Police have named Capone as a person of interest in the case, but no charges have been filed in connection with Anderson's disappearance. Officials said he hasn't been talking to the Rachael Anderson Missing Person Task Force since his attorneys got involved.
Several members of the task force gathered in Colton Friday morning to begin the latest search for the missing woman. Nichols divided the group into four teams and handed out notebooks with color-coded maps and a list of questions to ask residents in the area, along with photos of Anderson and vehicle descriptions.
"The reason we're searching here is we had a witness who saw a white SUV come out of this area about 4 a.m. on April 17 and turn on to Highway 195," Nichols said. "The witness was going to work and noticed the white vehicle because it didn't stop at a stop sign."
Nichols knocked on the doors of farmhouses, and asked occupants if they saw anything suspicious or unusual around the time of Anderson's disappearance. She asked if they noticed any fresh digging, tire tracks or burn marks. She inquired about abandoned silos, root cellars, ponds or old garbage dumps in the area.
The caravan of unmarked vehicles left a trail of dust participants included four special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detective James Fry of the Moscow Police Department, Detective Tim Besst of the Latah County Sheriff's Office and two cadaver dogs and their handlers, Ronda Bowser and Doug Huffman of the Clearwater County Sheriff's Search and Rescue dog team.
Word of the search spread quickly among neighbors in the bucolic setting. "Everyone knows we're here," said Darrell Bone, an ATF special agent. "We're rolling up to houses and people are saying, 'I was wondering when you'd get here.' "
After receiving a command, the cadaver dogs jumped out of a pickup truck and headed to a well at the first stop. Pandora and Kanobi didn't show any indication there was a body in the area, which turned out to be a time-saver for the searchers. Lifting the heavy lid off the well would've required pry bars and lots of manpower. A nearby pond also came up empty.
But the ATF agents are confident Anderson will be found and the case will be solved.
Nichols is also optimistic about finding the Clarkston woman. After hiking through a field to a cistern, the energetic detective was eager to check out another tip from the property owners. There's an old well up the road that could yield some clues.
At the site, the dogs were released, but no scent was found. Phil Druffel, a 73-year-old farmer, stopped by to offer some suggestions. A lifelong resident of the area, he spoke of an old slaughterhouse, a barn and other places that may be of interest. "You're in my prayers," Druffel said as the search continued.
The dogs got back to work at an algae-covered pond with easy access from a main road. "This would be a great place to conceal a body," said Nichols as she walked around the murky green water ringed with neck-high cattails.
No body or clues were found at the site, but the searchers got another tip from one of the other teams in the area. The caravan headed to the last stop of the day, an old farmhouse at the end of a dirt road filled with ruts. Surrounded by apple trees, the setting is remote and eerie, even in daylight. The cadaver dogs circled the premises, but didn't get any hits.
Nichols was not discouraged. "I really appreciate the fact Sheriff (Ken) Bancroft allows me to dedicate time to this case. I feel good about today's search. We got the information out and it will keep this case in people's minds when they're out working in these fields."
"I don't think people realize it's really hard to hide a body," added Todd Smith, an ATF agent. "They don't stay hidden forever."
Anyone who has information or tips to offer can call Nichols or Capt. Dan Hally of the Asotin County Sheriff's Office at (509) 758-2331.
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