FBI Opens 43 Year Case in Cape Girardeau, MO

I have to include the following article, because Cape Girardeau, MO is my home town, I was born in 1963, and I used to live on Lorimier St. Too many coincidences, huh? Of course, I didn't live on Lorimier until the 1990's. I pray they find her, and that it was a case of she wandered off, and someone raised her in a loving home. Or at least that she was raised in a loving home, not knowing she was kidnapped. But my prayers go out to the family, being separated from their daughter/sister for so many years, with unanswered questions. I'm unable to give any details, beyond what is in this article. I can neither confirm, nor deny anything beyond this information.

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Elizabeth Ann Gill

Elizabeth Ann Gill was last seen playing in the yard of her home on Lorimier Street on June 13, 1965 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA. She was 2 years-old and has been missing for 45 years. The picture on the right shows how she might have looked at 44 years of age.



Searching for Elizabeth continued for several days, but they came up with few leads. The biggest lead was four Gypsy travelers who were staying at a motel behind her home, selling purses door to door in the neighborhood. They used various names and had different plates on their cars. Because of this the police could never trace them.

Several small leads were followed up over the years, but these dwindled and it became a cold case. Five years ago Elizabeth's family learned about her case being discussed on the Internet. They resumed their search by listing her on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Family members' DNA was also put in a CODIS database. Technology has given the opportunity to bring her case to public attention again in the hope that it leads to her being found.

At the time she went missing she was described as 2' 6" tall, weighing 22lbs with brown hair and blue eyes. She was born on August 21, 1962. Her nicknames were Beth and Betsy.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)
Cape Girardeau Police Department (Missouri) 1-573-335-6621, extension 2

Add new comment Post to Twitter.FBI joins hunt for Cape Girardeau girl missing since 1965
Submitted by Jasmine on 27 August, 2010 - 22:38.
Forty-five years after a toddler disappeared from outside her home in Cape Girardeau, Mo., the FBI has declared the case a kidnapping and joined the decades-old hunt for her.

Rebecca Wu, spokeswoman for the FBI's office in St. Louis, said Thursday it does not necessarily mean there is new evidence in the case of Elizabeth Ann Gill.

But Cape Girardeau police Detective Jim Smith said there is a possible break. Some transients staying in a motel and selling purses close to the family home "were considered persons of interest" at the outset, he said. "They were never located. Now we think we have located some members of that family."

Smith said they are out of the state, prompting a request for FBI assistance.

Elizabeth's sister, Martha Gill-Hamilton, who still lives in Cape Girardeau, said police at the time had a description of two vehicles with two couples in them and a license plate number, but no good way to track them.

Continues/...

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_1b68ea6a-290...


Case of missing Cape Girardeau girl reclassified to kidnapping
Submitted by Ellen on 26 August, 2010 - 23:10.
A Cape Girardeau missing person case area law enforcement began investigating again around five years ago was reclassified last week by the FBI as a kidnapping.

The case of Elizabeth Ann Gill, who disappeared from the front yard of her home on Lorimier Street in 1965, is officially an active investigation, Rebecca Wu, public affairs specialist for the FBI's St. Louis Division, said Wednesday.

"We are conducting the investigation now as if she was abducted," Wu said. "We'll actively work through the case, go through leads and see what happens now."

Gill, who was the youngest of 10 siblings, went missing at age 2.

Police and family members followed small leads after she disappeared, but the leads dwindled and it became a cold case. Five years ago, family members learned about Gill's case being discussed on the Internet and they resumed their search by listing their sister on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Since that time, leads have surfaced but didn't turn up any results for investigators.

Continues/...

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1659448.html


Family, friends celebrate "Elizabeth Ann Gill Day"
Submitted by Ellen on 26 August, 2010 - 23:05.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - August 21st will now be known as "Elizabeth Ann Gill Day" in Cape Girardeau.

With the help of non profit group Missouri Missing, city leaders named August 21st, Gill's birthday, after her.

Gill went missing from her Cape Girardeau home in 1965. She was just two and a half years old.

Today, family and friends gathered at St. Vincents Church in Cape Girardeau to celebrate what would have been Elizabeth's 48th birthday. Everyone released colorful balloons.

http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=13023740


Vigil for Elizabeth Gill
Submitted by Larry on 13 June, 2010 - 17:47.
There will be a candlelight vigil Sunday, June 13, 2010 at the site of the former Mississippi River bridge to mark the anniversary of Elizabeth Gill's disappearance.


The public is welcome to attend the vigil, which begins at 8:15 p.m. Per the organizers' request, individuals attending the event are asked to bring their own candle.

Brother David Migliorino, principal at Notre Dame Regional High School, will lead prayers for the vigil, which will end in a procession with an additional prayer session at Old St. Vincent's Church.

Source: Daily Dunklin Democrat
http://www.dddnews.com/story/1641910.html