Friday, January 5, 2007

Wine glasses taken for testing

By CHRIS A. COUROGEN Wine glasses were among the items that investigators took from the home of a Marysville-area woman who mysteriously disappeared, according to authorities.

The glasses found during a search of Elaine Pierson's home Tuesday were among the items taken for forensic testing, Sgt. Charles Ringer, of the Newport state police barracks, confirmed yesterday.

The disappearance of Pierson, 48, of Rye Twp., is not officially being classified as a crime, but investigators are treating it as if it were.

"It stays a missing person case because you don't have any hard evidence. Until you have harder facts, you can't consider it a homicide," state police spokeswoman Trooper Jackie Capriotti said.

"As time passes and circumstances indicate that Elaine did not, or would not have, departed of her own volition, the case then may possibly point to a homicide."

Perry County District Attorney Charles Chenot and Capriotti likened the case to that of Ray Gricar, the Centre County district attorney who vanished without a trace in April 2005.

"It is a good comparison because everyone feels it has a suspiciousness to it," Capriotti said.

Pierson has been missing since some time last week.

Her last known contact was a cell phone conversation about 8:15 p.m. on Dec. 27. She was reported missing two days later by a friend who went to Pierson's home to check on her after Pierson "wasn't doing her regular habits," Capriotti said.

Nothing out of the ordinary has been found at Pierson's home, authorities have said. There was no sign of foul play, no indication of anything missing. The front door was closed, but 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 were in the garage, police said.

"The possibility of foul play has not been eliminated," Capriotti said. "We just have no hard evidence."

A two-day search of nearly 2 square miles of rugged terrain surrounding Pierson's Trout Lane home failed to produce anything that shed any light on her disappearance.

Capriotti said police have conducted numerous interviews, some of them "lengthy." All those interviewed have been cooperative. About a dozen investigators have been assigned to the case.

"We have several leads that hopefully will lead to something," said Capriotti, who refused to elaborate.

Police have contacted authorities in neighboring states and have entered Pierson's name into a national database for missing people, Capriotti said.

"State police are committed to finding Elaine Pierson and the reason for her disappearance," she said.

CHRIS A. COUROGEN: 255-8112 or ccourogen@patriot-news.com p> RELATED LINKS: