TX TX - Deanna Merryfield, 13, Killeen, 22 July 1990 - #1

[MissieMt]

oh...my...goodness Jules!!!!! You are the greatest EVER!!! I have emailed reporters in the past but I never did it as eloquently as you. Guess you were just what we needed to get that ball rolling!

 

[Julessleuther]

Ah thanks! This is not a done deal yet though, I will be happy when it goes to publication and we get some leads!!

oh...my...goodness Jules!!!!! You are the greatest EVER!!! I have emailed reporters in the past but I never did it as eloquently as you. Guess you were just what we needed to get that ball rolling!

 

[MissieMt]

Okay, so maybe it's not a done deal but it still seems more possible than ever before....does that make sense? Sorry I was not on yesterday, it was a bit of a hectic day.

 

[elepher50]

Wow guys--maybe you do not need to email Mr. O'Brien, I just heard back from him (I am impressed, that was quick!)

Julesleuther (I changed the name to protect the innocent, LOL),

I agree wholeheartedly and definitely want to get Deanna's case back
in the news. I'm off over the weekend beginning this afternoon, but I
return Monday afternoon.
Would you please give me a call? I would like to get started on this
soon and get it out there at the latest before the anniversary.
Additionally, if you could put me in contact with her sisters, I'd
appreciate that.
I appreciate you emailing me. Reading your email I was touched
because I can relate to the background Deanna came from. So many
children face the same dangers. So many parents and relatives suffer
in the same way.
Sincerely,
Victor O'Brien
Reporter
Killeen Daily Herald


Thank you Mr. O'Brien!

JulesS you are awesome and with the age progression of Deanna coupled with a news article, some new leads just may come in and this will break wide open.

 

[Julessleuther]

Thanks, we work as a team here and everyone brings something awesome to the table! Let's find Deanna!!

 

[MissieMt]

Jules have you heard anything else from the reporter? I haven't received a phone call but I'm guessing he may be doing other things before he calls me.

 

[Julessleuther]

I have not heard anything. Maybe you should call or email him to follow up, so he knows that he has contact with a family member.

Jules have you heard anything else from the reporter? I haven't received a phone call but I'm guessing he may be doing other things before he calls me.

 

[MissieMt]

The reporter called last night. He is calling me back today!

 

[Fairy1]

The reporter called last night. He is calling me back today!

Great news!!! What happened?

 

[MissieMt]

Sorry I didn't get back here yesterday.
The reporter called to let me know we would have to reschedule. Apparently the Chief of police or a former chief of police died and he has to cover that. He said he would call me next week though. He stressed that he is very interested in doing a story and that he doesn't want me to think he is blowing this off. He was really, really nice and I thought it was very courteous of him to call me to let me know what was going on.

 

[Julessleuther]

Is he supposed to call you this week?

Sorry I didn't get back here yesterday.
The reporter called to let me know we would have to reschedule. Apparently the Chief of police or a former chief of police died and he has to cover that. He said he would call me next week though. He stressed that he is very interested in doing a story and that he doesn't want me to think he is blowing this off. He was really, really nice and I thought it was very courteous of him to call me to let me know what was going on.

 

[MissieMt]

Yes he is! So hopefully I will hear from him soon.
Other than that, I haven't really heard anything.

 

[MissieMt]

I got to talk to the reporter last night. I really wanted to post here last night but I got so tired, grrr. He's a really great guy and I'm so happy that he is doing a story!
He was also curious about the Doe's that had been submitted as possible matches. Can anyone help me get a list of those together? I think there were a few submitted that I was not aware of.

 

[elepher50]

MissieMt,

I am not sure there have been any Doe's that have been submitted as possible matches. I have in the past read all of the threads for Deanna and don't recall anything but that is awhile ago now.

JulesS will remember for sure so we will wait to see. I am so glad that word is going to get out about Deanna!

 

[Julessleuther]

(I hope you do not mind me outing you A News Junkie)

A News Junkie submitted the following Doe to Sgt D (now Lt. D?) the beginning of March.

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/81ufar.html

There is a huge WS thread on her here:
AR AR-Could you know this girl? - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

FWIW, in conversing with some of the regulars from the AR JD thread, I do not believe that this is Deanna for the following reasons:

1. The look is similar between Deanna and this JD, except for one big thing. Height. Deanna would have had to grow 8 inches in one year. Possible, but rare.

2. There is a possible east coast connection with this Doe. There would be none with Deanna (unless she was in VA--Missie, did Deanna ever visit family in VA? I know that your older sister went there for the summer.)

3. DNA. This JD has DNA in Codis, and we are under the belief that Deanna does too, so the DNA would already have been compared? Yes? No?

4. JD had police contact for several yrs prior to her death, and Deanna was missing one year and one month before JD died.

5. JD died in 1991. There is possible 1993 collect call from Deanna to sisters.

6. AR JD may have lived in Dallas. Possibly could be Deanna but no connection has been found between the Stroud family and Deanna (that I have researched.)


I wish we had dentals on Deanna. That would definitely rule out or include Deanna with this JD, as they have dentals on her.


I had thought of this JD for awhile, so quietly researched this. I then pushed it aside for about a yr and then consulted with some of the more knowledgable WS'rs about this before I presented it to the board. Every WS that I discussed this with felt that this is not Deanna. This does not prove one way or another that this is here, just offering perspective on this.

Missie--do you know if any other JD have been submitted? I think very early in the investigation there was one or two but they were discounted.

Call me stubborn. Call me obstinant. I believe in every bone of my body that Deanna is alive. We will find her and show her that she does have family who loves her.

 

[A_News_Junkie]

(I hope you do not mind me outing you A News Junkie)

A News Junkie submitted the following Doe to Sgt D (now Lt. D?) the beginning of March.

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/81ufar.html

There is a huge WS thread on her here:
AR AR-Could you know this girl? - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

FWIW, in conversing with some of the regulars from the AR JD thread, I do not believe that this is Deanna for the following reasons:

1. The look is similar between Deanna and this JD, except for one big thing. Height. Deanna would have had to grow 8 inches in one year. Possible, but rare.

2. There is a possible east coast connection with this Doe. There would be none with Deanna (unless she was in VA--Missie, did Deanna ever visit family in VA? I know that your older sister went there for the summer.)

3. DNA. This JD has DNA in Codis, and we are under the belief that Deanna does too, so the DNA would already have been compared? Yes? No?

4. JD had police contact for several yrs prior to her death, and Deanna was missing one year and one month before JD died.

5. JD died in 1991. There is possible 1993 collect call from Deanna to sisters.

6. AR JD may have lived in Dallas. Possibly could be Deanna but no connection has been found between the Stroud family and Deanna (that I have researched.)


I wish we had dentals on Deanna. That would definitely rule out or include Deanna with this JD, as they have dentals on her.


I had thought of this JD for awhile, so quietly researched this. I then pushed it aside for about a yr and then consulted with some of the more knowledgable WS'rs about this before I presented it to the board. Every WS that I discussed this with felt that this is not Deanna. This does not prove one way or another that this is here, just offering perspective on this.

Missie--do you know if any other JD have been submitted? I think very early in the investigation there was one or two but they were discounted.

Call me stubborn. Call me obstinant. I believe in every bone of my body that Deanna is alive. We will find her and show her that she does have family who loves her.

I am so outted! I must say the officer I spoke with had not looked at the possibility yet and was very grateful for the lead and was going to check the
CODIS to see if a match. I actually told him about a second one - but that one he had already ruled out.
He told me at the time he was due to call the family, so I didn't say anything as I felt it was his job to report to the family.
I also posted on topic a few times, hoping if she was there -- someone would remember something.
My hope is she is out there somewhere, but most of all whatever is the case, I know how important closure is for the family. So, I spent a fair amount of time ruling out the does from the possible time period, hoping to avoid that painful task from the family.

 

[Julessleuther]

You are awesome News Junkie, thank you for all your hard work with this. Keep looking---even though I have a feeling about Deanna, it is my own opinion, and I think we should look at any and all possibilities! I am not going to rule out anything, including Does, until we have found her.

 

[MissieMt]

Jules-there is at least one more that I know for sure was checked, but my memory is seriously faded right now so I'm trying to go through and figure out which one it was. I remember she was in the south, like N.C. or VA. or something like that and I remember she had been seen at a truck stop before they found her body.
News Junkie-please don't feel "outed" I greatly appreciate you helping! Don't be afraid to correspond with LE and submit Does. Every elimination is just one more thing to mark off of our ever-growing list of things to do.
Davis said AK Jane Doe has been checked and has been eliminated! So, we know it's not her. Thank you again News Junkie for submitting her. I really hope her family will eventually come forward and claim her.

I'm going to try to find the Doe that I already mentioned so we can link her here as already checked. Kind of OT but my day so far has not gone well, lol. My husbands "big boss" people are in town today and wouldn't ya know it, we woke up late. I just hope they didn't decide to go to the office first thing this morning. But that also means my son missed the bus, and he has to stay home even though he isn't sick (he loves it, I feel like a horrible parent when he misses school unnecessarily) And we have dinner with them tonight at a fancy shmancy restaurant. I'm really self conscious right now because my face has been swollen and I have gained weight due to being sick. But his bosses are really cool people so I am worrying for no reason really. So, if I don't get back to this today I'm really sorry. I have a lot of stuff to do today but hopefully I can fnd some down time to get this done.
Sorry, vent over

 

[Julessleuther]

Bumping!

 

[MissieMt]

Huh, wonder why her thread was moved?