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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:08:36 GMT -5
08/29/2003 It's been 12 long months of worry and unanswered questions for the family and friends of Audrey May Herron, who has been missing since she left work in Jefferson Heights a year ago today. The 32-year-old nurse was last seen on Aug. 29, 2002, by her coworkers at the Columbia-Greene Long Term Health Care Center. Friends said Herron walked out to her 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee at about 11 p.m., wearing dark green medical scrubs and a blue turtleneck, and told her coworkers she would see them at work later in the week. It's about a 30-minute drive from Jefferson Heights to her home in Freehold, where she lived with her husband and three children. She never arrived. "There are absolutely no clues, no leads, no nothing," said Marie Parker, a longtime friend of Herron's. "She virtually vanished off the face of the earth. I can't for the life of me figure out what happened." Senior Investigator David Darling with the state police at Catskill said police have not found anything to indicate what happened to Herron. "We don't have any concrete leads at this time, but we are still working the case," he said. He said police continue to check forensic evidence as it becomes available and follow up on tips and leads. "I think what happens is we check every lead that comes across our desk," Darling said. "It's a high-profile case in our community, and everyone who works here is concerned about it." Parker, who maintains a Web site devoted to keeping Herron's story alive, said she and family members have conducted fund-raisers, held events, put up fliers and billboards and even contacted psychics to try to find Herron and get her story out to the public. They have also spoken to psychic Sylvia Brown on the Montel Williams show, an episode that is expected to air in September or October. Parker said she hopes the show will get Herron's story out to more people. At 8 p.m. this evening, friends and family plan a candlelight vigil at Columbia-Greene Long Term Health Care Center. "I'd give anything to hear her on the answering machine right now," Parker said. But Parker also said it's possible too much time has passed and that anything friends and family hear about Herron won't be good. "I'm pretty sure she's passed on," Parker said. "But she should be here." Ray Turk, Herron's father, said he, too, has been trying to stay involved and keep his daughter's story alive. "I hope and pray somebody comes up with something," he said. "She's a beautiful woman and everybody misses her." Herron's mother, Shirley Olmstead, said the year has gone by more slowly than usual. "I would give anything to know something, to know where she is, what happened," Olmstead said. "The days are tough, every day is tough. There isn't a day that goes by that you don't think of her 50 times." Olmstead said her daughter loved her children and was the type of woman who would always find a way to bring people up when they were feeling down. Corrina Gardner, who has known Herron since high school, described her as a loving mother, caring wife and good friend. She was always there when you needed her and was full of spunk and energy, Gardner said. By all accounts, Herron would never have voluntarily left her young children, Sonsia Rae, 10, Katie Lynn, 4 and Quinn Andrew, 2. "The most important thing in her life was her kids," Gardner said. "Don't believe she just would have left. I don't believe she would have just left her kids like this." "It's just unbelievable," said Herron's stepmother, Jeanne Turk. "Audrey's such a sweet, good hearted, just a great person." Mrs. Turk said she can't understand how something like this could happen. "Our hearts are just broken," she said. "Our priority is finding out what happened to Audrey. It's probably not going to be real easy when we do find out, because it's just been too long. We all fear the worst." Herron's husband, Jeff, could not be reached for comment. Following Audrey Herron's disappearance, state police and volunteers conducted ground searches retracing the routes she may have taken, and approximately 120 miles of roadways and trails. In early December, police used helicopters to retrace the routes Herron would have taken home. The helicopters were used to search areas that could not be reached previously due to the foliage. But nothing was found. Darling said that while police are at a loss as to where to search next, work continues on the case. "We put a lot of effort into the case in the last year, and we will continue to do that," he said. Herron is described as white, 5 feet tall and weighing 105 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She was driving a black Jeep with New York license plate X23-3UV when she left work. Anyone with information is asked to call state police at Catskill at (518) 622-8600. The Web site Parker maintains can be found at audreymayherron.expage.com."If it had been one of us, Audrey would have been out there looking for us," Mrs. Turk said. by Mystic Snow Angel |
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:10:18 GMT -5
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:11:40 GMT -5
/19/2003 Family pursuing leads from intuitive
For the last several weeks some of Audrey's immediate family has been investigating information they are receiving from an intuitive.
As the police still have Audrey's case open they need a viable lead to investigate anything so in order to do so you need to investigate. So the family has took it upon them selves to follow all information given to them by her. Nothing has turned up as of yet but the intuitive as well as some of the family members feel that if we continue with this we can start to come up with some clues or leads to get the police to investigate further.
The family took a route given to them last week by the intuitive and will be returning to that route soon to further investigate as the intuitive feels strongly that we are going in the right direction!!!!! This area we are searching is similar to other intuitives and psychics visions, sites and flashes. They all have some similarities to them but also some differences. But we feel the need to search all that is given to us to make sure no stone is left unturned in the efforts in finding out what may have happened to Audrey on the night of August 29,2002.
The family hopes that the outcome that the intuitive sees is not the case, but can't ignore these strong feelings she has. She has asked us not to give up hope as she sees if we continue our efforts we will have closure to this tragedy.. We will not leave any stone unturned regardless what seen as the consequences, as we do need to know where Audrey is. We will have further updates on how this investigation is going as they turn up. The police have been in contact with this intuitive but as we said earlier they need a viable lead to investigate. So we as the family of Audrey will search with the help of this intuitive to try and get these viable leads that the police need to further investigate. The family in no means believes that Audrey is not with us we just cant let any clue or lead good or bad be left unchecked!!! We need to rule out all possibilities!!! Also we want to personally and publicly thank our intuitive as she is helping us out of the kindness of her heart and feels she can help us bring Audrey home. We stay in close contact with her, and will continue to do
so until we bring Audrey home.
We will have further information to give you in upcoming days. So keep checking for updates!!
Thank You,
The family of Audrey May Herron
-by Mystic snow Angel
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:12:34 GMT -5
7/21/2003 Ribbons for Audrey
In honor of Audrey her mother Shirley has hung a lavender bow with a wooden heart and Audrey's name on it in front of her house to honor Audrey and in hopes of her safe return!! One will be placed in front of Sonsia's father's house. (Sonsia is Audrey's oldest daughter.) One will also be placed in front of her brother's recently purchased home!! They will also be putting lavender ribbons on the antenna's of their cars!!
Please tie a ribbon or bow on a tree or your antenna and show Audrey's mother and family your support!!!!
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:13:18 GMT -5
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:14:10 GMT -5
10-4-2003 Audrey Turns 34
Audrey May Herron turns 33 years old on Oct 4th.
Audrey May Herron's birthday is on Saturday October 4th. She turns 33 this year. The family would like you all to send Audrey your best birthday wishes and messages to the message board.
Happy 33rd Birthday to you Audrey... wherever you are.
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:14:57 GMT -5
Times UnionSection: CAPITAL REGION Page: B1 Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2003
MISSING NURSE CASE YIELDING NO LEADS
Catskill Police say husband of Audrey May Herron isn't cooperating fully with investigators
CAROL DeMARE Staff writer
Authorities want to further question the husband of a nurse who disappeared more than six months ago, but he's not cooperating, officials said Tuesday.
State Police in Catskill said they are out of leads in the search for Audrey May Herron, 32, who left her nursing home job Aug. 29, and never made it home.
Attention is focused on Jeff Herron, 33, who has refused to take a second polygraph test after an initial one, taken within a day or two of his wife's disappearance, raised questions, police said.
``He has been cooperative up to the point that he wanted to be cooperative,'' Capt. Wayne Olson said at a morning news conference to announce a reward for any information. ``We don't think he's been totally cooperative. There are other questions we'd like to ask and we want to clear up issues from the first polygraph.''
On the advice of his lawyer, Ralph Lewis of Catskill, Herron declined to take a second polygraph, Olson said.
Olson said he wouldn't ``classify (Herron) as a suspect,'' but finds him ``an interesting study for us. Certainly, we would like him to take that second polygraph.''
The husband calls two or three times a week ``looking for new information,'' Investigator Bill Fitzmaurice said. ``But anything of an interview nature, we have to talk to his attorney.''
Contacted at home later in the day, Herron said he doesn't know why police would say he's uncooperative.
``I've cooperated with them fully,'' he said. If police have more questions, ``they know where I am.''
``I already took a polygraph,'' he said. Police have taken ``more extreme measures with a forensic team going all through the house and outside.'' His property was searched three times, he said.
``They have used every means they have at their disposal to rule me out, that's what it seems to me,'' said Herron, who works at a golf course owned by his parents.
When told police can't question him without talking to his lawyer, Herron said, ``that must be an understanding they have from my lawyer. That would make sense why they don't bring anything up then.''
Herron, who has participated in candlelight vigils for his wife, said he wanted to be at the news conference. But when he called police he was told it was going to be ``real quick'' and there was no need for him to be there.
The Herrons have two children, Katie, 4, and Quinn, 2. Audrey Herron also has a 10-year-old daughter, Sonsia Rae Court. A licensed practical nurse, Herron vanished after finishing her shift at 11 p.m. at the Columbia-Greene Long Term Health Care Facility in Catskill. She said goodbye to co-workers and drove off in a 1994 black Jeep Grand Cherokee, heading for home in Freehold, Greene County, about 12 miles away.
Searches by police and civilians have turned up nothing. Police have treated the case as a homicide since the inception, and special teams have searched by air, on the ground and in the Hudson River, said Olson, who heads the Troop F Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
``Everyone wants to find this young woman and we want to find her in good health,'' he said.
A $15,000 reward was announced by Marie Parker, a good friend and former classmate of Herron. Parker, 33, of Selkirk, and another friend, Corrina Gardner, 34, of Greenville, raised about $13,000. Parker got an additional $5,000 from the Carole Sund/Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation, in memory of three women sightseers who were murdered near Yosemite National Park in 1999.
About $3,000 will be used for a billboard on 9W just outside the village of Catskill and at five bus shelters in the Capital Region.
``Someone, somewhere saw something that night,'' Parker said. ``She did not leave her kids. She did not leave her family ... She's out there waiting for us to find her.''
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:16:14 GMT -5
Times UnionSection: CAPITAL REGION Page: B3 Date: Thursday, February 27, 2003
This weekend will mark five years since Suzy Lyall, a 19-year-old UAlbany sophomore, stepped off a bus to walk to her dorm and disappeared. The weekend also marks six months since Audrey May Herron, a 32-year-old nurse and mother of three, vanished in her Jeep Grand Cherokee after leaving work at a Catskill nursing home.
Lyall, a computer science major, presumably got off a CDTA bus at about 9:45 p.m. on Monday, March 2, 1998, on the uptown campus at Collins Circle. She was last seen heading toward her Colonial Quad dorm after work at a computer store at Crossgates Mall.
Herron said goodbye to co-workers and drove out of the Columbia-Greene Long Term Health Care Facility at 11 p.m. on Aug. 29, a Thursday. Family and friends will hold a candlelight vigil Saturday at 6 p.m. at the facility.
Lyall and Herron remain open missing person cases and are featured on the State Police Web site. In many disappearances, police suspect foul play.
After Lyall had been gone a year, Jim Horton, then a State Police senior investigator, said her case was being treated as ``the worst-case scenario -- a homicide.''
Still, Doug and Mary Lyall hold out hope. ``We have heard stories of people who have been gone five years and show up,'' Mary Lyall said Wednesday. ``That's why the center is called the Center for HOPE (Healing Our Painful Emotions),'' referring to a nonprofit organization the Lyalls founded in 1999 near their home in Ballston Spa.
``Basically, it was to help us get through what we were going through, (and) we started to meet other people who had missing family members and no place to go to get some sort of support, she said.''
This weekend will be tough for the Lyalls. ``It's also hard for me because March 1 is my birthday and that was the last time I spoke to Suzy, it was on my birthday ... really difficult,'' she said.
In the Herron case, close friend Marie Parker of Selkirk has been helping to raise money for a reward. A silent auction and car wash brought in $5,928 and with donations to the National Bank of Coxsackie in Ravena, the total is $12,430. Early on, a $25,000 reward was offered in the Lyall case.
Parker hopes to get national media attention for Herron, like the kind given Laci Peterson, 27, of Modesto, Calif. There's a $500,000 reward in that case.
``I know it was Christmas Eve and she was pregnant,'' Parker said. ``But, I've been looking at all the missing people, and it's disgusting to see that one is more important than the other. I think that all should have the same backing.''
Mary Lyall suggested, ``What captures the media is sensationalism. With Chandra Levy, she was tied up with a congressman, so that's pretty sensational stuff ... Laci was eight months pregnant, so you not only lose the mother but the child, and there's the husband who is not being very cooperative.''
On the first anniversary of Suzy's disappearance, the Lyalls went on the Today show. They have become skilled in getting publicity.
``Suzanne went missing ... and within a few months we were (lobbying) the legislature to pass a law that campus police have to make other agencies aware of a missing student,'' she said. The Campus Safety Act became law in 2000.
Doggedly pursuing justice It could be coincidental that the last two assistant DAs to prosecute dog cruelty cases happen to be dog lovers, and owners, themselves. Then again, maybe not.
This week, Assistant DA Eric Galarneau saw an Albany man he convicted get 10 months in jail for letting his old, crippled German shepherd die in freezing temperatures last winter.
About eight years ago, when ``Eric The Red,'' as he's known around the courthouse, was a law student, a pregnant purebred Shetland collie followed him home in a snowstorm. Galarneau was driving slowly and the dog kept up. Named Belle, the dog had six puppies.
``And, that's how he got her,'' said Assistant DA Shannon Geraty. She convicted a city man in 2001 for shooting to death a neighbor's golden retriever. He got 60 days. Geraty now owns a golden retriever pup named Max. ``I've always loved golden retrievers,'' she said.
Coincidentally, Geraty was assisted at the trial by then-Chief Assistant DA Will Carter, who has a shar-pei and lab mix. He is now a judge and sentenced the defendant in the frozen dog case.
Senior seminar Brian Butler of the Consumer Fraud unit of the Attorney General's Office will host free seminars for seniors today from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Harbor on Emma Lane, a Clifton Park senior living community, and next Thursday at the same time at the Crossings on Church Street in Saratoga Springs.
``Seniors tend to be the targets of scams,'' said Butler, who has 24 years experience. ``It is important for them to be armed with the facts. They then can help keep themselves and others from becoming victims'' and know who to call to report the scam. Butler will explain warning signs and prevention tips regarding telemarketing scams, along with credit card protection and identity theft.
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:16:47 GMT -5
Times UnionSection: CAPITAL REGION Page: B5 Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2003
REWARD FUND BEGUN IN NURSE CASE
Friends hope to generate leads into disappearance of Audrey May Herron
CAROL DeMARE Staff writer
CATSKILL -- Friends of a nurse who has been missing for nearly five months have started a reward fund in hopes of sparking leads into her disappearance.
Audrey May Herron, 32, vanished after finishing her shift at 11 p.m. Aug. 29, 2002, at the Columbia-Greene Long Term Health Care Facility in Catskill, police said. She drove off in a 1994 black Jeep Grand Cherokee, heading for home in Freehold, Greene County, about 12 miles away.
Marie Parker, 33, of Selkirk, a close friend of Herron since school days in Greenville, joined with other friends in establishing the fund after seeking advice from the State Police.
By Monday, about $300 had been raised, Parker said. People had wanted to donate but there wasn't a fund, she said.
State Police and friends have scoured highways and back roads but there has been no sign of the mother of three or her Jeep. Police divers searched the Hudson River shore along boat launches and used helicopters to look for the vehicle.
Parker has gone over ``any possible route (Herron) might have taken,'' she said. Investigators viewed videos from cameras at gas stations and stores along the routes and found nothing, she said.
``I think somebody saw something,'' Parker said, and hopes the fund will help. ``I believe if we keep her face out there...''
Donations may be sent to the Audrey May Herron Reward Donation Fund, National Bank of Coxsackie, Faith Plaza, Route 9W, Box 297, Ravena, NY 12143-0297.
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:17:20 GMT -5
Times UnionSection: CAPITAL REGION Page: B3 Date: Saturday, November 30, 2002
MORE AIR SEARCHES PLANNED FOR MISSING NURSE
CAROL DeMARE Staff writer
Albany Friday marked three months since the disappearance of a nurse from a Catskill health care facility, and State Police prepared to conduct more aerial searches.
``There are no leaves on the trees, and we can see,'' Lt. Kevin Costello of the Troop F Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Middletown said Friday.
Police are hoping the 1994 black Jeep Grand Cherokee that Audrey May Herron was driving when she disappeared after leaving work Aug. 29 might now be more visible.
State Police helicopters have conducted multiple aerial searches since the 32-year-old mother of three vanished, but next week's will be the first with improved visibility, Costello said.
Herron was last seen by co-workers driving out of the Columbia-Greene Long Term Health Care Facility in Catskill after finishing her shift at 11 p.m., police said. She was wearing green scrubs and a blue turtleneck top.
Initially, investigators chased down a host of leads that came in daily. The leads have since slowed, but police haven't given up the search, Costello said.
State Police divers have scoured the Hudson River shore along boat launches, as well as other bodies of water, targeting any locations accessible to a vehicle, State Police Senior Investigator David Darling said in late September.
Police have concentrated on trying to find the Jeep, which they've said should be easier to locate and could contain clues as to the woman's whereabouts. The vehicle has New York license plates X23 3UV.
``The Jeep is something we're looking for hard,'' Darling had said.
Police have declined to speculate on what might have happened to the Greene County resident, who lives on County Route 67 in Freehold. Family members told police there didn't appear to be trouble in her life.
Herron is 5 feet tall, weighs 105 pounds and has brown hair and hazel eyes. She turned 32 on Oct. 3 and worked as a licensed practical nurse on a per-diem basis.
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:17:52 GMT -5
Times UnionSection: CAPITAL REGION Page: B5 Date: Saturday, September 21, 2002
DIVERS CONTINUE HUNT FOR MISSING WOMAN
Police haven't found Jeep or part-time nurse in ongoing investigation
CAROL DeMARE Staff writer
CATSKILL -- State Police divers searched the Hudson River and other bodies of water as investigators continue to chase down leads in the case of a nurse who vanished more than three weeks ago, a police official said Friday.
Audrey May Herron, 31, who worked part time at the Columbia-Greene Long Term Health Care Facility in Catskill, was last seen by co-workers on Aug. 29 as she drove out of the facility in her black 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee after finishing her shift at 11 p.m.
``We're still working on it,'' Senior Investigator David Darling said. ``We don't have a lot of information on it. We're working every lead. People come in and they say they saw a Jeep, and we work it right away. The investigation is ongoing. We have people dedicated to this case.''
Darling, a supervisor in the Catskill State Police substation, said that within the past week divers searched the Hudson River shoreline along all the boat launches and ``anyplace accessible that you can get a vehicle to.''
Divers were looking for both the vehicle and the woman, a mother of three who was wearing dark green scrubs and a blue turtleneck top.
``Obviously, the Jeep is probably easier to find,'' Darling said. Police have conducted an extensive search for the Jeep. ``We're also looking for her, too,'' he said.
``The fact that she's missing with her Jeep, it's something that we can hang our hat on,'' Darling said. ``The fact that she was last seen driving her Jeep, the Jeep is something we are looking for hard.'' The vehicle has New York license plates X23 3UV.
He declined to speculate on what might have happened to the Greene County resident who lives on County Route 67 in Freehold. Family members told police there didn't appear to be trouble in her life.
Herron is 5 feet tall, weighs 105 pounds and has brown hair and hazel eyes. She will be 32 on Oct. 3 and worked as a licensed practical nurse at the facility on a per diem basis.
``Right now, we are investigating a missing person, and that's the mode we're in,'' Darling said.
Anyone with information on Herron's whereabouts is asked to call State Police at 622-8600.
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:19:16 GMT -5
Times UnionSection: CAPITAL REGION Page: B3 Date: Tuesday, September 3, 2002 DOZENS SCOUR AREA FOR NURSE Freehold woman, 31, disappeared after leaving work Thursday BRENDAN LYONS Staff writer CATSKILL -- Dozens of searchers scoured woodlands and fields in southern Greene County Monday as State Police continued to look for a 31-year-old nurse who vanished after leaving work Thursday night. Audrey May Herron, a Freehold resident and part-time nurse at the Columbia-Greene Long Term Care Facility in Catskill, was last seen by co-workers as she climbed into her 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee after finishing her shift at 11 p.m. that day. Herron, who is married with children, is 5 feet tall, 105 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She was wearing dark green medical scrubs and a blue turtleneck when she disappeared, police said. Family members told police that she had not given any indications of trouble in her life or talked about leaving. Police have labeled Herron's disappearance suspicious. Herron's black Jeep has New York license plates X233UV, police said. On Monday, police expanded their search along possible routes that Herron may have taken from her job toward her home on Route 67 in Freehold. Searchers, including volunteer firefighters and forest rangers, walked the routes and checked large tracts of land adjacent to those routes. Anyone with information about Herron's whereabouts is asked to call State Police at 622-8600. A Web site with Herron's picture and more information has been set up by State Police at: www.troopers.state.ny.us-/ /WntdMiss/Poster/Missing/herron.html |
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:21:18 GMT -5
Have any of uou regulars posted in Audrey's guest book recently?
--posted by Guest - Just Wondering
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:22:44 GMT -5
If you are talking about any of us like Hunter or I posting in Audrey's guest book on her website, no I don't think so, I know that I haven't but I can't speak for Hunt. I will let him know that someone has asked, and he can post here on that.
Are you a family member?
--posted by Mystic
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Post by The Tracker on May 22, 2006 13:25:57 GMT -5
This may sound wrong, but as a matter of habit I do not sign on any guest books, prefering to keep a professional type distance as far as the public is concerned.
Emotionally I get very wrapped up in any case I become involved with, like this case of Audrey. Especially when children are involved.
Therefore, I need this distance to be able to function in a hopefully helpful manner. But as I have told a couple people that are directly involved I am at a stand still until I can get on site. An event that has been delayed due to personal and business concerns.
I am personally relocating to PA and setting this endeavor up as a nonprofit entity with Mystic. Immediately after this is done we will make an on site appearance to further check out possibilities that have occurred to us.
To all of Audrey's family and friends, I wish you to know that we are stiil praying for an end to this tragedy. And any help we may give before getting there will depend on clues or such information of a new nature someone may come up with or give to us.
We will never give up, until she is found.
-- posted by huntone (the Tracker, here)
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