Search continues in North Dakota

By Jacob Brooks
Published on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 7:08 PM MST

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Williston Herald

Echoing a statement released by the FBI earlier, law enforcement agencies in Williston, N.D., on Monday asked property owners to look for signs of a buried body in connection with the disappearance case of Sidney school teacher Sherry Arnold.

During a mid-day press conference at the Williams County Law Enforcement Center, Williston Police Chief Jim Lokken said evidence in the case of the missing woman suggests she is dead, and authorities are looking in Williams, McKenzie, Divide and Mountrail counties, as well as in northeast Montana, for her body.

Lokken said its believed the body is buried in an area of “mature, dying or rotted trees,” and he asked property owners in the region to inspect their property for any sign of a burial. He said help from the general public is not needed at this time as sub-zero temperatures will make it dangerous for large search parties.

Two men �“ 47-year-old Lester Vann Waters Jr. and 22-year-old Michael Keith Spell, both of Parachute, Colo. �“ were still in the Williams County Correctional Center Monday morning in connection with the case. Both were in the process of being charged with aggravated kidnapping and are awaiting extradition to Montana, said Williams County Sheriff Scott Busching.

He said Waters was arrested in Williston last week, and Spell was found in Rapid City, S.D., and taken to Williston afterward. They are being held without bond, Busching said.

“Our primary mission is to get Mrs. Arnold back to her family,” Busching said.

Also attending the Monday press conference was Sidney Police Chief Frank DiFonzo, who said the Sidney community has been deeply impacted by the crime.

“This is a first-time event for our community,” DiFonzo said, adding the national attention the case has received has helped in some ways. However, he said authorities have wondered if the case has received too much attention at times.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call a tip line at 701-774-9191.

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Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of the Sidney Herald.

nodak wrote on Jan 23, 2012 9:08 AM:

" The police cannot confirm how she died due to not having her remains yet. It would only be speculation on their part to release that to the public. An autopsy needs to be conducted once she is found. Then and only then can the police confirm to the public how she died. They are releasing what they know, which is to have landowners search tree areas. That must tell you something about where she is at. Also as far as a vehicle she may have been in, evidence needs to be processed through the state crime lab to prove she was in such vehicle. They cannot assume anything. And they cannot give assumptions out to the public. Be patient people, we don't want to mess up justice for her! "

John Larsen wrote on Jan 21, 2012 6:16 PM:

" Too much publicity, Chief? Hardly! Try, no enough public information being let out by law enforcement in this case. The law enforcement silence has led to false but spectacular rumors floating through the community and the state. The public has the right to know what law enforcement is doing at all times. Anything less and we end up with a police state where people are secretly arrested without cause. For example, what evidence does law enforcement have again the two suspects? Maybe they are the wrong people; maybe they are being held without any evidence at all. Maybe the "real" criminals are running loose in the community? People also have the right to know so they can help. In this case, it was finally a tip from the public that evidently cracked the case; law enforcement officers did NOT crack the case. Again in this case law enforcement has turned to the public to find Mrs. Arnold. An ignorant public can't be of much help. Again kudos to the Herald and the rest of the media for trying to learn and publish the truth in this very sad case. 6Lt4m "

dooley wrote on Jan 21, 2012 5:20 PM:

" today I was visiting with a man from ND I asked the same thing .. about buring someone this time of year and with what? Also, the Missouri river runs through between Sidney and Williston, as well as the yellowstone, .. thrown off a bridge sure seems more probable than digging in the frost.. that poor girl could be well on her way to the Gulf. The law must know something we don't. I pray they find her soon ... "

Keah wrote on Jan 21, 2012 5:16 PM:

" It is so sad what happened to this teacher! It would put a lot of the public at rest if the law enforcement would release how they know she is not living anymore and what did these 2 men do to her? There are alot of women living in this area who have no idea how she died and do we all go on a self-defense kick and start to get Tazers or knives?? Its sad that her famiy has no closure yet and that these 2 men are not saying where her body is. I agree with people should NOT say it is due to the oil field boom - almost every person I have met out in Watford City have been absolutely kind, considerate and nice!! We need our minds put to ease! This is creating havoc and unrest in the whole area! Especially us women!! "

grannyg wrote on Jan 21, 2012 8:10 AM:

" Are they checking the Yellowstone? why would two guys carry a shovel in the dead of winter with frozen ground dig a hole when the river is so close? "

dan dooley wrote on Jan 20, 2012 9:05 PM:

" don't understand the silence on giving out some information information eather. ? if they want help looking for something then they need to describe the circumstances better than "matted down grass and mature trees" Cows mat down grass everywhere... the idea of the color and kind of the vehicle would sure help.. don't know about border patrols in North Dakota tho ... what is a "cadabra" dog ? ' "

Jake wrote on Jan 20, 2012 7:07 PM:

" This case is such a very high profile case remember. Although I very much agree on how frustrating the lack of information may be at this time, however it must surely be equally overwhelming and frustrating for the authorities who also face a great deal of unknown information. We need to consider furthermore the sensitive nature of the case and not forget the possibility of compromising any part of the investigation with information that public just has to have. Remember " loose lips sink ships" "

Russ wrote on Jan 20, 2012 3:39 PM:

" I am having a hard time understanding the lack of information the cops in the area are releasing to the public. How do they know she is dead? Why aren't the suspects telling them where the body is? Why the rotting or old tree thing? If they want help they better share some facts. "

rr wrote on Jan 20, 2012 10:02 AM:

" Why not use some of the huindreds of Border Patrol personnel to help search. They are out driving around all the time anyway. Also why not use cadabra dogs thet are trained to find bodies? "

More Info wrote on Jan 19, 2012 7:39 PM:

" I also agree on the vehicle. People who were raised here used to see only a few vehicles a day and so really paid attention to the vehicles they saw. And old habits die hard. It may help to locate her.

Also, if they have forensics on trees, what kind of trees? Elms, cottonwoods, pines, russian olive? What? Land owners do know what is in their windrows. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think a few more details would go a long ways to targeting an area. "

burrrrr wrote on Jan 19, 2012 5:25 PM:

" to
Trinka from Helena: that has got to be one of the most intelligent comments I have seen so far on these boards. Landowners are very aware of vehicles that travel down their roads. Great point to make! "

I agree with you about the vehicle wrote on Jan 19, 2012 3:32 PM:

" The vehicle listed in court documents for Waters is a 1992 Ford Explorer. There isn't a vehicle color indicated so that doesn't help much, but it's more info. than we're getting from any of the authorities.

Spell didn't list a vehicle at all so I'm guessing he came up here with Waters? "

Trinka from Helena wrote on Jan 18, 2012 12:59 PM:

" I wish they would put out a discription of the vehicle they were driving. People living in rural areas know every vehicle traveling on those backroads. Maybe some farmer/rancher's memory of passing or seeing a different vehicle will be refreshed. Someone had to have seen they're vehicle out there. "

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