Westminster Colorado, Jessica Ridgeway 10

[meme]

Amber Alert for missing Colo. girl,10; dozens search neighborhood

Dozens of police, firefighters and volunteers were searching a neighborhood in Westminster, Colo., on Saturday after a 10-year-old girl vanished Friday morning on her way to school.

Jessica Ridgeway was last seen by her mother as she took her normal three-block walk to a park to meet a friend on their way to school.

The friend told school officials that Jessica never showed up, NBC station KUSA-TV reported. They tried calling the Jessica's mother, but she reportedly slept through calls after working a night shift.

An Amber Alert was issued Friday evening once the mother confirmed that her daughter was missing.

Teams searched overnight and continued Saturday, using search dogs as well as going door-to-door around the neighborhood in Westminster, a suburb of Denver.

Officials contacted the child's father, who lives in another state, the Denver Post reported.

"At this time we don't have any indication he is involved in any way," Westminster police spokeswoman Cheri Spottke said.

usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/06/14261182-amber-alert-for-missing-colo-girl10-dozens-search-neighborhood?lite

[meme]

Jessica Ridgeway: Police Search for Missing Colorado Girl

Authorities are resuming their search today for a missing 10-year-old Colorado girl after she was last seen leaving for school Friday morning.

Overnight, at least 50 police officers from four jurisdictions including the FBI were looking for any sign of Jessica Ridgeway. An Amber Alert was issued late Friday night.

Jessica left home at 8:30 a.m. to walk three blocks from her Westminster, Colo., home to meet friends for the walk to school. It was a route she took every day, but this time she never got there.

When Jessica didn't show up for class, school officials called her home.

But Jessica's mother, who works the overnight shift at a tech company, was asleep. She didn't get the message, which delayed her calling police for nearly eight hours.

"When we start with an eight-hour delay, or a delay as substantial as this, the distance that she could have wandered even on her own just gets huge," Westminster Police Detective Trevor Materasso said.

Police say that Jessica's father, who lives out of state, is in a custody battle with Jessica's mother.

Police do not believe Jessica is with him, but are not ruling anyone out.

"We don't have a person of interest. And we are going to look at every angle multiple times," Materasso said.

Police are searching vast areas of terrain including fields and lakes. Bad weather kept search helicopters grounded, but about 150 volunteers turned out to help.

Police and FBI agents are stopping and searching cars, handing out fliers, trying to spread the word and generate leads. Officers are also going door-to-door handing fliers to neighbors.

"Nothing like this has really ever happened, like, it's always surprising when something happens here," volunteer Erica Neubauer said.

Jessica was last seen wearing blue jeans, black boots, a black puffy jacket, and pink and purple glasses, ABC affilate KMGH-TV in Denver reported.

abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=17412007&sid=81

[meme]

Police search for missing Colorado girl,10,last seen walking to school

Published October 06, 2012 Associated Press

WESTMINSTER, COLO. – Police in Westminster are looking for a 10-year-old girl who was last seen walking to school.

Jessica Ridgeway normally meets a friend at a park on her way to Witt Elementary School, but she didn't make it to the park or school Friday.

Police say they got a late start looking searching because her mother didn't immediately realize she was missing. Officers say the woman works nights and slept through calls from school officials to tell her Jessica hadn't arrived.

An Amber Alert was issued. Searchers included some 50 personnel as well as members of the public, family and friends. Police say a bloodhound and thermal equipment were being used.

Authorities cited a child custody dispute involving her father, but said they don't believe Jessica is with him.

www.foxnews.com/us/2012/10/06/police-search-for-missing-colorado-girl-10-last-seen-walking-to-school/

[meme]

Jessica Ridgeway search shifts to Superior after backpack, water bottle found

Posted: 10/07/2012 02:12:30 PM MDT

The search for missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway of Westminster has shifted to Superior this afternoon after a resident reported the discovery of a backpack with a water bottle that has the child's name written on it.

A Superior resident e-mailed the town's listserv shortly after 1 p.m. today with a message bearing the subject line "Children's Back Pack Found." The message reads: "Found this morning on the side walk at Andrew Drive and Alpha Court. Water bottle has 'Jessica Ridgeway' name on it. Come and get it."

Law enforcement officials confirmed the message about the bottle has been passed along to the Ridgeway search team, and police have now closed roads around that area to all non-residents. Officers can be seen searching trunks of residents' cars going into the neighborhood.

On Twitter, Westminster police officials this afternoon said they are "working on a developing lead" and have asked the media to stay out of the area while they use tracking dogs.

Westminster police have asked the press to meet their spokesperson in the parking lot of the Target store at U.S. 36 and McCaslin Boulevard in Superior. A press briefing is expected at 4 p.m.

As she was waiting in a line of cars to get home, Christine Wiedinmyer said the original tip was e-mailed by one of her neighbors, and she, too, saw the backpack on the sidewalk around 8:15 this morning as she was headed out. She said it didn't really strike her at first because there often are children's bikes or toys left about in the neighborhood.

She said her husband currently was being interviewed at their house by FBI agents because he, too, saw the backpack.

"It's horrifying," Wiedinmyer said. "I want to get home. My daughters are so worried."

Norm Zrubeck, who lives in Spanish Hills off South Boulder Road, was turned away by police when he tried to drive into Rock Creek in Superior to watch the Broncos game with his son.

"They said, 'You can't go in the neighborhood because of an investigation,'" Zrubeck said.

Of the possibility that the search is connected to the missing Westminster girl, Zrubeck said, "I hope they catch whoever did it or it helps in her recovery."

Police, bloodhounds and volunteers have been working to find the girl, who disappeared after leaving her home in the 10700 block of Moore Street Friday.

On Saturday, more than 800 volunteers searched through muddy fields in chilly temperatures as they examined every open space in the surrounding neighborhood.

Jessica's mother, a night shift worker, told police she last saw her walking toward school Friday morning. She reported the girl missing later in the afternoon when she woke to find a phone message saying Jessica hadn't arrived at Witt Elementary.

No evidence points to any family involvement, officials said. Jessica's father attended a child-custody hearing in a Missouri courtroom on Friday and police don't believe the custody issue is related to her disappearance.

www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/ci_21719908/jessica-ridgeway-search-hunt-missing-westminster-girl-shifts

[meme]

Jessica Ridgeway's dad: I just want to find my daughter and bring her home

10/09/2012 3:09 PM

WESTMINSTER —There are fresh sheets on the top bunkbed in her room and a nest of stuffed animals waiting for 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway to come home.

"Everything is up there how she likes it," said Jessica's mom, Sarah Ridgeway said Tuesday afternoon during a meeting with media at the Westminster Police Department. "We want her to be able to sleep in it again. Nice and warm and safe, where she is supposed to be."

Jessica has been missing since 8:30 a.m. Friday, when she left her Westminster home to meet friends to walk to school. Police, state, federal and volunteer investigators have been searching the area around her home and in Superior, where her backpack was found, since she disappeared.

Jessica's father, Jeremiah Bryant, had one thing on his mind: "I just want to find my daughter and bring her back home," he said.

Bryant and Ridgeway, flanked by nine family members and a close friend, talked about their daughter's disappearance and the pain they have felt.

"If there was a string, we would all be tied together," Ridgeway said of her support network.

Hundreds of volunteers have searched areas around the girl's home for any clues and police investigators have been working around the clock trying to find the girl.

"I'm trying to stay positive about it," said Bryant, who lives in Missouri. "It is hard, extremely hard."

Sarah Ridgeway, a night-shift worker, told police she last saw her daughter walking toward school Friday morning. She reported the girl missing later in the afternoon when she woke to find a phone message saying Jessica hadn't arrived at Witt Elementary School, about a mile away at 10255 W. 104th Drive in Westminster.

Westminster Police spokesman Trevor Materasso said Monday there are no suspects in the case. But "we do not have reason to believe a person is going around abducting children," he said.

No evidence points to any family involvement, Materasso has said.

Investigators have not said whether Jessica's disappearance could be linked to any other suspicious incidents in Jefferson County. For example, Arvada police in September reported that a man apparently tried to lure children to his vehicle with candy.

m.denverpost.com/denverpost/pm_14466/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=cGHJ0Ga9

[meme]

Jessica Ridgeway: Parents Deny Involvement in Disappearance

The parents of missing Colorado 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway spoke publicly for the first time today and denied any involvement in the disappearance of their daughter, calling her "the rock" in their lives.

"I know I didn't do anything. Everybody that's here knows I didn't do anything," Jessica's mom Sarah Ridgeway said, surrounded by 10 family members, including Jessica's father, Jeremiah Bryant. "Nobody in this room did anything to harm her or a tiny hair on her little head.

"If they have to eliminate me, go right ahead," she said. "I know it's something that has to get done. They have to get it out of there."

Bryant said FBI investigators asked him whether he believed Jessica's mother could have anything to do with her disappearance, and he said no, as he was sure she had said when asked about him.

"I don't see how any parent could do something like that to their child," he said.

Jessica Ridgeway vanished Friday when she left to walk three blocks from her Westminster, Colo., home to meet friends for the walk to school. It was a route she took every day, but this time she never got there.

Sarah Ridgeway talked about her daughter's typical daily routine. Her alarm would go off at 7:45 a.m. and she would go downstairs, watch TV, eat a granola bar and go back upstairs to get dressed. When she came back down, mother and daughter would peel oranges for Ridgeway's school snack and fill up her water bottle.

"She wants to be a teenager before she's a teenager," Sarah Ridgeway said. "I watch her walk out the door and I shut the door and that's the last time I saw her ... walking through that door. I need to walk back through the door."

When Ridgeway didn't show up for class, school officials called her home, but because Sarah Ridgeway works the overnight shift at a tech company, she was asleep. She didn't get the message until later, which delayed her calling police.

An Amber Alert was issued Oct. 5 for the 10-year-old, nearly eight hours after she disappeared.

Ridgeway said Jessica loves school and would never miss it, so she knew something was wrong when she got the call. Ridgeway described losing hope little by little as she went to all of Jessica's favorite places -- the park, her friend's house, school -- and discovered that her daughter was not at any of those places.

"Then you get the pit in your stomach that you don't want any parent to ever experience in their whole entire life," she said through sobs.

Police say Jessica's father, who lives out of state, is in a custody battle with Jessica's mother. But both parents were present for the interview and held hands with family members from both sides of their families.

They described a bright and happy 10-year-old girl who loved school, especially math and physical education.

"She's all of our rock. She's the one that when you're kind of down she's going to come along and she's going to make you laugh, she's going to give you a hug, she's going to give you a kiss," Ridgeway said. "She was the light of the house. With all the people there, it's still too quiet. It's way too quiet. It needs to be lively and happy again."

Jessica Ridgeway's backpack and water bottle were found on Sunday, six miles from where she was last seen. Police say the backpack is vital evidence in a case that has precious few leads.

Sarah Ridgeway said the discovery of the backpack and water bottle gave her "a sliver of hope" because she thought that if something "really bad" had happened to her daughter the bag would not be sitting in plain sight.

The Colorado Crime Lab is processing the backpack for possible DNA evidence.

The search for Ridgeway expanded Monday with more than 100 people combing roadsides and rocky terrain. Meanwhile, police are checking reports that three weeks ago a suspicious man was seen approaching children.

"It's a piece, but at this time we have nothing to say that is related to the disappearance of Jessica," Westminster Police Department spokesman Trevor Materasso said.

Police and FBI agents are still urgently going door-to-door in Ridgeway's neighborhood asking people to search their vehicles, yards and homes. Police asked a neighbor named William Kesel to let them search a locked room in his home to make sure the missing girl wasn't in there.

"They had to rule us out, and they got to rule that room out," Kesel said.

ABC News obtained exclusive video this morning that Ridgeway filmed herself last May playing with a video camera and the family dog.

"That's where the camera is. See?" she can be heard saying. "Right there, look. That's the camera."

The parents both said that they had no idea who could have wanted to harm their little girl and thanked authorities and volunteers for all of their help.

The family said they are holidng on to hope and have prepared Jessica's room for her return, complete with the "nest" she likes to build on the top bunk of her bunkbed -- a cozy structure made of a sleeping bag and stuffed animals.

When asked what message she would like to send her daughter, Sarah Ridgeway said, "You know that your family is strong. We'll be there forever and we will do anything to find you. You are strong. We know you're strong and you can fight this and we are fighting for you, too. And we love her and we'll never stop loving her no matter what happens. We'll lover her forever and ever. We just want her home."

abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=17429455

[meme]

Could Wyoming Abduction Be Related to Jessica Ridgeway Disappearance?

FBI agents are investigating if there is a connection between the case of missing Colorado 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway and the abduction of an 11-year-old in Wyoming on Monday.

Authorities say they do not yet know if there could be a connection, but FBI Denver spokesman Dave Joly said, "We are covering all of our bases."

On Monday afternoon, an 11-year-old girl in Cody, Wyo., was lured to a white SUV by a man who approached her and two friends. He told them that he was missing his black lab puppy and asked if they could help him find it, police said.

One of the little girls agreed to help him and climbed into the front seat of the vehicle and he drove away. Forty-five minutes later, one of the other children called the police to say that her friend had gotten in the car and not returned.

An Amber Alert was issued around 6:45 p.m. and police received a report at 8:15 p.m. of a little girl walking down Spirit Mountain Road, just outside Cody. Authorities confirmed that it was the missing girl.

"[The girl] reported that when she approached the suspect vehicle, the suspect brandished a 'pistol' and directed her to get in the front passenger seat of the vehicle," the Cody Police Department wrote in a report. "The suspect then drove the victim onto Carter Mountain where he sexually assaulted her."

ABC News is withholding the name of the child since she was a victim of sexual assault.

Authorities are now on the hunt for the suspect who they describe as a white male, approximately 55-60 years old, between 185 and 200 pounds with either short white or strawberry blonde hair and a mustache or beard.

Cody is approximately 500 miles northwest of Westminster, Colo., where Jessica Ridgeway disappeared.

Ridgeway vanished Friday when she left to walk three blocks from her home to meet friends for the walk to school. It was a route she took every day, but this time she never got there.

An Amber Alert was issued Oct. 5 for the 10-year-old, nearly eight hours after she disappeared.

When Ridgeway didn't show up for class, school officials called her home.

Jessica's mother, Sarah, who works the overnight shift at a tech company, was asleep. She didn't get the message, which delayed her calling police.

Police say that Jessica's father, who lives out of state, is in a custody battle with Jessica's mother. Police do not believe Jessica is with him, but are not ruling anyone out.

Ridgeway's backpack and water bottle were found on Sunday, six miles from where she was last seen. Police say the backpack is vital evidence in a case that has precious few leads.

"The bottom line is to give us ideas and evidence to who may have been in contact with it and where can we focus the search," Westminster Police Detective Trevor Materasso said.

The search for Ridgeway expanded Monday with more than 100 hundred people combing roadsides and rocky terrain. Meanwhile, police are checking reports that three weeks ago a suspicious man was seen approaching children.

Police and FBI agents are still urgently going door-to-door in Ridgeway's neighborhood asking people to search their vehicles, yards and homes.

abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=17435010

[meme]

Police: Girl Matching Description of Missing CO 10-Year-Old Jessica Ridgeway Reportedly Seen in Maine

Dexter - Police in Maine are looking for a vehicle that could be related to a missing 10-year-old Colorado girl.

According to Dexter police someone reported seeing a girl who looked like Jessica Ridgeway in Dexter on Sunday. The woman said the girl was in a light blue Buick with Colorado plates.

Police have put out a call to all authorities to stop the car if they see it.

We're told someone also reportedly saw the vehicle in Harmony.

Jessica Ridgeway has been missing since Friday, when she left home to walk to school.

If you have any information, or see the light blue Buick with Colorado plates, police ask that you take down the license plate number and call authorities.

www.wabi.tv/news/34179/police-girl-matching-description-of-missing-co-10-year-old-jessica-ridgeway-reportedly-seen-in-maine

[meme]

Search continues for Jessica

It’s been almost a week since the disappearance of Jessica Ridgeway.

The 10-year-old was last seen by her mother, Sarah Ridgeway, around 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 5 walking down the driveway of her home on West 107th Avenue and Moore Street. Ridgeway normally meets friends at Chelsea Park, three blocks away from her home, but according to police, her friends said she never showed up.

Jefferson County Public Schools called Ridgeway’s mother around 10:30 a.m. and left a voice message noting her daughter was absent. Trevor Materasso, Westminster Police Department spokesperson, said Sarah, who works the graveyard shift, slept through the phone message and did not receive it until about 4 or 4:30 p.m.

Now more than 15 different law enforcement agencies are working to find the missing girl. Authorities continue to search areas near Jessica’s home. Dogs have been brought in to help with efforts and more than 400 homes have been searched. Police said the focus now is releasing photos and videos of Jessica so people can identify her.

“We really want people to focus on Jessica’s facial features,” said Materasso. “Two things of note that you will see is that she has a gap between her two front teeth, which is a distinguishing characteristic. She’s also got a sore at the top of her nose just below where her glasses sit. That sore doesn’t heal, so it’s a good indicator if you see someone you think is Jessica those two things are good to pay particular attention to.”

Materasso said residents should stop focusing on what she was wearing at the time of the disappearance, and focus on her mannerisms and demeanor seen in the videos released. At this point, Materasso said the investigation may focus more on an abduction than her being a possible runway.

Authorities continue to find new items during their search, but have not said whether they are tied to the case. Jessica’s backpack was found in a Superior neighborhood on Oct. 7 and is now being tested by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Materasso said police are being extremely diligent in their search efforts. “We don’t want to miss anything; we’re going to go back several times. We’ve going to cover our tracks.

We’re going to look in the same area that we’ve already looked,” he said. You’re going to see a lot of activity in and around her home. There’s nothing specific that’s keeping us in that area other than we want to make sure there’s no stone unturned, and we’re focusing because, again, that is where Jessica disappeared from.”

Response from the family

Jessica Ridgeway’s family spoke to the pubic during an interview with 9News reporter David Delozier on Oct. 9. The family chose only to speak to one reporter, in front of one camera.

Jessica’s mother, her father, Jeremiah Bryant, and other family members encouraged people to continue to look for Jessica and thanked the community for their donations of time, money, food and effort.

“We’re strong and we will get stronger,” Sarah Ridgeway said during the interview. “She’s my rock, she’s all of our rock. I want her to come walking back through the door. I need her to come walking back through that door.”

Sarah told Delozier she hopes no other parent has to go through what she is going through. She said she will always love Jessica.

“We are a strong family,” Sarah said. “We will get through this. We will find her and take care of her.”

Materasso said the family has been cooperative through the entire investigation. Each parent was asked by police whether either of them would take Jessica and they both said no. Anyone who has information can call 303-658-4336 or e-mail [e-mail]

m.ourcoloradonews.com/mobile/westminster/news/search-continues-for-jessica/article_3698a50a-333d-5e0f-9c30-5d9cf43fafe1.html

[meme]

Colorado police find body, unsure if it's missing girl Jessica Ridgeway missing since last Friday

UPDATED 9:15 PM CDT Oct 10, 2012

Police find body in search for missing Colo. girl

Police investigating the disappearance of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway said investigators discovered a body in an open space park in Arvada, Colo., but they do not yet know if the body is connected to the case of the missing girl.

Police made the announcement during a news conference in Westminster Wednesday evening. They said detectives were currently at the scene where the body was found.

The announcement came nearly a week since the 10-year-old disappeared while on a short walk to school. Police said earlier in the day Wednesday that they believe she had been abducted.

Ridgeway's father lives in Independence, Mo. He and her grandmother and great grandmother went to Colorado to help with the search. Other supporters in Independence held a prayer vigil Wednesday evening in hopes it would help with the girl's safe return.

Tips in the case have come from as far away as Maine, where someone reported seeing a girl who matched Ridgeway's description.

Police said they would offer additional updates during a news conference early Thursday morning.

www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/Colorado-police-find-body-unsure-if-it-s-missing-girl/-/11664182/16938794/-/rcw5ghz/-/index.html

[meme]

Report: Body found in Arvada open space likely that of missing 10-year-old girl Jessica Ridgeway

Police 'unable to make connection' to missing girl

Posted: 10/11/2012 Last Updated: 41 minutes ago

By: Wayne Harrison WESTMINSTER, Colo. - In a stunning turn of events, Westminster police announce a body has been found in an Arvada open space park as the search for a missing 10-year-old Westminster girl ends its sixth day.

Police spokesman Trevor Materasso quickly added, "We are unable to make a connection to the disappearance of Jessica Ridgeway."

ABC News reported three sources said investigators have reasons to believe it is the body of the missing girl.

Materasso, flanked by Arvada police spokeswoman Jill McGranahan, said Westminster and Arvada police were processing the scene and the process would continue all night.

Materasso took no questions and did not answer reporter questions asking why he called the news conference if it wasn't connected to the girl's disappearance? Also unanswered, was the body that of a male or female?

Police blocked off a road leading to Pattridge Park Open Space, just north of Golden, near Highway 93. A fire truck with a large ladder was being used to light the scene from above the area where the body was found. Photographs were being taken.

Highway 93 was closed at Leyden Gulch for several hours while investigators worked near the highway.

Video from AIRTRACKER7 taken just before 9 p.m. showed investigators surrounding something in what appeared to be a plastic bag in a field.

Dozens of law enforcement officers were seen doing a systematic search of the area near an abandoned mining shack since about 5 p.m., The Denver Post reported. A neighbor living near the park told 7NEWS she saw police in the area as early as 11 a.m.

The location is about 6 miles from the neighborhood where Jessica disappeared.

Jessica Ridgeway was last seen by her mother when she left for school Friday morning. As was her usual routine, she was to walk three blocks to a nearby park where she would meet friends and walk Witt Elementary School.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, Materasso said the parents had been ruled out as suspects in the case.

www.thedenverchannel.com/news/jessica-ridgeway/report-body-found-in-arvada-open-space-that-missing-10-year-old-girl-jessica-ridgeway

[meme]

Body found near attempted abduction cases

ARVADA - The field where a body was found Wednesday is just a few miles from where two attempted child abductions prompted a warning from the Jefferson County School District in September.

Westminster police announced Wednesday that a body was discovered during the search for missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway.

The body was discovered in the Pattridge Park open space at West 82nd Avenue and Quaker Street in Arvada. Police can't confirm if the body found was Jessica.

Just a few miles south of there, The Jefferson County School District sent letters to parents in September warning them of suspicious incidents involving young children.

The first incident happened near 77th Drive and Terry Court, less than a mile from where the body was found. An 8-year-old boy was approached by a man in his driveway. The child was able to get away.

The second incident happened three days later in the parking lot of Fitzmorris Elementary where the man approached a 9-year-old boy. He offered the child candy, but the child declined and ran away.

The man in both incidents was described a white male between the ages of 20 and 40 with brown hair.

A year earlier, Arvada police said a man was targeting children in the near 69th and Robb Street in Arvada.

Police have not said if either of these incidents are connected to the disappearance of Jessica.

www.9news.com/news/article/293888/339/Body-found-near-attempted-abduction-cases

[meme]

Station wagon in Portsmouth held while police investigate Colorado child abduction

PORTSMOUTH - Police are investigating any possible links between an abandoned blue station wagon found in the city this morning with a suspected child abduction in Colorado last week.

According to various news reports today, Colorado authorities found an unidentified body a few miles from where 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway disappeared last week while walking a short distance to school.

In Portsmouth, the older-model Buick station wagon with Colorado license plates was found parked near two industrial buildings off Constitution Avenue behind Wal-Mart.

Portsmouth Police Sgt. David Keaveny said Colorado authorities received a tip that has not yet been corroborated about a vehicle with that description being involved in the abduction.

“However, they can't substantiate any of that information right now,” Keaveny said. “We are holding onto the vehicle, but it is unlikely it is related.”

Keaveny said the station wagon is the same vehicle spotted in Maine Sunday.

He said they have identified the owners of the vehicle but are not releasing that information.

Keaveny said they received a tip around 8:30 a.m. Thursday that the vehicle was parked behind Wal-Mart.

A description of the vehicle had been released via various news outlets.

The area was cordoned off for less than two hours this morning as police looked for any other evidence at the scene.

Police also conducted a K-9 track and will be pulling surveillance from cameras in the back area of the industrial park, Keaveny said.

He said police are currently trying to contact the owners of the vehicle and working with Colorado and federal agencies about where they want to go next.

“It is unlikely that it is related, but there is a one percent chance it is so we are making sure we're doing everything we can,” Keaveny said. “I'm sure they are getting a lot of tips like this.”

He said there are a number of reasons they do not believe the vehicle is linked to the abduction, based on what they are hearing from other law enforcement agencies, but he did not offer details.

“We have a small piece of this. We are waiting to hear back from the agencies that are involved about what they want to do. Essentially, we're here to help,” Keaveny said.

www.unionleader.com/article/20121011/NEWS03/710119869&template=mobileart

[meme]

Video-

Is Colorado body that of missing 10-year-old girl?

Police in Colorado have not confirmed the age or gender of a body they recovered from a rural area not far from the home of missing 10-year old girl Jessica Ridgeway. NBC’s Miguel Almaguer reports. Transcript

video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/49371180/

[ac]

This is so very sad.

[meme]

Police say body found in Colorado is hard to identify

Police examine a scene in an area of abandoned mines in Colorado where a body was found Wednesday evening. It's about 7 miles from the Westminster home of missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway.

Published: 10/11/2012 02:34pm

Police, say a body found in an area a few miles from where 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway went missing is "not intact" and that it will take authorities one more day to make a positive identification.

Westminster police spokesman Trevor Materasso declined to elaborate, but says the search for Jessica continues.

Update at 2:21 p.m. ET: Police say it has been difficult to identify the body found in an area of abandoned mines near Arvada because it is "not intact."

Westminster police spokesman Trevor Materasso says it will take authorities one more day to make a positive identification.

Update at 8:49 a.m. ET: Police said Thursday that were not providing any new information on the body found Wednesday evening.

They declined to identify the body. They said that the canvassing of the area in search of missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway would continue, and that new spaces in the search would be opened up.

Police have not released the gender or approximate age of the body.

Original post: Police searching in Colorado for missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway have discovered a body in an area of abandoned mines, but have not indicated whether there is a connection with the fifth-grader who has been missing since she left home for school on Friday, KUSA-TV reports.

The body was removed from Pattridge Park in Arvada, an area used on the weekends by road bikers and model airplane flyers.

It is about 7 miles southwest of Jessica's home in Westminster and several miles south of where Jessica's backpack was found in Superior, KUSA reports.

On Wednesday evening, Westminster police spokesman Trevor Materasso said, "We are unable to make a connection to the disappearance of Jessica Ridgeway," The Denver Post reports.

Jessica, a blonde-haired girl who wears glasses, was last seen Friday morning as she left home on a short walk to school. Police believe she was abducted.

Police are now investigating whether Jessica's case might be related to that of an 11-year-old girl who was lured into an SUV in Cody, Wyo., by a man who released her four hours later. She was found by hunters, the Associated Press reports.

Cody is about 500 miles northwest of Westminster.

m.usatoday.com/article/news/1626423?preferredArticleViewMode=single

[meme]

Day 7: Body found in Arvada dismembered, hard to positively ID it as missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway

12:48 PM, Oct 11, 2012

ARVADA - The body found in Arvada was dismembered according to Westminster Police, leading to the lengthy process of positively identifying the body as the missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway.

Westminster Police and Arvada Police held a press conference Thursday afternoon, revealing they have notified Jessica's family about the dismemberment and how they are working as quickly as possible.

Authorities say they hope to have more information Friday morning about the body found.

Westminster Police spokesperson Trevor Materasso says they are still encouraging witnesses to come forward and call their tip line at 303-658-4336.

THE INVESTIGATION

Westminster and Arvada Police spoke Thursday morning regarding the body found in Pattridge Park Open Space area in Arvada and its possible connection to the missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway.

Searches continued on Thursday in other open-space areas as well as near the area where Jessica disappeared.

Materasso did not release the gender or approximate age of the body found.

Investigators removed what appeared to be a body from the scene just before 9 p.m. Wednesday.

The Pattridge Park Open Space Area -south of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge - is dotted with abandoned coal mines. The area is favored by road bikers and model airplane flyers on weekends.

It is about seven miles southwest of Jessica's home and 11 miles south of where Jessica's backpack was found in Superior.

Westminster Police plan to keep the crime scene around the body closed to the public as their investigation continues.

Counselors are on standby Thursday at Jessica's school - Witt Elementary.

Materasso said Wednesday afternoon the police do not believe Jessica's parents are involved.

Jessica was last seen Friday morning as she left for school. Police believe she was abducted.

"At this point in the investigation, after thoroughly looking at the parents, we're confident they're not involved in the disappearance of Jessica Ridgeway," Materasso said Wednesday afternoon. "The focus shifts to [an] unknown suspect."

Materasso says the department started talking to Maine police after a significant tip came forward where a witness claimed they saw a girl matching Jessica's description in a car in Maine on Sunday. Materasso says they are taking it seriously, as they are all the other tips they have received.

Westminster Police say the department has taken hundreds of phone calls on their tip line regarding Jessica's disappearance. He encouraged residents to keep calling, tweeting, texting their friends and posting on Facebook to make sure people know to keep looking for Jessica.

Materasso also said Witt Elementary School - which is where Jessica attends school - will be on lockout as the investigation continues. Police requested the lockout because of police activity around the school. What this means for parents is they can come and pick up their kids if they show identification, and kids cannot play outside during recess.

THE SEARCH

Materasso said Wednesday during an early-morning press conference that land and bodies of water searches will continue on Wednesday. The bodies of water searches are merely precautionary.

On Monday afternoon, an 11-year-old girl in Cody, Wyo., was lured into an SUV by a man who approached her and two friends. He told them that he was missing his black lab puppy and asked if they could help him find it, police say.

One girl climbed in and he drove away. Later, one of the other children called the police to report the incident.

An Amber Alert was issued, and police received a report of a little girl walking down a road just outside Cody. It was the missing girl, and the Amber Alert was canceled.

It is unknown at this time whether this Cody, Wyo. case and Jessica's case are connected, however Materasso confirmed Wednesday they are investigating all angles and are aware of the case.

Cody, Wyo. is about 500 miles northwest of Westminster.

Authorities searched the area around Jessica's home as well as some open-field areas on Tuesday and brought dogs to help them in their efforts.

In a Tuesday press conference, Materasso said 400 homes were searched in Jessica's neighborhood. He says authorities were halfway done with their search of the homes.

Westminster Police released two new photos and a video of Jessica on Tuesday to help people better identify her.

Watch the video below:

"We really want people to focus on Jessica's facial features," Materasso said. "Two things of note that you will see -particularly in the video - she has a gap between her two front teeth, when you see that video, it's fairly obvious and a distinguishing characteristic. As well, she's got a sore at the top of her nose just below where her glasses sit. That sore doesn't heal, so it's a good indicator if you see someone you think is Jessica those two things are good to pay particular attention to."

Materasso emphasized to residents they should stop focusing on what she was wearing at the time of her disappearance and instead focus on her mannerisms and her demeanor.

Materasso says the investigation may focus more on an abduction than her being a possible runaway.

Authorities did find some new items Monday night, however they cannot confirm if they are directly tied to Jessica. The only item authorities are confirming is Jessica's is the backpack found on Sunday. Materasso reiterated they are being extremely diligent in their search efforts.

"We don't want to miss anything," Materasso said. "We're going to go back several times; we've going to cover our tracks. We're going to look in the same area that we've already looked. You're going to see a lot of activity ... in and around her home, and that's going to continue today. There's nothing specific that's keeping us in that area other than we want to make sure there's no stone unturned, and we're focusing because, again, that is where Jessica disappeared from."

More than 125 personnel from 12 agencies took part in Monday's search. They focused on the area between Highway 128 and Highway 93, including Eldorado Canyon in Boulder. Eight to 10 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers also participated in the search Monday.

Investigators worked with bloodhounds and used two teams of four to search the areas that were already been cleared.

Crews also searched along Highway 36, it was announced Monday during a press conference.

Police confirmed a backpack found in a Superior neighborhood Sunday belongs to Jessica.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation will be testing the backpack for additional evidence. Police say that the backpack was found in the Rock Creek subdivision, 6.2 miles from Jessica's house. Authorities don't know when the bag was put there. They are asking parents in the Rock Creek subdivision to talk to their kids to see if they noticed anything out of the ordinary. Authorities have stationed police officers at schools in the area, though there is no indication other children are in danger. Three police checkpoints were established in the area Sunday. Police stopped and questioned people as they drove in and out of the neighborhood.

Westminster investigator Cheri Spottke says more than 800 volunteers helped look for Jessica Saturday.

On Saturday, a dive team went into Ketner Reservoir in order to rule the area out in the search.

HEAR WHAT JESSICA'S FAMILY HAD TO SAY ON TUESDAY WHEN THEY SPOKE TO 9NEWS FOR THE FIRST TIME

Sunday night, a person identifying himself as Jessica's cousin posted the following message on the Facebook page set up for the missing girl:

I have a message from the family (I am her cousin) that I want to be heard by everyone following this Facebook and the twitter account.

I want to thank everyone for the incredible support pouring in from all over Facebook and twitter and everyone in the community. Seeing how many people standing together and are looking for my cousin has made me immensely proud and humbled. This is not simply a family crisis, it has evolved into a community crisis and everyone pulling together is truly inspiring. Please share this, with everyone and anyone. Thank you so much."

Jessica's father, Jeremiah, lives in Missouri and flew to Colorado as soon as he heard the news. The father told investigators he does not know what happened to his daughter.

Though he refused to talk with reporters on Saturday night, 9NEWS affiliate KSHB-41 in Kansas City spoke with Jessica's great-grandmother who says they are doing everything they can to help in the investigation.

"The police asked if they could search my house, and I said yes because we'd do anything in the world to get her back," Donna Moss said.

Moss says Jessica's father, Jeremiah Bryant, is devastated and beside himself that his daughter is missing. She says that there is no custody issue between the parents and says they saw Jessica six weeks ago with her mom and maternal grandmother.

Moss pleaded for Jessica's safe return.

"If you've got her - get her back to her parents. She's a beautiful, wonderful, little girl and we want her back," she said.

NEIGHBORHOOD RESPONSE

Officers patrolled Jessica's elementary school on Monday. Police and parents took every precaution as they hoped for Jessica's safe return.

"It's very scary," Natalie Madrid said. "I'm a single mother of three."

"It's just an eye opener," Madrid added. "You need to protect your kids. You need to make sure your kids are where they need to go. It's devastating, and it's scary."

"I can't imagine what their mother is going through," Madrid said. "It could happen to any parent."

Jessica's disappearance is just frightening for her classmates and friends.

"They're just wishing she could come home safe," sixth grader Nick Ramirez said. "They talked about it all day."

Ramirez says many of his classmates talked to counselors Monday.

"[I'm] sad and scared at the same time," Ramirez said. "It's so close to home."

This is not the first scare close to the elementary school. On Memorial Day weekend, a woman escaped an attempted kidnapping at Ketner Lake.

The 22-year-old told Westminster Police a man put a rag over her mouth that smelled like chemicals and tried to grab her. Police never found him. Ketner Open Space is less than half a mile from Chelsea Park - where Jessica disappeared. Police are not saying if they suspect a connection, but it's enough to make some parents nervous.

"That's two incidents in the neighborhood," Sergio Ramirez said.

Ramirez says it's enough to make any parent nervous.

"[It's] the unknown," Ramirez said. "That's for sure."

More than anything, Ramirez wants Jessica to come home safely.

"She needs all of our prayers," Ramirez said.

JESSICA'S DISAPPEARANCE

Jessica usually walks three blocks from Moore Street to Chelsea Park where she would meet up with a large group of friends before walking 1.3 miles to school. In that three-block radius, she disappeared.

Police say Jessica's mother works an overnight shift, and her grandmother watches her at night. When Jessica's mother got home at 7:30 a.m., she saw Jessica off to school at 8:30 a.m., according to 9NEWS reporter Kevin Torres.

Police say they got a late start searching because her mother didn't immediately realize Jessica was missing. Officers say her mother slept through calls from school officials to tell her Jessica was absent.

Westminster Police sent out an emergency-text alert advising residents to be on the lookout before a system-wide Amber Alert was issued by the CBI Friday evening.

"[We] started activating a lot of personnel to start searching for her," Materasso said.

An Amber Alert is only issued if authorities fear the child is in immediate danger. Find out more requirements for an Amber Alert here, 1.usa.gov/QPQf3C.

Three weeks ago, students at an Arvada school saw a man in a dark sedan trying to lure kids closer to his vehicle. JeffCo schools sent letters out to all of its schools - including Witt Elementary where Jessica attends school. Police are looking into whether there's a connection.

INTERACTIVE TIMELINE

HOW YOU CAN HELP

A new flier with updated information was distributed Monday. It shows Jessica with and without her glasses.

Police have been updating volunteers and the public through their Twitter page. You can follow the Westminster Police here: twitter.com/WestminsterPD. They are asking residents to not send them tips via social media. Instead use the tip line listed below.

Police released a phone number and email for anyone with information: 303-658-4336 and [e-mail].

VIGILS HELD

Two communities came together to pray for Jessica's safe return Tuesday.

A vigil was held in the Superior neighborhood where her backpack was found on Sunday. Another one was held in her Westminster neighborhood where she disappeared.

A few people spoke at Tuesday's gathering including the mayor of Westminster. She addressed the crowd asking for whomever took Jessica to return her home, unharmed.

Seven- to eight-hundred people held their cellphones and flashlights up to the heavens for Light Up The Night For Jessica. Men, women and children gathered - all hoping for the safe return of Jessica. Some were from the area while others were not. Some knew the girl, others only found out about her after her disappearance, but they all have one thing in common - they want Jessica to be found safe and sound.

www.9news.com/news/article/293899/71/Dismembered-body-still-unknown-if-its-Jessica

[meme]

Authorities probe possible link between station wagon found in N.H. and disappearance of Colo. girl

10/11/2012 2:11 PM

Authorities are probing whether an abandoned station wagon with Colorado license plates found this morning in Portsmouth, N.H., is connected to the case of a missing 10-year-old Colorado girl, according to a published report.

The vehicle was found behind the Walmart off Constitution Avenue, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported. Colorado authorities received a tip that has not yet been corroborated about a similar vehicle being involved in the abduction, Portsmouth Police Sergeant David Keaveny told the newspaper.

Jessica Ridgeway, of Westminister, Colo., went missing Friday morning while walking to school. Since her disappearance, Westminister police have organized numerous ground searches and received hundreds of tips.

Maine authorities issued a statewide alert Wednesday after a woman, who had seen Ridgeway’s picture on the Internet, said she saw a girl who looked like Ridgeway in a blue station wagon in Dexter, Maine, on Sunday, KMGH-TV reported Wednesday.

The car would have to have been driven almost nonstop to have made it there from Colorado by that time after Ridgeway’s disappearance.

Police have recovered Ridgeway’s backpack and a water bottle that she was carrying when she disappeared about six miles from her home, but they have not commented on the contents of the bag or any test results on the items.

“WPD confident #JessicaRidgeway’s parents are NOT involved in the disappearance, focus is not on parents and believe this is an abduction,” an official tweet from the police department said Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday, a body was discovered a few miles south of Westminster in Arvada, Colo. Police have been working to identify the body but not have commented on whether it is the body of a child. Authorities also announced in a tweet that they would continue canvassing neighborhoods and conducting open field searches.

Ridgeway is about 4-foot-10, has shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes. Police urged anyone with information to call Westminster police, 303-658-4336.

www.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/10/11/authorities-probe-possible-link-between-station-wagon-found-and-disappearance-colo-girl/NgiEBXIhNvNoJGzy7ESIhI/story.html

[meme]

N.H. Police: Abandoned car may be connected to Jessica Ridgeway search

Latest update-

UPDATE, 1:54 PM: Police in New Hampshire have cleared any connection between this vehicle and the search for Jessica Ridgeway

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. —Police have cordoned off an area behind a Walmart in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and are investigating an abandoned car that may be connected to the search for missing Westminster 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway.

According to the Seacoast Online newspaper,Police had a K9 unit on scene Thursday morning and were investigating both the car, described as a blue station wagon with Colorado plates, and the area around it.

This news comes a day after police in the town of Dexter, Maine said they received a call from a woman who reportedly saw a girl matching Ridgeway’s description in a similar blue station wagon that also had Colorado plates. Dexter police said the caller reported spotting that vehicle on Sunday, and they also said there was a similar sighting reported in the nearby town of Harmony.

Portsmouth Police Sgt. Kuffer Kaltenborn said the vehicle discovered in New Hampshire Thursday matches the description of the one spotted in Maine. However, he said there is no further information that indicates it’s tied to that case just yet.

Authorities searching for Ridgeway said on Wednesday in Westminster that they have received hundreds of tips from multiple states in the process of their investigation. Ridgeway was last seen leaving her house on her walk to Witt Elementary School at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 5.

Westminster police discovered a body approximately six miles south of Ridgeway’s home at the Pattridge Park open space area in Arvada on Wednesday. They addressed the media Thursday morning,but did not identify the body or give any indication about if it is related to the search for Ridgeway.

kdvr.com/2012/10/11/n-h-police-abandoned-car-may-be-connected-to-jessica-ridgeway-search/

[meme]

Vehicle found in N.H. not connected with missing girl investigation

UPDATED 4:04 PM EDT Oct 11, 2012

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. —
Portsmouth police say a vehicle with Colorado plates, found behind a Walmart in Portsmouth, N.H., is not related to the case of a missing girl in that state.

Deputy Chief Corey Macdonald said the car belongs to a woman who left her vehicle there since Tuesday because she didn't have a place to park the car.

Her vehicle was spotted in Dexter over the weekend. Police said a woman alerted them to the vehicle after she learned about the Jessica Ridgeway case. Police said the woman thought she saw a girl in the vehicle who resembled Ridgeway but that was not the case.

Macdonald explains that the woman doesn't currently have a permanent home, and said she was cooperative when police found her and notified her that her vehicle was suspected in the high-profiled Jessica Ridgeway case.

Police said the vehicle is cleared and will be returned to the owner.

Jessica Ridgeway, 10, was reported missing last Friday. Police said a body was found within miles of where she was last seen but have not identified the body yet.

www.wmtw.com/news/maine/Vehicle-found-in-N-H-not-connected-with-missing-girl-investigation/-/8792012/16946326/-/v5f4akz/-/index.html?qs=6

[meme]

Investigators Continue To Search For Clues In Jessica Ridgeway Case

Video-

denver.cbslocal.com/video/7834100-investigators-continue-to-search-for-clues-in-jessica-ridgeway-case/

[meme]

ABC News: Cell phone towers to be used in search for Jessica Ridgeway kidnapping suspect

Posted: 10/12/2012 Last Updated: 42 minutes ago

WESTMINSTER, Colo. - Investigators hope cell phone records could lead to a break in the search for the person who abducted Jessica Ridgeway.

ABC News reports that they're checking records of cell phone towers near Jessica's home, the location in Superior where her backpack was found and the park in Arvada where a body was found. If a phone registered at all three towers, it could lead to a suspect

www.thedenverchannel.com/news/jessica-ridgeway/abc-news-cell-phone-towers-to-be-used-in-search-for-jessica-ridgeway-kidnapping-suspect

[meme]

Live Video: Authorities ID Arvada body as Jessica's

4:12 PM, Oct 12, 2012

WESTMINSTER - The body found in Arvada has been positively identified as missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway.

Westminster police announced Friday that the search for Jessica has turned into a mission for justice.

The body was found not intact Wednesday by trash crews in the Pattridge Park Open Space area in Arvada. Authorities have spent the last two days working to identify the body and searching in and around the area for more evidence.

Jessica's mother last saw her daughter walking to school on Oct. 5. The girl never arrived,setting off a frantic search by hundreds of law enforcement officials and prompting a nationwide Amber Alert.

The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit released a list of changes that a person committing a crime against a child would exhibit. Among them: sudden differences in appearance, missed appointments, being absent from work, or leaving town with no explanation. Police have ruled out Jessica's parents.

www.9news.com/news/article/294129/222/Live-Video-Authorities-ID-Arvada-body-as-Jessicas

[meme]

Body ID'd as Jessica Ridgeway

updated 6:14 PM EDT, Fri October 12, 2012

Authorities identify body in field as missing Colorado girl

Jessica Ridgeway went missing on October 5

Authorities in Colorado have identified the body found in a field as that of missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway.

"It's not the news we wanted," said Jefferson County Scott Storey District Attorney Scott Storey. "It's a tragedy."

The body was found Wednesday in the Pattridge Park open space in Arvada, about seven miles from Jessica’s home. Police told reporters that the body was “not intact.”

Jessica was last seen leaving her mother’s house on Friday, October 5, to walk to school. When Jessica didn’t arrive at school, school officials tried to contact her mother.

Her mother, Sarah Ridgeway, who works the overnight shift and sleeps during the day, didn’t get the voicemail about her daughter until later that afternoon.

An Amber Alert was later issued.

Jessica’s backpack and a water bottle were found two days later in a subdivision about six miles from her home and 11 miles from the location where the body was found.

Police have ruled out Jessica’s parents as being involved in her disappearance.

The FBI discussed possible behavioral traits of Jessica’s abductor in a press release:

Immediately following the incident, he may miss work. The absence will be sudden and unplanned. He may either be a “no show” or he may offer a plausible excuse such as illness, death in the family, car trouble, etc. He may miss scheduled appointments/commitments and be unaccounted for during this period. These appointments/commitments may include such things as medical appointments, meetings with a probation officer, a prior commitment to a friend or family member, a drug test, etc. He may suddenly leave town, either with no explanation or with some plausible reason. This individual may express an intense interest in the status of this investigation and pay close attention to the media. However, some offenders may quickly turn off media accounts or try to redirect conversations concerning the victims or their families. There may be changes in the usual consumption of alcohol and/or drugs. He may make a change in his appearance or alter something to prevent identification, such as changing the look of his vehicle, cleaning or discarding his vehicle.

“We suspect somebody in the community knows this individual,” said FBI spokesman David Joly. “We’re asking for the community’s support once again. The community has been very supportive in the efforts so far to this investigation, and we’re asking that they do this one more time to help us gather new leads and new information to bring this to a conclusion.”

Investigators are still asking for tips from the public in the case. Anyone with any information is asked to call 303-658-4336.

www.hlntv.com/article/2012/10/12/jessica-ridgeway-colorado-search

[meme]

Wyoming Kidnapping Suspect Has Colorado Ties October 15, 2012 6:01 PM

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP/CBS4) – A Montana man faces charges of kidnapping and assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Wyoming after police said he lured her to his car by saying he needed help finding a missing puppy, court records obtained Monday state.

Jesse Paul Speer, 39, was taken into custody Saturday in Belgrade, Mont., and held for Wyoming authorities. Hefaces extradition on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and felony use of a weapon, the records state.

Speer used to live and work in Estes Park. Among other jobs he worked for the Estes Park Trail Gazette newspaper 14 years ago.

Authorities have looked into a possible connection between the case and the disappearance of Jessica Ridgeway, a 10-year-old girl in Colorado, but now say they don’t think the cases are related. Jessica’s body was found Wednesday in a park about 7 milesfrom her suburban Denver home. No arrests have been made.

denver.cbslocal.com/2012/10/15/child-abduction-case-in-wyoming-heads-to-court/

[meme]

DNA will play pivotal role in Ridgeway case

8:55 PM, Oct 15, 2012

DENVER - DNA evidence will almost certainly play a pivotal role in the ongoing investigation into the murder of Jessica Ridgeway, but a noted DNA expert cautions it can also potentially lead investigators down a rabbit hole.

Take the backpack that was found shortly after Jessica Ridgeway was reported missing as an example. It was found in a neighborhood in Superior.

"What if some kid sneezed on [Jessica's] backpack during recess [at her school]? Then we're focusing all of our efforts on this, and when we don't find that person we then think we haven't found the killer," Dr. Elizabeth Johnson told 9News from her California home on Monday.

Dr. Johnson has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of DNA technology. She was called by the defense to testify during the Kobe Bryant case in Colorado. She currently works in private forensic consultation.

"I think the biggest misconception about DNA technology is that it is infallible and that there are never mistakes made," she said. "Just because you someone's DNA on an object doesn't make them guilty of a criminal act."

Of course, she said, the presence of particular bodily fluids can also be indicative of a criminal act, and thus lead investigators closer to a killer. But she cautions that CSI-like television shows have raised the expectations of many people in inappropriate ways.

Dr. Andrew Bonham is an assistant professor at Metropolitan State University and says he still believes DNA will help in the Ridgeway murder investigation.

"I am almost 100 percent convinced," the molecular biology expert said. "That (the killer) is going to leave traces of DNA behind and that investigators are going to find those traces."

He said that current technology allows investigators to collect even seemingly miniscule portions of bodily fluids in an effort to identify critical DNA markers.

"We're now talking about almost less than you can perceive," he said.

Dr. Johnson said it's not hard to leave large amounts of DNA behind.

"If you were to lick your finger to turn the page of your notepad, you're going to be putting tens of thousands of cells onto your finger," she said.

www.9news.com/dontmiss/294560/630/DNA-will-play-pivotal-role-in-Ridgeway-case

[meme]

Jessica Ridgeway Murder: Investigation Focuses On Suspects Of Prior Kidnap Attempts, Points To Local Suspect

Thursday 18 October 2012 2:11 pm

While it has not been disclosed publicly, sources inside the investigation speaking to BOC on the condition of anonymity have confirmed that both Sara Ridgeway and Jeremiah Bryant were administered and passed polygraph examinations.

snipped-

blinkoncrime.com/2012/10/18/jessica-ridgeway-murder-investigation-focuses-on-suspects-of-prior-kidnap-attempts-points-to-local-suspect/

[meme]

Westminster Police Department

For Immediate Release Direct: [phone] Dispatch: [phone] Prepared by: Investigator Trevor Materasso Case Number: 2012-16605 Subject: Jessica Ridgeway - Police Release Photograph of Cross

Date – October 19, 2012

...A cross recovered during the Jessica Ridgeway investigation could become a pivotal piece of evidence that helps authorities identify and locate Jessica’s killer. In an ongoing attempt to identify the predator responsible for the abduction and murder of Jessica Ridgeway, police are asking the public to look at several pictures to see if these will help lead police to the killer.

Police recovered a wooden cross that is approximately 1 ½ inches tall by 1 inch wide. The cross has a hole drilled through the upper part and appears that it can be or was worn on a necklace. On one side of the cross are three vertical bars etched onto the shorter horizontal section and a zig-zag pattern is carved onto the opposite side. The cross appears to be a solid piece of wood and the upper post portion is offset from the lower post below the short horizontal section.

Authorities are looking for someone who may carry or wear this type of cross, may have recently purchased one of these, or is known to have some association with one. Police are also looking for a local business that may sell these specific crosses. Police believe there may be a connection between the Jessica Ridgeway murder and the attempted abduction at Ketner Lake, and urge the public to specifically look for someone with a cross like this that matches the suspect’s description from Ketner Lake.

• Light skinned male • 18-35 (or someone who’s appearance with a ball cap may look that age) • Brown hair • Medium build • 5’06” to 5’08” (Height can vary above or below these approximations)

Police are asking the community to look through the pictures and call our tip line or send us an email with information that may identify the killer or where he may have got the cross from. Tip line: 303-658-4336 email: [e-mail]

Any questions regarding this press release or for an interview please contact Investigator Trevor Materasso at 303-658-4427 or through email at: [e-mail]

www.facebook.com/#!/westminsterpolice

[meme]

Cross could be crucial clue in Jessica case

3:44 PM, Oct 19, 2012

WESTMINSTER - Investigators say a cross recovered during the Jessica Ridgeway investigation could become a key piece of evidence in locating her killer.

Police are releasing several pictures of a cross to see if these will help lead police to the suspect.

A wooden cross, that is approximately 1 ½ inches tall by 1 inch wide, has a hole drilled through the upper part and could be worn on a necklace.

On one side of the cross are three vertical bars etched onto the shorter horizontal section and a zig-zag pattern is carved onto the opposite side.

The cross appears to be a solid piece of wood and the upper post portion is offset from the lower post below the short horizontal section.

Authorities are looking for someone who may carry or wear this type of cross, may have recently purchased one of these, or is known to have some association with one. They are searching for local businesses that may sell these specific crosses.

Police believe there may be a connection between the Jessica Ridgeway murder and the attempted abduction at Ketner Lake, and urge the public to specifically look for someone with a cross like this that matches the suspect's description from Ketner Lake.

• Light skinned male • 18-35 (or someone who's appearance with a ball cap may look that age) • Brown hair • Medium build • 5'06" to 5'08" (Height can vary above or below these approximations)

Police are asking the community to look through the pictures and call our tip line or send us an email with information that may identify the killer or where he may have got the cross from. Tip line: 303-658-4336 email: [e-mail]

www.9news.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=295144

[meme]

Video

Westminster Police: Possible Evidence Found In Ridgeway Case

News conference

denver.cbslocal.com/video/7861471-cbs4-video-clip/