Kristi Gwen O'Pry, Missing, July 1996 LA.

Kristi Gwen O'Pry, Missing, July 1996 LA.
Kristi Gwen O'Pry Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance Missing Since: July 19, 1996 from Shreveport, Louisiana Classification: Endangered Missing Date Of Birth: May 8, 1970 Age: 26 years old Height and Weight: 5'7, 120 pounds Distinguishing Characteristics: Blonde hair, blue eyes. O'Pry's ears are double-pierced. She has a scar on the left side of her neck. Clothing Description: A short-sleeved or sleeveless black midriff shirt, blue jeans, and possibly brown sandals. Details of Disappearance O'Pry needed to run errands on July 19, 1996 in her hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. Her boyfriend's friend, Eric Dale Mickelson, agreed to drive O'Pry if she paid for his gasoline costs. Mickelson and O'Pry were riding in his 1971 white Chevrolet Fleetside pickup truck at the time. Photos of Mickelson and his vehicle are posted below this case summary. O'Pry and Mickelson visited her sister's residence on Meriweather Road and departed at approximately 8:00 p.m. Mickelson told authorities that he and O'Pry stopped at the Circle K store on the corner of Walker Road and Mackey Lane. Mickelson stated that O'Pry used the pay phone at the store. Phone records did not show any indication of any calls O'Pry may have made from the location. Mickelson claimed that he did not witness O'Pry make a call from the phone; he said that he was repairing his vehicle's stereo speaker wires at the time she was inside the business. Mickelson stated that he proceeded to drop O'Pry off at the El Chico entrance of the South Park Mall on Jewella Avenue in Shreveport at approximately 8:30 p.m. O'Pry has never been seen again. She was carrying a black denim purse with light pastel-colored stripes at the time of her disappearance. O'Pry's boyfriend, Jerry "Todd" Dean, told investigators that Mickelson called him between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. on July 20, 1996, the day following O'Pry's disappearance. Dean said that Mickelson told him he dropped O'Pry at the mall the previous evening. O'Pry lived with Dean and his friend, Wade Burnley, on Linwood Avenue at the time she was last seen. Dean did not inform O'Pry's family that she never returned home until July 23, four days after she initially disappeared. O'Pry did not take any personal belongings with her when she vanished. She left behind her young child, something that her family said was completely uncharacteristic of her behavior. Security guards at the South Park Mall told investigators that they did not observe anyone matching O'Pry's description at the shopping center the night she was last seen. Authorities are not certain if she arrived at the location. Both Dean and Burnley passed polygraph tests administered by law enforcement shortly after O'Pry's disappearance. Mickelson has refused to take a lie detector test, saying that he considers the devices unreliable. Mickelson is considered the prime suspect in O'Pry's case, but he has never been charged in connection with her disappearance and maintains his innocence. Extensive searches have not yielded any clues as to O'Pry's whereabouts. Her case remains open and unsolved. Foul play is suspected due to the circumstances involved in O'Pry's disappearance. Investigating Agency If you have any information concerning this case, please contact: Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office 318-929-7977 OR 318-675-2170 http://charleyproject.org/cases/o/opry_kristi.html

Krisri O'Pry
Today Marks 10yrs that 26 yr old Kristi O'Pry disappeared from Shreveport ,LA. Our prayers go out to the O'pry family! Anything new in her case ? or has it turned cold.

The last update on the case was February 14, 2005. Sadly it has gone cold.

Shreveport Family Marks 10-year Anniversary of Missing Woman

It's been a decade, and a Shreveport family is still wondering what happened to their loved one. Shreveport and Caddo Parish authorities say Kristi Gwen O'Pry was last seen with a friend back on July 19, 1996 at what was then Southpark Mall (now Summer Grove Baptist Church). She was 26 years old at the time. Here's the last known description: 5'7", 115 pounds, long blond hair, light blue eyes and double pierced ears. If you have information on her whereabouts you're asked to call police. In the meantime, Kristi's family has set up a website with more information on the events leading up to her disappearance. For more information, visit Missing Person Kristi O'Pry. Story Created: Jul 19, 2006 at 6:37 AM EST Story Updated: Jul 19, 2006 at 8:50 PM EST http://www.ktbs.com/news/local/3378691.html

Sequence of Events Fri. July 19, 1996 -- Kristi leaves her sister's house on Meriwether Rd. at about 8pm with Eric Mickelson in his pickup truck. Sat. July 20, 1996 -- According to Kristi's boyfriend Jerry "Todd" Dean, Eric called him at home about 10 or 11am claiming he dropped Kristi off at South Park Mall the night before. Eric asks Todd to tell Kristi that she better not ever use him for a ride again. "Todd" is trying to give away and sell Kristi's things. Tue. July 23, 1996 -- Kristi's boyfriend "Todd" calls Kristi's mother and claims that Kristi never came home Friday night. Kristi's family begins contacting Kristi's friends and acquaintances to see if they can find anyone who's seen Kristi since Friday night. Wed. July 24,1996 -- Kristi's mother alerts the police concerning Kristi's disappearance. Many more phone calls are made to try and locate her. Fri. July 26, 1996-- A search of Kristi's home reveals that none of her personal belongings are missing. "This is a girl who really cared about her appearance ... she wouldn't have left on her own without all her stuff." says her sister Paige. (Kristi's kitchen table and chairs were missing, most likely sold off, but her toothbrush and make up were found in the bathroom) Her purse and keys could not be located anywhere inside her home. Family members begin posting flyers in Shreveport, East Texas and the surrounding area reporting that Kristi is missing. Authorities do not suspect foul play at this point, but Kristi's family disagrees. August 1996-- South Park Mall Security Guards that were at the mall entrance on horseback stated that they did not recall seeing anyone fitting Kristi's description being dropped off between 8 and 9pm the night Kristi vanished so it's possible she did make it back home that night or later in the weekend. It's also possible she did actually get dropped off at the mall without the guards noticing and was picked up by someone from there. This is a key piece of the puzzle. Private Investigator and retired Shreveport Police Officer Ken Hudson of Kenro Investigations offers his services free of charge. He advised the family to obtain Kristi's dental records so they could be added to NCIC. A few days later William "Bill" Meeks of M & M Investigations also offered to donate his services to assist in the search for Kristi. Reporter Meredith White with Channel 6 (NBC) in Shreveport does the first "family" interview. Kristi's mother and sister Paige were interviewed. The Times, a newspaper in Shreveport has done several stories on Kristi's disappearance asking for anyone with information to come forward. The Thrifty Nickel newspaper in Shreveport also donated space in their paper. They ran a series of display ads for several weeks. The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office August 30, 1996 Press Release . September 1996-- Eric Mickelson, the man last seen with Kristi is refusing to cooperate with authorities and has refused to take a polygraph test. He claims that he doesn't believe in them. Eric Mickelson told the detectives that before he dropped Kristi off at South Park Mall he stopped at the Circle K store at the corner of Walker Road and Mackey Lane across from Southwood High School so that Kristi could make a telephone call. Eric claims he didn't actually see Kristi make a phone call because he had his head under the dashboard repairing his stereo speaker wires. Detectives got the records of all the telephone calls made to and from the pay phones located there but did not find any calls that could be linked to Kristi. Kristi's mother went to visit Eric Mickelson asking him for help in locating her daughter, he told her that he did not know where Kristi was. Someone has begun to "destroy" and/or take down Kristi's missing posters around Shreveport. Rumors of what became of Kristi are a hot topic all over town. The Most Wanted, a weekly newspaper in the Shreveport - Bossier City area devoted to locating fugitives and missing persons is running a series of display ads reporting Kristi's disappearance. The friendship between "Todd" Dean and Eric Mickelson continues. October 1996-- Detective Roy Tabor with The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office takes over the case and he begins his investigation. The original detective on the case left the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office to work for another law enforcement agency. This change in detectives was much needed because the original detective did not even believe anything had happened to Kristi. He kept saying "Oh she'll problably show up in a couple of weeks". NOT November 1996-- Detective Roy Tabor continues to interview many people concerning Kristi's whereabouts. Several hundred more missing posters are distributed all over North Louisiana and North East Texas. December 7,1996-- The Times runs an article saying that the male acquaintance that was last seen with Kristi is not cooperating with authorities and has refused a polygraph. This was made public for the first time today. March 10,1997-- The Geraldo Rivera Show profiles Kristi's case. May 8,1997-- Today is Kristi's 27th Birthday. May 28,1997-- Front page article in The Times today. Reporter Larry Burton interviews Kristi's sister Paige and Bill Meeks with M & M Investigations. A photograph of Paige holding Kristi's child is also printed on the front page. July 19,1997-- Kristi has been missing for one year today. December 27,1997--Detective Roy Tabor brought in cadaver dogs to search an area in South Caddo Parish. The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office December 27th 1997 Press Release. Tuesday January 10,1998-- Two of Kristi's sisters fly to New York City to be guests on the Geraldo Rivera Show. The show about missing persons was taped the following day, January 11. Tuesday February 3,1998-- The Geraldo Rivera Show aired the story taped on Jan.11. Reporter Larry Burton with The Times did an article telling the citizens of the Shreveport area that Kristi's case would be on the Geraldo Rivera Show today. Friday May 1,1998-- This web site went online. Friday May 8,1998-- Kristi's 28th Birthday. Reporter Meredith White who now works for Channel 12 (CBS) in Shreveport interviewed two of Kristi's sisters about how the World Wide Web can assist families and law enforcement agencies with unsolved cases. They discussed how Kristi's new web site is helping spread the word of her disappearance. Everyone involved in the investigation feels like this web site will be an asset to the case. Kristi's sisters made it very clear, they want justice, not revenge. Sunday July 19,1998-- Kristi has now been missing for two years. Family members are desperate to know what became of Kristi. They are asking local residents to assist in the search for the Missing Shreveport Mother. We hope that someone will come forward with helpful information, because it's the right thing to do. Kristi's disappearance has been a nightmare for her family and they pray that someone will come forward with the information they need to solve Kristi's disappearance. Please pray for Kristi and her young daughter who is very confused and hurt by her mother's disappearance. Monday September 7,1998-- The Geraldo Rivera Show taped back in January of 1998 was rebroadcast today. It's widely believed that Kristi was murdered but Kristi's family and friends pray that's not the case and have refused to give up. Wednesday November 11,1998-- A talented reporter from The Inquisitor wrote an interesting article concerning Kristi's disappearance. Friday January 1, 1999-- The investigation into Kristi's disappearance continues on a daily basis. Assistance is still being sought from individuals who can provide helpful information concerning Kristi's whereabouts. Tuesday February 16, 1999-- Cosmopolitan Magazine published an article in the March 99 issue concerning "Missing Women", Kristi's name was included in the article. Saturday May 8, 1999-- Kristi's 29th Birthday. Friday May 5, 2000-- Kristi's Family once again requests that anyone who may have helpful information concerning Kristi's fate and or location to please contact the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office. Contact numbers and an email address are listed below. Sunday May 8th, 2000-- Kristi's 30th Birthday. Wednesday July 19th, 2000-- Kristi vanished four years ago today. Tuesday May 8th, 2001-- Kristi's 31st Birthday. Thursday July 19th, 2001-- Kristi vanished five years ago today. Saturday December 15th, 2001-- Kristi's Family and Friends are living through another Holiday Season with no knowledge of Kristi's location. There are people out there that know what happened to Kristi and where she is. The problem is that these individuals do not want to involve themselves in anyway. We really don't blame them for being reluctant to come forward. However, on the other hand, how cruel is it to keep such vital information secret for years on end? They simply don't understand what it's like for the people who love and miss Kristi to live in a constant state of pain. If they knew, they would call. It's difficult to put up a Christmas Tree, buy gifts and cook a big dinner because despite it all, there's still that empty chair at the table. Wednesday May 8th, 2002-- Kristi's 32nd Birthday. Wednesday May 29th, 2002-- Even after all this time, we still have faith that someone will come forward and tell us where we need to go to find Kristi. John Walsh of America's Most Wanted told us he's solved 20 year old crimes in the past and encouraged us not to ever give up. Friday July 19th, 2002-- Kristi vanished six years ago today. May 8th, 2003-- Kristi's 33rd Birthday. An empty, sad day for her family. Saturday July 19th, 2003-- Kristi vanished seven years ago today. It's hard to believe that this much time has passed with no resolution. Her little girl is growing up before our eyes still wondering what became of her mother. The individuals involved in Kristi's diappearance have caused far more damage than they will ever realize. January 26th, 2004-- William "Bill" Meeks, age 49, Private Investigator and Family Friend passed away unexpectedly today. Bill had a strong personal interest in finding justice for Kristi and spent countless hours over the years searching for her. Bill was a member of the Louisiana Private Investigators Association. He owned and operated M & M Investigations in Shreveport for sixteen years. He always assisted his clients with the utmost attention. Bill also served on the committee for Domestic Violence for Caddo and Bossier Parishes and was an advocate for abused women and children. His heart was made of gold and he was constantly there to help others. We hope he now knows the truth about what became of Kristi since he put so much effort into the case while he was here with us. God Bless You Bill, Thank You For Everything. Friday April 23rd, 2004-- Dateline NBC did an investigative report on the disappearance of 18 year old Kelly Dae Wilson who vanished from Gilmer, Texas in 1992. The story was aired on Friday April 23rd, 2004. (Kelly's picture is shown below, Gilmer Texas is not far from Shreveport) At the end of the show Stone Phillips mentioned that strangely enough other women in the area found murdered or who had gone missing also have names that start with the letter "K". He was talking about Murder Victim Kayla Mayberry (1994) and Missing Person Kristi O'Pry (1996) from Shreveport, LA. There's also Kimberly Norwood who's missing from Northeast Texas. May 8th, 2004-- Kristi's 34th Birthday. Still missing you more than ever Boo. Mother's Day May 8th, 2005-- Kristi's 35th Birthday. Wednesday June 8th, 2005-- The investigation into Kristi's disappearance is far from over. Tuesday July 19th, 2005-- Kristi has been missing nine years today. Friday August 19th, 2005-- Still waiting to hear from someone, You know who you are. Wednesday January 25th, 2006-- The investigation is still on. We received some brand new information last Summer, something we've never heard before, that continues to be worked on. The #1 goal is to figure out Kristi's actual location. We love and miss Kristi now as bad as we ever did and nothing will ever change our drive to see justice for Kristi unfold. Report Information Please Contact Cold Case Investigator Don Morgan at 318-929-9987 Fax Your Information to: 318-929-7977 Send email to Cold Case Investigator Don Morgan: Detective Division Email Mail Information To: Cold Case Investigator Don Morgan c/o The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office 5906 North Market Shreveport, Louisiana 71107 http://www.gokartsupply.com/kristi.htm

Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office Press Releases Friday, August 30, 1996 Investigators still seeking information about Kristi O'Pry -- (See also: December 27, 1997) Caddo Parish Sheriff's investigators are again publicly asking for information concerning the disappearance of 26-year-old Kristi Gwen O'Pry. Sheriff's Investigator Sgt. Charles Scholz said today any piece of information, regardless of how insignificant it might seem, could be important to the case. He urged any citizen with information about the case to contact the Sheriff's Office at 226-6555. O'Pry and a male acquaintance visited the Merriweather Road home of her sister between 7 and 8 p.m. on Friday, July 19. After leaving there, O'Pry and the male acquaintance reportedly went to South Park Mall where they parted company and O'Pry has not been seen or heard from by family members since. O'Pry is a white female, about 5 feet 7 inches tall with blonde hair and blue eyes and weighs about 120 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black midriff and short sleeves, blue jeans and brown sandals. http://www.caddosheriff.org/pr/releases/RELEASES/1996-97/0830-01.htm Saturday, December 27, 1997 South Louisiana K-9 units to search for Kristi O'Pry -- (See also: August 30, 1996) A team of five K-9 units from two search and rescue organizations in South Louisiana will search an area in South Caddo Parish today to find the body of Kristi Gwen O'Pry, the 26-year-old Shreveport woman who has been missing since July 1996. Caddo Parish Sheriff Don Hathaway said his criminal investigators have requested the assistance of Acadian K-9 Search and Rescue from Gonzales and Louisiana Search and Rescue (LaSAR) Dogs of Slidell. Acadian is connected with the Gonzales Police Department and LaSAR operates out of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office. Both search and rescue units are non-profit organizations and all the team members are volunteers. Three of the K-9 units are from Acadian, while the other two are from LaSAR. The Acadian units are Team Leader Victoria Smith (K-9 Ripley), Gary McDaniel (K-9 Sam) and Terri Campbell (K-9 Cagney). The LaSAR units are Lisa Higgins (K-9 Molli) and Dee Wilde (K-9 Spice). The three Acadian canines, Ripley, Sam and Cagney, are German Shepherds. Molli is a Black Labrador Retriever and Spice is a Curly Coated Retriever. O'Pry and a male acquaintance visited the Merriweather Road home of her sister between 7 and 8 p.m. on Friday, July 19. After leaving there, O'Pry and the male acquaintance reportedly went to South Park Mall where they parted company and O'Pry has not been seen or heard from by family members since. Caddo Sheriff's investigators handling the case believe O'Pry was murdered and buried in a shallow grave in South Caddo Parish. The five K-9 units will comb a 25-acre tract mapped out by the investigators. Higgins and Molli were one of four LaSAR units that spent several days in April 1996 searching Twelve Mile Bayou near Mooringsport for drowning victim Wayne L. Terry, Jr. The search teams are provided as a free public service and members are not compensated except for expenses in those cases where the requesting agency has the available funds. The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office is paying travel and living expenses for the K-9 units. The team members cover all expenses for equipment, training, care and feeding of their canines. Both search and rescue organizations have set standards that each K-9 team must meet to become operational. The operational K-9 team is then required to be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure their proficiency in search work. "Canines have been given by nature an olfactory system that is particularly efficient in detecting scents," Acadian K-9 Search and Rescue's Victoria Smith said. "Scientists have estimated that the canine's ability to detect odors is anywhere from 40 to 100 times greater than that of humans." A canine's nose is not hindered by adaptation of scent, commonly called "nose fatigue." Nose fatigue is the phenomenon humans experience when an initially overwhelming odor is no longer noticeable. Unlike humans whose world is identified through visual images, the canine identifies his world through scents. Search dogs trained to locate human scent can do so in a variety of environments and in all types of weather and terrain. These canines have been trained to locate human scent in at least three ways: live persons (lost, kidnapped or victims of a natural or man-made disaster); deceased persons (crime or disaster victims, buried, above ground or in water), and evidence or articles with human scent. http://www.caddosheriff.org/pr/releases/RELEASES/1997-98/1227-01.htm

Missing or Murdered? Article written by Reporter Beverly Hall - The Inquisitor Newspaper November 11, 1998 Case History: Kristi O'Pry is a 28 year old white female with blond hair and blue eyes weighing approximately 115 pounds. She has been missing for two years. On Friday evening - July 19, 1996 she was last seen with an acqaintance who claims he dropped her off at South Park Mall. Prior to her disappearance, she was wearing a short sleeved black mid-drift shirt, blue jeans and sandals. Her family has not heard from her since that time. If you have any information concerning her disappearance, please contact Investigator Kay Ward or Investigator Bill Duncan with the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office (318) 226-6555. The Loss of Kristi O'Pry A Closer Look Gut wrenching silence brings tears to the eyes of Kristi O'Pry's family. Terrifying questions and fears plague them daily. She's been missing since Friday July 19, 1996 and as of yet, no one has heard from her. Of course their worst fear is foul play, but they still cling to hope. Several pieces of the puzzle to her disappearance are missing, so her tormented loved ones keep searching for the answers. Was she kidnapped by a stranger? Is she being held against her will by a demented person? Is she purposely running from something ... or someone? Is she dead? Numerous possibilities multiply faster than the questions can be answered. Dead-end "leads" add to the brick wall that prevents them from understanding or putting closure to the pain. Each senario must be considered when examining this case. Is it possible that she merely skipped town and found a new life? It's possible, but not probable. She left behind a beautiful daughter who not only depended on her but adored her. Kristi deeply loved and cherished her daughter more than anything. Her close friends knew this and doubt that it would be possible for her to leave behind such a treasured jewel. Many feel foul play is involved, but few are talking. What kind of person is Kristi O'Pry? A dedicated and loving mother. One who can make friends in any crowd. She is respected by acquaintances from every social class, which she likes unbiasedly. Vivacious and opinionated, she rushes to the defense of those she cares about. Her angelic beauty almost undermines her inner strength - for her greatest beauty comes from within; revealing a lively, compassionate young lady ... qualities which could create envy or an irrational obsession from an insecure or delusional person. This is not a haughty assumption, but a major concern because her utmost flaw is that she trusts people too easily. Almost everyone who hears a story about a missing person, abduction or the gripping horrors of murder can sympathize with the loved ones involved. To you, it's easy to understand the importance of locating her. But to the person who knows what happened to Kristi, rationale may not be clear. Who would hide such secrets? Three reasons quickly come to mind, but none of which serve as a sound excuse: If the person is a close friend, they may be afraid to speak out. To the average stranger, it might be because they don't want to get involved. If foul play has occurred, it's for concealment purposes. The search for information will continue until she is found. Whoever holds the key to her whereabouts can put an end to the fear and suffering of her family. Coming forward with pertinent information of her location would not only bring relief and closure to those who love her, but it's the right thing to do. Our readers are urged to please call if you see her or if you can reaveal her location. Those who loved or knew her are asked to get involved also. Dedicated family members have brought both national and local attention to this case. Numerous flyers were posted, a web page was created and news media abroad have covered the story. After it was aired on the Geraldo Show, several leads followed it's broadcast, yet too many details are lacking. Several psychics have reviewed the clues and believe that Kristi was murdered by someone who knew her. To this day, no confirmation of this theory has been made. To speculate in this direction seems implausible to those who care for her, because of the bonds she shared with her close friends ... but not all together out of the question. Profiles reveal that if this has occurred, the lunatic might have been an aquaintance, but shared an Insignificant role in her life. She may have become the object of obsession to a weak individual who lacks control of his or her own life. Abduction or worse may be this deranged person's only way of approach to emotional challenges. Surely if this is the case, one would eventually realize that the constant fear of discovery will always rule. Whatever the reason for her disappearance, time will tell, according to psychics reviewing the case. Information of Location = $ Reward $ New leads indicate that several may hold facts surrounding her disappearance but it's too early to tell if this is true. In the past, tips offered came from unreliable sources who were possibly thrill seekers hoping to cash in on some dough or lead the investigation astray. Loyalty is another tricky matter which prevented progress in the past, however recent claims indicate that several key people may have just the information needed to claim the reward. Detectives urge those calling (anonymous or otherwise) to please be specific when reporting tips. It's imperative that facts such as places, names and other indentifiers are as detailed as possible. They are anxious to help the family bring closure to this case, and are willing to work with individuals who can clarify her location. Because of the sensitive nature of this matter, the privacy of those wishing to remain anonymous will be protected. There is a reward for information of her location or the arrest and conviction of the individual involved if homicide is a factor. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may do so, and any tips offered will be greatly appreciated. If calling long distance from within the state of Louisiana call 1-800-640-3091. http://www.gokartsupply.com/inquis.htm

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