Missing Woman: Melanie Metheny - WV - 07/19/2006
Started by
Linda
, May 20 2007 10:00 AM
57 replies to this topic
#1
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:00 AM
Print a Poster: http://www.projectja...anieMetheny.pdf
July 21, 2006
Police, family baffled by disappearance
By Anna L. Mallory
Staff writer
Investigators with the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department were searching late last night for a missing mother of three.
Rescue crews and K-9 units scoured an area near Spring Fork Drive for 21-year-old Melanie Metheny.
Metheny hasn't been seen for almost two days, and police spent Thursday trying to piece together what happened to her.
They said people's tips led them to the region near Witcher Creek.
Metheny dropped her children off at Country Kids Daycare in Belle about 7 a.m. on Wednesday. When she didn’t return at 6 p.m. to pick them up and day-care employees couldn't contact her, they began to worry.
Metheny's family contacted police soon after. Family members suspect foul play. They've scoured the Kanawha Valley for a sign of her gold and tan 1998 Chevrolet Ventura van, to no avail.
"This has never happened," said James Metheny, her father. "If she's even going to be a couple minutes late, she'll call somebody and tell them she can't make it."
Melanie Metheny's boyfriend, Jared Davis, was the last person to see her on Wednesday, her father said.
He said she stays with Davis part-time in Campbells Creek, but lives on Midland Avenue in Belle.
Kanawha County Sheriff's Lt. B.C. Stover said investigators are talking to all of Metheny's family and friends, but have few leads.
He said right now they're just trying to find out what kind of person she is.
Metheny, a former Riverside High student, wants to be a nurse and has been studying to enter college, her father said. She's a quiet woman, he said, who spends her days taking classes to prepare for a college-entrance exam.
Metheny is white, 5 feet 3 inches tall, with long, straight strawberry-blond hair. She's about 100 pounds and has brown eyes.
No one can say what clothes she was wearing last, Stover said.
About six months ago, another young woman went missing from the Belle area, Stover said. About a week later, she turned up after just spending time with a boyfriend.
Employees at the day care say they can't believe that would be the case with Matheny.
Owner Peggy Keith said the mother has always been pleasant with employees and appears to take care of her children, ages 4 years, 2 years and 16 months.
The children have been attending the day care for about a year.
The two younger children are staying with their father's mother and the 4-year-old is staying with his father. The family has yet to explain to them that their mother is missing.
"They're too young," said Donna Miller, their paternal grandmother.
Miller also said Matheny never would simply abandon her children. "Something has happened," she said.
Anyone with information about Matheny can contact the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office at 357-0169.
Print a Poster: http://www.projectja...anieMetheny.pdf
To contact staff writer Anna L. Mallory, use e-mail or call 348-5163.
#2
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:01 AM
http://www.wtrf.com/...y&storyid=12499
Search for Missing Mom Continues
Posted 7/21/2006 05:09 PM
Family hoping investigators, psychic will help
Story by Ben Thompson Email | Bio
Day three of a search for a missing mom in Kanawha County turns up nothing. 21-year-old Melanie Metheny has been missing since Wednesday morning. She's described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, 100 pounds, with long blond hair.
On Friday, friends and family searched Campbells Creek for any sign of her. They think she encountered trouble. She was last seen dropping her kids off at daycare in Belle. Family members have consulted with a psychic to find the young mother of three.
So far, police can't seem to find any clues in her disappearance. "Right now there's no concrete leads as t owhere she may be. So were kinda at odds. We're gonna continue to work on it, continue to search for her till we find her," said Lt. B.C. Stover.
Also missing, Melanie's 1998 Chevy Venture van. If you've seen her or her van, please call the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 357-0169.
Search for Missing Mom Continues
Posted 7/21/2006 05:09 PM
Family hoping investigators, psychic will help
Story by Ben Thompson Email | Bio
Day three of a search for a missing mom in Kanawha County turns up nothing. 21-year-old Melanie Metheny has been missing since Wednesday morning. She's described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, 100 pounds, with long blond hair.
On Friday, friends and family searched Campbells Creek for any sign of her. They think she encountered trouble. She was last seen dropping her kids off at daycare in Belle. Family members have consulted with a psychic to find the young mother of three.
So far, police can't seem to find any clues in her disappearance. "Right now there's no concrete leads as t owhere she may be. So were kinda at odds. We're gonna continue to work on it, continue to search for her till we find her," said Lt. B.C. Stover.
Also missing, Melanie's 1998 Chevy Venture van. If you've seen her or her van, please call the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 357-0169.
#3
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:02 AM
XX
http://www.dailymail...ews/2006072119/
Detectives have no leads in case of missing woman
Friday July 21, 2006
Investigators with the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department this morning still had no leads in the search for a missing mother of three.
Detectives spent most of the day Thursday interviewing friends, family and other acquaintances who might have information in the disappearance of 21-year-old Melanie Metheny.
Investigators searched the Witcher Creek region in eastern Kanawha County until about 1 a.m. for Metheny, who hasn't been seen for almost two days.
"We will continuously put forth an effort to find her until she's found. We won't stop until we locate her," Sheriff's Lt. Bryan Stover said this morning.
Read more at link above.
Anyone with information can contact the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office at 357-0169.
http://www.dailymail...ews/2006072119/
Detectives have no leads in case of missing woman
Friday July 21, 2006
Investigators with the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department this morning still had no leads in the search for a missing mother of three.
Detectives spent most of the day Thursday interviewing friends, family and other acquaintances who might have information in the disappearance of 21-year-old Melanie Metheny.
Investigators searched the Witcher Creek region in eastern Kanawha County until about 1 a.m. for Metheny, who hasn't been seen for almost two days.
"We will continuously put forth an effort to find her until she's found. We won't stop until we locate her," Sheriff's Lt. Bryan Stover said this morning.
Read more at link above.
Anyone with information can contact the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office at 357-0169.
#4
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:02 AM
http://www.wchstv.co...s/11sat.shtml#7
MATHENY UPDATE
SO FAR THERE's STILL NO SIGN OF A WOMAN MISSING FROM BELLE.
21-YEAR-OLD MELANIE METHENY DISAPPEARED WEDNESDAY MORNING.
HER FAMILY SAYS THE LAST THING THEY KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT SHE LEFT HER THREE CHILDREN AT A BELLE DAY CARE CENTER.
HER 19-98 CHEVROLET VENTURE MINI-VAN IS ALSO MISSING.
DEPUTIES RELEASED A COLOR ILLUSTRATION OF THE VAN YESTERDAY.
HER FAMILY WANTS THE PUBLIC TO HELP.
IF YOU HAVE SEEN MELAINE OR HER VAN CALL THE KANAWHA COUNTY SHERRIFS DEPARTMENT @ 357-0169
7/22/06
MATHENY UPDATE
SO FAR THERE's STILL NO SIGN OF A WOMAN MISSING FROM BELLE.
21-YEAR-OLD MELANIE METHENY DISAPPEARED WEDNESDAY MORNING.
HER FAMILY SAYS THE LAST THING THEY KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT SHE LEFT HER THREE CHILDREN AT A BELLE DAY CARE CENTER.
HER 19-98 CHEVROLET VENTURE MINI-VAN IS ALSO MISSING.
DEPUTIES RELEASED A COLOR ILLUSTRATION OF THE VAN YESTERDAY.
HER FAMILY WANTS THE PUBLIC TO HELP.
IF YOU HAVE SEEN MELAINE OR HER VAN CALL THE KANAWHA COUNTY SHERRIFS DEPARTMENT @ 357-0169
7/22/06
#5
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:02 AM
http://wowktv.com/st...y&storyid=12526
Missing Mothers Van Found
Posted 7/23/2006 07:59 PM
Kanawha County mother missing since Wednesday
There are new developments in the disappearance of a young Kanawha County mother. Melanie Matheny's van has been found.
21-year old Metheny was last seen dropping her kids off at day care Wednesday morning. Charleston police found her 1998 Gold Chevy Venture Van on Wyoming Street about 1:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Kanawha County Sheriff's Deputies say neighbors first noticed the van about 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, that's six hours after Matheny was last seen.
Deputies do not know why the van was there and a search did not find what they're calling any positive evidence. Deputies will conduct a forensic exam.
Metheny, a mother of three, is described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall, and 100 pounds, with long blond hair.
If you have any information on Metheny's whereabouts call the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 304-357-0169.
Missing Mothers Van Found
Posted 7/23/2006 07:59 PM
Kanawha County mother missing since Wednesday
There are new developments in the disappearance of a young Kanawha County mother. Melanie Matheny's van has been found.
21-year old Metheny was last seen dropping her kids off at day care Wednesday morning. Charleston police found her 1998 Gold Chevy Venture Van on Wyoming Street about 1:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Kanawha County Sheriff's Deputies say neighbors first noticed the van about 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, that's six hours after Matheny was last seen.
Deputies do not know why the van was there and a search did not find what they're calling any positive evidence. Deputies will conduct a forensic exam.
Metheny, a mother of three, is described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall, and 100 pounds, with long blond hair.
If you have any information on Metheny's whereabouts call the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 304-357-0169.
#6
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:02 AM
http://wvgazette.com...oday/2006072419
Family searches West Side for missing Belle woman
July 25, 2006 By Morgan Kelly Staff writer
Friends and family of Melanie Metheny combed Charleston's West Side after the missing mother of three's minivan was found there Sunday. All wondered why the Belle resident's vehicle was in a neighborhood they say she had no reason to visit.
Metheny, 21, was reported missing Wednesday after she failed to pick up her kids up from a day-care center that evening.
Calls from West Side residents led Kanawha County sheriff's deputies to Metheny's gold minivan parked at the corner of Wyoming Street and Beuhring Avenue. Neighbors said the van had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. Wednesday.
"I didn't even know she knew anyone down there," said Matt Harper, the father of Metheny's two youngest children.
He and Metheny's father, James Metheny, drove the West Side's streets looking for Melanie until 3:30 a.m. Monday, Harper said. A few people said they saw a woman matching Metheny's description, but the leads went nowhere, he said.
Harper's mother, Donna Miller, put up fliers all over the West Side on Monday, receiving prayers and condolences as she went, she said.
"She may not be down here, but it's not going to hurt to put these fliers up," Miller said.
Harper said he and Metheny split up eight months ago and have had limited contact since. During their three years together, he never knew of her to visit the West Side, he said.
Lt. Sean Crosier of the Sheriff's Department said the case has not developed much since the discovery of the minivan Sunday.
A search of the vehicle turned up several documents and phone numbers, but further investigation did not yield anything substantial as of Monday afternoon, Crosier said. Investigators continue to conduct interviews, he said.
Metheny only came to Charleston for nursing classes at the Garnet Career Center on downtown's Dickinson Street, said Jared Davis, her current boyfriend. He and Metheny have been together for about five months, he said.
Davis knows people on the West Side, but not in the area the minivan was found and no one Metheny knew well enough to visit without him, he said.
Recent news reports quoted James Metheny as saying that Davis was the last to see Melanie. Davis said he last saw her before he left for work around 7 a.m. Wednesday.
He later tried to call her around noon, but she did not pick up, he said. She usually called him at least once before noon, but never called him Wednesday, Davis said.
Metheny stayed with him in Campbells Creek after apparently leaving the house she shared with her two teenage brothers, Davis said. She often complained that the boys were messy and ate the food she bought for her children, he said.
He and Metheny were looking for a bigger place and had called a few places, Davis said.
Metheny's minivan had several objects lying on the passenger seat, including a piece of paper with a handwritten St. Albans phone number and the words "3 bedroom, 2 bath, 15,000."
A business card for a Belle police officer was also in the front seat. Metheny apparently filed a report not long ago about a woman threatening to beat her up, according to Belle Police Chief R.J. Sizemore.
The woman approached Metheny about speeding through their neighborhood, the two argued and the woman told Metheny, "I'll kick your scrawny little a--," Sizemore said.
Very little came of the incident, Davis said. The only threat to him and Metheny came from a juvenile who recently stole her minivan, he said. The van was recovered in Ravenswood, he said.
Metheny apparently confronted the boy once and he picked up a rock when she turned to walk away, Davis said. A friend who was with Metheny shouted out and the boy dropped the rock, he said.
James Metheny also disappeared a few years ago, but returned when people began looking for him, Sizemore said. As he recalled it, James left after fighting with his wife at the time.
"He got tired of her crap and left home," Sizemore said. "He was gone long enough to get them concerned."
When asked if Melanie would ever just leave, Davis said she would never "forget about her kids unless she was forced to."
Family searches West Side for missing Belle woman
July 25, 2006 By Morgan Kelly Staff writer
Friends and family of Melanie Metheny combed Charleston's West Side after the missing mother of three's minivan was found there Sunday. All wondered why the Belle resident's vehicle was in a neighborhood they say she had no reason to visit.
Metheny, 21, was reported missing Wednesday after she failed to pick up her kids up from a day-care center that evening.
Calls from West Side residents led Kanawha County sheriff's deputies to Metheny's gold minivan parked at the corner of Wyoming Street and Beuhring Avenue. Neighbors said the van had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. Wednesday.
"I didn't even know she knew anyone down there," said Matt Harper, the father of Metheny's two youngest children.
He and Metheny's father, James Metheny, drove the West Side's streets looking for Melanie until 3:30 a.m. Monday, Harper said. A few people said they saw a woman matching Metheny's description, but the leads went nowhere, he said.
Harper's mother, Donna Miller, put up fliers all over the West Side on Monday, receiving prayers and condolences as she went, she said.
"She may not be down here, but it's not going to hurt to put these fliers up," Miller said.
Harper said he and Metheny split up eight months ago and have had limited contact since. During their three years together, he never knew of her to visit the West Side, he said.
Lt. Sean Crosier of the Sheriff's Department said the case has not developed much since the discovery of the minivan Sunday.
A search of the vehicle turned up several documents and phone numbers, but further investigation did not yield anything substantial as of Monday afternoon, Crosier said. Investigators continue to conduct interviews, he said.
Metheny only came to Charleston for nursing classes at the Garnet Career Center on downtown's Dickinson Street, said Jared Davis, her current boyfriend. He and Metheny have been together for about five months, he said.
Davis knows people on the West Side, but not in the area the minivan was found and no one Metheny knew well enough to visit without him, he said.
Recent news reports quoted James Metheny as saying that Davis was the last to see Melanie. Davis said he last saw her before he left for work around 7 a.m. Wednesday.
He later tried to call her around noon, but she did not pick up, he said. She usually called him at least once before noon, but never called him Wednesday, Davis said.
Metheny stayed with him in Campbells Creek after apparently leaving the house she shared with her two teenage brothers, Davis said. She often complained that the boys were messy and ate the food she bought for her children, he said.
He and Metheny were looking for a bigger place and had called a few places, Davis said.
Metheny's minivan had several objects lying on the passenger seat, including a piece of paper with a handwritten St. Albans phone number and the words "3 bedroom, 2 bath, 15,000."
A business card for a Belle police officer was also in the front seat. Metheny apparently filed a report not long ago about a woman threatening to beat her up, according to Belle Police Chief R.J. Sizemore.
The woman approached Metheny about speeding through their neighborhood, the two argued and the woman told Metheny, "I'll kick your scrawny little a--," Sizemore said.
Very little came of the incident, Davis said. The only threat to him and Metheny came from a juvenile who recently stole her minivan, he said. The van was recovered in Ravenswood, he said.
Metheny apparently confronted the boy once and he picked up a rock when she turned to walk away, Davis said. A friend who was with Metheny shouted out and the boy dropped the rock, he said.
James Metheny also disappeared a few years ago, but returned when people began looking for him, Sizemore said. As he recalled it, James left after fighting with his wife at the time.
"He got tired of her crap and left home," Sizemore said. "He was gone long enough to get them concerned."
When asked if Melanie would ever just leave, Davis said she would never "forget about her kids unless she was forced to."
#7
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:03 AM
XX
http://www.dailymail...ews/2006072516/
Family members searching
West Side, hanging up fliers
Tuesday July 25, 2006
Friends and family of a missing Belle woman searched Charleston's West Side after the woman's minivan was found there Sunday.
Melanie Metheny, 21, a mother of three, was reported missing Wednesday after she failed to pick up her kids up from a day care center that evening.
Calls from West Side residents led Kanawha County sheriff's deputies to Metheny's gold minivan parked at the corner of Wyoming Street and Beuhring Avenue. Neighbors said the van had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Read more at link above.
http://www.dailymail...ews/2006072516/
Family members searching
West Side, hanging up fliers
Tuesday July 25, 2006
Friends and family of a missing Belle woman searched Charleston's West Side after the woman's minivan was found there Sunday.
Melanie Metheny, 21, a mother of three, was reported missing Wednesday after she failed to pick up her kids up from a day care center that evening.
Calls from West Side residents led Kanawha County sheriff's deputies to Metheny's gold minivan parked at the corner of Wyoming Street and Beuhring Avenue. Neighbors said the van had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Read more at link above.
#8
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:03 AM
http://sundaygazette...News/2006072510
Family offers reward to find missing woman
July 26, 2006 By Morgan Kelly Staff writer
As the search for Melanie Metheny trudges along, her family offered a reward Tuesday for information leading them to the missing mother of three.
Family members did not say how much the reward would be, but they hope the offer will help jump-start a case that has moved forward very little since the 21-year-old Belle resident's minivan was found Sunday on Charleston's West Side.
Metheny was reported missing one week ago after she failed to pick up her kids from daycare Wednesday evening.
"Right now we're grasping at straws," said one of Metheny's aunts, who asked to remain unnamed. When contacted Tuesday, she was printing posters with the reward offer to hang around Kanawha and Fayette counties, including in Charleston, she said.
"We're not focusing in one small area," she said. Metheny's parents "aren't getting any sleep and the kids are asking where their mother is."
Official efforts have so far not produced new information or inspired any theories, said Lt. B.C. Stover of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators continue to follow up on tips from the public, pore over "thousands" of phone records and talk with Metheny's family, he said.
Deputies were still going over items and documents found in Metheny's minivan, but with no luck, he said. Calls from West Side residents led Kanawha County sheriff's deputies to Metheny's gold minivan parked at the corner of Wyoming Street and Beuhring Avenue.
Neighbors said the van had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. Wednesday, but police and Metheny's family say she apparently had no reason to visit the West Side.
The case's odd set of circumstances makes it difficult to work", Stover said: "You have to start somewhere and work your way backward."
Metheny's family and friends have spent several hours a day since last week driving around Kanawha and Fayette counties looking and asking, said Bill Daniel, a friend of Metheny's mother Debbie Metheny. Both came up from Virginia.
"It's pretty much what our lives have become," Daniel said. "I can't think of anything better for us to do."
The drives yield sightings, rumors and theories, but not what the family really wants, Debbie Metheny said.
"Too many theories, we're tired of theories," she said as she rode around Kanawha City Tuesday.
"Right now we're just concentrating on finding her."
Metheny is white, 5 feet 3 inches tall, with long, straight strawberry-blond hair. She weighs about 100 pounds and has brown eyes.
Anyone with information about Metheny should contact the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 357-0169.
Family offers reward to find missing woman
July 26, 2006 By Morgan Kelly Staff writer
As the search for Melanie Metheny trudges along, her family offered a reward Tuesday for information leading them to the missing mother of three.
Family members did not say how much the reward would be, but they hope the offer will help jump-start a case that has moved forward very little since the 21-year-old Belle resident's minivan was found Sunday on Charleston's West Side.
Metheny was reported missing one week ago after she failed to pick up her kids from daycare Wednesday evening.
"Right now we're grasping at straws," said one of Metheny's aunts, who asked to remain unnamed. When contacted Tuesday, she was printing posters with the reward offer to hang around Kanawha and Fayette counties, including in Charleston, she said.
"We're not focusing in one small area," she said. Metheny's parents "aren't getting any sleep and the kids are asking where their mother is."
Official efforts have so far not produced new information or inspired any theories, said Lt. B.C. Stover of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators continue to follow up on tips from the public, pore over "thousands" of phone records and talk with Metheny's family, he said.
Deputies were still going over items and documents found in Metheny's minivan, but with no luck, he said. Calls from West Side residents led Kanawha County sheriff's deputies to Metheny's gold minivan parked at the corner of Wyoming Street and Beuhring Avenue.
Neighbors said the van had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. Wednesday, but police and Metheny's family say she apparently had no reason to visit the West Side.
The case's odd set of circumstances makes it difficult to work", Stover said: "You have to start somewhere and work your way backward."
Metheny's family and friends have spent several hours a day since last week driving around Kanawha and Fayette counties looking and asking, said Bill Daniel, a friend of Metheny's mother Debbie Metheny. Both came up from Virginia.
"It's pretty much what our lives have become," Daniel said. "I can't think of anything better for us to do."
The drives yield sightings, rumors and theories, but not what the family really wants, Debbie Metheny said.
"Too many theories, we're tired of theories," she said as she rode around Kanawha City Tuesday.
"Right now we're just concentrating on finding her."
Metheny is white, 5 feet 3 inches tall, with long, straight strawberry-blond hair. She weighs about 100 pounds and has brown eyes.
Anyone with information about Metheny should contact the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 357-0169.
#9
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:05 AM
http://www.wtrf.com/...y&storyid=12609
New Fliers, New Website for Missing Woman
Posted 7/26/2006 05:02 PM
The Kanawha County woman disappeared one week ago today.
A reported reward, a website posting and new fliers are being used to help find the young mother of 3. Melanie Metheny disappeared last Wednesday after dropping off her 3 children, including Michael Lilly's son, at day care.
When asked, "Have you told him that you don't know where she is?" Michael Lilly said, "No, we're kind of trying to shield the children from it as much as we can right now."
That is becoming more difficult. Fliers are posted near the home Metheny shared with her boyfriend, in the town where her family lives, and in the Charleston neighborhood where her van was found last weekend. While the family, now reportedly offering a reward, is frustrated, Passersby are concerned.
"We can't understand it," said Belle resident Joyce Hill, "There's a lot of leery people around, and comes around in the neighborhood too and everything, so its hard to tell what happened to her."
Kanawha County Sheriff Deputies say there's nothing new in Melanie's disappearance but her family says those fliers have led to tips that cause them to search neighborhoods like Campbells Creek over night.
"If anyone wants to come out and help search around Campbells Creek," Lilly said. When asked "Any reason why, other than the fact that she lived there?" Lilly responded, "Well, we have a few ideas but like I said we can't really speculate on anything. We don't really know anything yet."
Lilly says they will search until the 21 year old is found because the family "can't have any closure without knowing."
Melanie's disappearance is now featured on the website www.someoneismissing.com. She is described as five feet tall, blonde hair, brown eyes, weighing about 100 pounds.
If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, call the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 357-0169.
New Fliers, New Website for Missing Woman
Posted 7/26/2006 05:02 PM
The Kanawha County woman disappeared one week ago today.
A reported reward, a website posting and new fliers are being used to help find the young mother of 3. Melanie Metheny disappeared last Wednesday after dropping off her 3 children, including Michael Lilly's son, at day care.
When asked, "Have you told him that you don't know where she is?" Michael Lilly said, "No, we're kind of trying to shield the children from it as much as we can right now."
That is becoming more difficult. Fliers are posted near the home Metheny shared with her boyfriend, in the town where her family lives, and in the Charleston neighborhood where her van was found last weekend. While the family, now reportedly offering a reward, is frustrated, Passersby are concerned.
"We can't understand it," said Belle resident Joyce Hill, "There's a lot of leery people around, and comes around in the neighborhood too and everything, so its hard to tell what happened to her."
Kanawha County Sheriff Deputies say there's nothing new in Melanie's disappearance but her family says those fliers have led to tips that cause them to search neighborhoods like Campbells Creek over night.
"If anyone wants to come out and help search around Campbells Creek," Lilly said. When asked "Any reason why, other than the fact that she lived there?" Lilly responded, "Well, we have a few ideas but like I said we can't really speculate on anything. We don't really know anything yet."
Lilly says they will search until the 21 year old is found because the family "can't have any closure without knowing."
Melanie's disappearance is now featured on the website www.someoneismissing.com. She is described as five feet tall, blonde hair, brown eyes, weighing about 100 pounds.
If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, call the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 357-0169.
#10
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:05 AM
http://sundaygazette...News/2006072842
July 29, 2006
Body found might be that of missing Belle mother of 3
RIPLEY — Police are investigating a body that was found in a rural part of eastern Jackson County that could be that of missing Belle resident Melanie Metheny, WSAZ-TV reported.
Metheny, 21, was reported missing on July 19 after she failed to pick up her kids from daycare.
Her family is offering a reward for information about the missing mother of three.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department sent a detective to assist with the investigation, a dispatcher said.
No other details were immediately available late Friday.
July 29, 2006
Body found might be that of missing Belle mother of 3
RIPLEY — Police are investigating a body that was found in a rural part of eastern Jackson County that could be that of missing Belle resident Melanie Metheny, WSAZ-TV reported.
Metheny, 21, was reported missing on July 19 after she failed to pick up her kids from daycare.
Her family is offering a reward for information about the missing mother of three.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department sent a detective to assist with the investigation, a dispatcher said.
No other details were immediately available late Friday.
#11
Linda
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:06 AM
http://www.wtap.com/...es/3453891.html
Murder Investigation
The Jackson County Sheriff's Department is investigating a murder this weekend, after discovering a body late Friday night....
Workers discovered the body in a rural area of Jackson County, near the Roane County line. Deputies the body is a white woman, with long brunette hair.
The woman is about 5'8", 120 lbs., and was found without any clothes on. There was a pink, spaghetti strap tank top found by the body.
Authorities aren't saying how the victim died, but they are calling this a murder investigation.
At first, Deputies believed this body might be that of Melanie Metheny. Metheny is a Charleston mother of three that went missing more than a week ago.
Now, police are 99% sure that it's not Melanie Metheny. If you have any information in this case, call the Jackson County Sheriffs Department.
Murder Investigation
The Jackson County Sheriff's Department is investigating a murder this weekend, after discovering a body late Friday night....
Workers discovered the body in a rural area of Jackson County, near the Roane County line. Deputies the body is a white woman, with long brunette hair.
The woman is about 5'8", 120 lbs., and was found without any clothes on. There was a pink, spaghetti strap tank top found by the body.
Authorities aren't saying how the victim died, but they are calling this a murder investigation.
At first, Deputies believed this body might be that of Melanie Metheny. Metheny is a Charleston mother of three that went missing more than a week ago.
Now, police are 99% sure that it's not Melanie Metheny. If you have any information in this case, call the Jackson County Sheriffs Department.
#12
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:06 AM
http://wvgazette.com...News/2006072917
Metheny case lead fizzles
July 30, 2006 By Veronica Nett Staff writer
What looked like a lead in the search for a missing Belle woman now appears to represent a whole new missing-person case.
Jackson County sheriff's deputies said a logger found the decomposed body of a nude adult white female in a remote part of the county Friday afternoon. At first, they suspected the body might be that of Melanie Metheny, the 21-year-old mother of three who has been missing since July 19.
But in a media conference held Saturday, Sheriff Michael Bright announced that his investigators were almost certain the body was not Metheny's.
Still, they had not yet determined the body's identity, Bright said.
The woman was a brunette in her early to mid-20s, about 5-feet-7 to 5-feet-8 inches tall and weighing 120 pounds. She wore a thin gold necklace, and a pink spaghetti-strap tanktop was found near the body, Bright said.
There are no missing persons from Jackson County matching the description of the woman, according to Bright. He would not comment on the cause of death, but said there is no question her death was a homicide. The body appeared to have been at the site for two to seven days, he said.
Evidence indicates the woman was killed at another location and her body dropped at the remote site, he added.
"We're kind of at a standstillin the investigation," Bright said. "We don't think she was killed there; we have another crime scene somewhere else."
The results of a sexual-assault-kit analysis will be released Monday, he said.
A detective from the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department assisted with the investigation in Jackson County on Friday.
Metheny was reported missing after failing to pick up her three children from Country Kids Daycare in Belle.
Her gold and tan 1998 Chevrolet Ventura minivan was found last Sunday parked on Charleston's West Side. Kanawha deputies said the van was parked at the corner of Wyoming Street and Beuhring Avenue the same day Metheny went missing.
None of the leads or tips in the Metheny case have panned out so far, and detectives are at an impasse, Kanawha Sheriff's Lt. Brian Stover said.
In hopes to jump-start the case, the Metheny family has offered a reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
To contact staff writer Veronica Nett, use e-mail or call 348-5100.
Metheny case lead fizzles
July 30, 2006 By Veronica Nett Staff writer
What looked like a lead in the search for a missing Belle woman now appears to represent a whole new missing-person case.
Jackson County sheriff's deputies said a logger found the decomposed body of a nude adult white female in a remote part of the county Friday afternoon. At first, they suspected the body might be that of Melanie Metheny, the 21-year-old mother of three who has been missing since July 19.
But in a media conference held Saturday, Sheriff Michael Bright announced that his investigators were almost certain the body was not Metheny's.
Still, they had not yet determined the body's identity, Bright said.
The woman was a brunette in her early to mid-20s, about 5-feet-7 to 5-feet-8 inches tall and weighing 120 pounds. She wore a thin gold necklace, and a pink spaghetti-strap tanktop was found near the body, Bright said.
There are no missing persons from Jackson County matching the description of the woman, according to Bright. He would not comment on the cause of death, but said there is no question her death was a homicide. The body appeared to have been at the site for two to seven days, he said.
Evidence indicates the woman was killed at another location and her body dropped at the remote site, he added.
"We're kind of at a standstillin the investigation," Bright said. "We don't think she was killed there; we have another crime scene somewhere else."
The results of a sexual-assault-kit analysis will be released Monday, he said.
A detective from the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department assisted with the investigation in Jackson County on Friday.
Metheny was reported missing after failing to pick up her three children from Country Kids Daycare in Belle.
Her gold and tan 1998 Chevrolet Ventura minivan was found last Sunday parked on Charleston's West Side. Kanawha deputies said the van was parked at the corner of Wyoming Street and Beuhring Avenue the same day Metheny went missing.
None of the leads or tips in the Metheny case have panned out so far, and detectives are at an impasse, Kanawha Sheriff's Lt. Brian Stover said.
In hopes to jump-start the case, the Metheny family has offered a reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
To contact staff writer Veronica Nett, use e-mail or call 348-5100.
#13
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:06 AM
Metheny Still Missing
Amanda Barren
When she didn't pick her three children up from daycare about a month ago, her family knew something was wrong. But little did they know, they might never talk to Melanie Metheny again.
The 21-year-old from Belle vanished without a trace on August 19th. It's been a sleepless month filled with tireless searches that have turned up empty.
Life may never be the same for Melanie Metheny's father....
http://www.wsaz.com/...es/3560982.html
Amanda Barren
When she didn't pick her three children up from daycare about a month ago, her family knew something was wrong. But little did they know, they might never talk to Melanie Metheny again.
The 21-year-old from Belle vanished without a trace on August 19th. It's been a sleepless month filled with tireless searches that have turned up empty.
Life may never be the same for Melanie Metheny's father....
http://www.wsaz.com/...es/3560982.html
#14
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:07 AM
Search Continues for Missing Kanawha Woman
Posted Tuesday, October 3, 2006 ; 05:55 PM
New efforts are underway in the search for a mother who was last seen after she dropped her kids off at a daycare in Kanawha County.
Melanie Metheny has been missing since July 19th.
Her father says a Web site has been setup with more information on his daughter. The family is also handing out a new flyer with her picture. Metheny dropped off her three children at the Country Kids Daycare in Belle at 7 a.m. on the 19th. http://www.wtrf.com/...p;storyid=14706
Posted Tuesday, October 3, 2006 ; 05:55 PM
New efforts are underway in the search for a mother who was last seen after she dropped her kids off at a daycare in Kanawha County.
Melanie Metheny has been missing since July 19th.
Her father says a Web site has been setup with more information on his daughter. The family is also handing out a new flyer with her picture. Metheny dropped off her three children at the Country Kids Daycare in Belle at 7 a.m. on the 19th. http://www.wtrf.com/...p;storyid=14706
#15
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:07 AM
WSAZ | Metheny Still Missing
Metheny Still Missing
When she didn't pick her three children up from daycare about a month ago, her family knew something was wrong. But little did they know, they might never talk to Melanie Metheny again.
The 21-year-old from Belle vanished without a trace on August 19th. It's been a sleepless month filled with tireless searches that have turned up empty.
Life may never be the same for Melanie Metheny's father.
“This is something you hear about on unsolved mysteries or something,†said Metheny. “This is not something that happens to you or your family. This is all new to me.â€
For nearly a month, Jimmy Metheny, family, and friends have been searching for his 21-year-old daughter not knowing where to look.
The pain for her father is clear. Understanding his angst is unimaginable.
“There are people who are never found,†said Metheny. “I've got to look at that reality.â€
The reality of only finding Melanie’s body has been a cold one. Just three weeks ago, a woman’s body was found in Jackson County, and just last week, one in wood. Neither of them was Melanie.
The latest one was a Metheny, but as it turns out, it was Sherry Metheny. Then, there have been the sightings. Along Kanawha Boulevard and at a west end hardware store not far from where her van was found.
Metheny Still Missing
When she didn't pick her three children up from daycare about a month ago, her family knew something was wrong. But little did they know, they might never talk to Melanie Metheny again.
The 21-year-old from Belle vanished without a trace on August 19th. It's been a sleepless month filled with tireless searches that have turned up empty.
Life may never be the same for Melanie Metheny's father.
“This is something you hear about on unsolved mysteries or something,†said Metheny. “This is not something that happens to you or your family. This is all new to me.â€
For nearly a month, Jimmy Metheny, family, and friends have been searching for his 21-year-old daughter not knowing where to look.
The pain for her father is clear. Understanding his angst is unimaginable.
“There are people who are never found,†said Metheny. “I've got to look at that reality.â€
The reality of only finding Melanie’s body has been a cold one. Just three weeks ago, a woman’s body was found in Jackson County, and just last week, one in wood. Neither of them was Melanie.
The latest one was a Metheny, but as it turns out, it was Sherry Metheny. Then, there have been the sightings. Along Kanawha Boulevard and at a west end hardware store not far from where her van was found.
Click on the link provided above to read the complete news article.
#16
Linda
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Posted 20 May 2007 - 10:08 AM
National Center for Missing Adults (NCMA)
[img width=185 height=400]http://www.theyaremi...04695S_5021.jpg[/img]
Melanie Renee Metheny
Classification: Endangered Missing Adult
Date of Birth: 1985-06-21
Date Missing: 2006-07-19
From City/State: Belle, WV
Missing From (Country): USA
Age at Time of Disappearance: 21
Gender: Female
Race: White
Height: 63 inches
Weight: 100 pounds
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Brown
Complexion: Light
Identifying Characteristics: Pierced ears, surgical scar on right ankle.
Circumstances of Disappearance: Unknown. Melanie was last seen at approximately 8:00am after dropping her children off at a daycare in the vicinity of the 3000 block of E. Dupont Ave. in Belle, WV. Her vehicle, described as a gold 1998 Chevy Ventura minivan, was later located abandoned in the vicinity of Wyoming St. and Beuhring Ave. in Charleston, WV.
[img width=185 height=400]http://www.theyaremi...04695S_5021.jpg[/img]Melanie Renee Metheny
Classification: Endangered Missing Adult
Date of Birth: 1985-06-21
Date Missing: 2006-07-19
From City/State: Belle, WV
Missing From (Country): USA
Age at Time of Disappearance: 21
Gender: Female
Race: White
Height: 63 inches
Weight: 100 pounds
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Brown
Complexion: Light
Identifying Characteristics: Pierced ears, surgical scar on right ankle.
Circumstances of Disappearance: Unknown. Melanie was last seen at approximately 8:00am after dropping her children off at a daycare in the vicinity of the 3000 block of E. Dupont Ave. in Belle, WV. Her vehicle, described as a gold 1998 Chevy Ventura minivan, was later located abandoned in the vicinity of Wyoming St. and Beuhring Ave. in Charleston, WV.
Investigative Agency: Kanawha County Sheriff's Office
Phone: (304) 357-0169
Investigative Case #: 71924
#17
Denise
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Posted 08 June 2007 - 04:12 PM
http://www.statejour...y&storyid=24902
New Leads in Case of Missing Mother in Kanawha County
Posted Friday, June 8, 2007 ; 04:44 PM
Updated Friday, June 8, 2007 ; 06:39 PM
CHARLESTON -- Investigators in Kanawha County are choosing their words carefully concerning new developments in the disappearance of Melanie Metheny.
Lt. Sean Crosier with the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department said he is extremely encouraged by new information that has come to light in just the last few days.
The 21-year-old Metheny was last seen the morning of July 19 after dropping her children off at day care in Belle.
A few days later, detectives found her mini-van on Charleston's West side.
Since then, investigators have been working closely with Melanie's family to try to track down any clues.
They say it was one of those family members who brought them a tip this week that they call very promising.
"The family's been very helpful so they brought forth this new information and we're very hopeful this will shed some really good light on the investigation and bring about a positive resolution to a case that's now nearly 11 months old," said Crosier.
Detectives have been conducting interviews to try to follow up on this new information but are reluctant to release any more details.
If you have any information concerning Melanie Metheny's disappearance, you're urged to contact the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 357-0169.
New Leads in Case of Missing Mother in Kanawha County
Posted Friday, June 8, 2007 ; 04:44 PM
Updated Friday, June 8, 2007 ; 06:39 PM
CHARLESTON -- Investigators in Kanawha County are choosing their words carefully concerning new developments in the disappearance of Melanie Metheny.
Lt. Sean Crosier with the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department said he is extremely encouraged by new information that has come to light in just the last few days.
The 21-year-old Metheny was last seen the morning of July 19 after dropping her children off at day care in Belle.
A few days later, detectives found her mini-van on Charleston's West side.
Since then, investigators have been working closely with Melanie's family to try to track down any clues.
They say it was one of those family members who brought them a tip this week that they call very promising.
"The family's been very helpful so they brought forth this new information and we're very hopeful this will shed some really good light on the investigation and bring about a positive resolution to a case that's now nearly 11 months old," said Crosier.
Detectives have been conducting interviews to try to follow up on this new information but are reluctant to release any more details.
If you have any information concerning Melanie Metheny's disappearance, you're urged to contact the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 357-0169.
#18
Denise
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Posted 16 June 2007 - 07:50 AM
XX
http://www.dailymail...ice-and-courts/
Police have information on missing woman
Police say they have new information about a missing Kanawha County woman who was last seen nearly a year ago.
Melanie Metheny, a 21-year-old mother of three, has been missing since July 19, 2006.
"We have been conducting some interviews. Hopefully, this lead will turn up some new information," said Kanawha County Sheriff's Lt. Sean Crosier.
Read more at link above.
http://www.dailymail...ice-and-courts/
Police have information on missing woman
Police say they have new information about a missing Kanawha County woman who was last seen nearly a year ago.
Melanie Metheny, a 21-year-old mother of three, has been missing since July 19, 2006.
"We have been conducting some interviews. Hopefully, this lead will turn up some new information," said Kanawha County Sheriff's Lt. Sean Crosier.
Read more at link above.
#19
Denise
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Posted 19 July 2007 - 04:44 PM
http://www.statejour...y&storyid=26545
Missing Melanie
Posted Thursday, July 19, 2007 ; 06:01 PM
Updated Thursday, July 19, 2007 ; 07:35 PM
Family searches for answers one year after young mother's disappearance
Story by Sara Gavin Email | Bio
BELLE -- For the family of Melanie Metheny, the past year has been a slow. "It's been a long, long year. A horrible year," said Sandra Winnings, Melanie's grandmother.
It's also been a year filled with few clues about what happened to the 21-year-old mother of three.
Melanie dropped her kids off at a daycare in Belle the morning of July 19, 2006. It was the last time anyone reported seeing her.
Family members said Melanie went missing just as she was reaching a turning point in life.
"She was trying to better herself going through school and becoming a pediatrician and she was trying to make a life for herself," said Rocky Metheny, Melanie's uncle.
Melanie's picture was set to appear on billboards advertising an adult education program just before she vanished.
Now, her loved ones have little hope of ever seeing her again.
"There's nothing that would make me happier than for her to walk through the door, but I don't think that's going to happen," said Winnings
One thing that hasn't changed - the family's dedication to solving the mystery of Melanie's disappearance.
"You gotta keep going and until something's found out, we're not going to stop. It doesn't matter how long it takes but I'm confident it's not going to take that much longer. I think they know what happened. They've just got to prove it," said Rocky Metheny.
For Winnings, it's closure that can't come soon enough.
"They say God won't put more on you than you can take and I've had about all I can take."
Kanawha County sheriff's detectives said they are continually following leads in Metheny's disappearance.
A suspect has yet to be named in the case.
Missing Melanie
Posted Thursday, July 19, 2007 ; 06:01 PM
Updated Thursday, July 19, 2007 ; 07:35 PM
Family searches for answers one year after young mother's disappearance
Story by Sara Gavin Email | Bio
BELLE -- For the family of Melanie Metheny, the past year has been a slow. "It's been a long, long year. A horrible year," said Sandra Winnings, Melanie's grandmother.
It's also been a year filled with few clues about what happened to the 21-year-old mother of three.
Melanie dropped her kids off at a daycare in Belle the morning of July 19, 2006. It was the last time anyone reported seeing her.
Family members said Melanie went missing just as she was reaching a turning point in life.
"She was trying to better herself going through school and becoming a pediatrician and she was trying to make a life for herself," said Rocky Metheny, Melanie's uncle.
Melanie's picture was set to appear on billboards advertising an adult education program just before she vanished.
Now, her loved ones have little hope of ever seeing her again.
"There's nothing that would make me happier than for her to walk through the door, but I don't think that's going to happen," said Winnings
One thing that hasn't changed - the family's dedication to solving the mystery of Melanie's disappearance.
"You gotta keep going and until something's found out, we're not going to stop. It doesn't matter how long it takes but I'm confident it's not going to take that much longer. I think they know what happened. They've just got to prove it," said Rocky Metheny.
For Winnings, it's closure that can't come soon enough.
"They say God won't put more on you than you can take and I've had about all I can take."
Kanawha County sheriff's detectives said they are continually following leads in Metheny's disappearance.
A suspect has yet to be named in the case.
#20
Denise
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Posted 30 January 2008 - 09:13 PM
Link to Melanie's MySpace page: http://profile.myspa...endid=226788011
#21
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Posted 24 February 2008 - 06:06 AM
http://sundaygazette...ws/200802230571
February 24, 2008
A year and a half after vanishing, mystery -- and sorrow -- only deeper
Donna Harper remembers being in the emergency room when Melanie Metheny gave birth to her son Nathan.
Metheny has been missing since July 19, 2006. The 21-year-old Belle woman's van was found four days later on Charleston's West Side, but no trace of her was ever discovered.
Harper, the grandmother to two of Metheny's three children, remembers that when Nathan was born, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and the doctor had to cut the cord, sending blood everywhere.
"You don't know what happened," she said. "It hurts." .. The look on Melanie's blood-spotted face, a look of fear and pain, is something Harper has thought about often since the disappearance.
"You don't know what happened," said Harper. "It hurts. You lay in bed at night and you don't know if she was tortured, if it came swiftly."
You don't even know for sure that Metheny died, Harper said.
Metheny is now on the missing-persons Web site for the FOX television show "America's Most Wanted." Her case may also be presented on the show, said Kanawha sheriff's Detective R.A. Lane.
The day Metheny disappeared, she dropped off her three young children - Ryan, now 6; Nathan, 4; and Hannah, 3 - at a day-care center in Belle about 8 a.m., Lane said.
Roughly an hour later, someone - Lane said he is not sure if it was Metheny - made a call from her cell phone to the auto-repair shop Wreck-A-Mended Paint & Body to talk about repairs for her minivan.
Then about 9:30 a.m., a second call was made from Metheny's phone, this one to her voice mailbox.
At 6 p.m. an employee from the day-care center called Harper to tell her Metheny hadn't picked up her children. Harper picked up the kids, two of whom she has had custody of ever since.
Metheny's son Ryan is with his paternal grandparents, Harper said.
Metheny had been broken up from Harper's son Matthew for several months before she disappeared and had a new boyfriend, Jared Davis. Still, Harper said, she and Metheny remained close.
"Her and my son had two babies, and she lived here up until Matt broke up," Harper said. "And after that, she would still stop by; we would get the kids every other weekend."
Two days after Metheny disappeared, tipsters prompted rescue crews and K-9 units to search near Spring Fork Drive in the Witcher Creek area, but found nothing, Lane said.
Two days after that, police found Metheny's missing gold and tan minivan on the West Side. Neighbors said the minivan had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. July 19. That's when a woman first noticed it taking one of her usual parking spaces in front of her house, Lane said.
A 'crisis point'?
Police have followed many leads that went nowhere, Lane said. They are now going back and interviewing everyone again, essentially restarting the investigation, he said.
One thing police would like to learn more about is a mysterious red sport-utility vehicle. Police said that on the afternoon of Metheny's disappearance a witness on the West Side saw a woman inside the SUV struggling to free herself and yelling, "What about my babies?"
Police described the witness only as someone close to Metheny. Lane said police haven't been able to find the SUV.
"Somebody knows something about Melanie and they are keeping a tight lid on it right now," he said. "And we need closure. We need this thing to be solved. If anyone knows anything about her or her disappearance and they want to remain anonymous, they will remain anonymous."
Friends and family of Metheny's have set up a Web site, www.findmelanie.com, which offers a $5,000 reward for information that solves the mystery. The Web site also gives a detailed timeline of the days before the disappearance.
About 12 hours before Metheny disappeared, the Web site claims, she came to a "crisis point."
Lane said he had no information about Metheny suffering through a "crisis point," though he said he has heard rumors about Metheny owing drug dealers $300. While Metheny did use drugs in social settings, he said, he doesn't believe she owed anyone a large sum of money.
"That's asinine," he said. "She was saving to rent a house and get out of the apartment she lived in. She had money; it wasn't a huge amount, but if she needed to, she could use it if she was in that much trouble."
'We need to find out'
Both Harper and Lane say Metheny was a devoted mom.
"Her family members and her friends have said that you always really saw her with her kids except when she went to school," Lane said. "She would take them to their grandparents' houses and let them see them. ... She was a young woman that had three kids and wanted to make something out of her life and for her kids, to give her kids something she might never have had."
Metheny was taking classes to prepare herself for college-entrance exams. She wanted to be a nurse, Harper said.
"With her being gone this long, reality sets in and it makes you think that something worse has happened to her," Lane said. "Then again, you have hope that she is still alive out there. I mean, I've got hope."
Harper's mother died in November. Nathan and Hannah both noticed how sad their grandmother was.
"Little Nathan, he saw that I was upset and said, 'Well, Mamaw, I already lost my mommy.' It's pitiful. It's like a double hurt for me," Harper said. "Wherever the truth lies, we need to find out what happened to her. This needs to come out. These children need to know."
February 24, 2008
A year and a half after vanishing, mystery -- and sorrow -- only deeper
Donna Harper remembers being in the emergency room when Melanie Metheny gave birth to her son Nathan.
Metheny has been missing since July 19, 2006. The 21-year-old Belle woman's van was found four days later on Charleston's West Side, but no trace of her was ever discovered.
Harper, the grandmother to two of Metheny's three children, remembers that when Nathan was born, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and the doctor had to cut the cord, sending blood everywhere.
"You don't know what happened," she said. "It hurts." .. The look on Melanie's blood-spotted face, a look of fear and pain, is something Harper has thought about often since the disappearance.
"You don't know what happened," said Harper. "It hurts. You lay in bed at night and you don't know if she was tortured, if it came swiftly."
You don't even know for sure that Metheny died, Harper said.
Metheny is now on the missing-persons Web site for the FOX television show "America's Most Wanted." Her case may also be presented on the show, said Kanawha sheriff's Detective R.A. Lane.
The day Metheny disappeared, she dropped off her three young children - Ryan, now 6; Nathan, 4; and Hannah, 3 - at a day-care center in Belle about 8 a.m., Lane said.
Roughly an hour later, someone - Lane said he is not sure if it was Metheny - made a call from her cell phone to the auto-repair shop Wreck-A-Mended Paint & Body to talk about repairs for her minivan.
Then about 9:30 a.m., a second call was made from Metheny's phone, this one to her voice mailbox.
At 6 p.m. an employee from the day-care center called Harper to tell her Metheny hadn't picked up her children. Harper picked up the kids, two of whom she has had custody of ever since.
Metheny's son Ryan is with his paternal grandparents, Harper said.
Metheny had been broken up from Harper's son Matthew for several months before she disappeared and had a new boyfriend, Jared Davis. Still, Harper said, she and Metheny remained close.
"Her and my son had two babies, and she lived here up until Matt broke up," Harper said. "And after that, she would still stop by; we would get the kids every other weekend."
Two days after Metheny disappeared, tipsters prompted rescue crews and K-9 units to search near Spring Fork Drive in the Witcher Creek area, but found nothing, Lane said.
Two days after that, police found Metheny's missing gold and tan minivan on the West Side. Neighbors said the minivan had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. July 19. That's when a woman first noticed it taking one of her usual parking spaces in front of her house, Lane said.
A 'crisis point'?
Police have followed many leads that went nowhere, Lane said. They are now going back and interviewing everyone again, essentially restarting the investigation, he said.
One thing police would like to learn more about is a mysterious red sport-utility vehicle. Police said that on the afternoon of Metheny's disappearance a witness on the West Side saw a woman inside the SUV struggling to free herself and yelling, "What about my babies?"
Police described the witness only as someone close to Metheny. Lane said police haven't been able to find the SUV.
"Somebody knows something about Melanie and they are keeping a tight lid on it right now," he said. "And we need closure. We need this thing to be solved. If anyone knows anything about her or her disappearance and they want to remain anonymous, they will remain anonymous."
Friends and family of Metheny's have set up a Web site, www.findmelanie.com, which offers a $5,000 reward for information that solves the mystery. The Web site also gives a detailed timeline of the days before the disappearance.
About 12 hours before Metheny disappeared, the Web site claims, she came to a "crisis point."
Lane said he had no information about Metheny suffering through a "crisis point," though he said he has heard rumors about Metheny owing drug dealers $300. While Metheny did use drugs in social settings, he said, he doesn't believe she owed anyone a large sum of money.
"That's asinine," he said. "She was saving to rent a house and get out of the apartment she lived in. She had money; it wasn't a huge amount, but if she needed to, she could use it if she was in that much trouble."
'We need to find out'
Both Harper and Lane say Metheny was a devoted mom.
"Her family members and her friends have said that you always really saw her with her kids except when she went to school," Lane said. "She would take them to their grandparents' houses and let them see them. ... She was a young woman that had three kids and wanted to make something out of her life and for her kids, to give her kids something she might never have had."
Metheny was taking classes to prepare herself for college-entrance exams. She wanted to be a nurse, Harper said.
"With her being gone this long, reality sets in and it makes you think that something worse has happened to her," Lane said. "Then again, you have hope that she is still alive out there. I mean, I've got hope."
Harper's mother died in November. Nathan and Hannah both noticed how sad their grandmother was.
"Little Nathan, he saw that I was upset and said, 'Well, Mamaw, I already lost my mommy.' It's pitiful. It's like a double hurt for me," Harper said. "Wherever the truth lies, we need to find out what happened to her. This needs to come out. These children need to know."
#22
Linda
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Posted 05 March 2008 - 03:01 PM
http://www.amw.com/m...ef.cfm?id=53193
West Virginia Mother of Three Still Missing
Detectives from the Kanawha Sheriff Department are seeking help from the public to find 22-year-old Melanie Metheny who disappeared without a trace on July 19, 2006 from Belle, W. Va. Cops say Metheny's abandoned car was found in a neighborhood known for drugs, but the young mother was nowhere to be found.
Young Mother Disappears Without A Trace
Detectives from the Kanawha Sheriff's Department are seeking the public's help in finding Melanie Metheny, 22, a mother of three who has been missing for 19 months.
At 8:00 a.m. on July 19, 2006, cops say Melanie dropped her children off at daycare.
According to Melanie's family, she was excited about going back to school for nursing and that was the day she planned to register. Her first stop was Garnet Career Center, an adult education organization, where she planned to pick up her transcripts. Melanie was then going to drive to West Virginia State University to enroll for classes.
But cops say nobody recalls seeing Melanie at Garnet and they don't believe she made it to the university.
The last verified communication Melanie had was at 9:09 a.m. when cops say she contacted an auto body shop to confirm an upcoming appointment. Police say Melanie has not been heard from since.
"We need to get closure on this case for the sake of the kids. We need someone to come forward."
Cops: Search for Missing Mother Ongoing
Four days after Melanie's disappearance, police found her car, a 1998 Gold Chevrolet Venture minivan in Charleston, W. Va. in what authorities describe as a known drug area.
Was Melanie there to buy drugs? Was she the victim of a car jacking? Abduction? Investigators just don't know. But what they do know is Melanie's minivan was intact. The doors were locked and the only items missing were Melanie's cell phone and purse. Personal items, including CDs, were still inside.
Cops say the minivan provided few clues to Melanie's disappearance or whereabouts. Unable to retrieve any fingerprints from the car, including Melanie's, investigators were becoming increasingly uneasy -- making their search to find her even more urgent.
A week before her disappearance, police say Melanie had an altercation with an acquaintance who had stolen her car months earlier. The minivan was recovered with minor damage, but Melanie was still upset about the incident.
Police can't say for sure whether this incident had anything to do with Melanie's disappearance.
A Daughter Missing, A Family in Fear
Friends say Melanie was happy in the months leading up to her disappearance. She had a boyfriend she was excited about marrying and was saving money so the family could move into a bigger house. She was proceeding with her plans to pursue her dream of a career in nursing. Investigators say there was no indication that Melanie was planning on leaving her boyfriend, her family, but more importantly, her children -- all of whom await her return.
Melanie's grandmother, Sandra Winning -- who helped raise Melanie -- has made it her mission to help close this case. She's created a website and has plans to travel to Detroit to follow up on leads in Melanie's case.
Sex Female
Race White
Age Now 22
Height 5'3"
Weight 100 lbs.
Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair) Blond
Long strawberry blond hair.
Eyes (Color and Correction) Brown
Other Physical Characteristics Scar on lower right leg from a car accident.
Traits and Habits
Smokes Sonoma cigarettes.
Melanie Metheny disappeared on July 19, 2006.
Melanie's abandoned car was located in the vicinity of Wyoming St. and Beuhring Ave. in Charleston, WV.
According to family, Melanie was taking classes in order to prepare for a college entrance exam.
West Virginia Mother of Three Still Missing
Detectives from the Kanawha Sheriff Department are seeking help from the public to find 22-year-old Melanie Metheny who disappeared without a trace on July 19, 2006 from Belle, W. Va. Cops say Metheny's abandoned car was found in a neighborhood known for drugs, but the young mother was nowhere to be found.
Young Mother Disappears Without A Trace
Detectives from the Kanawha Sheriff's Department are seeking the public's help in finding Melanie Metheny, 22, a mother of three who has been missing for 19 months.
At 8:00 a.m. on July 19, 2006, cops say Melanie dropped her children off at daycare.
According to Melanie's family, she was excited about going back to school for nursing and that was the day she planned to register. Her first stop was Garnet Career Center, an adult education organization, where she planned to pick up her transcripts. Melanie was then going to drive to West Virginia State University to enroll for classes.
But cops say nobody recalls seeing Melanie at Garnet and they don't believe she made it to the university.
The last verified communication Melanie had was at 9:09 a.m. when cops say she contacted an auto body shop to confirm an upcoming appointment. Police say Melanie has not been heard from since.
"We need to get closure on this case for the sake of the kids. We need someone to come forward."
Cops: Search for Missing Mother Ongoing
Four days after Melanie's disappearance, police found her car, a 1998 Gold Chevrolet Venture minivan in Charleston, W. Va. in what authorities describe as a known drug area.
Was Melanie there to buy drugs? Was she the victim of a car jacking? Abduction? Investigators just don't know. But what they do know is Melanie's minivan was intact. The doors were locked and the only items missing were Melanie's cell phone and purse. Personal items, including CDs, were still inside.
Cops say the minivan provided few clues to Melanie's disappearance or whereabouts. Unable to retrieve any fingerprints from the car, including Melanie's, investigators were becoming increasingly uneasy -- making their search to find her even more urgent.
A week before her disappearance, police say Melanie had an altercation with an acquaintance who had stolen her car months earlier. The minivan was recovered with minor damage, but Melanie was still upset about the incident.
Police can't say for sure whether this incident had anything to do with Melanie's disappearance.
A Daughter Missing, A Family in Fear
Friends say Melanie was happy in the months leading up to her disappearance. She had a boyfriend she was excited about marrying and was saving money so the family could move into a bigger house. She was proceeding with her plans to pursue her dream of a career in nursing. Investigators say there was no indication that Melanie was planning on leaving her boyfriend, her family, but more importantly, her children -- all of whom await her return.
Melanie's grandmother, Sandra Winning -- who helped raise Melanie -- has made it her mission to help close this case. She's created a website and has plans to travel to Detroit to follow up on leads in Melanie's case.
Sex Female
Race White
Age Now 22
Height 5'3"
Weight 100 lbs.
Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair) Blond
Long strawberry blond hair.
Eyes (Color and Correction) Brown
Other Physical Characteristics Scar on lower right leg from a car accident.
Traits and Habits
Smokes Sonoma cigarettes.
Melanie Metheny disappeared on July 19, 2006.
Melanie's abandoned car was located in the vicinity of Wyoming St. and Beuhring Ave. in Charleston, WV.
According to family, Melanie was taking classes in order to prepare for a college entrance exam.
#23
Linda
Linda
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- Guests
Posted 13 March 2008 - 04:02 AM
XX
http://www.dailymail...ha/200803130132
Deputies still working to find missing woman
March 13, 2008
Kanawha County sheriff's deputies are working with law enforcement officials in South Carolina to follow up on a lead about a woman who's been missing for almost two years.
Melanie Metheny hasn't been seen since July 19, 2006. The 21-year-old Belle woman's van was found four days later on Charleston's West Side, but no trace of her was ever discovered.
"We are still actively following up on leads, which led us to the state of South Carolina, where we sent detectives," Chief Deputy Johnny Rutherford said Wednesday.
Read more at link above.
http://www.dailymail...ha/200803130132
Deputies still working to find missing woman
March 13, 2008
Kanawha County sheriff's deputies are working with law enforcement officials in South Carolina to follow up on a lead about a woman who's been missing for almost two years.
Melanie Metheny hasn't been seen since July 19, 2006. The 21-year-old Belle woman's van was found four days later on Charleston's West Side, but no trace of her was ever discovered.
"We are still actively following up on leads, which led us to the state of South Carolina, where we sent detectives," Chief Deputy Johnny Rutherford said Wednesday.
Read more at link above.
#24
Linda
Linda
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- Guests
Posted 13 March 2008 - 04:08 AM
http://sundaygazette...e=2&build=cache
A year and a half after vanishing, mystery -- and sorrow -- only deeper
February 24, 2008
Donna Harper remembers being in the emergency room when Melanie Metheny gave birth to her son Nathan.
Metheny has been missing since July 19, 2006. The 21-year-old Belle woman's van was found four days later on Charleston's West Side, but no trace of her was ever discovered.
Harper, the grandmother to two of Metheny's three children, remembers that when Nathan was born, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and the doctor had to cut the cord, sending blood everywhere.
Family and police say Melanie Metheny was an attentive mother to Hannah and Nathan, and her first child, Ryan. Metheny has been missing since July 2006...
The look on Melanie's blood-spotted face, a look of fear and pain, is something Harper has thought about often since the disappearance.
"You don't know what happened," said Harper. "It hurts. You lay in bed at night and you don't know if she was tortured, if it came swiftly."
You don't even know for sure that Metheny died, Harper said.
Metheny is now on the missing-persons Web site for the FOX television show "America's Most Wanted." Her case may also be presented on the show, said Kanawha sheriff's Detective R.A. Lane.
The day Metheny disappeared, she dropped off her three young children - Ryan, now 6; Nathan, 4; and Hannah, 3 - at a day-care center in Belle about 8 a.m., Lane said.
Roughly an hour later, someone - Lane said he is not sure if it was Metheny - made a call from her cell phone to the auto-repair shop Wreck-A-Mended Paint & Body to talk about repairs for her minivan.
Then about 9:30 a.m., a second call was made from Metheny's phone, this one to her voice mailbox.
At 6 p.m. an employee from the day-care center called Harper to tell her Metheny hadn't picked up her children. Harper picked up the kids, two of whom she has had custody of ever since.
Metheny's son Ryan is with his paternal grandparents, Harper said.
Metheny had been broken up from Harper's son Matthew for several months before she disappeared and had a new boyfriend, Jared Davis. Still, Harper said, she and Metheny remained close.
"Her and my son had two babies, and she lived here up until Matt broke up," Harper said. "And after that, she would still stop by; we would get the kids every other weekend."
Two days after Metheny disappeared, tipsters prompted rescue crews and K-9 units to search near Spring Fork Drive in the Witcher Creek area, but found nothing, Lane said.
Two days after that, police found Metheny's missing gold and tan minivan on the West Side. Neighbors said the minivan had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. July 19. That's when a woman first noticed it taking one of her usual parking spaces in front of her house, Lane said.
A 'crisis point'?
Police have followed many leads that went nowhere, Lane said. They are now going back and interviewing everyone again, essentially restarting the investigation, he said.
One thing police would like to learn more about is a mysterious red sport-utility vehicle. Police said that on the afternoon of Metheny's disappearance a witness on the West Side saw a woman inside the SUV struggling to free herself and yelling, "What about my babies?"
Police described the witness only as someone close to Metheny. Lane said police haven't been able to find the SUV.
Donna Harper has custody of Melanie Metheny's two youngest children, Hannah and Nathan. "You donâ't know what happened," she said. "It hurts." ..
"Somebody knows something about Melanie and they are keeping a tight lid on it right now," he said. "And we need closure. We need this thing to be solved. If anyone knows anything about her or her disappearance and they want to remain anonymous, they will remain anonymous."
Friends and family of Metheny's have set up a Web site, www.findmelanie.com, which offers a $5,000 reward for information that solves the mystery. The Web site also gives a detailed timeline of the days before the disappearance.
About 12 hours before Metheny disappeared, the Web site claims, she came to a "crisis point."
Lane said he had no information about Metheny suffering through a "crisis point," though he said he has heard rumors about Metheny owing drug dealers $300. While Metheny did use drugs in social settings, he said, he doesn't believe she owed anyone a large sum of money.
"That's asinine," he said. "She was saving to rent a house and get out of the apartment she lived in. She had money; it wasn't a huge amount, but if she needed to, she could use it if she was in that much trouble."
'We need to find out'
Both Harper and Lane say Metheny was a devoted mom.
"Her family members and her friends have said that you always really saw her with her kids except when she went to school," Lane said. "She would take them to their grandparents' houses and let them see them. ... She was a young woman that had three kids and wanted to make something out of her life and for her kids, to give her kids something she might never have had."
Metheny was taking classes to prepare herself for college-entrance exams. She wanted to be a nurse, Harper said.
"With her being gone this long, reality sets in and it makes you think that something worse has happened to her," Lane said. "Then again, you have hope that she is still alive out there. I mean, I've got hope."
Harper's mother died in November. Nathan and Hannah both noticed how sad their grandmother was.
"Little Nathan, he saw that I was upset and said, 'Well, Mamaw, I already lost my mommy.' It's pitiful. It's like a double hurt for me," Harper said. "Wherever the truth lies, we need to find out what happened to her. This needs to come out. These children need to know."
A year and a half after vanishing, mystery -- and sorrow -- only deeper
February 24, 2008
Donna Harper remembers being in the emergency room when Melanie Metheny gave birth to her son Nathan.
Metheny has been missing since July 19, 2006. The 21-year-old Belle woman's van was found four days later on Charleston's West Side, but no trace of her was ever discovered.
Harper, the grandmother to two of Metheny's three children, remembers that when Nathan was born, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and the doctor had to cut the cord, sending blood everywhere.
Family and police say Melanie Metheny was an attentive mother to Hannah and Nathan, and her first child, Ryan. Metheny has been missing since July 2006...
The look on Melanie's blood-spotted face, a look of fear and pain, is something Harper has thought about often since the disappearance.
"You don't know what happened," said Harper. "It hurts. You lay in bed at night and you don't know if she was tortured, if it came swiftly."
You don't even know for sure that Metheny died, Harper said.
Metheny is now on the missing-persons Web site for the FOX television show "America's Most Wanted." Her case may also be presented on the show, said Kanawha sheriff's Detective R.A. Lane.
The day Metheny disappeared, she dropped off her three young children - Ryan, now 6; Nathan, 4; and Hannah, 3 - at a day-care center in Belle about 8 a.m., Lane said.
Roughly an hour later, someone - Lane said he is not sure if it was Metheny - made a call from her cell phone to the auto-repair shop Wreck-A-Mended Paint & Body to talk about repairs for her minivan.
Then about 9:30 a.m., a second call was made from Metheny's phone, this one to her voice mailbox.
At 6 p.m. an employee from the day-care center called Harper to tell her Metheny hadn't picked up her children. Harper picked up the kids, two of whom she has had custody of ever since.
Metheny's son Ryan is with his paternal grandparents, Harper said.
Metheny had been broken up from Harper's son Matthew for several months before she disappeared and had a new boyfriend, Jared Davis. Still, Harper said, she and Metheny remained close.
"Her and my son had two babies, and she lived here up until Matt broke up," Harper said. "And after that, she would still stop by; we would get the kids every other weekend."
Two days after Metheny disappeared, tipsters prompted rescue crews and K-9 units to search near Spring Fork Drive in the Witcher Creek area, but found nothing, Lane said.
Two days after that, police found Metheny's missing gold and tan minivan on the West Side. Neighbors said the minivan had been parked there since at least 2 p.m. July 19. That's when a woman first noticed it taking one of her usual parking spaces in front of her house, Lane said.
A 'crisis point'?
Police have followed many leads that went nowhere, Lane said. They are now going back and interviewing everyone again, essentially restarting the investigation, he said.
One thing police would like to learn more about is a mysterious red sport-utility vehicle. Police said that on the afternoon of Metheny's disappearance a witness on the West Side saw a woman inside the SUV struggling to free herself and yelling, "What about my babies?"
Police described the witness only as someone close to Metheny. Lane said police haven't been able to find the SUV.
Donna Harper has custody of Melanie Metheny's two youngest children, Hannah and Nathan. "You donâ't know what happened," she said. "It hurts." ..
"Somebody knows something about Melanie and they are keeping a tight lid on it right now," he said. "And we need closure. We need this thing to be solved. If anyone knows anything about her or her disappearance and they want to remain anonymous, they will remain anonymous."
Friends and family of Metheny's have set up a Web site, www.findmelanie.com, which offers a $5,000 reward for information that solves the mystery. The Web site also gives a detailed timeline of the days before the disappearance.
About 12 hours before Metheny disappeared, the Web site claims, she came to a "crisis point."
Lane said he had no information about Metheny suffering through a "crisis point," though he said he has heard rumors about Metheny owing drug dealers $300. While Metheny did use drugs in social settings, he said, he doesn't believe she owed anyone a large sum of money.
"That's asinine," he said. "She was saving to rent a house and get out of the apartment she lived in. She had money; it wasn't a huge amount, but if she needed to, she could use it if she was in that much trouble."
'We need to find out'
Both Harper and Lane say Metheny was a devoted mom.
"Her family members and her friends have said that you always really saw her with her kids except when she went to school," Lane said. "She would take them to their grandparents' houses and let them see them. ... She was a young woman that had three kids and wanted to make something out of her life and for her kids, to give her kids something she might never have had."
Metheny was taking classes to prepare herself for college-entrance exams. She wanted to be a nurse, Harper said.
"With her being gone this long, reality sets in and it makes you think that something worse has happened to her," Lane said. "Then again, you have hope that she is still alive out there. I mean, I've got hope."
Harper's mother died in November. Nathan and Hannah both noticed how sad their grandmother was.
"Little Nathan, he saw that I was upset and said, 'Well, Mamaw, I already lost my mommy.' It's pitiful. It's like a double hurt for me," Harper said. "Wherever the truth lies, we need to find out what happened to her. This needs to come out. These children need to know."
#25
Denise
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- Members
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- 5,184 posts
Advanced Member
- LocationMetropolitan St. Louis
Posted 13 March 2008 - 04:58 PM
http://www.wsaz.com/...s/16660316.html
Search for Missing Woman Leads Police to North Carolina
Posted: 7:47 PM Mar 13, 2008
Last Updated: 7:47 PM Mar 13, 2008
Reporter: Anna Baxter
Email Address: anna.baxter@wsaz.com
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The search for a missing mother in Kanawha County has led detectives to South Carolina.
Melanie Metheny went missing in July, 2006.
Sheriff's deputies say Melanie dropped her children off at a daycare in Belle and never returned.
Investigators tell us in the last few weeks they received information a woman matching Melanie's description was spotted in South Carolina.
A couple of detectives went there, but we're told nothing has turned up.
Deputies say they continue to follow leads in the case.
Search for Missing Woman Leads Police to North Carolina
Posted: 7:47 PM Mar 13, 2008
Last Updated: 7:47 PM Mar 13, 2008
Reporter: Anna Baxter
Email Address: anna.baxter@wsaz.com
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The search for a missing mother in Kanawha County has led detectives to South Carolina.
Melanie Metheny went missing in July, 2006.
Sheriff's deputies say Melanie dropped her children off at a daycare in Belle and never returned.
Investigators tell us in the last few weeks they received information a woman matching Melanie's description was spotted in South Carolina.
A couple of detectives went there, but we're told nothing has turned up.
Deputies say they continue to follow leads in the case.
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