September 23, 2009 in Nation/World

Search of Garrido property yields no links to other cases

• Print
• Email
• Share

ANTIOCH, Calif. – Authorities on Tuesday ended an exhaustive weeklong search on the property where a Northern California girl was allegedly held captive for 18 years.

Police from the cities of Dublin and Hayward, in San Francisco’s East Bay area, had been searching the grounds to see if Phillip and Nancy Garrido, the couple charged with kidnapping Jaycee Dugard in 1991, could be tied to two other area child abductions from the late 1980s.

But after an extensive effort in which archaeological experts and employees of multiple law enforcement agencies combed through more than an acre of land in blistering heat – some on their hands and knees – the search revealed no links to the 1988 abduction of Michaela Garecht or the 1989 disappearance of Ilene Misheloff.

“While we did not locate any definitive evidence that provides answers, this operation still holds much value and much potential value,” Hayward police Lt. Chris Orrey said. “We will walk away from these properties knowing that we left no stone unturned.”

Orrey said authorities still have not ruled out the couple as potential suspects.

© Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

No comments on this story so far. Add yours!