Friday, January 5, 2007

No leads found in search for woman

Police to determine if disappearance is more than missing-person case

By CHRIS A. COUROGEN

Since Elaine Pierson disappeared last week from her Perry County home, state police have been careful to call it a missing-person case. That might change today.

After a two-day search of rugged terrain near Pierson's Rye Twp. home produced no leads, police said they likely would hold a news conference this morning.

"Right now it is a missing person. We're coming close to re-evaluating this," state police Sgt. Charles Ringer said after the search teams returned last night to a staging area at the township municipal building.

Ringer said he planned to meet last night and this morning with investigators working on the case. A decision then will be made on whether the case remains labeled a routine missing person or is moved to a more serious classification.

"We have to evaluate what we have, what we have uncovered, and decide what it will be labeled," Ringer said.

So far the only label police have been willing to put on the case, aside from missing person, is "baffling."

Pierson, 48, was last heard from about 8:15 p.m. on Dec. 27, when she had a cell phone conversation. She was reported missing by family members after failing to keep a hair appointment the next day.

Police have said that nothing out of the ordinary has been found at her home. There was no sign of foul play, no indication of anything missing. The front door was closed, though unlocked; a gas fireplace was still burning.

Pierson's purse, wallet, eyeglasses, cell phone and car keys were all in the house; her Lexus and a pickup truck were in the garage, police said.

Investigators have interviewed several people and have conducted forensic testing on items in Pierson's home. They are also reviewing Pierson's phone records.

"Right now we have no person of interest. But that could change after all the information is collected and re-evaluated," Ringer said.

Two days of searching about 2 square miles of rugged terrain in the state game lands near Pierson's home, east of Lambs Gap Road between Little and Blue mountains, turned up no signs of the missing woman.

"There were items found but nothing of evidentiary value. We have exhausted our goal of a comprehensive search in the area to eliminate that she might have gone out and become disoriented," Ringer said.

No additional large-scale searches are planned unless there are further developments, police said.

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

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