This is a story some of you might find interesting.
In the eighties, before accurate DNA, CSI and cadaver dogs were common, our best friend went "missing." Immediately about 10 of us stopped our lives and began to work full time to find the victim. After a couple of weeks we understood and accepted the crime and identified the Perp. After about 3 months we knew where to find the evidence LE needed to prosecute. We told the Sheriffs Office, they got a warrant, and took about 25 high school Boy Scouts to the isolated vacation property to search. Unfortunately, even though the witness informed everyone that the Perp was digging and burying, they did not dig. No evidence, no second warrant, no case.
The next weekend, despite the rain, six of us put on our grubbies picked up our shovels, leashed the bloodhound and trespassed on the property. We went through 4 locked gates to reach an isolated cabin. The hound was a gifted tracker, but young and untrained so we let her nose around and as soon as she would begin digging we would move her and one of us would continue. We found the evidence.
One of us called the Sheriffs Office and we waited a tense hour; we were unarmed and we knew the Perp had a gun. We relaxed when the officer arrived until he admitted that he was on call and did not have his weapon. It was a quiet, frightening, sad 3 hours until the crime lab got there. The DA had his evidence, the Perp was found guilty and is still in prison.
My heart is with Michelle's family and friends. I would do it again; but this time I would check with a lawyer before going and make sure we were armed.