Huron Expositor, 2001-06-06, Page 3News
Police still seek public's help
Eight fires
remain open
cases as police
continue
investigating
From Pogo 1
to know whether or not
police would be continuing
their increased presence in
town.
Steffler commended the
police for their actions
Monday morning and their
efforts in the investigation.
"The police in the area
have done a,wonderful job
on this," she said.
While she has regularly
heard from people upset
and concerned about the
incidents, after Monday
morning's arrest, she said
she hasn't had any
telephone calls.
"That tells me people
have breathed a sigh of
relief," she said.
As fires continued to be
set, members of the
community began taking to
the streets themselves,
patrolling back alleys
where some of the fires
were set, following
suspicious people and
calling police about
anything that may have
seemed unusual.
With a traditional fire
siren still sounding on
Main Street when a fire call
comes in, crowds continued
to grow at fire scenes as
people were awakened in
the night approximately
every two weeks.
Monday's fire broke the
pattern of fires usually set
early Monday morning
every two weeks, following
the Quality Jersey fire set
last week.
A small crowd had
Scott Hilgendorff photo
Members of the Seaforth Fire Department carefully check the
pavilion at Victoria Park after being called after midnight
Monday to the 10th arson call since April 15.
gathered at Victoria Park
and vehicles lined the
neighbouring streets
Monday morning where
people watched police take
Barry away while
firefighters inspected the
park for any other fires set
in or around the building.
The pavilion was not
hadly damaged.
While police continue to
investigate, the public can
still make anonymous tips
to Crimestoppers at I -800-
222-8477.
Barry appears in court
Thursday for a hail hearing.
Murray pleased police widen search
for daughter missing since 1995
Police offering
$25,000 reward
for information
convicting
someone
of Mistie's
disappearance
and/or death
By Tim Cumming
Goderich Signal -Star Editor
The mother of missing
Goderich youth Mistie
Murray, Anne Murray, says
she's pleased to hear thf
Ontario Provincial Police
(OPP) is widening the scope
of its investigation into her
daughter's disappearance.
"I'm happy that they have
done a big turnaround with
the focus of the
investigation," she said in a
telephone interview on
Monday.
The OPP issued a press
release last Wednesday
asking for public assistance
in locating potential grave
sites in the Goderich area.
Local residents, farmers,
bicyclists. hikers, naturalists
and outdoor enthusiasts were
asked to report suspicious
sites to their nearest OPP
detachment.
The OPP also offered a
$25,000 reward "for
information leading to the
arrest and conviction of the
person(s) responsible for the
disappearance and/or death
of Mistie Murray."
The $25,000 reward had
been a recommendation of
an audit by the York
Regional Police, conducted
at the request of the Ontario
Civilian Commission on
Ideal tryout
candidate
between ages
of zo and 30
From Pogo 1
tryouts, Nesbitt encourages
players to contact them and
see if they might qualify for a
chance to skate in front of the
Mudbugs.
"There may be people out
there we haven't seen or
heard about," said Nesbitt.
Ideally, they are looking
for players between age 20 to
30 who are dedicated players
but, said if someone younger
can present a good case for
why they should tryout,
Nesbitt said they could give
someone younger a chance.
He said players in junior or
university hockey are the
ones they are focused on ,for
the tryouts.
For players lucky enough
to .catch the eye of the
Mudbugs. Nesbitt said it has
the potential of leading to an
NHL career and is an
exciting opportunity for the
area.
Police Services after Anne
Murray had made a formal
complaint about the OPP's
handling of her daughter's
disappearance.
The audit, the
organization's first in
reaction to a civilian
complaint, criticized the
original investigationinto
Mistie's disappearance. That
investigation was followed
by murder charges against
Mistie's father, Steve
Murray, but he was found
not guilty. The jury
deliberated for only 45
minutes before its acquittal.
The police audit decision,
released last month,
recommended a completely
new investigation led by
new officers.
Anne Murray has met with
two of the three new officers
assigned to the case and says
they appear open-minded,
objective and willing to
pursue all avenues of
investigation.
"To be able to come in and
say 'we have to start over' is
a big change (by the OPP),"
according to Murray, who
says her family is thankful to
see the change. "We're
grateful and appreciative
that they're following new
options, that they're taking a
different approach."
That new approach, she
said, includes pursuing any
eye -witness reports which
suggest Mistie is alive.
Mistie's mother
says, that after six
years, she is realistic
about the fact her
daughter may be
dead but she also
says she will not
give up hope.
Murray and her
family issued a
response to the OPP
press release this
week, saying "the
Murrays are grateful
that the new investigative
team has promised .to follow
the trail of sighting reports
and thoroughly investigate
all new and. significant
sighting information which
could lead to finding Mistie
alive."
Murray said the reward
money should be extended
to other information in the
event that Mistie is still
alive.
It's painful to consider that
Mistie may be dead, her
mother said, but she feels
it's important that Mistie is
found so the family can find
some closure and, in the
event that she has been a
victim of foul play, give
Mistie a Roman Catholic
burial.
"Even though it's painful
we need closure." she said.
The OPP press release
issued last week on
May 30 was almost
exactly six fears
after Mistic
allegedly went
missing_ from
Goderich.
Police reported
last week that
Mistie Murray
disappeared from
Goderich un Ma'
31. 1995.
Anne Murray has
presented a list of Goderich
and area residents who have
claimed to see Mistie since
that time but last w -tick's
OPP press release said that
Mistie "has not been seen
since" that date and "there
have been no credible
sightings of the teenager
since May 31. 1995."
Anne Murray said.
however. that she didn't
want to dwell on that arca of
disagreement between the
police and herself.
"Our differences are not
what matter now." she said.
"We have a Chante to find
Mistie ... that's our onl\
goal."
Mistie
in an
enha
ph
Murray
age-
nced
oto
OPP asking
public to watch
for unmarked
•
graves m area
The Ontario Provincial
Police (OPP) Criminal
Investigation Branch is
asking the Goderich-area
public for any reports of
suspicious sites on the
ground which could be a
grave site.
The call was issued last
week in relation to a newly -
expanded investigation of the
disappearance of missing
person Mistie Murray, who
was 16 in 1995 when she
went missing from Goderich.
Here's what to look for,
according to police:
• An oblong area of
vegetation that differs from
the surrounding area and is
less developed and of
different species.
• A slight, oblong
depression in the ground.
• An oblong depression
with a hollow surface near
the middle of the depression.
• A slightly -raised edge on
one or more sides of the
oblong depression.
Anyone who finds such a
site is asked to note and
mark its location before
notifying their nearest OPP
detachment.
THE ONTARIO TRILLIUM FOUNDATION
INVITES YOU TO A
TOWN HALL MEETING
Come and find out about
...the availability of Trillium Funds jar Not for-Pr(Jt Organizations
...grants made in the last year
...OTF's Guidelines A Application process
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June 13, 2001 June 20, 2001
Wednesday, 7:30pm Wednesday, 7:OOpm
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Community Complex. 111 Lakeside Drive
99 Kerr Drive, Stratford
June 12, 2001
Tuesday, 7:OOpm
Brantford Seniors,
Centre Auditorium,
219 Colborne Street,
Brantford
The Ontario Trillium Foundation allocases 83.3 million annually to charitable and non-profit
crparrarions in Grey. Bruce. Huron. Pettit Brant. HalAmnd and Norfolk for initiatives in Arts
& (mare, Environment. Hamm & Social Services and Spons & Recreation.
For more information, contact:
Theron Kramer at 519.584.2342 (Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perdu)
'nodi Collins at 519.752.31162 (Brat. Haldimand and Norfolk)
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*sues art whetkbair accessibk. ASL irterpretaion available by request (TTY.416.963.7905)
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The Gntado Ttinian Fonaduloa, as agency 01 the Ministry of Tourism,
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