Hunters asked to be on the look out for clues in the woods

10/26/10
Source WBIR.COM


An East Tennessee family is appealing to hunters to help in the hunt for clues in the disappearance of a Newport teen.

"We ask all the hunters to pay close attention while they're out in the woods," Lisa Maxwell said.

Her daughter, Megan Maxwell, was last seen 18-months ago.

Her burning car was found in Newport April 27, 2009. Helicopters searched from the air and volunteers searched the river. Later, they combed the forests nearby, hunting for clues in less than ideal conditions.

Now as the leaves fall on East Tennessee, her family is asking hunters to pay attention in the woods.

"If they see anything suspicious, anything, anything at all to please report it. They go places we normally wouldn't go," Maxwell said.

Tuesday afternoon, Megan's mother and grandmother, Judy O'Neil, met with Cocke County Sheriff Armondo Fontes and the lead investigator in the case, Derrick Woods.

"We more or less have continued to follow up on any and every lead that we have coming in and that we've found," Sheriff Fontes said.

Cocke County Sheriff's investigators have been working with Newport Police and the TBI on the case. The FBI and Drug Task Force have also helped.

There's a $15,000 reward.

"It's one of our most important cases simply because it involves a young lady who is missing and possibly deceased," Sheriff Fontes said.

Her family learned that Woods went to Arizona to re-interview a possible suspect in the case and a dive team conducted another water search.

"It gets harder every day," Maxwell said. "Every day I have to make myself get up and face it again. Just another day. They say it gets easier in time but I would like to know when it gets easier.... No."

Maybe it will get easier, when they have answers.

"I'm not going to give up," she said.

Jeffrey Stock remains a person of interest in the case.

He is serving a six year federal prison sentence on an unrelated conviction.