Our Opinion: Hunting for evidence of missing persons

News Tribune editorial

The families and friends of missing persons are asking hunters to be observant as they traverse Missouri's fields and wooded areas this season.

In a recent "Your Opinion" letter, a leader of Missouri Missing, Marianne Asher-Chapman of Holts Summit, encouraged hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to watch for evidence of missing persons.

She wrote: "Hunters, as you head to your favorite spot, please be aware of your surroundings. Do you see anything unusual? Abandoned clothing might be covering bones, human bones.

"There are over 1,000 unsolved cases of missing children and adults in our state, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (this number changes daily). Observant people going about their outdoor activities have found clues that helped solve local cases.

"For example: Mushroom hunters found the remains of Milissa Corn in Callaway County. Brandi Mathews' remains were found by a dog walker in Miller County. In Maries County, deer hunters found the remains of Kinga Gillabrand."

Her plea was echoed by Kerry Messer, a Missouri lobbyist, quoted in an Associated Press story published in Friday's News Tribune.

Messer's wife has been missing since July 8, when she reportedly walked away from their Ste. Genevieve County farm during the night.

"Every deer season, every year," Messer said, "there's always a national news story about hunters finding somebody's remains. For every one that finds a person, there's got to be dozens that are walking past a shoe or a pair of glasses or a piece of clothing."

We can only imagine how devastating it must be to deal with the unanswered questions and unknown circumstances that surround the disappearance of a loved one.

Hunters can - and have been known to - solve those riddles and help provide answers and closure in missing persons' cases.

We join in urging outdoor enthusiasts to keep a watchful eye for evidence of missing persons.