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Post by meme on May 19, 2012 22:05:11 GMT -5
Police Looking for Missing Lafayette Woman Posted: May 19, 2012 9:27 PM Lafayette Police and a local family need your help finding a missing woman. 21 year old Mickey Shunick (pictured) was last seen early Saturday morning riding a black and gold bike from a friends home in the Saint Streets area of Lafayette. She was headed back home near Ambassador and Congress, but never made it home and hasn't been seen since. Anyone with information on where she maybe be is asked to call Lafayette Police are her mom Nancy at (337)277-2751. www.katc.com/news/police-looking-for-missing-lafayette-woman/ |
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Post by meme on May 22, 2012 18:34:29 GMT -5
Michaela "Mickey" Shunick, Louisiana college student, missing after bike ride May 22, 2012 Lafayette Police Department) (CBS/KLFY) LAFAYETTE, La. - Police in Louisiana say they are now searching for a 21-year-old college student who went missing after leaving a friend's residence early Saturday. Michaela "Mickey" Shunick was last seen riding a bicycle around 2:00 a.m. on May 19, 2012, according to a Lafayette Police Department press release. Shunick's family says they knew something was wrong Saturday morning when she didn't attend her brother's graduation ceremony, reports CBS affiliate KLFY. According to the Daily Advertiser, the FBI joined local and state police in the search on Monday, which was also Shunick's birthday. "We just want her to come home," Michaela's sister Charlie Shunick told the Daily Advertiser. "Anything -- any clue -- if anyone saw her." The 21-year-old is reportedly a senior anthropology major at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Police say Shunick is a 5'1" white female, with blonde hair and weights 115 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pastel, multi-colored striped shirt, light wash skinny jeans and grey shoes. Shunick departed the residence on a black Schwinn bicycle with gold handle bar grips and wearing a brown leather backpack purse. It is believed that she was going to her residence near the intersection of Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Congress Street in Lafayette. Detectives are asking anyone with any information about the case to contact the Lafayette Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 232-TIPS. A $10,000 reward is being offered for any information that may lead to finding her m.cbsnews.com/fullstory.rbml?catid=57439062&feed_id=999&videofeed=999 |
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Post by meme on May 22, 2012 18:34:56 GMT -5
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Post by meme on May 22, 2012 18:35:25 GMT -5
Continued support for search efforts to find missing cyclist May 22, 2012 3:41 p.m. LAFAYETTE, LA - All it will take is one key piece of evidence to give investigators a clue as to what happened to cause Mickey Shunick to go missing. Although tips continue to pour in to the devoted hotline at the Lafayette Police Department, officials say the case is still lacking evidence. "Right now we don't have anything concrete to go on," Cpl. Paul Mouton, Lafayette Police Department, said about the investigation. "We're still following up leads that have come in from the tip line, and we've expanded our search to include different areas of the parish based on what we feel could have happened." What did happen? All we know for sure is that Shunick was last seen on Saturday, May 19 at 2:00 a.m. The now 22-year-old anthropology major at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette left a friends house and headed home on her bicycle. No one has seen or heard from her since then. "The first thing that raised a red flag for us is when she didn't show up to her brother's high school graduation on Saturday," Ashley Says, a close friend of Shunick, explained. "She had been looking forward to that for weeks, so there's no way she would have missed that." Along with her devotion for her family, Shunick is an animal enthusiast. Her home is filled with pets of all sorts from a pig to tarantula. But her greatest love was for her two horses, which are stabled at a nearby barn. "Earlier in the week one of the two horses was injured. Its nostril was sliced open. She would have wanted to check in on it this weekend," Says told NBC33 News on Sunday while taking a break from an all day search party that was assembled to seek out clues. For now, the animals she loves are being cared for by her family. "Her parents are taking care of her animals and their other children," Says explained during Monday's continued search party. "We're really glad they are taking time to go home because what's going on here can be overwhelming." Says is one of the many who has been involved with the grass-roots search party, which formed on Saturday. The size of that group continues to expand as each hour passes. "We have a ton of volunteers now," Says explained. "People are on foot, on motorcycles, bikes, cars - they're everywhere. We've had church groups come out. Restaurants have come and brought hot plate lunches for our volunteers. People have dropped off water and first aid supplies; things like sun block, bug spray. Local printing businesses have been printing up flyers. Lamar, the local billboard company, has agreed to put up a sign on all their electronic billboards throughout the state." Various law enforcement agencies throughout the state have also offered additional support to the Lafayette Police Department, which has listed this case as a high priority. "The FBI called and asked what they could do for us," Cpl. Mouton, noted. "We have a lot of different agencies calling us, and that's the way it should be. "You can imagine that when you start getting so many leads, you have to have people and resources to go out to those locations and follow up on them," he continued. "To have these other agencies assisting us is speeding up the process to find out if they are valid or not." The increased assistance is greatly needed for an agency that sees well over 210,000 calls of service annually. "Our officers are still out there going to calls and there are still open cases that investigators have to work," Cpl. Mouton said when asked if the attention this case has gained has strained the normal operations. "We are committing as many resources as possible to find this missing woman." Although no concrete evidence has surfaced yet, investigators are sure they will eventually gain the key to cracking the mystery. "We're going to keep that hotline open so long as we continue to get information coming in," Cpl. Mouton said about the devoted tip line that was opened on Monday. "We are going to keep someone on that line day and night to take the information. We're not leaving any possibility out." And as law enforcement follows leads and search parties continue to scout, the rest of the community is banding together to keep hope alive that Shunick will be found safe. "I've met more people in the last few days than I've ever met in my life," Says explained. "At times it's overwhelming, but it's incredible." Tonight, Tuesday, May 22, a candle light vigil will be held at Parc Sans Souci in Lafayette for people to show their support for Shunick, her friends, and the family who wait for her return. Those citizens with information about the case are encouraged to call (337) 291-8633. Detectives with the Lafayette Police Department will be monitoring the phone for at least the next 24 hours. A $10,000 reward is being offered by a private citizen for any information that leads to the location on Shunick. m.ketknbc.com/w/main/story/62027727/ |
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Post by meme on May 25, 2012 14:50:56 GMT -5
Mickey Shunick Search Continues, Friend Says 'We Feel Strongly That She's Alive' Louisiana college student Mickey Shunick has been missing since early Saturday morning. She never made it home after leaving a friend's house in Lafayette, La., around 2 a.m., according to the Lafayette Police Department. But her longtime friend Lindsay Beggs said she believes the 22-year-old is still out there. "A lot of people have been saying the same thing," Beggs told The Huffington Post. "We feel strongly that she's alive and that we're going to find her. We are extremely hopeful." Beggs went to high school with Shunick, whom she described as an avid bicyclist who has also been riding horses since she was 7 years old. "She's just someone with a great disposition," Beggs said. "She's never on anyone's bad side. I can't think of any enemies she would have." Authorities, including the FBI, continue to search for Shunick in a case that has drawn national media attention, reports the Advertiser. Beggs said that she went to a concert with Shunick on Friday night, but that Shunick was feeling sick and "didn't drink a drop" of alcohol. "She just wanted to get some food and go home," Beggs said. At this point, Beggs thinks, her friend could be anywhere. "Our main goal now is spreading awareness so that whoever has her has nowhere to hide," Beggs wrote in a message to HuffPost. "If Mickey goes out in public, we want her to be instantly recognized." Anyone with information on Shunick's disappearance is encouraged to call the Lafayette Police tip line at 337-291-8633. For more information, visit the Find Mickey Now Facebook page. www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/05/22/mickey-shunick-search_n_1536814.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false |
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Post by meme on May 25, 2012 22:24:41 GMT -5
Mickey Shunick Disappearance: Video May Show Cyclist Just Before She Vanished Investigators into the disappearance of a Louisiana student, Michaela "Mickey" Shunick, believe they have surveillance video showing her on a bicycle the night she disappeared, and they are trying to track down information about a white pickup truck seen on the same video. The surveillance images appear to corroborate elements of the timeline surrounding Shunick's last known whereabouts because it is believed they show her riding her bicycle home from a friend's house at 1:47 and 1:48 a.m. on Saturday, May 19, as the friend had described. The images show the bicyclist believed to be Shunick, a 22-year-old senior anthropology major at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, on St. John Street and St. Landry Street in Lafayette, La. According to a news release from the Lafayette Police Department, "Investigators are seeking information regarding a white newer model four door pickup truck, which was captured on video after Mickey Shunick traveled on both streets." Investigators earlier had found other surveillance video showing a glimpse of someone riding a bicycle who they believed could be Shunick, but police said that video was too blurry to tell for sure if it was her. Shunick left friend Brettly Wilson's house on her bike last week after a night out, and hasn't been heard from since. Before the newest surveillance video, investigators searching for any clues have found no cell phone, purse or virtually any trace of Shunick after she left Wilson's house on her bicycle. As investigators and the woman's family expanded the search, even sending out a recorded plea for help mentioning a $25,000 reward for information, some people in the area where she vanished have begun to wonder whether Shunick was abducted at all. "What concerns us is, where is her bicycle?" Det. Stephen Bajat of the Lafayette police department said. "If it is some kind of abduction, most people would snatch and go on and not concern themselves with the bicycle." Past instances of what were first thought to be abductions have eventually been discovered to be entirely different criminal situations. In 2003, a Texas woman was convicted of hitting a man while intoxicated, and then in a panic left his body in a park to cover the crime. A friend ultimately tipped off police, leading to her arrest. "The only way to solve this is if someone comes forward with a tip -- and [investigators] need the public," former FBI profiler and ABC News consultant Brad Garrett said. Hundreds of people from the community and beyond have come to aid in the search for Shunick. So many are coming to help that the volunteer headquarters had to be moved to the nearby university to accommodate them all. Now Equusearch, the well-known search and recovery group, has turned out in force. "We're hoping for the best," Tim Miller of Equusearch said. "We don't sugarcoat anything. It does not look good, doesn't look good at all, but we believe in miracles." Wilson, the last person to see her the night she vanished, has turned to the Web with his plea for assistance in the search. He has posted a YouTube clip seeking help via social media. "This is the power of social media ... To bring back somebody, and end a family's heartbreak … You have the chance to extend the information about this young woman to everyone you know," Wilson says in the clip. Friends and family held a candle light vigil Tuesday night, and announced a reward for tips leading to her whereabouts. Searches by K-9 units, police and volunteers have turned up no hints of what happened, but her family remains hopeful. A benefit concert is scheduled for the weekend to increase the $25,000 reward for information on what happened to Shunick. Shunick is 5-foot-1 and 115 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pastel multi-colored striped shirt, light-wash skinny jeans and gray shoes. abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=16428023 |
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Post by meme on May 27, 2012 16:05:11 GMT -5
Missing Lafayette girl’s bicycle found May 27, 2012 LAFAYETTE — The bicycle belonging to missing college student Michaela “Mickey” Shunickwasfound Sunday by a fisherman, police spokesman Cpl. PaulMoutonsaid. The fisherman found the black Schwinn bike nearInterstate 10 at Whiskey Bay exit No. 127, Mouton said. Police were searching and investigating the scene Sunday afternoon,Mouton said. Shunick, an avid cyclist and University of Louisiana at Lafayette student, was last seenshortly before 2 a.m. May 19 leaving a friend’shouse at 100 Ryan St., onthe blackSchwinnbicycle, authorities have said. OnFriday, Police said a bicyclist in surveillance footage was believed to be Shunick. She was traveling onVersailles Boulevard toward St. John Street,Mouton has said. The bicyclist pedaled onto St. JohnStreet and crossed over University Avenue, continued west onSt. Landry Street where she was recorded by the video surveillance camera around 1:48 a.m., Moutonhas said. The footage isfrom a nearby business and wasfilmed May 19 between 1:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.,Moutonsaid. Police said Saturday they were looking for more information on a second pickup truck and a four-door car shown in the surveillance footage. Police had earlier asked the public for help inidentifying a white, four-door pickup truck pictured in the footage. The second truck is a white, four-door Chevrolet Z-71 truck that traveled inthe same direction onSt. Landry Street as the bicyclist believed to be Shunick,Moutonsaid. The third vehicle isa 1980s or 1990s four-door car with body work on the rear right quarter panel, Mouton said. Police believe that car turned onto St. Landry Street and headed in the same direction as Shunick, Mouton said. Police also said that the first pickup truck,which traveled from the area that Shunick had traveled, hasa cargo bed cover and tinted windows, Mouton said. Detectives would like to locate the vehiclesand speak with the occupants for more information, Mouton said. Shunickhas blonde hair and blue eyes,is 5 feet 1 inch talland weighs 115 pounds. She waslast seen wearing a pastel, multi-colored shirt, light-wash skinny jeans and gray shoes and had a brown leather backpackpurse. Her blackbicycle has gold rubber handlebar grips. Anyone with information about the case or the vehicles isasked to call the Lafayette Police Department’s tips line at (337) 291-8633 or Crime Stoppers at (337) 232-TIPS. theadvocate.com/news/police/2944447-123/missing-lafayette-girls-bicycle-found |
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Post by meme on May 30, 2012 12:58:04 GMT -5
Mickey Shunick, Lauren Spierer Missing Person Cases Connection Probed By Police Simon McCormack | May 29, 2012 Bloomington, Ind. police see similarities between the missing person cases of two college students. Indiana University student Lauren Spierer was last seen around 4:30 a.m. on June 3, 2011, according to the Herald Times. Bloomington police said there might be a connection between Spierer's disappearance and the missing person case of Mickey Shunick, who was last seen at around 2 a.m. on May 19. Fox News noted that the two women are both petite blonde women who disappeared after nights out with friends. Both cases also involved a white truck, though, in Spierer's case, investigators eventually determined the truck had nothing to do with the woman's disappearance. In the Shunick case, the 4-door Chevrolet is still being sought because surveillance video shows it drove in the same direction as Shunick on the night of her disappearance, according to a Lafayette Police press release sent to The Huffington Post. Cpl. Paul Mouton of the Lafayette Police Department told Fox 44 that he doesn't think there's a connection between the two cases. "They contacted us and we did share information pertaining to the two cases," Mouton said. "We currently do not think the two are related, but we are looking at the information they provided us to see if there are any similarities." The police press release said Shunick's bike was discovered beneath a bridge on May 27. Police scoured the area where the bike was found but, after finding no additional evidence, called off the search the next day. www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/05/29/mickey-shunick-lauren-spierer-missing-indiana_n_1552937.html |
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Post by meme on May 30, 2012 12:58:50 GMT -5
May 30, 2012 Mickey Shunick and Lauren Spierer Cases Share Striking Similarities The disappearances of students Mickey Shunick and Lauren Spierer share a number of eerie similarities. Both women are petite, blonde college students who disappeared almost exactly a year apart after a night out with friends. But while the parallels between the cases have fueled speculation as to whether they could be connected, authorities said they have no indications at the moment that the comparisons are more than coincidental. Shunick, 22, disappeared while bicycling home from a friend's house early at around 2 a.m. on May 19 in Lafayette, La. She is a student at the University of Louisiana. Shunick is described as 5 feet 1 inch tall and 115 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. Spierer, 21, vanished on June 3, 2011, after a night out with friends in Bloomington, Ind. The petite blonde Indiana University student is 4 feet 11 inches and weighs less than 100 pounds. She also has blonde hair and blue eyes. A white truck seen in surveillance footage from both cases initially seemed to pull the cases closer. A white truck was spotted on surveillance tape in the area where Spierer disappeared on the night she was last seen. While footage initially seemed to show the truck circling the block, it was later determined that a time discrepancy between tapes had shown the same footage twice. Authorities did not believe the truck was related to Spierer's disappearance. In Shunick's case, authorities are searching for three vehicles that were in the area where she was last spotted. A Lafayette woman told ABC News' Lafayette affiliate KATC that she was approached two months ago by the vehicle while riding her bike and the driver, a middle-aged white man, offered her a ride and then asked her to have sex with him for money. "We were in touch with investigators up there [in Indiana] and we do understand there are some similarities," Cpl. Paul Mouton of the Lafayette Police Department told ABCNews.com today. "Right now, we don't believe there are connections between the two, but we're not ruling anything out in our aspect of the investigation." The Bloomington Police Department said that, from their perspective, "there is nothing to discuss." "Any speculation about a 'connection' has been manufactured by the media and not by us," Capt. Joe Qualters of the Bloomington Police Department told ABCNews.com in an email. Qualters said the Bloomington police simply made an "inquiry" about Shunick's case because it seemed the "appropriate thing to do." Sunday will mark one year since Spierer disappeared. Police have not named any suspects or persons of interest. The search for Shunick continued today with police following up on "hundreds" of tips and private search group Texas EquuSearch conducting a grid search of the city and surrounding areas. EquuSearch also participated in the search for Spierer. A break in the Shunick case same Sunday morning when her bicycle was found by two fishermen under a bridge, more than 27 miles from where she left her friend's home. The discovery came two days after investigators said they found surveillance video showing Shunick on a bicycle the night she disappeared, and they are trying to track down information about a white pickup truck seen on the same video as well as two other cars seen in the area. "I think a lot of different things could have happened--someone made a mistake, hit her, picked her up or something and then they freaked out and have her somewhere," Shunick's sister Charlene Shunick told KATC. Charlene Shunick said she is "really excited" about the recovery of the bike because it means her sister is "still somewhere out there." "We didn't get the bad feeling in the pit of our stomachs like, 'Oh my God, this is terrible,'" she said. "It was more like, 'Oh my God, finally we found something of Mickey's.' And we realized that someone definitely took her and this was planned out...whoever has her is thinking about these things." Shunick's father Tom Shunick told KATC his new life is dedicated to finding his daughter. "Everyday life ended nine or 10 days ago," he said. "Now all we do is we get up every day and hope to hear a phone call about something...I'm helpless." abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=16449634 |
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Post by meme on May 30, 2012 14:18:53 GMT -5
Mickey Shunick Missing Persons Investigation Turns Up Two 'Vehicles of Interest' Posted: 05/30/2012 1:30 pm Police in Louisiana have identified the operators and occupants of two "vehicles of interest" for which they had been looking in connection with the case of missing college student Michaela "Mickey" Shunick. "We have identified the driver of the car and one of the trucks," Cpl. Paul Mouton, a spokesman for the Lafayette Police Department, told The Huffington Post. Police announced last week they had been looking for the vehicles, an older model four-door car and a white four-door pickup truck with a bed cover. The vehicles were captured by the same surveillance cameras in Lafayette that had recorded a cyclist, believed to be Shunick, peddling through the area. "Investigators have ruled out any involvement by these individuals, and they offered no additional clues for the investigation," Mouton said. Investigators are still trying to identify the owner/operator of a white, newer model Chevrolet Z-71 pickup truck that was also captured on surveillance cameras. www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/30/mickey-shunick-missing-vehicles-of-interest-louisiana_n_1556352.html?1338399012&ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=1625367,b=facebook
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Post by meme on May 30, 2012 15:42:22 GMT -5
Mickey Shunick: Two vehicles of interest ruled out Published On: May 30 2012 01:15:10 PM CDT Updated On: May 30 2012 01:15:50 PM CDT Lafayette Police have identified the operators and occupants of both an older model 4-door car and a white 4-door pickup truck with the bed cover, which were captured on surveillance video in the case of missing Lafayette woman Mickey Shunick.. Investigators have ruled out any involvement by these individuals and they offered no additional clues for the investigation. Investigators continue to seek information on a newer model white Z-71 pickup truck. The investigation remains ongoing. www.ktbs.com/news/Mickey-Shunick-Two-vehicles-of-interest-ruled-out/-/144844/14310650/-/7yxfnp/-/index.html |
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Post by meme on Jun 1, 2012 0:20:12 GMT -5
In Mickey Shunick`s Case, is a Quizzical White Chevrolet Z 71 Pickup Truck the Key? To my surprise, I saw Mickey Shunick flyers on telephone poles yesterday as I walked over to my daily lunch-stop at Whole Foods Market. The presence of these flyers in Austin made me realize just how far-reaching efforts are to find the missing blonde coed from Lafayette, Louisiana. This morning I made attempts to synthesize what new clues we have with what I already had learned (from previous scrutiny). The find of Mickey`s damaged Schwinn bike in Whiskey Bay is the biggest yet! A latest development is the elimination of 2 of 3 vehicles seen in a crucial slab of grainy surveillance footage from a 5/19,1:48 AM pertinent clip (Mickey is positively identified here), projected from the corner of St Landry Street and Versailles Boulevard. I assume, the police have interviewed these two drivers, and have cleared them of any involvement. However, the other quizzical white truck driver has yet to be found. The image is not too clear, but we know it`s a newer four-door, white Chevrolet Z 71 pickup truck, which was driving in the same direction as Mickey was on her bike. To reduce the set of possibilities a little further, the windows appear to be tinted. It won`t be easy to find this truck and this suspicious guy, but it`s doable. Is this the same man and truck that Tasha Patterson had a harrowing encounter with? One has to think about the damage done to the bike and whether this perpetrator had rammed into Mickey on purpose! We know now this man had to go to a lot of trouble to deposit her bike in the Whiskey Bay, as he did. Could he have banged the wheel up a little more in order to make it look like a hit and run cover-up? I believe his real motive was abduction, but possibly, purposely hit her as a means to abduction. We hear also of some tire tracks (these are very good clues) near the river and bridge, which is right by the I-10 Interstate, which in turn is likely his getaway route, eastwardly on I-10. I don`t really favor the accident theory, but rather prefer that this crazy man purposely hit her in order to ease his opportunity to abduct her. It`s hard to say this on paper, but I sense many others are thinking the exact same thought, as dark as it is. As far as connecting Mickey`s case to other unsolved cases of missing girls goes, I think the best source for some significant tie-ins is being generated by a private investigator out of Sarasota, Florida, Bill Warner. Bill has appeared recently on Jane Velez-Mitchell`s HLN talk show, and as far as I can tell, has made perfect sense. I-10 is the key, and a traveling construction worker (who doesn`t have to account for his time to anyone) is crucial here too. While investigators are taking another look at eerie similarities between Mickey Shunick and Lauren Spierer`s, I`d like to see them expand their search for a connection to other cases, such as Holly Bobo, Katelyn Markham, Kelli Bordeaux, or how about Heather Hodges? Why just focus on Lauren Spierer? Whoever did this to Mickey, is a chronic repeat offender. Is he a serial predator that roams from town to town, stalking petite blondes? I`m beginning to believe it. I`ll further theorize, by the time he gets to Mickey, he is seasoned and polished at what he does. He has done it countless times before. With Katelyn Markham there were no clues left behind. With Heather Hodges, nothing. Little with Holly, but a few more. With Kelli, he frames a transient. Paige Johnson, a boyfriend gets pegged. Karen Swift`s is crazy! The husband is scrambling. On and on. These cases are connected, I`m convinced, as hard as this is to fathom. thesop.org/story/20120531/in-mickey-shunicks-case-is-a-quizzical-white-chevrolet-z-71-pickup-truck-the-key.html |
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Post by meme on Jun 4, 2012 10:43:37 GMT -5
Posted on June 2, 2012 Mickey Shunick and the Night Rider Mickey Shunick is a 22-year-old college student who disappeared while riding her bicycle to her home in Lafayette, LA at about 2:00 a.m., on Saturday, May 19, 2012. Nobody believes that she is missing because she wants to be, so she is clearly the victim of a crime. Although law enforcement and volunteer searches, while extensive, have thus far failed to locate the petite 5’1”, 115 pound blond anthropology major, recent developments suggest that this case can be solved. There have been two big breaks in the case. The first involves surveillance video images that confirm a timeline and the route she took after leaving a friend’s house. Discovered on May 25, the surveillance images also identify three vehicles driving the same route near the time that she disappeared. The second break, while more disturbing is equally significant. Her black Schwinn bicycle has been located 27-miles from her last known location. Two of the vehicles identified in the surveillance images and their occupants have been located and cleared of involvement in Mickey’s disappearance. However, a late model white 4-door Chevrolet Z-71 pickup truck that was travelling the same direction as Mickey when she disappeared has not yet been found. In a potentially stunning development, the white Chevrolet Z-71 was immediately recognized by Lafayette resident Tasha Patterson. Two months previously, the driver of the pickup truck offered her a ride while she was on her bicycle at approximately 2:00 a.m. Upon accepting the ride the middle aged white driver offered Tasha money for sex. She declined his offer. Before dropping her off unharmed the heavyset driver told her that he “Rides around town all the time trying to pick up pretty girls.” If this is true, a predator may be cruising the streets and byways of Lafayette, LA at all hours of the day and night. On Sunday, May 27, two fishermen discovered Mickey’s bike 27-miles east of Lafayette, partially submerged in the Atchafalaya River, beneath the Whiskey Bay I-10 Bridge, in Iberville Parish. After family members confirmed that the bike belonged to Mickey, the authorities sent it to the Louisiana State Police Forensic Lab for testing. They simultaneously began searching the area under the bridge for clues and evidence using CSI units, grid searches, helicopters, and boats. The Police do not believe that Mickey rode her bike to the bridge. Instead they suspect that she was the victim of a hit and run and that the bike was driven to and dumped in the river to cover up that crime. Because I-10 is a heavily traveled highway and it is difficult to pull off the road near the bridge without being exposed to traffic, they believe that the bike was driven to the shore and purposefully submerged in hopes that it would not be discovered. According to Paul Mouton, of the Lafayette Police Department, “We strongly believe that the person, or perpetrator, drove down to the edge of the water and dumped the bike into the water for it not to be found”. The search was discontinued on May 28, but not before authorities found tire tracks leading up to the spot where Mickey’s bike was junked. On May 29, police acknowledged that Mickey’s black Schwinn bicycle had a bent back rim and damaged back tire. The authorities have the bike, but where is Mickey Shunick? Workable scenarios include: the route between her last known surveillance camera image and her home; the area where her bike was dumped; and finally that she is being held captive by a predator. If there was a fatal accident near her home, the perpetrator might have walked her body deep into the brush and hidden it. Law enforcement and volunteer search efforts should focus on that area and pay special attention to culverts, drainage ditches, debris piles and other possible hiding places. If that doesn’t work the focus should shift to the 1-10 bridge. The person who submerged her bike beneath the bridge might have felt comfortable enough to dispose of her body in the same area. It is troubling that the search was concluded after only a day. Dogs should be brought in, areas downstream should be searched and areas already searched should be covered again. Finally, and this is the only viable scenario for Mickey still being alive, a predator was cruising, in a Chevy pickup or possibly another vehicle, caused her to crash and snatched her off the street. Whether a predator is roaming the roads, or an accident is being concealed, this case can be solved. Social media and word of mouth have helped her case to become very high profile as hundreds of volunteers have assisted in community search efforts. Clues abound. Surveillance video has identified a vehicle of interest, and if Tasha Patterson is correct that the driver of the Chevrolet Z-71 constantly cruises Lafayette, it shouldn’t be long before that man and his pickup are located. The police have neither completed nor released the results of forensic testing, but the bike was only submerged in the river for days and not weeks or months. Therefore, as scientists scour the frame, handlebars, and wheels for fingerprints, DNA, or paint from the vehicle that may be responsible for Mickey’s disappearance, there is a good chance that they will find something. Then, hopefully, they will have enough pieces to finish the puzzle and solve this mystery. 100.42.52.148/~klaaskid/blog/?p=242 |
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Post by meme on Jun 5, 2012 1:36:12 GMT -5
False alarm in search for Mickey Shunick Police investigating a possible new clue in the case of a missing Lafayette woman determined it was a false alarm. Dive teams from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office were called in to help Wednesday night after sonar equipment indicated an item in the water near where Mickey Shunick's bike was found. "There was this area where they felt they needed to be checked again, so equipment was brought back out," said Cpl. Paul Mouton with the Lafayette Police Department. "They pinpointed the location of that item and, as a result, divers were called out and put back into the water." The item turned out to be a piece of wood that police said is not related to the case. Shunick disappeared May 19 while riding her bike home in Lafayette. Fishermen found her bike last Sunday at the Whiskey Bay exit off Interstate 10. Lafayette police released new details Tuesday about an analysis by the Louisiana State Police crime lab into the bicycle that was found. They stated there was damage to the rear of the bike, but they did not elaborate about how the bike might have been damaged. Police said they believe the bike was dumped in that area the same morning Shunick disappeared. They also do not believe the bike was thrown from the overpass into the water below. Instead, they believe whomever dumped the bike brought it to the swampy area and tossed it into the water. Police said they are still following up on leads and encouraged the public to be as specific as possible when calling in tips regarding the case. m.wafb.com/autojuice?targetUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wafb.com%2fstory%2f18662714%2ffalse-alarm-in-search-for-mickey-shunick |
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Post by meme on Jun 5, 2012 1:36:54 GMT -5
Article In The Independent Fuels Speculation About Mickey Shunick Disappearance This information is just in courtesy of KPEL-FM. An article from the Independent, a Lafayette-based weekly newspaper, is increasing speculation that foul play may have had something to do with the disappearance of Mickey Shunick, a University of Louisiana at Lafayette student who has been missing since May 19. The article apparently confirms a tip that 19-year-old Rocky James McGee, who was involved in an accident two years ago in which a person was killed, has been interviewed by the Lafayette Police Department in connection with the disappearance of Shunick. McGee, who was 17 at the time, was charged with OWI in that accident. However, Corporal Paul Mouton, a Lafayette Police Department spokesperson, would neither confirm nor deny that McGee was interviewed. Mouton, who sounded incensed on the phone, said many people have been interviewed. No one has been identified as a suspect, he said, and no one has been arrested. Police have searched the Whiskey Bay area twice this week after finding Shunick’s bike submerged there beneath an Interstate 10 overpass. A search that lasted well into Thursday morning revealed no further clues, Mouton said in a news release. Shunick’s bike is being examined by forensics experts at the State Police Crime Lab. The investigation into Shunick’s case remains ongoing. If you have any information which police may find useful, you’re urged to call the Lafayette Police Department tips line at (337) 291-8633. planet1051.com/article-in-the-independent-fuels-speculation-about-mickey-shunick-disappearance/ |
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Post by meme on Jun 5, 2012 1:37:54 GMT -5
Mickey Shunick search: 'You just got to have hope' 12:54 AM, Jun. 3, 2012 Side by side, Michaela "Mickey" Shunick and her sister Charlene "Charlie" Shunick are doppelgangers. Both share blue eyes, a fair complexion and that curly, bright blonde hair. The sisters' personalities differ greatly, however. Friends and family describe Mickey, 22, as reserved and Charlie, 24, as outgoing. Publicly, the Shunick family has remained hopeful amid Mickey's mysterious May 19 disappearance, with Charlie actively involved in volunteer search efforts. Even two weeks after her sister vanished —a case that has confounded police and drawn widespread interest locally and nationally —Charlie feels upbeat and positive about her sister's whereabouts. "Usually, I get a good cry in the morning, the afternoon and in the evening," the older Shunick sister said. "But I feel equally as positive when I'm alone as when I'm with other people. I mean other people just make it so that I'm thinking about other things and doing things rather than just sitting at home going, 'Mickey, where are you? Where in the hell is Mickey?' So it's been OK." Behind closed doors Away from the masses, officials and media, the Shunick family speculates about Mickey's whereabouts much like the rest of Acadiana, Charlie said. "We're doing what the masses are doing, speculating, too," Charlie said. "Trying to figure out well, if this is the case with this kind of stuff and this is going on over here, how could this be related? How could this not be related?" Although the missing Lafayette woman's parents have remained visible through the search, their son, Thomas "Zack" Shunick, has shied away from the public eye. "I think he's spoken to one person about this," said Charlie. "He's doing OK. He's just a really, really private person, and he's very shy. He's been pretty lighthearted and trying to make fun of me and the family and making all these jokes, so he's kind of been the backbone of making the family smile and being goofy and being a little jerk because he's a little brother." According to Charlie, her mother Nancy Rowe and father Tom Shunick look a "little bit better and more hopeful" each time she sees them, noting that they can finally eat, sleep and work. When the four can get some alone time, they often find themselves brainstorming, searching for some overlooked clue as to what happened to Mickey. "From the very beginning, I felt that somebody probably took her, like I just felt that inside of me," Charlie said. "So we've just been speculating: Could it be someone we know? Could it be someone I know and dated since we look so similar? Could it be someone from school? Could it be some random person who was driving or speeding? —just trying to figure out things like that and think if there's anyone we know that's been weird. "We haven't come up with anything." Reacting to clues The first several days of scouring the city for clues of Mickey's disappearance yielded no solid leads, so when police released surveillance footage of Mickey riding her bike alongside the Lafayette Consolidated Government building, the Shunick family felt relieved. "It was good to see her on her bike," Charlie said. "It was good to see that she got away from Brettly's house, because that cleared him, because I spent a lot of energy and time defending him because we stood behind him from the beginning." According to Charlie, seeing Mickey on her bicycle confirmed the family's inclination that Mickey had been abducted. Two days later on May 27, fishermen at Whiskey Bay, about 30 miles from Lafayette, found a black and gold bicycle and reported it to officials. Charlie identified the bicycle as Mickey's, which left her feeling the least hopeful she had since her sister's disappearance. "I was really upset about it for a while," Charlie said. "But that was also a positive thing, you know? My family took that better than I did. We found her bike, and we didn't find her. So that's awesome. It's just been kind of one of those emotional roller coasters." Later that day at the concert benefit at Parc International, Mickey's mother had a message to the person who had her daughter in his or her possession: Drop Mickey off in a public place. "We really think that somebody had an accident," Rowe said. "An accident, and maybe hit her bike. What they need to do is go to some truck stop, a public place. Just drop her. By the time that they take an hour to figure out who she is, they can be in another state. Just drop her. Drop her and run. Don't hurt her. A mistake is a mistake." Mickey's father could not prevent questions —What's happening to her? Has she been fed? Has she got any water? —from cycling through his mind. "We just hope she's still alive,and that's about all I can say," Tom Shunick said. Sisterly love Charlie and Mickey did not become close until the two were teenagers, according to Charlie. "Growing up, I wasn't the nicest big sister in the world," she said. "I was just a butthead." Charlie alternated between laughing and animatedly telling a childhood story of the time Charlie punched her younger sister in the face. "We had been fighting a lot, and my brother was being really aggravating or something," Charlie said. "(Mickey) just said something —we were out in the backyard —and I just punched her in the face. And she just immediately goes 'Mama!' and ran inside. I've never hit anybody after that because I got into trouble." Mickey's biggest quirk, according to family and friends, is her hatred of feet. With a sheepish expression, Charlie admitted that she caused her sister's fear of feet. "That's my fault. It's disgusting," Charlie said with a hearty laugh. "For softball, you know you have to wear cleats all the time, so I got athlete's foot really bad. And I don't remember doing this, but apparently I peeled it off and threw it on her. And ever since then, she ... just hates them. And I always bothered her after. I'd be like 'Hey, look at my feet,' and put them all over her." Charlie's message to Mickey through the search efforts is a simple one: to be smart. "Be smart and think smart and be safe and we're coming to get you," said Charlie. "Hope it's not too fun over there —I'm sure it's not —because we're going to come find you and take you away from there, so just be smart, little sister." And the very first thing Charlie said she will tell her sister in person is an apology. "Sorry I've been wearing all of your clothes," Charlie said, smiling. Community support Inside of the volunteer headquarters at Blackham Coliseum on the UL campus, public and private donations of more than just food, water and time uplift the ones who love Mickey. Dozens of colorful butterflies decorated by children at The Little Paintbrush line the walls of the coliseum. A stuffed puppy, donated by a 4-year-old boy named Jack, sat on Charlie's shoulder. A large banner with the message —"Lafayette is missing a little sister. Don't give up!" —caused Charlie to tear up. "All these little girls are like, 'You're my idol. I hope I can do this for my sister someday in some way,'" Charlie said. The community support and volunteer efforts have inspired and overwhelmed the family with emotion over the past two weeks, Charlie said. It can be hard for her to place blame on anybody from the area for her sister's disappearance after the support the community has given her. "I don't want to accuse people of anything because look at what Lafayette has been doing," Charlie said. "This probably isn't a Lafayette thing. I think if she was in Lafayette, someone would have said something by now because literally everyone is looking for her. But that's not to say she's not here." Although she does not want to trust her intuition too much, Charlie feels "like something is going to happen soon." And keeping positive is what has gotten her and her family this far. "Why would we be negative until we have something to be negative about, really?" said Charlie. "None of us feel like she's dead, and most of us feel like she's doing OK. Everyone else has been so positive, and we've been positive. You just got to have hope." www.shreveporttimes.com/article/DG/20120603/NEWS01/206030341/Mickey-Shunick-search-You-just-got-hope- |
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Post by meme on Jun 5, 2012 1:39:01 GMT -5
Shunick case tips drop off BY JASON BROWN Acadiana bureau June 04,2012 LAFAYETTE — Citing a drop in the number of tips received in the disappearance of Michaela “Mickey” Shunick, Lafayette police have opted to no longer man a dedicated tips line around the clock. As of 7 p.m. Friday,ananswering machine willrecord alltipsregarding the Shunickcase for calls directed to the tips line at (337) 291-8633, police spokesman Cpl. PaulMoutonsaid Friday. The tips line willcontinue to be answered Monday through Friday during normal business hoursby detectiveswhile messagesleft during weekendsand after hours daily willbe checked periodically by aninvestigator,Mouton said. “The number of tipsreceived by the Lafayette Police Department has decreased and it isno longerfeasible to answer the tips line 24 hours a day,” Moutonsaid. While the tips line hasgenerated more than1,000 tipssince it was established early onduring the search efforts, Moutonsaid only three callswere logged Thursday night. While police released no other informationpertaining to the case Friday, investigators continue to seek informationona white, four-door Chevrolet Z-71 pickup that was seenon videotape traveling in the same direction on St. Landry Street asShunick, Mouton said. Police thisweek ruled out two other vehiclescaught on videotape inthe Shunickcase. Authoritiesalso ruled out any connectioninthe Shunick case to the disappearance of anIndiana woman who has been missing since June 2011. Shunick, an avid cyclist and a University of Louisiana at Lafayette student, was last seen shortly before 2 a.m. May 19 leaving a friend’s house at 100 Ryan St.,riding a black Schwinn bicycle. Police have said that Shunick’sbicycle was damaged when fishermen found it Sunday at the Whiskey Bay exit off I-10 in the Atchafalaya Basin. The rim of the rear wheelwasbent and the tire wasoff the rim. Investigatorshave said they do not believe the bicycle wasthrownfrom the bridge. The bike has been sent to the State Police Crime Lab inBatonRouge for processing. Meanwhile,the number of volunteers enlisted insearch efforts doubled Friday after the effort saw a lower-than-expected turnout Thursday, said Christina Silvetti,with Texas Equusearch, a nonprofit mounted recovery and rescue operationthat is overseeing the search for the young woman. Texas Equusearch joined the search for ShunickonMay 23. The volunteer search effort resumed Thursday after a one-day suspension, which was intended to give volunteers a break. Silvetti said Friday that she expects the volunteer numbersto jump back up Saturday and Sunday when many people willbe off work. More volunteersare needed and the search effort headquarters remains at Blackham Coliseum, Silvetti said. Silvetti also said Texas Equusearch members pulled out of Louisiana on Friday afterconducting searches earlier in the day. The group left for another assignment inMississippi, she said. Silvetti said she willremainin Louisiana as a company representative and that she plans to coordinate volunteer search efforts. The company normally doesnot stay on searchesthis long. “They did as much as they could with the tips and information they were given,”Silvetti said. She said the group willreturn to the area if needed and if there are new leads. theadvocate.com/home/2990251-125/shunick-case-tips-drop-off |
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Post by meme on Jun 7, 2012 19:12:43 GMT -5
Dogs added to Shunick search effort 1:29 AM, Jun. 7, 2012 Special K-9s Recovery Specialists, a Texas-based forensic canine company, joined the search for Michaela "Mickey" Shunick Wednesday. Even with the extra search effort, however, police report no new information in the University of Louisiana college student's mysterious May 19 disappearance, despite the national interest it has piqued. "There's no new updates," said Cpl. Kyle Soriez, spokesman for the Lafayette Police Department. "We're not following any more or any new leads than what we had previous. Tips are coming in, but there's nothing new the investigators are working on." Soriez had no prior knowledge of Special K-9s' involvement in the case before he received media calls about the group. Special K-9s is not affiliated with Texas Equusearch or the Lafayette Police Department and began land-based searches Wednesday. The group conducts searches with dogs that can distinguish between animal and human bodies while searching water, land, ash and vehicles. Carencro resident Mike Candella, who has an interest in forensic dogs, contacted Special K-9s after following the Shunick case for the past two weeks. "My only goal here is to help the family," Candella said. "I'm not aligned with Equusearch or LPD. We're strictly on our own. Our goal is strictly to find Mickey." Meanwhile, volunteers continued to arrive at Blackham Coliseum to participate in search team sweeps in and around Lafayette Parish. Jennifer Thompson has followed the Shunick case from the start. She participated in her first search effort Wednesday. "We heard about it on the news this morning that they needed more volunteers, and we were off of work today," Thompson said. "And we know that if it would be our daughter or sister or mother, we would want people to come out with us and search." Most of the volunteers are returning veterans, however. Kevin Chachere and Pascalle Duhamel have volunteered on a daily basis. Chachere has no ties to the Shunick family, but Duhamel describes Shunick as a close friend and someone who would return the favor if the situation were reversed. "I just, I know it sounds kind of cliché —but I felt a kind of calling to do it," said Chachere. Volunteering is a physically draining and emotional experience, the pair said. "You try to prepare yourself if you find anything," said Pascalle, who met Shunick through horse riding lessons. "You don't know how you're going to deal with it if you actually find anything. You don't know how you would react to it." Ultimately, Duhamel believes her friend is still alive,she said. "I was thinking," Duhamel said, "if I was somebody to kidnap somebody and just drop off her bike, I would want to drop off everything with it. So that's why I think she's still alive,and I'm trying to keep a positive mentality of it. She's still alive. She's still alive,and she wants us to still search for her." www.shreveporttimes.com/article/DG/20120607/NEWS01/206070306/Dogs-added-Shunick-search-effort?odyssey=nav|head |
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Post by meme on Jun 8, 2012 19:57:05 GMT -5
Police: Torso not that of missing Lafayette woman Officials in Lafayette, LA say a woman's torso found washed up on the beach in Bay St. Louis is not that of missing woman Mickey Shunick. Officials had been in contact with investigators in Bay St. Louis since the body was discovered Thursday. There were several body piercings found on the torso, but Corporal Kyle Soriez with the Lafayette Police Department said they do not match those of Mickey Shunick. An autopsy was underway Friday morning on the remains. Officials hope to have an identity later today. Hancock County authorities said the torso appears to be that of a white female in her late teens or early 20s. They aren't sure if the limbs were intentionally removed. The body was stabbed once in the chest, and had three piercings, one in each nipple and one in the navel. The torso was found near Bay Oaks Drive in Bay St. Louis where crews are working on the county's beach replenishment project. Three young women from the Gulf South area are currently missing: Mickey Shunick from Lafayette, Jaren Lockhart from New Orleans and Brittany Nicole Wood from Alabama. m.wafb.com/autojuice?targetUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wafb.com%2fstory%2f18738953%2fpolice-torso-not-that-of-missing-lafayette-woman |
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Post by meme on Jun 8, 2012 19:58:00 GMT -5
June 8, 2012 Mickey Shunick Disappearance: Investigator Has Suspect Lafayette Police Department/AP Phot0 A private investigator hired to help find missing Louisiana college student Mickey Shunick believes that he may have information about a suspect. John Abdella, a P.I. hired by private donors trying to help solve the case, told ABC News affiliate KATC that he has received two tips from independent sources describing the same person. "And their description was almost identical," said Abdella. Abdella noted there may be two credible suspects in the case, based on the tips he has received in the past week. "They appear to be very credible and they appear to be very knowledgeable," Abdella told KATC. "And I thought it was more than coincidental that both of their descriptions were the same." Abdella said he plans to meet with police to share his information about the leads. For Shunick's family, Abdella's information is welcome news as they try to stay focused on finding Shunick. "Hopefully it takes us somewhere in the next couple of days," the missing woman's brother Charlie Shunick said. "Everything we are doing, everything that's going on here, everything people are doing is to find Mickey. It has nothing to do with anything else. Our goal is to find my sister," Charlie Shunick told KATC. Abdella said he believes that the Lafayette police, who are the lead agency on the case, are working hard to find Shunick, 21, who disappeared in May while riding her bicycle home from her friend's house in the middle of the night. Shunick's bicycle was later found badly damaged under a bridge about 30 minutes from where she disappeared. "It's a very active investigation," said Abdella. "And I think the police are very, very active, they are putting in a lot of man power, they're spending a lot of overtime." Abdella did not return calls for comment. abcnews.go.com/m/blogEntry?id=16525249 |
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Post by meme on Jun 10, 2012 17:27:57 GMT -5
Mickey Shunick Update: White Pickup Found in Texas, Body Not Hers June 10, 2012 06:20 AM EDT There might be new developments in the Mickey Shunick case with the discovery of a white pickup truck in East Texas. P.I. Bill Warner tweeted earlier about the discovery, but there is also some photographic evidence of the find via another blog. Could this pickup be the one seen in the surveillance footage released after Mickey's disappearance? It's been a rough week for the loved ones of the missing anthropology student, with the discovery of a female torso in Mississippi. Fortunately for the family of Michaela Shunick, the stabbed female torso has been identified as belonging to missing woman Jaren Lockhart. So where is Mickey Shunick? It's a shame that this beautiful young coed is still missing with it going on a month now since she disappeared. Detectives on the case haven't released any persons of interest in this case, so it's a huge possibility that this case may go unsolved. That is, of course, until the discovery of an abandoned pickup truck in East Texas. Do you think it's connected in any way to Mickey's disappearance? The fact that a white pickup was abandoned in another state with Louisiana plates suspicious enough without any further information. Why would someone from Louisiana drive their truck to Texas and then abandon it? Why would they do that especially since this high-profile case has been all over the media headlines? It just reeks of guilt, so hopefully the owner will be traced successfully. To see photos of the abandoned vehicle click here. news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981387701 |
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Post by meme on Jun 10, 2012 17:35:33 GMT -5
WHITE PICKUP WITH LOUISIANA LICENSE PLATE FOUND ABANDONED IN EAST TEXAS MOTEL PARKING Sat, Jun 9, 2012 According to reports, a white General Motors 4 door pickup truck was discovered abandoned in the rear parking lot of a motel off of I-10. This motel is frequented by truckers and construction workers who travel Interstate 10, the motels daily rate is only $59.00. This white General Motors 4 door pickup truck at the East Texas motel appears to have been abandoned and this white 4 door pickup truck has a Louisiana license plate on it. The white pickup has not been moved in over a week from the same parking spot, there is damage to one of the rear doors, it has factory rims andthere are no door handles on both of the rear doors. This white General Motors 4 door pickup truck at the East Texas motel appears to have been abandoned and this white 4 door pickup truck has a Louisiana license plate on it. The white pickup has not been moved in over a week from the same parking spot, there is damage to one of the rear doors, it has factory rims andthere are no door handles on both of the rear doors. Information about this white 4 Door Pickup truck with the Louisiana License Plate that appears to be abandoned in the Motel Parking Lot of the East Texas Town off I-10 has been passed onto the Lafayette Police Department and the local police department in the East Texas town. The East Texas town where the abandoned white pickup was found is a little over 200 miles from Lafayette LA where college student Mickey Shunick went missing on May 19th and where police are looking for a white 4 door pickup truck that could be related to her disappearance. www.bustedinacadiana.com/2012/06/white-pickup-with-louisiana-license-plate-found-abandoned-in-east-texas-motel-parking/#.T9UgKvfCuz5 |
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Post by meme on Jun 12, 2012 13:22:56 GMT -5
Shunick search: 'We just wanted to give back' 1:03 AM, Jun. 10, 2012 Michaela "Mickey" Shunick went missing on Rachael Taylor's wedding day. While on her honeymoon in Jamaica, Taylor —a childhood friend of Shunick's older sister, Charlie —watched the story of the Lafayette woman's disappearance unfold through media reports and social networking. At the time, all Taylor could do to help was share the story about Shunick with her Facebook friends. By the time Taylor returned, her sister, Jamie, said she had used her own money to order 500 bracelets embroidered with "Find Mickey Shunick." In less than two weeks, the sisters said they raised about $7,000. The Taylors are just two of the many local people who —along with area businesses —have either raised money or volunteered time and services to help toward the search for Shunick, last seen riding her bicycle in the early morning of May 19, after a night out with friends. The Shunick case has touched the Lafayette community in a way unseen in recent memory. The last image of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette student was captured on surveillance video near City Hall in downtown Lafayette. Police are still looking for the driver of a white Chevy Z-71 pickup truck also seen in video footage about the same time. Twelve days after she vanished, fishermen found her partially damaged bike in the waters of Whiskey Bay. No other trace of her has been found. Volunteer efforts continue,backed by the contributions that keep them going. Calculating funds Based on interviews with individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses and members of local law enforcement agencies, The Daily Advertiser estimates about $50,000 has been raised. That figure, however, could not be checked against an official total because no tally was available, according to the family's spokeswoman Christina Silvetti. A volunteer group sanctioned by the Shunick family has overseen the donations. A certified public accountant is working with the family, Silvetti said Thursday, adding that "no money has been brought to (the accountant) yet" and they "haven't had time to go through" all of the donations. "We have no idea how much money has been donated," Silvetti said. "There are so many people involved with fundraising efforts." Silvetti and other volunteers say money is not the main concern. Josh Coen, the group's social media organizer and a friend of Shunick, said the money was being handled professionally and accurately. "The family delegates everything financially," Coen said. "The money goes to whatever's most important, and that changes from day to day." Robert Rosenthal, vice president of communications at Volunteer Match in San Francisco, said it's common for families to get overwhelmed with financial details when dealing with a stressful situation, such as a missing family member. Rosenthal, whose national nonprofit is dedicated to connecting communities with nonprofits, said one message he tells volunteers is to partner with a nonprofit because they are "the institutions of your community best equipped" to turn good intentions into public benefit. "Donations sent to a family that is suffering from a tragedy "» the family is not equipped to operationalize all of that," Rosenthal added. "It may be that the Shunick family needs to work together with some community organizations that can take those pressures off their hands." Unofficial tally Research conducted by The Daily Advertiser found that about 25 businesses and nonprofits collectively donated thousands of dollars in money and time to the aid the search and help volunteers. About 10 area restaurants have hosted benefit nights, with a percentage of sales during a certain time period donated to the family. The Saint Street Inn, located off Brook Avenue, raised $250 after taking 25 percent from lunch receipts. Six locations of Chili's in Lafayette, Abbeville, Carencro, Crowley and New Iberia raised $2,000 toward the effort. At the chain's locations, a percentage of the restaurant's total sales were donated in the restaurant's "give back night." Overall, the six locations generated $17,000 in sales. "It turned out phenomenal," Chili's manager Nicole Victor said. "We pretty much had one day to put it all together." "We have no idea how much money has been donated," Silvetti said. "There are so many people involved with fundraising efforts." Silvetti and other volunteers say money is not the main concern. Josh Coen, the group's social media organizer and a friend of Shunick, said the money was being handled professionally and accurately. "The family delegates everything financially," Coen said. "The money goes to whatever's most important, and that changes from day to day." Robert Rosenthal, vice president of communications at Volunteer Match in San Francisco, said it's common for families to get overwhelmed with financial details when dealing with a stressful situation, such as a missing family member. Rosenthal, whose national nonprofit is dedicated to connecting communities with nonprofits, said one message he tells volunteers is to partner with a nonprofit because they are "the institutions of your community best equipped" to turn good intentions into public benefit. "Donations sent to a family that is suffering from a tragedy "» the family is not equipped to operationalize all of that," Rosenthal added. "It may be that the Shunick family needs to work together with some community organizations that can take those pressures off their hands." Unofficial tally Research conducted by The Daily Advertiser found that about 25 businesses and nonprofits collectively donated thousands of dollars in money and time to the aid the search and help volunteers. About 10 area restaurants have hosted benefit nights, with a percentage of sales during a certain time period donated to the family. The Saint Street Inn, located off Brook Avenue, raised $250 after taking 25 percent from lunch receipts. Six locations of Chili's in Lafayette, Abbeville, Carencro, Crowley and New Iberia raised $2,000 toward the effort. At the chain's locations, a percentage of the restaurant's total sales were donated in the restaurant's "give back night." Overall, the six locations generated $17,000 in sales. "It turned out phenomenal," Chili's manager Nicole Victor said. "We pretty much had one day to put it all together." This figure does not include money obtained from a benefit concert, held May 27 at Parc International; money from funds at MidSouth Bank or the Community Foundation of Acadiana; and other donations brought to the volunteer site at Blackham Coliseum off Cajundome Boulevard. According to interviews, there are at least two funds where donations are going. Almost 90 gifts have been made to the Shunick family fund at the Community Foundation of Acadiana, Donor Services Coordinator Linda Dautreuil said. "Those funds are supposed to be earmarked for any reward money in the event that she is found, or to assist with the law enforcement entities in the search for Mickey," Dautreuil said. "We have to follow strict guidelines as far as what funds come to this foundation and how we can re-grant them." Dautreuil said the money could be "re-granted" to Texas Equusearch, because the search and rescue firm is a nonprofit. The family could also make grants to any law enforcement agency that is assisting with the search. The fund will be active "as long as necessary," Dautreuil said. "It could be indefinitely." How long the fund is open is up to the Shunick family. There is another fund for the family at MidSouth Bank. Retail Operations Clerk for MidSouth Ashley Rinberger could not confirm any details of the account but said money has been given to the benefit account there. Personal commitment Like many local residents who want to help the search effort, the Taylor sisters continue to sell bracelets. After their first 1,500 bracelets were sold, the sisters said they made $4,000. About $3,200 of that was donated directly to the Shunick family. They say the other $800 was used to buy more bracelets to keep the cycle going. "I'm just trying to raise as much money as I can for the Shunicks," Rachael said. To date, they have bought and sold around 4,500 bracelets, which have been popular at benefit events at Chili's and Walk-Ons, at Blackham Coliseum where the search effort is housed, and the last Downtown Alive! concert on June 1. The sisters said they developed a PayPal account where people can donate online. "They really took off," Rachael said. "I thought we were going to stop at some point, but the people keep begging me to come back to Blackham. That's why I love Lafayette. This kind of thing isn't supposed to happen here. Everybody's working hard to get her back." www.shreveporttimes.com/article/DG/20120610/NEWS01/206100352/Shunick-search-We-just-wanted-give-back-?odyssey=nav|head |
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Post by meme on Jun 17, 2012 10:39:08 GMT -5
HQ for Mickey Shunick Search The new headquarters for those looking to help find Mickey Shunick is at 2811 Johnston Street. It's located in the same shopping mall as Lafayette Bowling Lanes and Twins Bakery. You can go by there if you want to pick up fliers to distribute, donate funds, or just be a positive energy for friends and family. The volunteer foot searches have been temporarily halted until new leads are developed. www.katc.com/mobile/news/hq-for-mickey-shunick-search-moves/ |
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Post by meme on Jun 20, 2012 5:01:33 GMT -5
Family and Friends of Mickey New flyers are going up all over Lafayette as Mickey Shunick's family and friends refuse to let her face be forgotten. It's been a month since Mickey Shunick was last seen and three weeks since police found any evidence leading to her whereabouts. Since then, there have been no new leads. Volunteers are still tirelessly making flyers, selling bracelets and T-shirts, and using social media to get the word out. "I've never seen anything like it before with so many people getting together to help out," said Suzanne Ortego. Ortego doesn't know Mickey, but as a mother of three, she can only imagine what the family is going through. "We can't let her be forgotten. We can't stop the search. The family needs our support," said Ortego. Ortego grabbed some flyers and plans on passing them out to everyone she sees. "I can't go out on a search in a wheelchair, but I can go out and pass some flyers," she added. Even though the new headquarters are smaller that hasn't stopped people from coming in to help. "We're stronger than ever. Really, we're more focused and we're more organized than we've ever been before," said Josh Coen. Family, friends, and volunteers that refuse to give up. "It's love. The love for our friend and the love for each other and we're going to keep doing it and keep strong," said Coen. If you want to help the search effort, the new headquarters is located on 2811 Johnston Street in the shopping center where Lafayette Lanes is located. Volunteers will be there weekdays from 8:30 to 5:30 and weekends from 10 to 2. www.katc.com/mobile/news/family-and-friends-of-mickey-shunick-are-keeping-search-efforts-alive/ |
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Post by meme on Jun 20, 2012 5:02:13 GMT -5
Mickey Shunick: Still missing after a month It's been one month since University of Louisiana-Lafayette student Mickey Shunick went missing. Search efforts have scaled back, but family and friends say they have not given up. It has been a little more than a week since they shut down the massive volunteer searches that were based out of Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette. They still have a smaller headquarters running out of a lafayette shopping center. Even though they haven't gotten any major leads in about 3 weeks, Shunick's family and friends say they refuse to let her face be forgotten, posting flyers all over the state and country. Shunick was last seen riding her bike home from a friend's house at about 2 a.m. Investigators found her bike damaged in the Whiskey Bay area. Shunick's loved ones asked for a moment of silence in her honor at midnight through the "Find Mickey Shunick Now" Facebook page to mark one month since her dissapearance. m.ksla.com/autojuice?targetUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ksla.com%2fstory%2f18822317%2fmickey-shunick-still-missing-after-a-month |
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Post by meme on Jun 20, 2012 21:38:56 GMT -5
Divers at Whiskey Bay, but police say no new breaks in Shunick's disappearance Soriez: Divers 'come and gone' throughout investigation Police divers are searching the Whiskey Bay area today, possibly in connection to the May 19 disappearance of University of Louisiana at Lafayette student Mickey Shunick, but officials say the month-old case is still without any new breaks. Several media outlets in Lafayette have reported the divers at Whiskey Bay now are there as part of the Shunick investigation; however, Cpl. Kyle Soriez, a spokesman for the Lafayette Police Department, confirmed police divers are at Whiskey Bay but could not say with certainty that the divers are there as part of the Shunick case. "I am being told that by media outlets," Soriez said during a phone interview shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday. "I have not been told that by anyone here. It's not breaking now, and it's nothing new." Soriez said police divers have searched the Whiskey Bay area multiple times as part of the search to find Shunick, but he could not say exactly how many times police divers have been to Whiskey Bay. He said the divers use sonar devices to capture images of the Whiskey Bay area, and the divers will review some of those images back in the office rather than in the field. Finding anything that could possibly be evidence will prompt another diving search, even if just to confirm that a sonar image captured debris like a log, Soriez said. "There is nothing new in our investigation with Mickey Shunick," Soriez said. "There have been divers that have come and gone throughout the investigation." Police haven't reported any major breaks in the case since two fishermen found Shunick's bike in Whiskey Bay on May 27. www.theadvertiser.com/article/20120620/NEWS01/120620024/Divers-Whiskey-Bay-police-say-no-new-breaks-Shunick-s-disappearance-?odyssey=nav|head |
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Post by meme on Jun 20, 2012 21:39:41 GMT -5
Mickey Shunick's Mother Speaks One Month After Daughter's Disappearance Posted: Jun 20, 2012 10:28 AM "Well I have a brief statement to Mickey just...in case." With her daughter Charlene by her side, Nancy Shunick made a heartfelt statement to Mickey, and to those who may know of her whereabouts. Nancy Shunick said, "We look for you everyday. Your friends look for you everyday. Hundreds and thousands of strangers have come from all over the state, from surrounding states, from all across the country. They've looked for you on foot, on atv, on horses, with dogs, with boats, and we will keep looking until we find you. Stay calm, stay strong, stay smart, and we will not stop looking." On a night like any other here in Lafayette, Mickey Shunick was last seen riding her bike. Now, that night, at least for the Shunick family, has lasted a month. And mom Nancy is ready for answers. "We haven't been told anything. It's not like C.S.I. I don't think 6 people stand around and the machine 'dings' and it tells you it's John Smith from Anytown," says Shunick. As that monthlong "day" grows ever longer, all Nancy can do is hope for Mickey's safe return. "If she could come home she would, because...all her animals are waiting for her. They're all hungry and they need some love. And only 'Mickey Love' will do. www.katc.com/news/mickey-shunick-s-mother-speaks-one-month-after-daughter-s-disappearance/ |
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Post by meme on Jul 5, 2012 19:19:28 GMT -5
Arrest Made in Shunick Investigation The Lafayette Police Department, working with the multi-jurisdiction task force, has made an arrest in connection with the case. Brandon Scott Lavergne (33) is from the Lawtell area. He is a registered sex offender. Thursday LPD and Saint Landry Parish Sherriff Deputies executed a search warrant of Brandon Scott Lavergne's residence on the 100 block of Elaine Lane in the Swords area. Saint Landry Parish Sherriff Bobby Guidroz did confirm the search was in connection with the Shunick case. There will be a news conference at the Lafayette Police Department on Friday, at 1:00 pm, regarding new information in the Mickey Shunick case. There will be no comment on the investigation until the press conference. The investigation remains ongoing. You can log onto klfy.com or tune into TV10 to watch the press conference. Shunick went missing after leaving a friend's residence in the 100 block of Ryan Street at approximately 2:00 am on, May 19th. Lafayette Police later found Mickey Shunick's bike beneath the Whiskey Bay I-10 Bridge at Exit #127. m.klfy.com/default.aspx?pid=2705&wnfeedurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.klfy.com%2fstory%2f18959578%2farrest-made-in%3fclienttype%3drssstory |
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Post by meme on Jul 5, 2012 23:31:40 GMT -5
Murder charge in Mickey Shunick case Brandon Scott Lavergne, 33, has been charged with first degree murder and aggravated kidnapping in the case of missing ULL student Mickey Shunick, according to officials at the Lafayette Parish Prison. Lavergne appears on the Louisiana State Police website as a registered sex offender. According to the website, he was convicted in 2000 of aggravated oral sexual battery. Police have spent several hours searching a home in the Lawtell area. Lawtell is located in St. Landry Parish, along Louisiana Highway 190 just west of Opelousas. St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz confirmed the search of the home is related to the Shunick case. Thursday LPD and Saint Landry Parish Sheriff Deputies executed a search warrant Lavergne's residence in the 100 block of Elaine Lane in the Swords area. Saint Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz confirmed the search was in connection with the Shunick case. Lawtell is along Louisiana Highway 190 just west of Opelousas. Shunick, of Lafayette, was last seen just before 2am on May 19, when she left a friend's house to go home. She was riding a bicycle at the time. Friends believe she was heading to her home near the intersection of Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Congress Street in Lafayette. Days later, police found her bicycle abandoned in a swampy area off Interstate 10 more than 20 miles east of where she was last seen. A news conference is scheduled for Friday at the Lafayette Police Department regarding new information in the Mickey Shunick case. Police say there will be no comment on the investigation until the press conference. They will only say the investigation is ongoing. m.ksla.com/autojuice?targetUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ksla.com%2fstory%2f18961151%2fmurder-charge-in-mickey-shunick-case |
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