Adre'anna Jackson, Murdered, Dec 2005 WA.
Police: Lakewood Bones Are Those Of Missing Girl POSTED: 2:12 pm PDT April 5, 2006 UPDATED: 4:55 pm PDT April 5, 2006 LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- Police said skeletal remains found Tuesday in Lakewood are those of Adre'anna Jackson, the 10-year-old girl who disappeared last December. At a news conference, Lakewood Police Chief Larry Saunders said the remains were positively identified Wednesday and the parents of the girl have been notified. "The death of a child is a tragedy for the entire community," Saunders said. "We are deeply committed to turning over every stone, initiating every effort to restore justice in this situation and bring closure to the family and community." Two children found a skull and a portion of a spinal column Tuesday while searching for snakes in a blackberry bush in a vacant lot where transients camp, police said. Speculation began mounting soon after the bones were found that they could be those of Jackson, who disappeared Dec. 2 while walking to Woodbrook Middle School about two miles from her family's home. Earlier Wednesday, investigators searched for more bones and other evidence in the area. Members of the Green River Killer Task Force were at the scene, using their experience looking for skeletal remains in thick brush, and crime scene investigators in white protective suits were scouring the area. Other investigators were aboard a helicopter, mapping the 50-by 75-yard search area. http://www.kirotv.com/news/8490605/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Lakewood Police Face Criticism Over Missing Girl Search POSTED: 7:18 am PDT April 7, 2006 UPDATED: 8:31 am PDT April 7, 2006 LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- Police conducted an extensive search last December in Lakewood for a missing ten-year-old girl. But they were criticized at a community meeting Thursday night for failing to search the empty lot where the girl's bones were found this week. Police Chief Larry Saunders said the overgrown lot about two miles from the girl's home was not searched four months ago because it was not considered a very likely spot to find her. Tracking dogs showed no sign she might be there. In hindsight, Saunders told the Lakewood meeting he wishes police had searched the lot. Investigators are now going over every inch as they look for evidence in how Adre'anna Jackson died. She disappeared December second while walking to school. http://www.kirotv.com/news/8530021/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Lakewood Police Have No Suspect In Death Of 10-Year-Old POSTED: 8:50 am PDT April 7, 2006 UPDATED: 8:57 am PDT April 7, 2006 LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- Police have no suspect in the death of a 10-year-old girl whose bones were found in a vacant lot, Lakewood Police Chief Larry Saunders said at a community meeting Thursday night. Saunders said investigators don't know if the body had been there after Adre'anna Jackson disappeared in December of if it was placed there later. Some people at the meeting criticized police for not searching the lot four months ago. Saunders says the overgrown lot about two miles from the girl's home was not searched because it was not considered a very likely spot to find her at the time. In hindsight, Saunders wishes police had searched it. Investigators are now going over every inch as they look for evidence in how the girl died. http://www.kirotv.com/news/8532260/detail.html#

Meth chemicals stall search where Adre-Anna Jackson remains found THE NEWS TRIBUNE Published: April 9th, 2006 01:00 AM The Lakewood search for clues in the death of Adre-Anna Jackson was stalled Saturday after police found chemical remains of methamphetamine production in the search area. The chemicals, byproducts of meth production, had been dumped on a hill near where Jackson’s remains were discovered. The search was stalled about two hours until representatives from the Department of Ecology could check out the area, according to Lakewood police Lt. Bret Farrar. The Cooperative Cities Meth Lab Team will collect the chemicals, he said. Farrar reported no other developments in the search Saturday. Niki Sullivan, The News Tribune http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/5649635p-5069514c.html

'Potential Witness' Sought In Girl's Death POSTED: 10:50 am PDT April 10, 2006 UPDATED: 12:02 pm PDT April 10, 2006 LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- Lakewood police identified a "potential witness" in the case of Adre'anna Jackson, the 10-year-old girl who body was found last week. At a news conference Monday morning, police said Spencer Douglas Grant, a 44-year-old transient, is not considered a suspect in the case, but may have seen something related to Adre'anna's death. Grant was described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, 165 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He is known to frequent the vacant lot where Adre'anna's remains were found, police said. Police Chief Larry Saunders also announced that the FBI has added $50,000 to a reward fund, making a total of $60,000 offered for information about her death. Spencer Douglas Grant People with information can contact Lakewood police or CrimeStoppers at 253-591-5959. http://www.kirotv.com/news/8598226/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Counselors On Hand As Adre'Anna's Friends Return To School April 10, 2006 LAKEWOOD - Monday was the first day back at school for classmates of Adre'Anna Jackson since the 10-year-old was found dead last week. Trauma experts say the return from spring break could be key for kids upset by Adre'Anna's death. "I gave her my favorite stuffed animal," Melissa Pitkanen told us tearfully last week. "My bunny rabbit I always sleep with. I just wanted to give her something." Routine will help children cope with their sorrow and their fear. "I don't know what to feel. I'm angry. I'm hurt. I'm uspet," Melissa said. "It's rough knowing you've known someone five years and they're just gone like that." School children must now cope with the knowledge a friend - someone their age - was found dead and that classmates found her remains. Nine-year old Manny Peters was one of the boys to make the gruesome discovery. "Dominque looked in the sticker bushes and he found a body and he showed me," Manny said. Tilicum Elementary school had grief counselors on hand today to help the children. But perhaps most importantly - was getting the kids back into their routine. Experts in traumatic stress say that normal routine helps kids cope. "To give the kids the reality that these things do obviously happen, but that in general the world is a safe place," said counselor Heather Tatum of the Children's Response Center. "And these incidents are few and far between." Parents are helping their kids by bringing them to the makeshift memorials - where they can talk about what's happened. Caroline Wirth is Melissa's mother. "I just told them that she's in a better place. I don't know how to explain it. How do you tell them that something like that happens?" Wirth asked. Experts say answer children's questions honestly, use simple language and be available. Remember, kids are resilient, especially when they know adults in their lives are there for them. Your child's school can be a good resource for finding a counselor. You can also find helpful information at www.childrensresponsecenter.org. http://komonews.com/news/story.asp?ID=42870

Search Continues For 'Potential Witness' In Girl's Death POSTED: 7:54 am PDT April 11, 2006 UPDATED: 7:56 am PDT April 11, 2006 LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- A man who is the subject of an intense hunt may have important information about Adre'anna Jackson, the girl whose remains were found last week in Lakewood, police said. Spencer Grant, 44, is wanted as a "potential witness" in the case but he is not a suspect because he was in jail when she disappeared Dec. 2 on her way to school, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported. Grant was arrested July 13, 2005, on charges of burglary, drug possession and criminal trespass. He remained behind bars until Feb. 22, 2006. "He has been in the area recently, and we hope he is still in the area," said Lakewood Police Chief Larry Saunders. "We're hoping with your help to get the word out that we're looking for him and he'll step up and come see us." Police said Grant is a transient who is apparently familiar with the vacant lot where Adre'anna's remains were found. Grant was described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, 165 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Saunders also said that the FBI has added $50,000 to a reward fund, making a total of $60,000 offered for information about her death. People with information can contact Lakewood police or CrimeStoppers at 253-591-5959. Free crisis counseling for students and families of Tillicum Elementary is available through Greater Lakes Mental Health Care 253-581-7020. http://www.kirotv.com/news/8617808/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

'Person of Interest' Found Adre'Anna's Remains Two Weeks Ago April 11, 2006 By KOMO Staff LAKEWOOD - Police in Pierce County say the man they're calling a "person of interest" in the Adre'Anna Jackson murder is someone who previously found Adre'Anna's remains and never told anyone. Officers are still looking for Spencer Grant. They stress that he is not a suspect in the murder, but he may be able to help answer questions about what happened to the young girl. Police say Grant was a transient and they think he came out to the vacant lot and found the remains of Adre'Anna, and he knew about them a couple of weeks before two young boys found the and told police. "We have some warrants out for his arrest," said Lt. Brett Farrar with Lakewood Police. "I don t know if that was part of it. He has a long history of contact with law enforcement, and perhaps he doesn't want to talk to us, we don t know but we will determine that once we find him." Grant is a registered sex offender convicted of rape, drugs and assault. He was serving time at the date of her disappearance that is why he is not a suspect, but did he live in a house yards away from the transient camp, which was very close to where Adre'Anna was discovered, and he might have insight. "He needs to step up and come talk to us about what he knows," Lt. Farrar said. Meanwhile, there is an outpouring in the community since the FBI increased the reward to $60,000 for an arrest. And police continue to look and sift through the ground in the lot where her body was found, looking for answers. "We have detectives tracking down leads as they come in and with the increasing the reward that sparked quite a few Crime Stopper tips and we have work to do in the field so we will just work through," Farrar said. Police say the person that gave one of those tips said he spotted Spencer Grant in Tacoma two nights ago and they have reason to believe he is still in the area As for work at the lot where Adre'Anna was found, they say it is slow going. They have to sift through every square inch of that land trying to look for evidence. They've uncovered about 200 pieces so far but they say this search will probably go through the end of the week. That is about the same time they expect to get the cause of Adre'Anna's death back from the medical examiner. http://komonews.com/news/story.asp?ID=42882

Police: Evidence Will Lead To Adre'anna's Killer POSTED: 3:56 pm PDT April 11, 2006 LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- Police investigating the death of Adre'anna Jackson said they have recovered enough evidence at the vacant lot where the 10-year-old's remains were found that they are confident it will lead to her killer. Lakewood police would not give specifics about what they have uncovered, but detectives and FBI agents have scoured the lot in one of the largest crime scene searches in Pierce County history. Meanwhile, police continued to look for a transient man they think may have information that would help their investigation. Police Chief Larry Saunders said Spencer Douglas Grant, 44, is apparently familiar with the area where the bones were found. Grant was in jail at the time Jackson disappeared in December, but officials said he was known to frequent the undeveloped lot. The FBI on Monday added $50,000 to the reward for information about the case. People with information can contact Lakewood police or CrimeStoppers at 253-591-5959. Free crisis counseling for students and families of Tillicum Elementary is available through Greater Lakes Mental Health Care 253-581-7020. http://www.kirotv.com/news/8627658/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Transient’s tale about lot, Adre-Anna gets strange PAUL SAND; The News Tribune Published: April 12th, 2006 01:00 AM Spencer Douglas Grant, who Lakewood police think might know what happened to Adre-Anna Jackson, found the missing 10-year-old’s body in March but did not call police to report the discovery, his girlfriend said Tuesday. Grant, 44, a transient known to frequent the vacant lot where the Tillicum girl’s remains were recovered, found the bones March 10 or 11, Julie Warren, 41, told The News Tribune. Grant wanted her to go to the lot, located in the 7500 block of 146th Street Southwest, to look at the remains “to see if it was the right size to be” Adre-Anna, but she never did, Warren said. Because Grant was in the Pierce County Jail when Adre-Anna disappeared Dec. 2, police have stressed he is not a suspect or a person of interest in her death. Warren said neither she nor Grant called police to report the bones because “there didn’t seem to be any time for it.” He landed back in jail March 13, and she was busy with her pregnancy – she gave birth March 23 – she said. She said she has not seen or heard from Grant since April 1, when he left to look for one of his sisters. Investigators on Tuesday continued to search the area where two boys found Adre-Anna’s remains April 4, said Lakewood police Lt. Bret Farrar. A team of detectives is following up on tips about Grant’s whereabouts, he said. Tuesday night, about 100 people gathered outside Tillicum Elementary School at a memorial for Adre-Anna. Her father, Jon Federici, attended the event but did not speak to the crowd. Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers, the FBI and several anonymous donors have offered up to $60,000 for information leading to arrests, charges filed and convictions in the death of Adre-Anna Jackson. Reach Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959. Paul Sand: 253-597-8872 paul.sand@thenewstribune.com http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/crime/story/5655697p-5074181c.html

Police: Evidence Will Lead To Adre'anna's Killer POSTED: 3:56 pm PDT April 11, 2006 UPDATED: 6:27 pm PDT April 11, 2006 LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- Police investigating the death of Adre'anna Jackson said they have recovered enough evidence at the vacant lot where the 10-year-old's remains were found that they are confident it will lead to her killer. Lakewood police would not give specifics about what they have uncovered, but detectives and FBI agents have scoured the lot in one of the largest crime scene searches in Pierce County history. Meanwhile, police continued to look for a transient man they think may have information that would help their investigation. Police Chief Larry Saunders said Spencer Douglas Grant, 44, is apparently familiar with the area where the bones were found. Grant's girlfriend spoke to KIRO 7 Eyewitness News about what Grant found, "He wanted me to go look at the skull and see if I thought it might be her." "Underneath this pine tree there was a back pack and clothes kind of scattered in the branches underneath about her size," said Grant's girlfriend. Grant was in jail at the time Jackson disappeared in December, but officials said he was known to frequent the undeveloped lot. The FBI on Monday added $50,000 to the reward for information about the case. People with information can contact Lakewood police or CrimeStoppers at 253-591-5959. Free crisis counseling for students and families of Tillicum Elementary School is available through Greater Lakes Mental Health Care 253-581-7020. http://www.kirotv.com/news/8627658/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=southsoundnews

Mother of missing 10-year-old calls it murder 08:47 PM PDT on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 By PAUL AKER / KING 5 News LAKEWOOD, Wash. - A week after the remains of her missing 10-year-old daughter turned up in a Lakewood lot, Adre'Anna Jackson's mother returned home to heartbreak Wednesday. In an exclusive interview with KING 5, she told what her family is going through as police try to solve the mystery of how her daughter died. Jackson's mother, Yvette Gervais, was in Colorado taking care of her own sick mother when news that her daughters remains were found. She returned Wednesday. "Of course, when I was initially told it was tough. I just kind of collapsed," Gervais said. And while police are still not officially calling it a murder investigation, Gervais now says she's sure somebody killed her daughter. It was a tearful homecoming for Yvette Gervais Wednesday, back for the first time since police determined that bones found in a nearby field belonged to her daughter, 10-year-old Adre'Anna Jackson. "She wouldn't just go there and die," said Gervais. Gervais said that as hard as the reality is for her, it's at least as painful for Jackson's father, Jon Federici. "He's the one that was not going to believe it was his little girl," she said. And while police have never named a suspect, Gervais says people have begun to point fingers at her and Jackson's father. To that she says, "Of course there's the negative things and the people with negative thoughts. I'd like to say, 'you really don't know me ... if you have so much concern you should help us find this cruel, wicked person who did this to my daughter." Federici recently criticized the Lakewood Police Department for how it has handled the investigation. Gervais said she has some concerns too, but so far isn't really pointing any fingers. http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/washington/stories/NW_041206WABadreanna_motherJK.2c96a1c4.html

Police uncover ‘good leads’ in lot where girl’s remains were found THE NEWS TRIBUNE Published: April 13th, 2006 01:00 AM Investigators continued Wednesday to search the vacant lot where 10-year-old Adre-Anna Jackson’s remains were found last week, a Lakewood police spokesman said. They hope to finish combing the lot, located in the 7500 block of 146th Street Southwest, by Friday, said Lt. Bret Farrar. “It’s a sad situation, but for the investigation we’ve gotten some good leads,” Farrar said. “We’re pretty optimistic we’re going to figure this out.” Detectives continued also to look for Spencer Douglas Grant, 44, a transient who they think might know what happened to the missing Tillicum girl. He was in the Pierce County Jail when Jackson disappeared Dec. 2, so investigators don’t consider him a suspect or a person of interest in her death. Jackson’s mother, Yvette Gervais, told KING-5 TV on Wednesday that when she first heard the remains found April 4 were Adre-Anna’s: “It was tough, I just kind of collapsed. “She was healthy, there was no physical problems,” Gervais said. “She just didn’t go there and die.” Paul Sand, The News Tribune http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/crime/story/5658286p-5076062c.html

Police to end search of vacant lot where girl’s remains were found THE NEWS TRIBUNE Published: April 14th, 2006 01:00 AM Investigators expect to finish today their search of the vacant lot where 10-year-old Adre-Anna Jackson’s remains were discovered April 4, a Lakewood police official said Thursday. Thursday’s rain hampered the search effort at the lot, located in the 7500 block of 146th Street Southwest, said Lt. Bret Farrar. Still, investigators are “getting pretty close to getting it done,” he said. Callers have been contacting Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers with tips and sightings of Spencer Douglas Grant, 44, a transient who police think might know what happened to Adre-Anna, Farrar said. The Grant sightings have been in the Tacoma area, he said. Because he was in jail when Adre-Anna went missing Dec. 2, police have stressed he is not a suspect or person of interest in her death. To share information on Adre-Anna or Grant, call Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959. There is a reward of up to $60,000 for information that leads to arrests, charges and convictions in her death. Paul Sand, The News Tribune http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/crime/story/5661008p-5078165c.html

Police Locate Person Of Interest In Adre'Anna's Death April 18, 2006 LAKEWOOD - Police have arrested a person of interest in the death of a 10-year-old girl in Lakewood. Lieutenant Bret Farrar says a tip led detectives to a house in Tillicum Monday night where they arrested Spencer Grant on outstanding warrants. Grant is a transient who reportedly saw the bones in an empty lot before they were reported and identified two weeks ago as Adre'Anna Jackson. Police have said he is not a suspect in her death because he was in jail at the time she disappeared on Dec. 2 while walking to school. Grant has been arrested in the past on charges of burglary, drug possession and criminal trespass. http://www.komotv.com/stories/42995.htm