Authorities in Arkansas are encouraging relatives of missing people to have their DNA collected at an event next month in an effort to try to find those who have disappeared.
The event, called "Never Forgotten: Arkansas Takes Action," is slated to take place on Sept. 14 in Little Rock.
It follows a similar missing persons' event held last year, where the state worked to collect genetic material in an effort to link DNA to some of the thousands of sets of unidentified remains across the country.
Last year's event worked: Authorities identified the remains of an east Arkansas man who had been missing for more than a decade.
Relatives of Tommy Lee Newingham of Earle gave DNA samples, which were logged into a national database. Officials then matched those samples with a previously unidentified set of remains found in Memphis, Tenn., in 2011.
Now, authorities hope Newingham's story will drive more people to the upcoming event.
"I think that when people see an example of another family getting some peace and closure and resolution, it gives other families first of all more information ... but then also, it gives people more reason for hope," said Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, who is working with law enforcement agencies and the State Crime Lab to organize Arkansas' second missing persons initiative.
There are hundreds of active missing persons cases in Arkansas alone, according to the attorney general's office.
Authorities want relatives of missing people to bring police reports, photographs, dental records and other information to the event next month. Forensic analysts will be on hand to take DNA samples.
The DNA collection and other services at the event are free.
But Kermit Channell, executive director of the State Crime Lab, said he hopes to see people who have already given samples — whether they show up to update their information or just check in.
"I hope that having these things makes them more aware that we haven't forgotten," Channell said.
Read more: The Courier - Your Messenger for the River Valley - Missing persons event set for next month.
Saturday 24 August 2013
http://www.couriernews.com/view/full_story/23439175/article-Missing-persons-event-set-for-next-month-
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