'Group joins search for mom' 10.20.07

Group joins search for mom
By J.R. WELSH
jrwelsh@sunherald.com

KILN -- Search continues
Recent events in the case of Brandi Hawkins Laurent, missing since Aug. 3:
• Texas EquuSearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team agrees to come to Hancock County.
• Friends offer $1,000 reward. Contributions may be made to Brandi Laurent Reward Fund at any Hancock Bank.
• Lamar Outdoor Advertising donates 10 electronic billboards displaying Laurent's picture in Harrison County.
• Canvassing continues with hundreds of fliers distributed along the Coast. Fliers to be distributed this weekend in lower Harrison County.
• Sheriff's Department continues to investigate; reported sightings ruled out.
A nationally acclaimed group that searches for missing people will be coming to Mississippi to aid in the search for a mother of two who has not been seen since vanishing from her home near Kiln on Aug. 3.
A spokeswoman for the Texas EquuSearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team has confirmed the group will send representatives from its headquarters at Dickinson, Texas, to Hancock County. Although no date has been announced, Case Manager Cindy Wisdom said Friday the group will be arriving on the Coast "soon."
Brandi Laurent, 29, was reported missing by her husband, Leo Laurent, in early August. He told the Hancock County Sheriff's Department she had left their home in the Fenton-Dedeaux community at midnight on Aug. 3 after the two argued. Laurent reported his wife's absence at 11 a.m. the next day, saying he had unsuccessfully searched for her.
Since then, sheriff's investigators have run down dozens of leads and conducted numerous interviews. There have also been numerous reports that Laurent had been spotted, but none proved correct.
Speculation grows that she may have been killed and her body disposed of somewhere in the remote, wooded Hancock County countryside that covers thousands of acres.
"I don't think that Brandi walked away from her home," said Wisdom, who has already studied the case and reviewed satellite images of the county's landscape. "I don't believe anybody thinks that. And generally, in these cases, they're not very far away."
Texas EquuSearch has a 75-percent success rate. It has conducted hundreds of missing person searches and has found more than 300 people who were alive and reunited with their families.
The group has also recovered more than 20 bodies. Late last month, it successfully found the body of Naomi Arnette, 36, a mother of seven in Champaign County, Ill. She had been missing since May 21. Her estranged husband was charged in her death.
"The bad thing is, it's real life, and sometimes missing people are never found," Rita Blaize-Watson, lead sheriff's investigator on the case, said Friday. However, she and many others are clinging to the rapidly diminishing chance that Laurent could still be alive.
"Until we know otherwise, we hold out that hope," Watson said.
Laurent is the mother of two girls, ages 12 and 2. She reportedly left their home on foot with no car, identification, keys, cell phone or cash, according to sheriff's reports. She is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, white, of medium build, with reddish blonde hair and green eyes. She has tattoos on both legs and on the top and bottom areas of her back.
In a bizarre turn this week, a posting appeared on an Internet site where viewers could click their keyboard mouses and light candles for Laurent. One candle bore the numbers 3:14 and carried a message that was signed, "a messenger of God from MS, United States." Once unscrambled from its form of transposed letters, it appeared to say, "She is located in the woods of Lakeshore," with the word "located" misspelled.
Situated in South Hancock County, Lakeshore is a marshy, heavily wooded area. The Internet candle automatically extinguished 48 hours after being lit. While they have not disregarded it, investigators remain somewhat skeptical.
"If they were nice enough to put a candle on there, maybe they'll be good enough to give us an anonymous phone call," Watson said.
Also recently, tips have come in that Laurent was seen at truck stops in Alabama and Texas, riding with a man in an 18-wheeler. Those reports were investigated and dismissed, Watson said. "There were different things that made me rule that out."
Meanwhile, close friends who attended Hancock High School with Laurent in the 1990s continue to interrupt their own lives each weekend, doing their own searching, and distributing fliers bearing her picture. Since August, some have driven many times to Hancock County from out of town.
Among them is Rachael Schustz-Steere, a New Orleans businesswoman. "It's really an emotional roller coaster," she said. "But I'm definitely committed to continue with it. We won't stop until we find her."
When Texas EquuSearch comes to town, volunteer searchers will be recruited to work under as many as 15 experts. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and present a picture ID. No children are allowed.
"The more boots on the ground, the more ground you cover," Wisdom said.

http://www.sunherald.com/278/story/168532.html

Online journalist covering Brandi's story since 09.21.07

http://zerogossip.com/

Lots to read here!
Some nice, some not so nice, but all interesting to say the least.


http://zerogossip.com/2007/09/21/where-is-brandi-laurent.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/09/25/brandi-laurents-husband-speaks-outtonight.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/09/26/brandi-laurent-updates.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/02/8507-leo-laurent-statement-to-hancock-county-sheriffs-department.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/02/8507-pomeca-vaughn-statement-to-hancock-county-sheriffs-department.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/03/searching-for-brandi.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/03/leo-laurent-i-believe-brandi-wrote-the-blog.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/06/i-bought-onethink-about-one-for-yourself.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/08/equusearch-to-look-for-brandi.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/10/brandis-billboard.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/16/a-clue-or-a-prank-in-the-brandi-laurent-case.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/18/leo-laurent--pomeca-has-the-answers.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/22/texas-equusearch-to-begin-search-for-brandi-nov-10.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/22/brandi-laurents-mother-posts-page-for-missing-daughter.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/10/25/brandi-laurents-husband-speaks-out-i-have-my-beliefs-she-is-alive.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/11/05/famed-search-team-heading-to-mississippi.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/11/08/search-for-brandi-laurent-kicks-up-a-notch-saturday.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/11/08/training-for-the-search-brandi-laurent.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/11/08/weekend-search-updates-for-brandi-laurent.aspx

http://zerogossip.com/2007/11/09/brandi-laurent-search-november-1011.aspx

'Friends of missing mother offer reward' 10.03.07

Friends of missing mother offer reward
By Dwayne Bremer
Oct 3, 2007, 09:06

Brandi LaurentFriends and family members of missing mother Brandi Hawkins Laurent are not giving up their efforts to bring Brandi home and are now offering a cash reward for any information leading to her safe return or recovery.Laurent, a mother of two girls, has not been seen since she apparently vanished without a trace from her Kiln home on Aug. 3. She allegedly left on foot, taking none of her personal items with her."We are doing everything possible to try to find out what happened to Brandi," friend Andrea Dominach said Friday.Brandi's friends and family have worked non-stop in their search efforts.The group has conducted numerous searches, passed out flyers, contacted media, printed t-shirts, held a vigil prayer service and even enlisted the help of a psychic.She said the group is now taking donations for a reward account."We are hoping this will lead to any information," she said.Brandi has been missing for nearly two months now. Recently there have been reported sightings of a woman fitting Brandi's description at two truck stops in Alabama and Texas, but investigators say they still do not have any concrete leads on the disappearance.Investigator Rita Blaize-Watson said Monday that her department has received dozens of tips so far that have not panned out. She said the case has become very time consuming, but the sheriff's department is still investigating every lead.Watson said foul play has not been ruled out.Several clues to the case have been provided by web postings and logs on myspace.com. Investigators have seized several computers from the Laurents' home.Dominach said friends and supports are holding out hope that Brandi will be found alive."Each day gets harder and more gloomy," she said. "You want answers and to not have any its tough," she said.Brandi's husband Leo said last week he is thankful for all of the support and, hard work from friends of the family."I'm amazed that Brandi's friends are coming through for us," he said. "We are thankful for all the prayers and support."Dominach said the group has accumulated more than $600 so far and more people have pledged money towards the reward.She said anyone who wishes to donate or just find out more information on Brandi can go to www.myspace.com/missingbrandi.

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