Police Call Off Search For Missing Georgia Teacher
POSTED: Wednesday, November 9, 2005
OCILLA, Ga. -- Police have called off their search for a popular high school teacher who has been missing for more than two weeks.
Tara Grinstead, 30, was last seen Saturday, Oct. 22 at a cookout. She was reported missing the following Monday when she did not show up for work.
"Essentially, we are through unless we get any additional leads that would call us back," Ocilla Police Chief Billy Hancock said.
Cadaver dogs, horses, helicopters, four-wheelers and people on foot have searched every day since she was reported missing, Hancock said. More than 50 public safety agencies from around the state have assisted in the search of Irwin County, which spans 358 square miles in south Georgia.
Hancock said little has changed in the investigation and that there are no suspects in the disappearance. Investigators have said they are looking into every possibility. But Irwin County Sheriff Donnie Youghn has said he is losing hope that Grinstead is safe.
Grinstead's sister, Anita Gattis, said civilian searchers will continue looking for her. Grinstead's stepmother, Connie Grinstead, said her family plans to meet with investigators to talk about future searches.
"We still don't know where Tara is, so I think we have to keep looking," she said. "We can't just give up."
Friends and family members set up a Web site at
FindTara.com.
Anyone with information is asked to call Ocilla Police Department Detective Bill Barrs or Georgia Bureau of Information Agent Dominic Turner at (229) 468-7494.
Copyright 2005 by News4Jax.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.