Wright County authorities continue to lead the search efforts for a man reported missing from Rockford early last week.

Samuel Adam Scherna Gustafson, 26, of Rockford, was reported missing April 21 just before 8 p.m.

Foul play is not suspected in Gustafson’s disappearance, but Wright County Sheriff Joe Hagerty said it is never ruled out until circumstances are known for sure.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Gustafson was last seen April 21 around 3 a.m. at 214 Beach Drive (Rockford Riverview Estates) in Rockford. A friend of Gustafson’s and the friend’s father both saw Gustafson at that time, according to Hagerty.

Later that morning, around 9 a.m., when Gustafson’s friend woke up, Gustafson was gone, and the friend assumed Gustafson had walked home, according to Hagerty.

That evening, when Gustafson’s parents returned home, they discovered their son was not home and drove to Riverview Estates to try to find him, Hagerty said. When he wasn’t located there, Gustafson’s parents flagged down a sheriff’s deputy.

Gustafson is a white male, 6’0, 190 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair, and a beard. He may be wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and brown pants.

The sheriff’s office conducted a search of the Crow River in Rockford and the adjacent river banks Wednesday. The search did not turn up any additional information in the case.

Hagerty noted Thursday a family member of Gustafson’s located a shoe in the area that possibly was Gustafson’s.

Hennepin County has provided assistance in the form of a bloodhound tracking dog that has also searched the river area. The sheriff himself has walked the river banks a number of times.

“We’ve been up and down the river with the airboat, and we’ve checked phone records and bank accounts, jails, hospitals, and detox facilities,” Hagerty said. “We just don’t know where he is.”

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is also involved with the search activities, and Hagerty said that agency takes care of a lot of data entry.

He said Gustafson has been entered in state and national databases as a missing and endangered person. Hagerty said Gustafson received the “endangered” status due to a mental illness Gustafson’s family told authorities he has.

“We’re considering absolutely everything,” Hagerty said. “His family is distressed and upset, and rightfully so. We’re taking this extremely seriously, throwing a lot of resources at it, and just trying to find him. Our fingers are crossed for the best.”

Anyone with information regarding Gustafson should contact the sheriff’s office at (763) 682-1162.

The remains of a 13-year-old Texas cheerleader Hailey Dunn have been found more than two years after she was reported missing, an attorney for the girl’s mother says.

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Hailey’s remains were found in a remote West Texas location last month, and the Texas Department of Public Safety informed her mother, Billie Jean Dunn on Friday that the remains are her daughter’s, attorney John Young said.

“She’s trying to process the entirety of this,” Young said. “She has to process that Hailey isn’t coming home.”

Officials are expected to hold a news conference Friday afternoon.

The remains were found about 20 miles north of the girl’s hometown of Colorado City. She had been the subject of months of intensive searches in and around Colorado City and surrounding fields and landfills.

More than 100 billboards featuring her picture and information about the case have been set up along interstates in West Texas and other states.

Hailey was last seen walking to a friend’s house and was reported missing Dec. 28, 2010, when her mother discovered the girl had never arrived.

Billie Jean Dunn told officials she had gotten into a fight with her daughter the night she disappeared. She was arrested a few months later for lying to police about the whereabouts of Adkins, her live-in boyfriend.

Dunn was given a year’s probation and reportedly moved to Austin. Adkins had been named a person of interest in the case but was never charged.

Police records revealed Adkins had made troubling statements before Hailey disappeared. According to a police affidavit filed in the investigation, Adkins had remarked to a relative that hurting a teenager would be “like killing a deer.” The affidavit also noted that Dunn and Adkins had an apparent fixation on slasher movies and serial killers — something Dunn called a “hobby.”

The affidavit mentioned that in February 2010, police responded to a domestic violence call at the house. Adkins allegedly threatened to kill Billie and Hailey Dunn during a heated argument. After telling police he never issued these threats, he later allegedly confessed to police that he threatened the two. However, both Adkins and Dunn denied having any involvement in the girl’s disappearance.

Adkins told The Associated Press that he would “never ever do anything to harm Hailey.”

A Pennsylvania man known to frequent Harford County, where he works, has been missing from his home since Wednesday morning.

Thomas Augustyniak, 53, of Glen Rock, Pa., works at a business in Belcamp and visits Harford County and other parts of Maryland regularly, according to a press release from Maryland State Police.
Augustyniak is described as a white man, 6 feet, 1 inch tall and 175 pounds with green eyes and gold wire frame glasses.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Around 7 a.m. Wednesday, Augustyniak left his home for a walk. He has not been seen or heard from since. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, blue jacket and white leather sneakers.

The Southern Regional Police Department in Pennsylvania has conducted extensive searches for Augustyniak, but has not been able to find him.

There were no signs of foul play or a struggle at his residence and there is no motive for his disappearance, according to police. His family is cooperating with investigators.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the South Regional Police Department, 717-235-3944.

Police are asking for the public’s help locating a 58-year-old woman who suffers from dementia and went missing today from the Northwest Side.

Cheryl Fair was last seen about 10 a.m. leaving a medical office at 2620 W. Addison St. and went in an unknown direction. Fair suffers from dementia and diabetes, police said.

She was last seen wearing an olive green jacket, black pants and a floral top. She uses a navy cane and was carrying a navy blue bag, police said.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Fair was described as a black woman with a medium complexion. She has black hair and brown eyes and is 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 187 pounds, police said.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts should contact the Area North Special Victims Unit at 312-744-8266.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing young Charlotte man who’s believed to be in danger and in need of medical attention.

The North Carolina Center for Missing Person issued the Silver Alert mid-afternoon on Thursday for 22-year-old Devin Hoover.

Devin is described as 5-foot-0 weighing 151 pounds with blonde hair and brown eyes.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Authorities believe Devin is traveling with his father, Flay Duane Hoover, in a gray 2004 Chrysler Pacifica with NC tags “BDS3761”. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police say the Pacifica has a dent in the rear of the vehicle and a NASA sticker on the rear window.

Devin was last seen wearing navy blue pants, a white sweater with black designs and khaki shoes in the 5600 block of Burleson Drive in Charlotte Sunday evening.

Staff members at the group home in which Devin resides say he suffers from multiple cognitive issues and physical medical conditions and believe he may be in need of medical attention.

Devin is without his medication, and is in need of a structured environment, officials say.

Police say Devin was picked up by his non-custodial father around 7 p.m. last Sunday evening. Flay does have visitation rights, but did not return Devin to the group home as required.

Police believe Devin and his father may be headed to either Florida, South Carolina or Georgia.

Mecklenburg County DSS was appointed Devin’s guardian in January 2009.

At this time, CMPD says there are no outstanding criminal charges against Devin’s father, Flay.

Flay is described as mid-50s, standing 5-foot-11 with blonde hair and green eyes.

If you have any information that may help police in this case, please contact the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at (704) 336-3237

There’s a Florida resident who’s been held captive for more than six years. And, the Florida Legislature is trying to get the attention of those in Washington D.C. to do something about it.

“What I want people to know is that there is still a hostage in Iran and that’s my husband Bob Levinson,” said Christine Levinson.

Christine is talking to “AC 360’s” Anderson Cooper about her husband, a now 65-year-old man, who is a father of seven and a grandfather of two.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Robert Levinson was visiting Iran for a short time as a private investigator when he was kidnapped in March 2007. That’s about six years ago, the second longest of period time an American has been held hostage.

“He is an American who has been in captivity one of the longest in U.S. History. He has missed weddings for his kids, grandchildren that he has not yet met…”

In the last couple of years, Christine and her family have received a short video and a few photos of her husband anonymously, believed to be from the captors—though it’s uncertain when they were taken.

But, as the years go by, there has not been any progress made toward getting her husband back to the United States. Christine says attention surrounding her husband’s disappearance is waning, and one state lawmaker is hoping to do something about that.

“Anything you guys can do to bring attention to this matter, the family is really looking for help. Thank you so much,” asked Representative Jared Moskowitz.

The Democrat from Coral Springs is speaking to a group of Florida lawmakers asking for their support of a Memorial he sponsored. The Memorial (HB 1405) sends a message to President Barack Obama and Congress that state lawmakers want them to make use of all their resources to return Levinson home.

“The country of Iran has held him captive for more than six years now. He is an American who’s been in captivity one of the longest in U.S. History. He has missed weddings for his kids, grandchildren that he has not yet met. The resolution calls upon Congress, the United States, and the President to do everything they can to bring Mr. Levinson home,” said Moskowitz.

And, Michael Lattuca couldn’t agree more. The Florida State Student Senator is a friend of Doug Levinson, a son of the missing Robert Levinson. He spoke to members of the House Economic Affairs Committee earlier this month, during the Memorial’s last committee stop.

“It took them three and a half years before they even had contact with their father, and that was the first hostage video, and that was something that was extremely heart breaking to this family, as you can all imagine. And, my testimony is here in representation of this family, hoping that we can get sponsorship of this and bring it to national headlines where it deserves to be,” said Lattuca.

So far, the Memorial has received bipartisan support with most of the members in the Florida House signing on as co-sponsors.

As for Christine Levinson, the wife of the missing Robert Levinson, she says no matter what happens, she and her family do not plan on giving up.

“We just keep working to get Bob home one day at a time. Hopefully, he’ll be home as soon as possible. I would like that to happen tomorrow. It hasn’t happened yet, but I would like it to be tomorrow,” said Levinson.

Just this month, newly-appointed Secretary of State John Kerry met with Levinson’s family to assure them the federal government is still working to locate Levinson, and return him to his family.