Thousands of fliers bring search for Minot girl to mailboxes Friday, June 02, 2006 By KEN CRITES, Staff Writer kcrites@ndweb.com Fliers with photos of a missing 3-year-old Minot girl and her alleged abductor are in the mail, thanks to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the United States Postal Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The three organizations have teamed up to print and distribute 31,000 fliers by mail to 17 ZIP codes in a 25-mile radius surrounding Minot where Reachelle Smith was last seen May 16. The Deliver Me Home Network is a program to strengthen the chances that missing children can be found and safely returned to their homes. Pat Farrell, a representative of the NCMEC, said Thursday the Deliver Me Home program is still fairly new, so how successful it will be in a given area varies. But, he added, "Any little piece of information that comes in might help. This could help trigger memories.'' Capt. Al Hanson of the Minot Police Department, who is coordinating the search for Reachelle, said he was pleased by the operation. "This is bringing resources in that we don't have,'' Hanson said. The fliers were printed in Fargo and brought to Minot by relays of N.D. Highway Patrol troopers. The public is still being encouraged to look around their property, in outbuildings, in old cars, tree rows and culverts or other places where a child might hide. Hanson said investigators are also looking for people who knew or might have associated with Leigh Cowen Jr., the alleged abductor of the little girl. "They might be able to offer some insight into what he was thinking before May 16,'' he said. The captain said FBI behavioral scientists, one of whom is in Minot assisting the local investigation, are still going over the massive amount of evidence forwarded to them for analysis. Anyone with information should call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678, the Minot Police Department at 852-0111 or their local law enforcement. http://www.minotdailynews.com/news/story/062202006_new2news1.asp

Clues dry up, but searchers for 3-year-old girl continue Posted on Sat, Jun. 03, 2006 JAMES MacPHERSON Associated Press MINOT, N.D. - Police Chief Dan Draovitch had difficulty sleeping on the night before he handed in his badge and retired after 38 years in law enforcement. It was not retirement that was keeping him awake - but a case he was leaving behind. The case of 3-year-old Reachelle Smith, last seen on May 16, haunted him. It has been one of the most complex and frustrating cases ever to be investigated by his department, he said. Searches have turned up no trace of the girl known as "Peanut." And leads in the case have dried up. "I haven't been this frustrated in years - it's driving me crazy," Draovitch said, as he cleared out his office on Wednesday, his last day with the department. "It feels terrible to leave this undone. But at the same time, it will be left in very capable hands." Draovitch, 62, announced his retirement in January. Armies of authorities and volunteers have scoured Minot and surrounding areas since May 22, when Reachelle was reported missing by her aunt, Stephanie Smith, 24, the child's legal guardian. Reachelle was believed to be with Leigh Cowen, a man wanted on a parole violation who had been living with Smith, and who claimed to be Reachelle's father even though police say DNA tests proved he was not. Police said Cowen told Smith that Reachelle was with his mother and she believed him, until a family van turned up missing, along with Cowen and Reachelle. Authorities later learned that Cowen's mother did not know the girl's whereabouts and issued an Amber Alert. A day later, Cowen's body was found in a van in the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, northwest of Minot. Authorities said the evidence showed he died from carbon monoxide poisoning about 12 hours before his body was found, after running a hose from the exhaust inside the vehicle. There was no sign of Reachelle. Over the past few weeks, law enforcement officers have sought help from FBI behavioral scientists and even psychics in their search for the child. Stephanie Smith and her sister Samantha, the child's biological mother, held a news conference to issue a tearful plea for her return. Samantha Smith, 22, had given legal custody of Reachelle to her sister at birth, Draovitch said. A river channel near the child's home drew much interest from authorities early in the search. Divers dragged the water, while volunteers and bloodhounds searched the banks. The channel later was pumped dry. "We've floated it, drained it, dove it, dogged it and walked it," said Capt. Al Hanson, the lead investigator in the case. "Nothing." Most of the ground in the city has been searched "six, seven or eight times," he said. Draovitch and Hanson said some overtime has been paid to officers but most of them have volunteered to search for Reachelle while off-duty. "Most days, I have to kick the guys out and make them go home," Hanson said. One officer was covered with more than 80 ticks after one day of searching, he said. Cowen's mother, Ellen Loomis, of Derby, Kan., said her son turned 22 years old on May 16, the day Reachelle was last seen. Loomis, who had moved from Minot shortly before the child disappeared, said she had taken care of Reachelle only once. She said she learned she was not the Reachelle's grandmother when police began investigating the child's disappearance. Her son and "everyone else led me to believe I was her grandmother until she went missing," she said. Authorities have said they questioned Loomis and are satisfied that she has no idea of Reachelle's whereabouts. She said she is as baffled they are. "I don't know the story," she said. "I wish I knew - it would be a lot easier on me. I just want her found. That's all I want." Cowen's ashes were sent to his mother last week, police said. Cowen was on probation for theft of property in Ward County and was being supervised in Fargo when he failed to report in as required. A warrant was issued in April for his arrest on charges of violating his probation and he was facing up to 18 months in prison for the parole violation, Hanson said. Before Reachelle disappeared, Cowen had taken dozens of snapshots of the child to bring with him to prison, Draovitch said. DNA tests earlier had proved he was not the father, the chief said. Authorities do not know why he continued to claim the girl was his daughter. "He said he was the father, and his mother was convinced he was the father," Draovitch said. "He called her his child and he claimed she was his child, but I'm not sure he was ever totally convinced that he was the father." Draovitch said Cowen did not leave any clues about why he killed himself, or any clues to Reachelle. Still, police consider him the only suspect in the girl's disappearance. "Everything we've run down leads back to him," Hanson said. Two volunteers from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were in Minot last week to help in the investigation. Missing-child experts Pat Farrell, a retired police chief from Rochester, Minn., and Lee Manning, a retired Massachusetts State Police officer, said they believed authorities in North Dakota have been doing everything possible to find the child. "They are not leaving any stone unturned," Manning said. Draovitch said many of the 62 officers in the department are "physically and emotionally drained" from the case, but no one has given up. "People have come together like you would not believe," he said. http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14734222.htm

Posted on Sat, Jun. 03, 2006 About 100 riders comb township ditches for 3-year-old girl Associated Press MINOT, N.D. - About 100 horseback riders spread out through roads and ditches in four townships north and east of here Saturday, looking for signs of 3-year-old Reachelle Smith, now missing more than two weeks. Their search ended without success, Ward County's chief deputy said. "We searched everything we had set out to search this morning, and very little results ... nothing that I can really link to this," Chief Deputy Dave Bosh said Saturday night. Authorities said the search was in an area where Leigh Cowen was reported to have driven along back roads. Reachelle, who has been missing since the night of May 16, was believed to be with Cowen, 22, but when his body was found in a van in the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge last week, there was no sign of her. Authorities said he apparently killed himself. "We've had local landowners file reports that his van was seen in this area," Bosh said of Saturday's search area. Horseback riders would have the chance for a broader look, he said. Some of the riders came from as far away as Marshall and Detroit Lakes, Minn., he said. One couple arrived Friday night and slept with their horses, searched all day and then headed back home for a graduation party Sunday, he said. Bosh said the search for Reachelle now will be "lead-driven." "If more information comes in about a specific area, we will follow up," he said. "We've got all the information recorded. We'll go back and compile it." The riders started before 9 a.m., seeking to cover about 250 miles of roads and ditches. Twenty-four horses were assigned to each of the four townships, and the groups were then broken down into teams of four, Bosh said. "Two go on either side of the road - go up to the end and come back down another road," he said. The Red Cross provided food and drinks to the riders, he said. http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/14734697.htm

Posted on Sun, Jun. 04, 2006 MISSING GIRL: Case baffles Minot lawmen By James MacPherson Associated Press MINOT - Police Chief Dan Draovitch had difficulty sleeping on the night before he handed in his badge and retired after 38 years in law enforcement. It was not retirement that was keeping him awake - but a case he was leaving behind. The case of 3-year-old Reachelle Smith, last seen on May 16, haunted him. It has been one of the most complex and frustrating cases ever to be investigated by his department, he said. Searches have turned up no trace of the girl known as "Peanut." And leads in the case have dried up. "I haven't been this frustrated in years - it's driving me crazy," Draovitch said, as he cleared out his office on Wednesday, his last day with the department. "It feels terrible to leave this undone. But at the same time, it will be left in very capable hands." Draovitch, 62, announced his retirement in January. Web of confusion Armies of authorities and volunteers have scoured Minot and surrounding areas since May 22, when Reachelle was reported missing by her aunt, Stephanie Smith, 24, the child's legal guardian. Reachelle was believed to be with Leigh Cowen, a man wanted on a parole violation who had been living with Smith, and who claimed to be Reachelle's father even though police say DNA tests proved he was not. Police said Cowen told Smith that Reachelle was with his mother and she believed him, until a family van turned up missing, along with Cowen and Reachelle. Authorities later learned that Cowen's mother did not know the girl's whereabouts and issued an Amber Alert. A day later, Cowen's body was found in a van in the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, northwest of Minot. Authorities said the evidence showed he died from carbon monoxide poisoning about 12 hours before his body was found, after running a hose from the exhaust inside the vehicle. There was no sign of Reachelle. Over the past few weeks, law enforcement officers have sought help from FBI behavioral scientists and even psychics in their search for the child. Stephanie Smith and her sister Samantha, the child's biological mother, held a news conference to issue a tearful plea for her return. Samantha Smith, 22, had given legal custody of Reachelle to her sister at birth, Draovitch said. Lead dries up A river channel near the child's home drew much interest from authorities early in the search. Divers dragged the water, while volunteers and bloodhounds searched the banks. The channel later was pumped dry. "We've floated it, drained it, dove it, dogged it and walked it," said Capt. Al Hanson, the lead investigator in the case. "Nothing." Most of the ground in the city has been searched "six, seven or eight times," he said. Draovitch and Hanson said some overtime has been paid to officers but most of them have volunteered to search for Reachelle while off-duty. "Most days, I have to kick the guys out and make them go home," Hanson said. One officer was covered with more than 80 ticks after one day of searching, he said. Cowen's mother, Ellen Loomis, of Derby, Kan., said her son turned 22 years old on May 16, the day Reachelle was last seen. Loomis, who had moved from Minot shortly before the child disappeared, said she had taken care of Reachelle only once. She said she learned she was not Reachelle's grandmother when police began investigating the child's disappearance. Her son and "everyone else led me to believe I was her grandmother until she went missing," she said. Authorities have said they questioned Loomis and are satisfied that she has no idea of Reachelle's whereabouts. She said she is as baffled they are. "I don't know the story," she said. "I wish I knew - it would be a lot easier on me. I just want her found. That's all I want." Cowen's ashes were sent to his mother last week, police said. http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/local/14736492.htm?source=rss&channel=grandforks_local

Horseback riders came to help search for missing Minot girl Sunday, June 04, 2006 — Time: 3:19:42 PM EST By KEN CRITES, Staff Writer kcrites@ndweb.com RUTHVILLE ­ About 100 horseback riders showed up Saturday morning for a search of four townships north and east of here for Reachelle Smith, a 3-year-old girl from Minot missing for more than two weeks. They were not successful in finding her. Authorities said the area was chosen for scrutiny because a stolen van, apparently used in the abduction of the little girl had been seen driving the back roads there. "We've had local landowners file reports that his van was seen in this area," said Ward County Chief Deputy Dave Bosh. Reachelle was last seen on the night of May 16. She was believed to have been with Leigh Cowen, 22, a family friend whose body was found in the family's van on the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge. Authorities said Cowen apparently killed himself with exhaust fumes from the van that he had piped into the vehicle with a hose. Authorities said Cowen had apparently been dead for 12 hours before his body was found. When authorities discovered the van and Cowen's body, the little girl was not to be found. When it was discovered on May 22 that the little girl was not with Cowen's mother as he had told Stepahnie Smith, Reachells' custodial parent, her disappearance was reported to police and an Amber Alert was issued. The horseback search was one of several conducted in the area north of Minot. In addition, additional searches were conducted along the Mouse River. Speaking of the river, Capt. Al Hanson of the Minot Police Department, the lead investigation said, "We've floated it, drained it, dove it, dogged it and walked it." One of the dead loops of the river was pumped down and the bottom area were searched by officers and dogs. The loop was chosen for extra searching because the family lived adjacent to the loop in the 100 block of 16th Street Northwest. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Childen sent two volunteers to Minot to assist in search areas. They enlisted the assistance of the U.S. Postal Service and Postal Inspectors for a mass mailing of a flier with information about the missing girl on it. The flier was sent out on Thursday. Horse trailers started arriving in Ruthville before 8 a.m. Saturday. Riders were briefed and given assignments and then set out to search their areas. The riders were seeking to cover about 250 miles, riding on roads and trails and in ditches. "It's pretty hot out here, but the volunteers are doing very well. We've got one of our squad vehicles pulling a water trailer, moving around and watering the horses." Ward County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Dave Bosh said during the afternoon of the search. Late in the afternoon, the searchers were starting to arrive at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds for a debriefing and rest for both riders and horses. The Mid-Dakota Chapter of the American Red Cross provided support for the searchers by providing water and food from a large van manned by volunteers. The two missing-child experts from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Pat Farrell, a retired police chief from Rochester, Minn., and Lee Manning, a retired Massachusetts State Police officer, said they believed authorities in North Dakota have been doing everything possible to find the child. "They are not leaving any stone unturned," Manning said. http://www.minotdailynews.com/news/story/064202006_new4news2.asp

June 5, 2006 No More Searches Planned (AP) _ Minot authorities are still asking rural residents to check their property for clues in the disappearance of Reachelle Smith. The three-year-old girl has been missing more than two weeks. And a search by horseback riders of four townships on Saturday failed to turn up any sign of her. Minot Police Captain Al Hanson says no more searches of that magnitude are planned. One of the riders on Saturday was injured when his horse started bucking. Authorities say 41-year-old Tom Freud of Cando tried to dismount but fell at an angle, breaking his leg. He's listed in satisfactory condition today at Minot's Trinity hospital. Also joining Saturday's search was Becker County Deputy Darwin Nundahl, of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Nundahl says he has a three-year-old daughter, and he wanted to help http://www.kxmc.com/news/local.asp?ID=5143

Missing Girl KFYR-TV News 6/24/2006 It`s been more than a month since three-year-old Reachelle Smith was last seen and Minot police say leads have virtually dried up. Authorities say hundreds of searchers have gone over thousands of acres of land and water, but there`s still no sign of Reachelle. The man believed to have taken her, 22-year-old Leigh Cowen, was found dead in a van at the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge late last month. Police say he killed himself. Police Detective Dan Strandberg says no new leads have come in for several days. He says the hope that the girl will be found alive is starting to fade. http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=2214

Missing: Reachelle Smith, 3 Check Here For Numbers To Call With Tips, More June 30, 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reachelle Smith (CBS/The Early Show) (CBS) Each week, the CBS drama Without a Trace profiles a real missing person at the end of the show and, the next morning, The Early Show gives details on the case. Check here for numbers to call if you have any information on the possible whereabouts of any of the people shown. Friday, June 30, 2006 REACHELLE SMITH This three-year-old Mnot, N.D. girl disappeared from her home over a month ago, and her family is hoping that you can help bring her home. Reachelle lived with Stephanie Smith, her aunt and legal guardian, and with their roommate and friend, 22-year-old Leigh Cowen. "Reachelle looked up to him," Stephanie says. "I never thought anything like this would have happened." The last time Stephanie saw Reachelle was the night of May 16. She was fast asleep on the couch. "The next morning," recalls Stephanie, "Leigh said, 'My mom came and picked her up. She was going to keep her for a few days.' "I thought she was at his mom's house," Stephanie added, crying. Stephanie began to worry when Leigh's mother didn't bring Reachelle home that weekend. The following Monday, Stephanie discovered that Cowan, and his van, were gone. She knew something was seriously wrong and called police, who determined Reachelle had never been with Cowen's mother and issued an Amber Alert, naming Cowen as her abductor. Stephanie's sister and Reachelle's biological mother, Samantha Smith, says, "I trusted him, like I would trust my best friend. … I think the problem is we trusted him too much and he used it against us. He took our little girl from us." The next day, police found Cowen and the van at a nearby park. But he was dead, an apparent suicide. And there was no sign of Reachelle. For days, hundreds of people combed the area. One searcher said, "It tugs at your heart. I have a little girl myself. You want to do everything you can." The Smith family believes that Cowen gave Reachelle to someone before taking his own life. Authorities ask that anyone with information on Reachelle's disappearance call Minot police at 701-852-0111, or contact your local FBI office. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/31/earlyshow/main1458699.shtml

MISSING May 17, 2006 Minot, North Dakota REACHELLE SMITH DESCRIPTION Date of Birth: September 10, 2002 Place of Birth: Unknown Sex: Female Hair: Brown Height: 3'6" Eyes: Brown Weight: 40 pounds Race: White THE DETAILS Reachelle Smith is missing under suspicious circumstances. She was last seen at her residence in Minot, North Dakota, by her guardian at approximately 1 a.m. on May 17, 2006. When the guardian awoke the next morning and found Reachelle gone, the guardian's male roommate stated that Reachelle would be spending a few days with his mother, with whom the child has a grandmother-type relationship. On May 22, the guardian awoke to find the roommate missing, along with her own van. She called police to report the missing child and roommate. The roommate was later found dead in the van, by an apparent suicide, outside of Minot. Reachelle was not inside the van. REWARD The FBI is offering a reward for information regarding the disappearance of Reachelle Smith. Individuals with information concerning this case should take no action themselves, but instead immediately contact the nearest FBI Office or local law enforcement agency. For any possible sighting outside the United States, contact the nearest United States Embassy or Consulate. http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/smith_r.htm

Posted on Mon, Jul. 31, 2006 NORTH DAKOTA ROUNDUP MINOT Family still hopes girl can be found More than two months after 3-year-old Reachelle Smith disappeared from her home, her mother and aunt are still searching for answers. "We know that there is that one person out there who has that one tip who knows where or how we can find Reachelle," said Samantha Smith, the girl's mother. Reachelle was last seen May 16. At first, she was believed to be with a family friend, Leigh Cowen. His body was found May 23 in a van on the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge. Authorities said he killed himself, but there was no sign of Reachelle. Repeated searches for the girl have come up empty. Minot police say they continue to follow up on any leads. "I don't have Reachelle. I can't hug her; I can't kiss her; I can't take her to grandma's house," said Stephanie Smith, the girl's aunt and legal guardian. "Just not knowing is the problem. I need to know." http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/local/15163493.htm?source=rss&channel=grandforks_local

New search planned for missing Minot girl Aug 26 2006 11:27PM KXMBTV A new search is planned this weekend for a young Minot girl missing for three months. The family of Reachelle Smith has asked a team of dog handlers to repeat some searches. Local law enforcement officials say they have no new leads or information that would make them request such a new search, but they welcome the effort. Dog handlers from South Dakota and Iowa are expected to be searching for the body of the three-year-old girl tomorrow and Monday. Reachelle disappeared in mid-May and police issued an Amber Alert for her, believing she may have been abducted by a friend of the family. Leigh Cowen's body was found in his van. Police ruled his death suicide, searched the area near where his body was found, and have found nothing. They later called off their search. http://www.kxnet.com/getArticle.asp?s=rss&ArticleId=38161

Search For Missing Minot Girl Continues Aug 28 2006 7:42PM KXMBTV It's been more than three months now since Raechelle Smith was last seen alive. But that does not mean the search is over... The Minot three-year-old was last seen with Leigh Cowan a friend of the family who turned up dead on the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge days after her dissappearence. His death was ruled a suicide her whereabouts have been a mystery ever since. The case drew national attention and plenty of leads. Those have all run dry and local authorities have been forced to stop their search. But that doesn't mean searching is not going on. As Perry Olson shows us the search continued over the last 48 hours with some help from man's best friend. (Denny Adams - Dakota Territory Search Dogs) "They're not a neat animal. They slobber, and smell bad." But today just west of the Minot Air Force Base a bloodhound like Molly here was the perfect tool in the continuing search for Raechelle Smith of Minot. (Denny) "Scent evidence is the most prominent evidence at crime scenes but it's the most overlooked because you can't see it or take pictures of it." (Stephanie Smith - Raechelle's Mother) "Its nice knowing that they are going through and checking everything." Molly a three year old bloodhound belongs to Denny Adams of Dakota Territory Search Dogs a South Dakota company that is here at no cost to the family working to find little Raechelle. (Denny) "We feel we have to do this because we have such a good resource in the bloodhounds in working older cases and cold cases." The dogs work the water... (Denny) "When she sticks her nose in there that's when she checks for scent." and the ground... (Denny) "When we are doing wooded areas we have clothes from Raechelle and even at this stage we like to give the dogs a scent article." (Denny) "Molly...show me!" Adams and the Smith family are hoping that pinpoint accuracy can eventually lead to a solution in this mystery. Northwest of the Minot Air Force Base Perry Olson, KX News. This type of search is something Denny Adams and his crew have plenty of experience with. They were involoved in the search for Dru Sjodin and even have a dog named Dru in her honor. http://www.kxnet.com/getARticle.asp?ArticleId=38754

Tuesday, August 29, 2006— Time:12:07:54 PM CENTRAL ‘Item of interest’ found By KIM FUNDINGSLAND, Staff Writer kfundingsland@minotdailynews.com Nolan Baldwin, left, of Edgeley, with Rusty, and Dirk Dersteeg, of Chisholm, Minn., with Molly, have conducted bloodhound searches at the Upper Souris NWR in hope of finding clues to the whereabouts of Reachelle Smith. From Fargo to East Africa, Dakota Territory Search Dogs have produced evidence in criminal cases long after law enforcement has gone home and leads have dried up. Denny Adams of Conde, S.D., and his team of K-9 investigators renewed the search for clues Monday in the case of missing Minot youngster, Reachelle Smith. They found one “item of interest” that may become another part of the puzzle that has baffled law enforcement since the 3-year-old was last seen May 16. On Sunday the bloodhound teams methodically searched an area on the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge where a stolen van and the body of 22-year old Leigh Cowen was discovered in late May. Cowen had claimed to be Smith’s father. Police investigators considered him the No. 1 suspect in the disappearance of Reachelle. At the time of his death, Cowen had a warrant out for his arrest for violating probation for theft of property in Ward County. “There’s no such thing as a perfect crime,” said Adams during a break Monday morning in the search of the area near the old Silver Bridge at Upper Souris NWR. “In this case, it seems as though there was a little planning, a little forethought that went into this before it all transpired. Some people might say, ‘What a beautiful place for a picnic.’ I look at it and say, ‘What a place to hide a body or commit a crime.’” The “item of interest,” as referred to by investigators, was discovered by bloodhounds in the area near where Cowen’s body was found. The area had been part of an intensive search this past May. Finding an item of possible evidence didn’t come as a surprise to Adams. “We like to go back through and do a very methodical search with the dogs,” explained Adams. “(Sunday) an item of interest was located. It’s been turned over to law enforcement as a possible item of evidence.” Stephanie Smith, Reachelle’s aunt, watched as bloodhounds and search teams worked the area along the Mouse River near the old Silver Bridge crossing. She explained that an item similar to the one found Sunday was in the van at the time it was taken from her residence but she could not say with certainty that it was a match. “We’re just trying to find any clues that will help bring Reachelle home,” Smith said. “We’re looking for a shirt, any type of clothing. When the search was called off before, it just broke my heart but it kind of made me feel good that we didn’t find anything. I don’t feel she’s out here, but I hope we find something that helps bring her home.” Monday’s search included putting the bloodhounds in a small boat and bringing them into the wind along the banks of the Mouse River. That effort got no reaction from the dogs. Other searches were conducted on banks of lower pools in the refuge. Again, the dogs did not alert investigators to anything unusual. “We’re not expecting to find a little girl standing in the weeds waving at us,” Adams said. “These are reality checks the family has to be prepared for. When a body is located, the victim of a horrific crime and it’s covered, people just don’t recognize it. We’re looking for a very small child here.” Adams said it’s very important for his team, comprised of veteran criminal investigators, to keep an open mind. Eliminating any possibilities or areas is something that is rarely done. Also, criminals or their associates may return to a crime scene to alter or remove evidence in the hope of throwing investigators off the trail. “We don’t have a note, nothing really other than this man’s past behavior to indicate what could have happened,” Adams said. “Did he treat the body as trash? With respect? Do you bury it somewhere nice and pretty even though you committed this crime?” Adams’ team, which had taken part in earlier searches as well, met with the Smith family in Carrington about two weeks before returning to the Minot area to resume the search for Reachelle. During the Minot trip, they paid their own expenses other than motel rooms, which were taken care of by the Smith family. They expected to return home Monday evening but have vowed to return if any other leads or areas of concern are discovered. Vita Graham, Reachelle Smith’s grandmother, was on hand throughout the latest search and expressed her appreciation for Adams’ team returning to Minot. “I thank the whole crew for being here and trying to resolve this situation,” Graham said emotionally. “Finding Reachelle is the main objective.” http://www.minotdailynews.com/News/articles.asp?articleID=5138

Wednesday, August 30, 2006— Time:12:17:14 PM CENTRAL Keeping the Smith case alive The disappearance of Reachelle Smith continues to baffle law enforcement officials. And it continues to haunt the missing girl’s family. Denny Adams of Conde, S.D., and his team of dogs searched an area on the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge earlier this week, and found an “item of interest,” a flashlight which was turned over to law enforcement. Whether the flashlight turns out to be relevant to the case remains to be seen. Officials could use a break in the case. The three-year-old Reachelle was last seen May 16. The body of Leigh Cowen, considered to be the top suspect in the girl’s disappearance, was found in late May in a stolen van on the refuge. Police have searched the refuge and surrounding area, and a number of other locations in the Minot area. So far, there’s been no luck in locating additional serious clues to the girl’s disappearance. Members of Reachelle’s family were on hand during the search Monday, which included putting bloodhounds in a small boat and searching areas along the Mouse River. The dogs did not alert investigators to anything unusual during the search effort. Still, it’s good to know the case is still on minds of investigators and law enforcement officials. It should be. Perhaps there are people in the Minot area who know something about the case, but haven’t come forward. Perhaps someone knows a piece of information that they don’t think is important, but by putting pieces together, the case could be solved. We encourage anyone who knows anything about the disappearance of Reachelle Smith to come forward and talk to law enforcement officials. Even if you don’t think the information will solve the case by itself, make sure the police know about it. This case needs to be solved, and the family needs to find some type of closure. Jim Eykyn, Publisher; Bryan L. Obenchain, Editor http://www.minotdailynews.com/editorials/articles.asp?articleID=5200

Hunters Asked to Become Searchers Aug 31 2006 7:15PM The key to finding 3-year-old Raechelle Smith could be you... It won't be long before men and women will be walking thousands of miles across rural North Dakota. They'll be out hunting. And investigators trying to figure out what happened to Reachelle Smith of Minot are hoping they'll also be investigators as they criss-cross the state. Captain Al Hanson of the Minot Police Department says hunters can provide the kind of searching thouroughness that's not possible for authorities. (Capt. Al Hanson / Minot Police) We'd like to have the hunters when they're out with their bird dogs in upland game hunting or waterfowl hunting or sitting in a tree stand with archery, they're going to over hundreds of thousands of square miles of this state and they know it as well as anybody and most of them hunt the same area year after year. We're just asking for their help. If they come across something that they think, common sense-wise, might be beneficial to our case, we need them to contact us or their local law enforcement. Reachelle Smith has been missing since mid-May. Several searches have been performed in the Minot area in hopes of finding out what happened to the three-year-old girl. Hanson says a search by bloodhounds on Sunday and Monday did not turn up any significant leads. http://www.kxma.com/getARticle.asp?ArticleId=39953