The search for Somer's killer
Updated: Friday, 18 Dec 2009, 11:24 PM EST
Published : Friday, 18 Dec 2009, 11:24 PM EST
<snipped>
Saturday marks two months since the disappearance and murder of a Jacksonville-area girl. Police still have no suspects in the killing of Somer Thompson.
The second grader disappeared from Clay County October 19. Her body was later found in a Georgia landfill. Since then, investigators have received more than 4,000 tips and have continued to call the case "hot."
Community donations have come in to raise money for a reward fund to find Somer's Killer. That fund is up to more than $64,000.
Article:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/crime/121809the-search-for-somer's-killer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Update: Orange Park Girl's Abduction Claim
December 22, 2009 11:22 AM
<snipped>
Over a month ago we told you about a girl's claim that someone tried to abduct her in Orange Park not far from where Somer Thompson was last seen alive.
We've been pushing for more answers and today, were told by police that the girl's claims were unfounded.
Detectives spoke with the guy who was considered suspicious, and say he had a good reason to be there.
A spokesperson for the Clay County Sheriff's Department says she understands the heightened fear of parents in the area, which is why they spent the last month investigating the girl's claim.
Article:
http://wokv.com/localnews/2009/12/update-orange-park-girls-abduc.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About 4,500 Tips Received In Somer Case
'Team Somer,' Sheriff's Office Still Awaiting Lab Results In Search For Killer
POSTED: Monday, January 4, 2010
UPDATED: 4:59 pm EST January 4, 2010
<snipped>
Deputies said many of the tips they've received are still being investigated by a unit called "Team Somer."
The sheriff's office said it is still awaiting lab results from what it calls a "large quantity of evidence" that it still hopes will lead investigators to the killer.
The sheriff's office said the investigation is in a stage that can be described as "focused and streamlined."
Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/22122212/detail.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parents Frustrated Somer Thompson's Killer Hasn't Been Caught
Created: 1/4/2010 5:18:01 PM
Updated: 1/4/2010 6:04:50 PM
<snipped>
Life has moved on in Somer Thompson's neighborhood, but some things have changed.
Purple ribbons still hang on Somer's school, and Crime Stoppers signs, asking for new information, are everywhere. Somer's memorial, still in front of her Orange Park home, is smaller but the neighborhood has not forgotten the hunt for justice.
The Bellos have a few new rules and the kids said that's just fine with them. "I'm scared if I'm out front by myself, they might grab us," said 8-year-old Grace Bello, Cole's sister.
Grace and Cole's dad, Aaron Bello, said if his kids are outside, he is with them.
"I know the longer it goes on, the less likely we are gonna find out who did it," said Bello.
Police said they haven't lost hope. The case is far from being cold and detectives are still focused on finding Somer's killer.
Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=150290&catid=3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4,474 leads in Somer Thompson investigation
Updated: Monday, 04 Jan 2010, 3:36 PM EST
Published : Monday, 04 Jan 2010, 3:36 PM EST
<snipped>
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said Monday they have received 4,474 leads in the abduction and murder of Somer Thompson.
In a written release the sheriff's office says a large quantity of evidence remains and investigators are still waiting on test results to come back and are hopeful the results will point them in the right direction to find Somer's killer. They also say the time it is taking to get the results is not uncommon due to the amount of evidence submitted to the lab and the type of testing being conducted.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says the investigative team, known as "Team Somer", is staying in communication with Somer's mother, Diena Thompson and her family, keeping them up to date on the work being done.
Agents from the FBI, FDLE, U.S. Marshal Service, and NCIS are continuing to help in the investigation with agents assigned to the team.
Article:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/northeast_florida/010410-somer-investigation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somer Thompson case update from the Clay Sheriff's Office
Story updated at 9:46 AM on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010
<snipped>
Here is the Sheriff's Office statement, issued by spokeswoman Mary Justino:
"The latest leads/tips total is 4,474. A small portion of these remain open/active and are still being worked aggressively by the investigative team, or as we call it "Team Somer." There is a large quantity of evidence that remains at the lab and we are still waiting on test results to come back from these scientists.
"In regards to this evidence, we remain hopeful that results will point us in the right direction in regards to Somer's killer. A wait of this length is not completely uncommon due to the amount of evidence submitted to the lab and the type of testing being conducted.
"This investigation may now be described as focused and streamlined. Even with the paring down of calls/emails to our team regarding the case, there is still plenty for the detectives to work on while we wait for the lab to do its painstaking work.
"The supervisors on this case are also staying in communication with Diena Thompson and her family, keeping her up to date on the work being done.
"As with any case, we remain committed to not releasing any details about the case that would hamper our efforts to arrest the person responsible. We appreciate everyone's understanding and patience."
Article:
http://jacksonville.com/community/m...son_case_update_from_the_clay_sheriffs_office
:angel: