PILAR RODRIGUEZ - 3 yo (1999) - Punta Garda/Hollywood FL
PILAR RODRIGUEZ - 3 yo (1999) - Punta Garda/Hollywood FL
TomTerrific0420 on Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:59 pm
There could be a break in the case of a young South Florida girl who
disappeared in 1999 while visiting Punta Gorda in Charlotte County with
her babysitter.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that crews are
searching a property in Charlotte County related to missing 3-year-old
Pilar Rodriguez. Rodriguez, from Hollywood, was last seen in early 1999
when her babysitter, Melissa Cooper, brought her to Punta Gorda for
vacation.
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Cameron says deputies began searching an
8-acre area in Punta Gorda Tuesday morning for any evidence in the
case, including remains of a body.
The original persons of interest in this case, babysitter Melissa
Cooper and her boyfriend Keith Wilson, continue to be a focus of the
investigation, according to the sheriff's office, although they are no
longer in the area.
THE HISTORY
In 1999, Pilar's father, Marco Rodriguez allowed the babysitter to take
his daughter on vacation for two weeks. Melissa Cooper took Pilar to
the Trail Apartments in Punta Gorda. Cooper's boyfriend, Keith Wilson,
was with them.
Pilar was never seen again.
Cooper claimed Wilson beat the child and buried her body. Wilson denied
the accusations and claimed Cooper was responsible for the girl's
death. Cooper also denied the accusations.
In March 1999, deputies searched a wooded area for Pilar after a tip
came in. Eight months later, deputies drained Preacher's Lake near the
Charlotte County Airport inhabited by alligators. They found some
unspecified biological matter which was believed to be a trace of
Pilar's remains. After the discovery, they announced they were
investigating her case as a homicide.
Divers also found several child size T-shirts in the lake including one
with a picture of Winnie the Pooh. Her father says Pilar had a t-shirt
like that with her when she left with Cooper. Nothing else was ever
found in the lake.
There have been no arrests or charges in the case. Even though her body
has never been found, Keith Wilson was sued for wrongful death by
Pilar's father. The suit was later dismissed.
disappeared in 1999 while visiting Punta Gorda in Charlotte County with
her babysitter.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that crews are
searching a property in Charlotte County related to missing 3-year-old
Pilar Rodriguez. Rodriguez, from Hollywood, was last seen in early 1999
when her babysitter, Melissa Cooper, brought her to Punta Gorda for
vacation.
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Cameron says deputies began searching an
8-acre area in Punta Gorda Tuesday morning for any evidence in the
case, including remains of a body.
The original persons of interest in this case, babysitter Melissa
Cooper and her boyfriend Keith Wilson, continue to be a focus of the
investigation, according to the sheriff's office, although they are no
longer in the area.
THE HISTORY
In 1999, Pilar's father, Marco Rodriguez allowed the babysitter to take
his daughter on vacation for two weeks. Melissa Cooper took Pilar to
the Trail Apartments in Punta Gorda. Cooper's boyfriend, Keith Wilson,
was with them.
Pilar was never seen again.
Cooper claimed Wilson beat the child and buried her body. Wilson denied
the accusations and claimed Cooper was responsible for the girl's
death. Cooper also denied the accusations.
In March 1999, deputies searched a wooded area for Pilar after a tip
came in. Eight months later, deputies drained Preacher's Lake near the
Charlotte County Airport inhabited by alligators. They found some
unspecified biological matter which was believed to be a trace of
Pilar's remains. After the discovery, they announced they were
investigating her case as a homicide.
Divers also found several child size T-shirts in the lake including one
with a picture of Winnie the Pooh. Her father says Pilar had a t-shirt
like that with her when she left with Cooper. Nothing else was ever
found in the lake.
There have been no arrests or charges in the case. Even though her body
has never been found, Keith Wilson was sued for wrongful death by
Pilar's father. The suit was later dismissed.
TomTerrific0420- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: PILAR RODRIGUEZ - 3 yo (1999) - Punta Garda/Hollywood FL
TomTerrific0420 on Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:16 pm
Southwest Florida deputies began digging
for evidence on Tuesday in the case of a missing 4-year-old girl who
disappeared more than 10 years ago, when she was left in the care of a
young baby sitter and never returned.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office was joined by forensic
specialists, a university anthropologist and NecroSearch International,
a nonprofit organization that assists law enforcement and specializes
in the search for clandestine graves.Investigators used
sophisticated ground penetrating radar to guide their search of a Punta
Gorda property and began digging early Thursday afternoon."This
case has continued to be investigated since it was first reported in
1999," Sheriff Bill Cameron said in a statement. "We will not stop
until Pilar Rodriguez is found, the investigation reaches its ultimate
conclusion, questions surrounding her disappearance are answered, and
those responsible are brought to justice."Pilar Rodriguez
disappeared in 1999. Her father, Marco Rodriguez, told detectives he
gave her baby sitter, Melissa Cooper, then 22, permission to take the
child on a two-week vacation. He reported her missing when they didn't
return.Cooper later told investigators Pilar was the victim of a
"totally senseless" crime while she and her boyfriend were in Punta
Gorda, about 75 miles south of Tampa.Cooper's mother, Deborah
Cooper, has said that her daughter claims the girl was fatally beaten
by her boyfriend, Keith Allen Wilson. Wilson, meanwhile, has denied any
involvement, saying Melissa Cooper told him the child's father had come
for the girl."I want to help them in any way," Wilson said at
the time. "But right now they're only looking in one place - me. And I
don't know anything.The property investigators searched Tuesday
was located at 5052 Duncan Road. Records indicate a Keith Wilson
previously lived at a home at that address.A message left at a telephone listing
for the address was not immediately returned.Investigators
provided no further details about their search on Thursday. In the
past, they have searched area woods, landfills, and sent divers into a
nearby body of water.
for evidence on Tuesday in the case of a missing 4-year-old girl who
disappeared more than 10 years ago, when she was left in the care of a
young baby sitter and never returned.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office was joined by forensic
specialists, a university anthropologist and NecroSearch International,
a nonprofit organization that assists law enforcement and specializes
in the search for clandestine graves.Investigators used
sophisticated ground penetrating radar to guide their search of a Punta
Gorda property and began digging early Thursday afternoon."This
case has continued to be investigated since it was first reported in
1999," Sheriff Bill Cameron said in a statement. "We will not stop
until Pilar Rodriguez is found, the investigation reaches its ultimate
conclusion, questions surrounding her disappearance are answered, and
those responsible are brought to justice."Pilar Rodriguez
disappeared in 1999. Her father, Marco Rodriguez, told detectives he
gave her baby sitter, Melissa Cooper, then 22, permission to take the
child on a two-week vacation. He reported her missing when they didn't
return.Cooper later told investigators Pilar was the victim of a
"totally senseless" crime while she and her boyfriend were in Punta
Gorda, about 75 miles south of Tampa.Cooper's mother, Deborah
Cooper, has said that her daughter claims the girl was fatally beaten
by her boyfriend, Keith Allen Wilson. Wilson, meanwhile, has denied any
involvement, saying Melissa Cooper told him the child's father had come
for the girl."I want to help them in any way," Wilson said at
the time. "But right now they're only looking in one place - me. And I
don't know anything.The property investigators searched Tuesday
was located at 5052 Duncan Road. Records indicate a Keith Wilson
previously lived at a home at that address.A message left at a telephone listing
for the address was not immediately returned.Investigators
provided no further details about their search on Thursday. In the
past, they have searched area woods, landfills, and sent divers into a
nearby body of water.
TomTerrific0420- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: PILAR RODRIGUEZ - 3 yo (1999) - Punta Garda/Hollywood FL
TomTerrific0420 on Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:57 pm
Investigators have concluded a search at an eight-acre site for
evidence in the 1999 disappearance of Pilar Rodriguez, and are now
calling the cold case an active homicide investigation.
"The search was very successful," he said, declining to be more specific.Pilar
disappeared in January 1999, while on a trip with her babysitter,
Melissa Cooper, who had left Hollywood, Fla., to live with her truck
driver boyfriend in Punta Gorda.Pilar’s father, Marco, allowed
Cooper to take the child, as he was short of money and working a new
job. When the two did not return later that month, Marco reported his
daughter missing to Hollywood Police.Cooper and her boyfriend,
Keith Wilson, came under scrutiny from investigators when friends and
relatives characterized Cooper, now 33, as desperate for a family and
Wilson, now 38, as abusive toward Pilar.Wilson and Cooper have never been charged
with a crime and have denied being involved in Pilar’s disappearance.The two remain
primary suspects in the case, according to Cameron.Sheriff's
Office deputies, the FBI concentrated their search on Wednesday to the
backyard of the home on the property, where forensic teams removed soil
samples. Cameron said the search yielded some new evidence in the case,
although he would not elaborate.
harlotte County Sheriff Bill Cameron said this morning that
authorities have more leads in the case as a result of the two-day
operation at 5052 Duncan Road initiated after authorities received a tip.
evidence in the 1999 disappearance of Pilar Rodriguez, and are now
calling the cold case an active homicide investigation.
"The search was very successful," he said, declining to be more specific.Pilar
disappeared in January 1999, while on a trip with her babysitter,
Melissa Cooper, who had left Hollywood, Fla., to live with her truck
driver boyfriend in Punta Gorda.Pilar’s father, Marco, allowed
Cooper to take the child, as he was short of money and working a new
job. When the two did not return later that month, Marco reported his
daughter missing to Hollywood Police.Cooper and her boyfriend,
Keith Wilson, came under scrutiny from investigators when friends and
relatives characterized Cooper, now 33, as desperate for a family and
Wilson, now 38, as abusive toward Pilar.Wilson and Cooper have never been charged
with a crime and have denied being involved in Pilar’s disappearance.The two remain
primary suspects in the case, according to Cameron.Sheriff's
Office deputies, the FBI concentrated their search on Wednesday to the
backyard of the home on the property, where forensic teams removed soil
samples. Cameron said the search yielded some new evidence in the case,
although he would not elaborate.
harlotte County Sheriff Bill Cameron said this morning that
authorities have more leads in the case as a result of the two-day
operation at 5052 Duncan Road initiated after authorities received a tip.
TomTerrific0420- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
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