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Group marks womans birthday
Kellisue Ackernecht last seen Sept. 30
By MICHAEL ANICH/The Leader-Herald
JOHNSTOWN - At 7:09 p.m. Tuesday - on a dark crisp night in Frog Hollow -17 people sang a spirited version of "Happy Birthday" to Kellisue Ackernecht.
But the Johnstown woman wasn't there to enjoy the celebration of her 37th year of life, and that was the point.
The group of Ackernecht's family members, friends and acquaintances, and even strangers, met for a candlelight vigil in an effort to keep her name in the spotlight. Led by four of her siblings - brothers Thomas Kilcullen, Chris Clouston, John Kilcullen and sister Beth Manchester - the group stayed for several minutes at the spot just a few yards from where the missing woman's car was found burned in the early morning of Oct. 1.
"We just want her to come home safe," Manchester said.
The vigil was the second one held in Johnstown, as family members continue to scratch their heads about the whereabouts of Kellisue. Family members also have conducted their own searches for the woman.
"We just wanted everybody to get together to show everyone that we're missing her," Thomas Kilcullen said.
Clouston arrived at the vigil a few minutes after 7 p.m., having driven 196 miles from his home in Connecticut. Her planned to get right back in his car and drive back at the conclusion of the vigil.
"I'm glad you guys came around on short notice," Clouston told the group.
John Kilcullen's fiancee - Margo Kusaw of Johnstown lit candles along the posts on the bending curve where Ackernecht's car was found.
Absent Tuesday night was Ackernecht's husband, Jayson, who shares a home three blocks away with her and their daughter at 330 W. Main St.
The Johnstown Police Department has continued to treat the baffling case of the two and one-half month disappearance as a missing-person case. Police and District Attorney Louise K. Sira say they need evidence before they can even begin to build a criminal case in her disappearance.
What has been made public is the case is that Ackernecht left her job at Rite Aid in Amsterdam just after 9:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Johnstown police said. She was reported missing by her husband in the early morning hours of Oct. 1 - about the same time the car she was driving registered to him was found engulfed in fire at West Montgomery and Chestnut streets, also known as Frog Hollow.
City fire officials have said the vehicle is too burned to gain any evidence, but haven't closed their investigation.
Police have conducted searches, including one with the assistance of a state police helicopter, over the Frog Hollow area, but they found nothing tied to this case. The city Police Department has done several foot searches with dogs and used forest rangers. Johnstown police and the St. Johnsville Dive Team also have combed the banks of the Cayadutta Creek leading to Sammonsville.
Just before 7 p.m. Tuesday, vehicles started pulling up to the bend that parallels the Rail Trail. Participants in the vigil braved a 25-degree night to let everyone know they haven't forgotten Kellisue.
"I'm here to lend support because there needs to be more support," said Kalley Lee of Fort Plain - a complete stranger to Kellisue.
She said she doesn't know Ackernecht, but decided to get involved, as she has in other missing persons cases.
Lee has put together a Web site for everyone to remember Kellisue Ackernecht in their thoughts and prayers -
www.findkellisue.wordpress.com. She said the Web site is free to her and she has the time during the day, staying at home to take care of a sick daughter.
Many of the people attending the vigil said they didn't want to criticize anyone involved in the case.
Thomas Kilcullen said he didn't think his sister was "capable" of torching the family car, no matter if she had any personal problems or not.
He also said it was unusual his sister would come up missing two weeks before own daughter's birthday.
When asked to give a message to Kellisue, many in the group simply said for her to call any family member. The group said it was sad the media - including TV stations invited - weren't keeping up with the story.
Kellisue M. Ackernecht is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. Her family says she has "short brown, naturally curly hair with red highlights."
People may call Johnstown police at 736-4021 with confidential information on the case.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at
johnstown@leaderherald.com