators before joining the search.

"We did get some good information from interviewing her friends," Ringer said.

Investigators asked the friends to try to recall "any thoughts or suspicions, anything that didn't feel right or seem right," said a friend who refused to give her name. "They are just trying to find a thread."

A statement released by Pierson's family expressed gratitude to the searchers and confidence in the way police have handled the investigation.

"We have been totally touched by the support. It's unbelievable," said Claudia Simmons, Pierson's sister.

State police ask that those who want to help with today's search call the Rye Twp. municipal office at 957-2348 before coming to the search.

CHRIS A. COUROGEN: 255-8112 or ccourogen@patriot-news.com

RELATED LINKS: