Friends and neighbors are helping a local family in its efforts to locate a Basking Ridge teen-ager who has been missing now for nearly three weeks.

A web site and Facebook page have been established to seek leads in the ongoing search for Gregory Mayer, 17, who was last seen on Feb. 21 in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was attending Discovery Ranch, a home for boys with educational and behavioral needs.

Mayer, who attended Ridge High School, ran away unexpectedly from a movie theater in Lehi, Utah, and has not been in contact with his family since.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

His parents, Greg and Debbie Mayer, spent several days in Utah but have since returned to pursue leads from the home front.

“We came back to regroup on the (February) 28th,’’ Greg Mayer said. “It was hard leaving Utah but we felt we might get more support back home and mount an electronic effort.’’

As of Monday evening, March 10, Mayer said they had gotten some leads but he “hesitated to get too excited.’’

In addition to using social and traditional media outlets, friends have also printed and sent out fliers to truck stops and various other locations such as transportation centers seeking information from someone who might have seen their son.

“We have about a dozen people who’ve offered to help us,’’ Mayer said. “The outpouring of help, support and prayers has been incredible. It’s just been fantastic to see that kind of community support.’’

Friends have discussed the possibility of holding a community vigil, but Mayer said the family is “trying to figure out what kind of format’’ would be used.

Last Sighting

The “last absolute definitive sighting’’ was back on Feb. 25, when he was seen at a Mormon Temple.

He was reportedly speaking with some young sister missionaries, Mayer said, and was observed by an off-day cop who recognized him from a missing person flier.

“They were able to keep him there for maybe 10 minutes but it wasn’t enough.

“Anything we’ve heard from then has not been conclusive,’’ Mayer said.

While in Utah, Mayer said he visited various shelters seeking information. He offered “a couple hundred dollars’’ to the homeless at the time as an incentive, but nothing panned out.

Asked whether he was offering a reward for information at this point, he said he had spoken to law enforcement authorities about the idea but was advised that it could create problems.

“We’re trying to figure out whether that’s a good idea,’’ he said on Monday. “There’s pros and cons.’’

According to published reports, the teen had no phone or money when he fled. Mayer speculated that he may be afraid that he’d be forced to return to Discovery Ranch, but that’s not the case.

The family just wants him home.

“The word is out,’’ he said. “Come home. We’re worried about his safety. We’re going to have to deal with this in New Jersey at home.’’

The family has spoken with his local friends but Mayer said he was told that no one has heard from his son.

“If someone knows something and helps with transportation, we’ll reimburse them,’’ he said.

“We’re sort of at a loss,’’ he added. “Hopefully some nice Morman took him in.’’

“To hear nothing for a week and a half now is unnerving. I’ll get on a plane tomorrow if I need to.’’

According to fliers distributed, the National Center for Mission & Exploited Children is handling the case.

It has been mistakenly reported that an Amber Alert was put out, but Mayer said that is only issued when there are “signs of an abduction.’’

The teen was described as 5-foot-11, 140 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Pictures used on the fliers show him with longer hair and no glasses, and more recently, with short-cropped hair and black glasses.

Mayer said he may have also grown facial hair. He has no distinguishing marks such as scars, tattoos or piercings.

Anyone with information can call Greg Mayer at (201) 805-3867.

A Cañon City man is facing first-degree murder charges after three bodies were found Sunday evening in a home on Phay Avenue.

The Cañon City Police Department arrested suspect Jaacob Van Winkle, 31, without incident inside the home. The identities of the victims — a 35-year-old woman and her two children, a 5-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl — are not being released until all relatives are notified, according to the CCPD.

http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html

Cañon City Police Chief Paul Schultz said Monday during a press conference that authorities were dispatched at about 8 p.m. Sunday to a home near the 1100 block of Phay Avenue on a call of sexual assault. Responding officers discovered the bodies of the three victims.

Chief Schultz said the sequence of events is still under investigation, but a press release states that a teenaged girl from the home reportedly ran to a neighbor’s house and the neighbor called 911. The teenage girl was treated at St. Thomas More Hospital, received some counseling from a victim’s advocate and is with relatives, Chief Schultz said.

The press release states that an autopsy of the victims is scheduled for Tuesday, and “once the coroner’s report is finalized,” the cause of death will be released.

Charges are expected to be formally filed against Van Winkle in district court at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday.

At an advisement hearing Monday, District Judge David Thorson said he reviewed a probable cause affidavit and found probable cause on the charges contemplated by the affidavit.

Van Winkle may face three counts of murder in the first degree, capital offenses, which the minimum penalty is life without parole and maximum penalty is death; one count of first-degree kidnapping, a class 2 felony, for which he could be sentenced to eight to 24 years in the Department of Corrections; one count of sexual assault, a class 3 felony, for which he could face four years to life in the DOC; and one count of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, also a class 3 felony.

Van Winkle is being held on a no-bond hold, and Judge Thorson said Monday that he had “no intention on setting bail.”

Chief Schultz said the Cañon City Police Department, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and Florence Police Department, as part of the Fremont County Combined Investigative Response Team, are working on the investigation.

Anyone with information that could help investigators in this case is asked to call Cañon City police at (719) 276-5600.

Kelsie’s blue backpack was found in the trash can at the home.

The Gwinnette County Police Department is searching for a missing 12-year-old Georgia girl on Monday.

Kelsie Lee was last seen by her mother at home at the Jones Bridge Circle area of Peachtree Corners when she left to take her son to school.  When she came back around 8:45 a.m. she was gone.  The other daughter said that Kelsie went out to the garbage to take some trash out and never came back.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

The Gwinnett County Police have set up a staging area at the 4500 block of Jones Bridge Circle.

She was wearing jeans and a black sweatshirt.   Kelsie has long, curly brown hair.

If you have any information about her disappearance please call 770-513-5300.

A former Franklin County narcotics detective accused of embezzling money and dealing drugs answered to a federal judge Monday.

Matthew Brown pleaded not guilty to the chargers against him.

From January 2011 to December 2012, Brown was the only narcotics detective for the Franklin County Sheriff’s office.

The indictment alleges that, during that time, Brown stole thousands of dollars of the department’s money and using it on himself and his family.

http://liarcatchers.com/contact.php

That includes in August 2012 when Brown supposedly kept about $14,000 taken from a drug seizure.

And in October 2012, he’s accused of pocketing $5,000 from another bust.

According to the paperwork, in November 2012 Brown also used roughly $1,500 in narcotics funds to pay personal bills.

Also in 2012, the detective allegedly bought about $300 worth of target stands and related accessories for his business, The Shoot House, at the expense of the sheriff’s office.

The indictment reveals Brown is also charged with distributing illegal drugs in Franklin, Fayette and Jessamine counties.

Brown was arrested Friday, March 7 and the judge decided Monday to release the 31 year old from the Fayette County Jail on home detention with electronic monitoring.

Brown’s trail is set to begin in May.

The Whitley County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a man accused of scamming a homeowner.

Officials say Mark Anthony Adams, 21, of Hicks Lane in London, presented himself as a worker of the Cumberland Valley RECC in February, saying he was there to install lightning rods to protect the victim’s home.

After installing the rods, deputies say he told the homeowner the cost for the rods $8,000, but then dropped the price to $4,000 when the homeowner refused to pay.

http://liarcatchers.com/fraud_investigation.html

Adams told the victim he would lose his job if he didn’t get at least $4,000. The victim issued a check to Adams for the $4,000, deputies lane.

Adams returned on a later date with a chainsaw to cut trees at the home and the homeowner told him to leave and contacted the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, which led to the investigation.

If you know the whereabouts of Mark Anthony Adams, you are urged to contact the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities say a man listed as among the 10 most wanted sex offenders in Texas has been captured.

The Texas Department of Public Safety announced Monday that 52-year-old Sammy Lee Nickerson was apprehended without incident at an apartment complex in Bryan.

Nickerson has a lengthy criminal record that includes aggravated sexual assault of a child, burglary and disorderly conduct. He was wanted for failure to register as a sex offender and a parole violation.

http://liarcatchers.com/pedophile_tracking.html

He previously lived in Hearne (hern), northwest of Bryan.

Authorities learned Nickerson was at the Bryan complex based on a tip. The tipster will receive a $5,000 reward. Nickerson was taken into custody Thursday.

He’s the fifth person on DPS’s 10 most wanted sex offender list who’s been arrested this year.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office needs your help in finding a missing Bradenton man.

60-year-old Daniel August Smith was last seen by Staff at Paradise Rest Assisted Living Facility on 30th Ave East in Bradenton Florida around 5 p.m. Sunday and did not return.

He requires medication that he does not have in his possession.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Smith is about 6 feet tall, 170 pounds, and was last seen wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans. He left the facility on foot.

If you have seen Smith please call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

New Orleans Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating 44-year-old Rex Turner who was last seen February 27, 2014 in New Orleans.

Rex Turner white male 2-9-70, had been reported missing from Houston Texas.  The reporting person stated, his son was actually last observed in good health in New Orleans on February 27, 2014.  Rex Turner was supposed to open a business in Monroe Louisiana, but instead came to New Orleans.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Rex Turner has not been seen or heard from since.

Rex Turner white male 2-9-1970 is described as being 6’2″ and weighs 230 pounds.  He has brown hair and blue eyes. He also has a scar on his head and may be wearing glasses.

Anyone whereabouts of Rex Turner is asked to call the Police at 504-821-2222.

Police are investigating after they found man with critical injuries while responding to a report of a shooting in Minneapolis late Saturday night.

Police say they were called to the 1800 block of Hillside Avenue around 11:40 p.m. When the arrived, authorities say they found a man lying injured in the entryway of a home.

The victim was taken to North Memorial Medical Center, where he died from his injuries Sunday morning, according to a police news release.

http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner is expected to release the victim’s identity and cause of death.

Anyone with information is asked to send a text to 847-411 (tip 411), enter MPD and the tip, or call the tipline at 612-692-8477. All texts are anonymous.