MISSING: Kristi Cornwell

UPDATE: Georgia Bureau of Investigatons confirms remains found over the weekend are the remains of missing mother, Kristi Cornwell.  A press conference is scheduled today at 2 p.m. – Stay tuned… 

Hard to believe it’s been more than one year Kristi Cornwell was abducted in Georgia. Kristi’s mom, Jo Ann Cornwell, told me over the phone recently, “I am not giving up hope, I have not been given any reason to believe she is not alive… it hurts my heart.”

The last anyone heard from Kristi was one year ago today when she was exercising in Blairsville. Investigators say around 9:00 p.m. Kristi was on the phone with her boyfriend, who was in Atlanta at the time, when a car approached her. There was a struggle, and she was never seen again. A reward of $50,000 is offered for information leading to the safe return of Kristi, or the arrest/conviction of the person responsible for her disappearance.

Kristi’s family is extremely proactive in this case. They started a website, they have frequent, sometimes daily searches of the area where she went missing, and they even auctioned off the family’s lake house property over the weekend to raise money to help find this missing mother. More than 80,000 post cards have been purchased and distributed with Kristi’s face on them. “Somebody out there has got to know something, or someone has seen something and doesn’t think it’s important yet,” said Jo Ann.

Kristi left behind a 16-year-old son who Jo Ann says is trying to move forward with his life. She said he is in school, is an active member of the band and had a local job at his father’s convenience store over the summer “I try to spend time with him, and I feel he is reaching out through me to his mother,” says Jo Ann.

Over the last year, investigators say an anonymous grandmother wrote a letter into the Cherokee County Sheriff’s department and said her grandson was working in the area at the time Kristi was hit and abducted. That letter and the envelope it was sent in is being released for the first time today (see below). The Cherokee County Sheriff’s office in a statement said, “Evidence has been obtained which lead investigators to believe that between August 1st and August 25, 2009 he described person was in the Western North Carolina area working for a relative, specifically his grandmother, and that he was doing some handy man work. The person was believed to have been driving a white Nissan Xterra with a brush guard and would have been bearing a Florida tag.” Kristi’s family is begging that grandmother to come forward today with more information to help solve Kristi’s case.

Possible suspect & SUV

Investigators say Kristi’s case could be tied to an attempted abduction that happened in Cherokee County, N.C. just a few days before her alleged abduction. Thankfully, that woman was able to escape. Authorities say they are looking for a white male, in his mid-20’s with dark hair who may be driving a silver Nissan Xterra with tinted windows and a brush guard on the front of the vehicle.

Kristi is a former probation officer who is trained to fight back in situations like this. Her family believes she is alive somewhere, and they will do whatever they can to find her. www.kristicornwell.com

Envelope (Georgia Bureau of Investigatons)

"Concerned Grandmother" Letter (Georgia Bureau of Investigations)

Dear Concerned Grandmother,

I was pleased to receive your letter in reference to your concerns about your grandson. I had hoped to hear from you as a result of our pleas for information. My name is Brian Whidby, I am a Special Agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and I am responsible for finding Kristi. I have worked towards that goal since her disappearance.

I understand from your letter that you believe that your grandson may be involved with Kristi’s disappearance. You cannot ignore the chain of coincidences surrounding your grandson’s twelve day stay with you in August 2009.

I believe you are a Godly and caring person. You made the right decision by contacting us with your letter. I now ask you to continue your journey with us and contact me. I understand that you have concerns about your family and I ask that you pray about your decision and do what is right.

I ask that you contact me and we can eliminate any doubt in your mind about your grandson. We can learn together if your suspicions are mistaken about your grandson. I pray you can understand why I must ask you to take the next step in our journey and contact me. You can call me on my cellular telephone at 706-969-5706, email me at bwhidby811@yahoo.comor write me at 79 Cobb Vantress Drive, Cleveland, GA 30528.

Sincerely,

Brian Whidby

Zahra Baker MISSING

UPDATE:  Investigators confirm they have found Zahra Baker’s remains in North Carolina.  Authorities found the bones earlier this week in an isolated location, dug beneath the earth in a large grave.  A “no fly” zone was erected above the area where investigators were searching, that zone would not allow news choppers above.  

Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins said earlier today at a press conference, “I’ve been dreading this moment [since] early on in this investigation. As investigators we are trained to follow leads, but never give up the hope the evidence may take us in the wrong direction and the outcome may be different. We have recovered enough physical evidence to believe we have found Zahra.” Chief Adkins continued to say that he and his staff are devastated.  

Zahra’s mother has arrived in the United States from Australia.  Stay tuned for updates on this case…   

BACKGROUND – 11/2/10: It is confirmed, the prosthetic leg belonging to Zahra Baker was found down a country road in North Carolina. This location is about 20 minutes from where the child used to live, and is near a home where her step-mother used to stay. Authorities confirmed they found a leg last week, and they were recently able to match the serial number to Zahra’s Austrilian medical records. Authorities continue to conduct searches at the family home and track leads, but so far, Zahra has not been found. Investigators do not believe she is alive.

Zahra’s father Adam Baker, was bonded out last week. He was arrested initially for writing bad checks. At this time, he is not considered a suspect in this case.

This story has captured national attention for a number of reasons. The Amber Alert is initially what drew the nation into this case, but Zahra’s medical conditions made many hearts break. Zahra is a bone cancer survivor, uses hearing aids and has a prosthetic leg to walk. This child has endured enough in her lifetime and to think that she may have been killed is a lot for her family, community and folks who have never met her to understand.

Zahra’s stepmother, Elisa Baker, is currently behind bars; not for Zahra’s disappearance, but for obstruction of justice in this case. Baker was indicted today for one count of felony obstruction of justice. She is being held on a $92,200 bond, and $65,000 stems from the obstruction of justice charge. Authorities say Baker admitted to writing a ransom note found inside the family home after Zahra was reported missing on October 9. Burke County Sheriff John McDevitt and his team are working to figure out exactly how long Zahra has been missing, but they have not confirmed an actual date yet. One woman who runs a furniture store in town came forward to say she saw Zahra on September 25. She may have been the only person, besides her father and step-mother to have seen her last.

Two 9-1-1 calls were released early on from the Baker residence. The first was from Elisa who reported a mulch fire in her backyard, and the second was a short time later from Zahra’s father Adam. In a calm, mild manner Adam gave information to authorities. Many have questioned the tone in his voice and a point in the tape when he chuckles about Zahra hitting puberty. He has not been arrested, nor is he considered a suspect at this time.

As this case evolves, keep checking in for updates.

Remembering Aveion Lewis

Investigators confirm the body they found at the Smith Gap Landfill in Roanoke, Virginia is in fact the body of 3-year-old Aveion Lewis.  Police told me they tracked the trash collected along the 2100 block of King Charles Avenue, and that is what led them to the discovery.  Thankfully, the trash company keeps very good records, and police were able to locate the truck in route to the landfill before it made a deposit.  The truck emptied its contents in an isolated area at the landfill, and investigators sifted through the garbage.  At this time, Roanoke police say they have not moved forward with homicide charges against Brandon Lockett, but that may change in the near future.  He is scheduled to appear in court in March.

Investigators charged Aveion’s step-father, Brandon Lockett, with improper disposal of a human body, obstruction of justice, and felony child neglect after a false report was filed that Aveion was abducted.  Police canceled an Amber Alert for the child after Lockett admitted Aveion was dead before the bogus abduction took place.  Authorities say they were able to get this information and come to this conclusion after conflicting statements were given to authorities early on.  Although police say Lockett admitted Aveion was dead before the Amber Alert was issued, investigators early on did not know exactly where the child’s body could be.

Brandon Lockett (Aveion's step-father)

Information from an unsealed search warrant I obtained from the Roanoke City Court paints a clear picture into Aveion’s life before his death.  The warrant states, “Aveion Lewis was removed from the custody of his biological mother and stepfather, Morgan and Brandon Lockett, in May 2008 due to a “failure to thrive.”  Aveion was 14-months-old, weighed less than nine pounds, and according to the documents, the parents were not complying with the medical instructions for his care.  After 45 days in foster care, Aveion doubled his weight and was doing well.  An investigation indicates Aveion recently sustained contact burns on both legs, which resulted in blistering from a home heater.  Sadly, medical attention was never sought for the burns because the parents were afraid.  They have a past history with the Department of Social Services, and as an excuse, they say Aveion has a “high threshold for pain.”

Aveion Lewis was removed from the home by authorities in May 2008 and returned in September 2009, sixteen months later.  A significant change in the Lockett’s family structure occurred in September 2009, when Aveion was returned to the home.  Investigative interviews determined that upon Aveion’s return to the home 4 months ago, the Locketts had begun toilet training.  According to the unsealed search warrant, research in child homicide has reflected that toilet training accidents are often the provocation for physical punishments, sometimes resulting in death.  Aveion Lewis was born with a medical condition which resulted in surgery to remove a portion of his intestines and thereafter he required a strict schedule of feeding and proper medication.  Failure of the parents to comply with this schedule resulted in his removal of the home.  The warrant states the Locketts have four children, including Aveion, all under the age of four, and that the family also experienced financial hardships (cable was disconnected) prior to Aveion’s disappearance.  The stepfather was unemployed at the time of Aveion’s bogus abduction and the mother was employed at a minimum wage job.  The investigation has uncovered instances of illegal drug activity by the stepfather prior to the incident, and Brandon Lockett has a prior drug conviction from Georgia as well as two arrests involving family violence in 2006 and 2007.  Aveion Lewis is 2 years of age and will be 3 years old on January 26^th.  According to a 2006 study by the Department of Health and Human Services, children younger than 4 years of age are at greatest risk of severe injury or death by their parents or caregivers.”

I spoke with Robin Haldiman, CEO of the Child Health Investment Partnership (CHIP) of Roanoke Valley.  She told me their agency was involved with Aveion and his family from an early age.  The CHIP program makes monthly visits to families to help teach them parenting skills, coordinate health care, and to make sure the child is developing appropriately for their age.  They currently have a waiting list, and are helping about 1,100 children per year.  The agency staff are mandated reporters who are required to report abuse and child neglect to Child Protective Services (CPS) if they see issues in the home.  If a report is made, CPS will conduct a separate investigation, and if it is necessary they will remove the child.  Sadly, this is exactly what the agency had to do with Aveion.  Robin says the child was taken out of his home with his mother and placed with a loving foster family in May 2008.  Robin says the court system put Aveion back with his mother, not CPS.  I spoke with a clerk at the court, and although they would not comment specifically on Aveion’s case, he did tell me that a court hearing does take place in these types of cases, and a judge makes the final decision as to where the child goes, or if the child is placed back into the home with their parents. The CHIP organization tried to go back into home to do monthly visits after Aveion was placed with his mother, but sadly Robin says they were turned away.  Aveion’s mother would not sign a consent form to enter the home again.  This is probably due to the fact that the CHIP organization filed the original complaint with Child Protective Servies about Aveion’s welfare.  The CHIP service is voluntary, not mandatory, and they work hard to ensure children are safe. Robin confirms that when Aveion was 15-months-old he was underweight, only eight pounds, and when he was placed with his foster family, he began to become healthy again.  Robin and the members of her staff who worked with Aveion from early on are heartbroken about the loss of this child, and as you can imagine, they grew close with the toddler since he was born. 

Abraham Shakespeare (lottery winner)

Police say they’ve found human remains inside the home of Dorice Donegan’s boyfriend, and now they confirm those remains are in fact missing lottery winner Abraham Shakespeare.  The body was found in Plant City, FL buried under concrete. Investigator Wood with the Polk County Sheriff’s office told me a few weeks ago they named Dorice Donegan “Dee Dee” Moore of Florida an official person of interest in this case, but she has not been charged. A tip lead them to the area of where her current boyfriend lives.  An official cause of death will be determined, and this case looks like it is shifting toward a murder investigation.

Abraham was a truck driver’s assistant who hit the $30 million jackpot in the Florida lottery in 2006.  He spend modestly, and only purchased a Nissan Altima, a $1 million home in a gated community, and a used Rolex from a pawn shop.  He often lent money to friends and strangers, but ultimately he just wanted to be happy.  Shakespeare would tell people he was on a budget, and wanted to help the poor.  Sadly, Shakespeare hasn’t been seen since April 2009.  His mother told investigators she spoke to him last in February 2009, but he wasn’t reported missing until November 2009.  I spoke with Investigator Wood from the Polk County Sheriff’s office, and she confirms they have named Dorice Donegan “DeeDee” Moore of Florida a person of interest in this case.  According to a press release, “Detectives say Moore began using Shakespeare’s cell phone in April 2009 to text Shakespeare’s relatives and friends in an effort to have them believe it was Shakespeare attempting to contact them… in addition, Moore is believed to have offered to give away a home work approximately $200,000 in exchange for making a false report to law enforcement regarding an alleged recent sighting of Shakespeare.

Dee Dee Moore (facebook photo)

Moore is a woman who claims she helped Shakespeare disappear so he could get away from money hungry people, and investigators also say she paid one of Shakespeare’s relatives $5,000.00 to hand deliver a birthday card with cash to Shakespeare’s mom.  This was an effort to make his mother think the card was from him.  Moore now lives in the house Shakespeare once owned.  Shakespeare did not contact his mother or family on Christmas, and police are fearing the worst. 

Answers are still needed… Investigators need your leads.

If you have any information, please contact Crimestoppers:  (800) 226-TIPS

MORGAN HARRINGTON MISSING

Investigators say they are confident the remains found on a Virginia farm are the remains of missing college student Morgan Harrington.  Skeletal remains were found earlier today on a farm in Charlottesville, Virginia.  According to a press release issued on the Virginia State police website, “State police were notified at 9:59 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010, by an Albemarle County resident of the discovery.  At this time, the remains and scene are being evaluated by forensic technicians.”  The location is Anchorage Farms, more than 700 acres of pasture and woods about eight miles away from Interstate 64.  

Nancy and David Bass have owned this farm for more than 30 years. I spoke with Nancy earlier today and she says the pasture is empty in the winter, but where the body was found is a place they do farming.  There is a subdivision that is close by to their land, and sometimes people trespass, hunt, and go biking on their property.  Nancy is not certain the exact place where the remains were found, and she hasn’t had a chance to speak to her husband about the body because he’s been swamped with calls.  I have a call into David, and hope to bring you more shortly.  Investigators said in a press conference David found the remains earlier today while he was on a tractor in a field.  The hayfield was cut in August, and since that time her body could have sat under rain, sleet and snow.  More than 600 tips have come in on this case, and once the medical examiner confirms what authorities believe to be true, this case may shift to a homicide investigation.  I spoke with the CUE center for Missing Persons and they had a search scheduled at the end of this month in the exact area where Morgan was found.  

As this story develops we will bring you more…

BACKGROUND:

Investigators say Morgan vanished on October 17, 2009 while attending a concert outside the John Paul Jones arena in Virginia. State police officials report Morgan was last seen by the ticket office on the University Hall side of the building. Right now, her family and friends need your help, the reward in this case is up to $150,000.  The band, Metallica, graciously added $50,000 of their own money to this reward fund.  On the weekend of November 6, 2009, The Laura Recovery center  helped to organized a three day search for Morgan, volunteers from all over assisted with this amazing effort. 

According to a Virginia State Police press release: “During the course of the investigation, police have been able to establish a timeline of Miss Harrington’s movements once she ended up outside of the arena at approximately 8:30 p.m. After talking to her friends on her cell phone, she then walked through the parking lot of University Hall and was also seen in the Lannigan Field athlete parking lot, which is also used for RV parking. At around 9:30 p.m., she was seen walking on the Copeley Road bridge near Ivy Road.”

According to Virginia State police, based off independent witness accounts, investigators believe on October 17, 2009 (the night Morgan Harrington went missing) that she was hitchhiking along Copeley Road Bridge.  Investigators are now searching for a vehicle they believe stopped in the middle of the bridge and possibly picked up Morgan.  Also, investigators need the public’s help to finding a young woman the night of the Metallica concert that may have loaned her cell phone to Morgan. 

Virginia State Police have a tip line, please call them with any information: (434) 352-3467 or send them an e-mail: bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov