05/19/2009
Author: Rick Hooper
Source: The Newport Plain Talk
NEWPORT-The Cocke County Legislative Body voted Monday night to provide $10,000 to help search the Tidi-Waste Landfill in Hamblen County for Megan Maxwell, a 19-year-old Newport woman missing since April 26.
The money was offered by Sheriff Claude Strange from his department's reserves in the gas fund line item.
"We need to investigate every avenue," said Fourth Judicial District Attorney General Jimmy Dunn, who first posed the request to the Finance Committee in a meeting prior to Monday's CLB meeting.
"A few years ago, we had a lady disappear and it was learned years later that her body went into the landfill. I would hate for it to come up four or five years later that this happened to Megan Maxwell."
Dunn said investigators want to search a 250 ft. by 250 ft., 12-foot deep section in the landfill.
"We will need at least two pieces of equipment and it costs $120 per hour to operate them," said Dunn. "If you can help, we would appreciate it. If you can't, I understand."
Dunn initially requested $7,000 for the search effort. Cocke County Detective Derrick Woods, however, suggested providing $10,000 for the project.
"I've been talking to the people at the landfill and it could take two days or two weeks," said Woods.
"I don't think Dunn would ask us for this if he didn't have a reason," said CLB member Norman Smith.
"General Dunn's Office has worked very hard on this case and I think it would be good if we could help," added County Mayor Iliff McMahan Jr.
Henry "Skip" Gregory moved to transfer the funds for the search in the Finance Committee, with a second offered by Love Henderson. Members unanimously approved the measure as did the full CLB.
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