AYLA REYNOLDS - 20 Months - Waterville ME

Reward for Ayla Reynolds ends Saturday

1:13 PM, Jun 29, 2012

WATERVILLE, Maine (AP) - The offer of a $30,000 reward for information leading to missing Maine toddler Ayla Reynolds is about to end Saturday, and police say it appears the money will go unclaimed.

Ayla was reported missing from her Waterville home on Dec. 17. State police spokesman Steve McCausland says that since then, investigators have received 1,200 leads, including many from psychics.

Those tips and numerous searches haven't led to Ayla, who was 20 months old when she disappeared.

Police said earlier this month that they believe she's dead. No one has been charged.

Waterville police say about 15 people held a candlelight prayer vigil Thursday night in front of Ayla's home, whose front lawn remains marked by a growing collection of stuffed toys.

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article/205529/2/Reward-for-Ayla-Reynolds-ends-Saturday

The uncle of missing Maine toddler Ayla Reynolds has been convicted of assaulting another one of the little girl's relatives in a dispute sparked in part by her disappearance.Lance DiPietro
pleaded no contest Thursday and was automatically found guilty by a
Kennebec County Superior Court judge. DiPietro was fined $300 as part of
a plea deal.
DiPietro is the brother of Justin DiPietro, the father of Ayla, who was 20 months old when she was reported missing from her Waterville home Dec. 17.
Lance DiPietro was accused of assaulting Justin Linnell in February.
Linnell has a child with the DiPietros' sister.
The Morning Sentinel (http://bit.ly/LBSbIr
) reports that Linnell said the dispute was sparked by comments he made
about Ayla's disappearance as well as this relationship with the
DiPietros' sister.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Uncle-of-missing-Waterville-girl-guilty-of-assault-3687585.php

Yesterday at 8:43 PM
'Nothing substantial' found during river search for Ayla Reynolds
By BEN MCCANNA Morning Sentinel

Divers with the Maine State Police and Warden Service enter the Kennebec River below the Lockwood Dam in Waterville on Tuesday to search for missing toddler Ayla Reynolds.

WATERVILLE — Investigators didn’t find anything substantial in the Kennebec River or along its banks during a renewed search for missing toddler Ayla Reynolds on Tuesday.

click image to enlarge
Divers with the Maine State Police and Warden Service enter the Kennebec River below the Lockwood Dam in Waterville on Tuesday to search for missing toddler Ayla Reynolds.

Ayla was reported missing from her Violette Avenue home in Waterville on Dec. 17. She was last seen wearing green one-piece pajamas with the words “Daddy’s Princess” printed on them. Maine State Police are asking that tips be directed to them at 207-624-7076.
Beginning about 8:30 a.m., 13 divers from Maine State Police and the Maine Warden Service entered the water above the Brookfield Power dam and below the Lockwood Dam at the Hathaway Creative Center. On land and on boats, nine cadaver dogs from both agencies and the Maine Search and Rescue Dogs joined the search, Department of Public Safety Spokesman Steve McCausland said during an afternoon press conference.

“Nothing substantial was located,” McCausland said. “This is not the end. We will continue to look, we will continue to search, we will continue to dive.”

When asked what he meant by “substantial,” McCausland skirted the question.

“I don’t want to get into specifics,” he said.

The search was the result of weeks of planning and coordinating between state police and dam owners to lower the river level for a more thorough search. Tuesday marked seven months since Ayla was reported missing on Dec. 17 by her father, Justin DiPietro. McCausland said the date of the search was purely coincidental.

McCausland wouldn’t say whether the search was related to undisclosed items found by investigators in a diversion channel at the Lockwood Dam on April 21 and later on May 8.

“We have not specified what those items are, and we’re not going to do that today,” he said.

Searches of local waterways began on Dec. 20 and continued periodically throughout the winter and spring. McCausland said wardens have eliminated between two and three miles of the Kennebec River and Messalonskee Stream. In March, Waterville Police Chief said the cost of the investigation could be as high as $500,000.

“This is the most extensive missing persons case in the state’s history,” McCausland said Tuesday. “There has been no case in the our history that so much time, effort has been devoted, and the efforts will continue. The efforts will continue until we find her.”

Earlier Tuesday, teams of dogs were searching areas at the site of the former Scott Paper Mill in Winslow, and by a rail yard east of College Avenue in Waterville. An evidence collection vehicle from the state police Major Crimes Unit was parked east of the dam on the Winslow side. A similar vehicle was parked on the Waterville side, where wardens and state police troopers were also performing a ground search.

Also on the Waterville side, a vehicle from the State Office of Chief Medical Examiner was parked near the rail yard east of College Avenue. McCausland said the vehicle was driven by Dr. Ed David, an assistant state medical examiner and also a K-9 handler.

“It was primarily in that role, of handling the dogs, that he was here,” McCausland said.

About 2 p.m., a boat from Maine Search and Rescue Dogs motored slowly downstream between the two dams with a dog on the bow. Adam said the dog was a water-certified cadaver dog, meaning it could detect the presence of a submerged body.

McCausland said Ayla’s parents, Justin DiPietro of Waterville and Trista Reynolds of Portland, were notified of the search early Tuesday morning. He said that the level of communication between investigators and DiPietro hasn’t changed since the last press conference on May 30 when McCausland announced that investigators believe Ayla is dead.

McCausland has said that DiPietro, his sister Elisha DiPietro and friend Courtney Roberts aren’t forthcoming with information in the case.

Neither parent could be reached for comment Tuesday.

McCausland said searches for Ayla will continue, but police will no longer “pre-announce” the times and locations of searches, as they had done during the winter and spring.

DiPietro contends that Ayla was abducted. Investigators, however, say a kidnapping did not happen. In January, McCausland announced that investigators had found Ayla’s blood in the basement of her Violette Avenue home, but wouldn’t specify how much. No suspects have been named and one has been charged.

McCausland said he doesn’t believe the investigation is at a dead end, but acknowledged frustration in the case.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been seven months,” he said.

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/Search-for-Ayla-Reynolds-continues-today.html

Ayla Reynolds Not Likely Spotted in Washington

07/27/2012
Is Ayla Reynolds in Washington State? It's extremely unlikely, but a
news source claims that she was seen in the Pacific Northwest. There are
some glaring details in the description given by the news source that
indicates that this child may not be the missing Maine toddler. For
instance, the child was wearing a splint. Well, it's been seven months
since baby Ayla vanished from her Waterville home, so would she really
still be wearing a splint?
The
description given by KREM.com news states with certainty that Ayla
Reynolds was seen in Electric City, Wash., wearing a red dress with blue
eyes and blonde hair. The news site says the child's arm was in a
splint and she was getting into a white car with a male who was wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans.
First of all, the screenshot of the report can be seen here,
in case they change the wording, but this is very poor journalism. What
serious news affiliate publishes sightings like this with such an air
of certainty when the details just don't add up? The report is so lazily
done that it just accepts whatever sighting was reported without even
naming the source or even acknowledging that there is a source. There is
also a level of ignorance displayed that indicates a child would be
wearing a splint for the better half of a year, when it's an injury that
takes three to eight weeks to heal.
Reports like the one
published by KREM give false hope to families of missing children when
all of the evidence goes against the idea that said missing children are
alive. Investigators have acknowledged for some time now that baby Ayla
is most likely dead. Blood was found in the basement of her father
Justin DiPietro, and they have been witnessed with cadaver dogs around
several bodies of water since she vanished. If by some strange miracle
that this child is alive in Washington State, it would be a discovery
that negates and defies all logic and police evidence thus far.


http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981502989

Ayla Reynolds Web Site

http://aylareynolds.com/

Bikers raise support and money for missing toddler

4:14 AM, Sep 2, 2012
Written by Krister Rollins

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - Hundreds of bikers from across the state took to the streets to raise money and keep the name of Ayla Reynolds in the news.

The "Ride for Ayla" began in locations all over the state -- and ended in Portland at the Big Moose Harley-Davidson dealership.

Ayla Reynolds was 20 months old when she disappeared from her father's home in Waterville in December. Police have since said that they believe Ayla is dead -- but they have not found her.

Ayla's step-grandfather, Jeff Hanson, is a customer of the dealership and came up with the idea.

Kimberly Curless from Big Moose says the whole situation is heartbreaking -- and they wanted to do something to help.

"Our staff is made up of moms and dads and aunts and uncles, and you know ours hearts break for the fact that this little girl has been missing since last year," says Curless, "We certainly wanted to support our customer Jeff, and do what we could to keep her name out in the community."

The money raised from the ride is going to Lost N Missing -- an organization that supports families with missing loved ones.

http://www.wlbz2.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=213212&utm_source

Police won't discuss lab work on Ayla

1:00 AM
By Ben McCanna, Staff Writer

WATERVILLE -- Evidence technicians have processed most items that investigators removed from the home of missing toddler Ayla Reynolds, according to a police spokesman.

Today also marks nine months since Ayla was reported missing on Dec. 17 by her father, Justin DiPietro.

In late December, investigators removed hundreds of pieces of potential evidence from 29 Violette Ave. -- including blood belonging to Ayla -- for processing at the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory in Augusta. On Friday, Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said most of that work is complete.

"The vast majority of those items have been reviewed by crime lab personnel, and that info has been passed on to investigators," he said. "The work continues on all fronts -- whether it's the crime lab, whether it's the detectives, whether it's work that is coordinated with Waterville police -- all of that work continues."

McCausland wouldn't discuss the laboratory's findings or the undisclosed items that investigators found in the Kennebec River on April 25 and May 8.

On July 17, officers from the Maine State Police and the Maine Warden Service combed the banks of the Kennebec River between the Lockwood Dam at the Hathaway Creative Center and portions of the river bottom.

McCausland said no one has been named as a suspect or a person of interest. DiPietro contends that Ayla was abducted. Investigators say a kidnapping did not happen and they believe the three adults who saw her last -- her father, aunt Elisha DiPietro and Courtney Roberts -- are withholding information in the case.

"There has been no change in our public pronouncements," he said.

Investigators also believe Ayla probably is dead.

State police are asking that anyone with information call them at 207-624-7076.

http://www.kjonline.com/news/police-wont-discuss-lab-work-on-ayla_2012-09-16.html

What Might Blood Spatter Tell About Ayla Reynolds’ Fate?

09/19/2012

ANALYSIS | Maine State Police and Waterville Police have released scant details about their investigative findings in the reported disappearance of Ayla Reynolds. Despite the paucity of information making its way to the public, there have been a few telling revelations. Back in January, WCVB learned from Maine State Police thatAyla's blood was splattered in the basement at 29 Violette Ave., where she was living with her father Justin DiPietro, as well as her grandmother, aunt and cousin. The amount of Ayla's blood found was substantial, MSP told WGME Wednesday.



Blood spatter (preferred term) occurs when force is applied and breaks the surface tension of the blood, according to Crime Scene Forensics. Blood falling naturally from an open wound is distinguishable from blood falling upon the application of force.



When examining blood spatter in Justin DiPietro's
basement, crime scene technicians would have been able to determine the
velocity of the impact to Ayla that caused blood spatter by analyzing
the size and shape
of the droplets. In general, the greater the force applied, the smaller
the droplets, Crime Scene Forensics notes. The smallest spatter results
from forces in excess of 100 feet per second, a category that includes
gunshots and explosions. The spatter would typically measure 2
millimeters or less in diameter (reference chart depicting different diameters in millimeters).



Spatter from medium force impact -- what might be seen with blunt
force injuries or stabbings, for example -- is typically 2 to 4
millimeters in diameter. The force necessary to create this type of
splatter is 25 feet per second or greater.



Low impact creates larger, circular drops with diameters 4 millimeters or larger.



Not only can investigators determine how an injury was inflicted by
looking at blood spatter, they can tell whether the blood was venous or arterial, according to The Crime Lab.



In cases where a weapon is used to strike a victim multiple times,
there's often blood dripping from the weapon during the attack. Those
drips are distinguishable from blood falling from the victim due to
their trajectory and help crime scene investigators recreate the event.


With the application of some geometry to blood at a crime scene,
investigators can determine the location of the victim at the time an
injury was inflicted. They do this by looking at the trajectory of the
blood spatter and determining a point of convergence. The convergence
point is the source of the blood spatter, The Crime Lab says. Using
similar techniques, they can establish the direction of travel of an
attacker and victim. The trajectory is apparent from the shape of the
blood drops.



WCVB said in January Justin DiPietro left a police station when faced
with luminol-enhanced photos of Ayla's blood. Several law enforcement
sources reportedly told the station someone had tried to clean up the
blood. The WCVB report came one day after police announced foul play befell Ayla Reynolds.



"We are focused on what happened to her in that house," police spokesman Steve McCausland told WCVB.



That's also the timeframe when police first said they'd analyzed hundreds of pieces of evidence and not one pointed to abduction. In May, police held a press conference, announcing to the public for the first time Ayla waslikely deceased. McCausland emphasized at that time that Ayla was not abducted.



While police are not telling the public anything they may have learned
from analyzing blood spatter in DiPietro's house, it's likely they know
a lot more than they've been telling giving the information released to
date.

http://news.yahoo.com/might-blood-spatter-tell-ayla-reynolds-fate-181600052.html

10/05/2012

WATERVILLE, Maine (AP) - Maine state police and
Waterville police have taken advantage of low water levels on
Messalonskee Stream to search again for missing toddler Ayla Reynolds.

Steve McCausland from the Maine Department of Public Safety says the
dam operator lowered the water levels for routine maintenance. He says
detectives and officers used the opportunity Friday to walk along the
riverbank, focusing on the North Bridge area, to look for any signs of
the missing toddler.

Searchers didn't find anything.

Ayla was 20 months old when she was reported missing on Dec. 17 by
her father, Justin DiPietro of Waterville, who had been caring for her.
Police believe she's no longer alive.

Messalonskee Stream was searched twice previously. The river was
nearly drained dry Dec. 21 and divers searched the stream in January.

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article/217742/2/Ayla-Reynolds-Police-search-Messalonskee-Stream

Hunting season brings hope in Ayla Reynolds Case

Hunters often prove helpful in finding clues to missing people.

10/17/2012

WATERVILLE — Hunters have often been key to finding
clues that have helped the state's law enforcement solve cases, and when
200,000 hunters walk into the Maine woods this fall, many people are
hoping they'll be alert for signs of Ayla Reynolds.

Today marks 10 months since the Waterville toddler disappeared from her
father's house, but some followers at website United for Ayla haven't
lost hope that she'll be found alive. They hope clues to her whereabouts
might be out there somewhere, said site administrator John Pomerleau.

"I don't want to believe Ayla is gone," he said. "If hunters are aware
of their surroundings while they're out there, maybe some evidence can
be found that will lead us to where Ayla is."

On Tuesday, Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland
said there are no new developments in the case, but it remains very
active and evidence processing continues at the state crime lab in
Augusta.
"Detectives and lab technicians regularly talk on this case," he said.
Pomerleau and others hope to catch hunters' attention by distributing up
to 1,000 posters about Ayla throughout Maine at locations including gun
clubs, hunter licensing offices, game weigh-in stations and breakfast
diners.
More than a dozen volunteers have begun distributing the posters from
Saco to Caribou. Firearms season for deer hunting begins Oct. 27 for
Maine residents and Oct. 29 for out-of-staters. Bow hunting season for
deer began Sept. 29. Moose season also began last month in limited
areas. About 200,000 people will hunt this year in Maine, according to
an official with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
There is a long history of hunters in Maine recovering missing persons and finding clues to crimes.
In November 2010, hunters found bodies in Stacyville, Kingfield, Vassalboro and Belmont.
In September 2009, a bow hunter found a woman's body at a wildlife refuge in Saco.
In 2006, a hunter in Canaan found evidence connected to the
disappearance of 38-year-old Cheryl Murdoch -- a bloody tarp near the
scene of her murder.
In November 2000, a hunter found the body of a man who had hung himself from a tree in Saco.
McCausland said he hopes they'll lend a hand in this case.
"In past cases of missing persons, we have always encouraged hunters
to keep an eye out," he said. "Hunters are keenly observant as they're
looking for deer. If there's anything that they might think is of
interest or related to this case, we certainly encourage them to call
us."

Lt. Kevin Adam of the Maine Warden Service has also encouraged
Mainers to search for clues in the Ayla case, but he has cautioned
against overwhelming authorities with insignificant findings.

"If (people) find trash or garbage bags, or anything they can open
and check out, I would say, 'Open it and check it out,'" Adam said in
April. "Then, if they find something they think is significant, they
should leave it alone and call the local police to come and look at it."

On Ayla's second birthday in April, administrators at website Answers
for Ayla asked Maine residents to search their property for clues that
might help investigators find the girl. The initiative was called a Gift
for Ayla.

Answers for Ayla, which was started by Ayla's maternal
step-grandfather Jeff Hanson, has since merged with website Justice for
Ayla to become United for Ayla. The new website has three administrators
and has an average of 300 page views per day, Pomerleau said. Pomerleau
lives in Culpeper, Va., but learned of Ayla's disappearance through
family members in central Maine.

Police have conducted many searches in Kennebec and Somerset counties since the toddler disappeared.

In March, during a day-long search in Waterville, Oakland, Fairfield
and Norridgewock, police found the remains of Waterville resident Steven
C. Brandon, who had been missing since February 2004, on the bank of
Messalonskee Stream.

More recently, on Oct. 5, state police detectives returned to
Messalonskee Stream after it had been drained by Kennebec Water District
for routine maintenance. Detectives covered a half mile of riverbank
upstream and downstream of the North Street bridge, but found nothing
related to Ayla.
Ayla was reported missing on Dec. 17 by her father, Justin DiPietro.
No one has been named as a suspect or a person of interest. DiPietro
contends that Ayla was abducted. Investigators say a kidnapping did not
happen and they believe the three adults who saw her last -- her father,
aunt Elisha DiPietro and Courtney Roberts -- are withholding
information in the case.

Investigators also believe Ayla is dead, something Pomerleau tries not to think about.

"I understand there's a very good probability -- based on what law
enforcement has said -- that she's not going to be found alive, but
we're keeping that slim hope alive," he said.

State police are asking that anyone with information call them at
624-7076. To learn more about the hunter awareness program or to
volunteer, visit unitedforayla.com.
http://www.pressherald.com/news/Hunting-season-brings-hope-in-Ayla-Reynolds-case.html

Mother’s grief evolving one year after disappearance of Ayla Reynolds

By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff
Posted Dec. 02, 2012, at 6:02 p.m.
Last modified Dec. 02, 2012, at 8:35 p.m.

GORHAM, Maine — A coffee cup, a vase, a water bottle, a magnetic refrigerator calendar, dog-eared photos and a T-shirt now worn and faded, all with beaming, blond-haired Ayla Reynolds on them.

There are reminders of the missing little girl all over her mother’s apartment — not that Trista Reynolds needs reminders — but pictures and memories are no substitute for a running, jumping, laughing and sometimes screaming child. And they certainly can’t take the place of a living and breathing two-year-old girl.

“There are days I can’t even hear her voice anymore,” said Reynolds. “That’s not OK.”

As horrible as losing Ayla was, Reynolds said she’s thankful for a lot. A year ago, even before her daughter’s disappearance, Reynolds faced losing both of her children. Her running, jumping, laughing and sometimes screaming son Raymond, now the same age as Ayla was when she vanished, is a daily reminder of how close addiction to drugs and alcohol came to taking everything.

Reynolds, who was in an addiction rehabilitation program last year before Ayla’s disappearance, said the toddler never would have been in Waterville, where she disappeared from, if it weren’t for Reynolds’ hospitalization. Reynolds said she partially blames herself for everything that has happened, but is grateful it’s not worse.

“I couldn’t imagine myself losing both of my kids because of my stupid mistakes,” said Reynolds. “I have lost a lot because of having an addiction. I lost Ayla from it.”

Raymond is still too young to understand, though a glimpse of his sister’s picture has him babbling her name in toddler-speak that only his family can decipher. Most people say Raymond is a mirror image of his sister, and Reynolds said the mischief in his smile when he’s throwing clothing all over his room or fiddling with the telephone is the same as Ayla’s. And he dances just like she did whenever Ayla’s favorite song plays on the radio — Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger.”

“Sometimes it’s like she’s still with me,” said Reynolds.

Reynolds, now sober and living in an apartment in Gorham after months of living with family members, said Raymond’s well-being is her singular focus. She knows there are difficult conversations ahead, especially when it comes to his sister.

“When I look at him I think, ‘what will I tell him?’” she said. “I haven’t been able to put it into words yet. I don’t want to tell him something and have him start to blame me.”

Rarely, if ever, has a missing-person case in Maine attracted so much attention. Still, Trista fears her daughter is gradually being forgotten. After a months-long national media deluge, calls from reporters have grown scarce and new information from investigators is at a standstill. Maine State Police spokesman Stephen McCausland said Sunday what he’s said for months: No new developments. The case remains open and active.

Reynolds was reported missing on December 17, 2011, by her father, Justin DiPietro of Waterville. Police ruled out the possibility that Ayla was abducted early in the investigation and have said repeatedly that they believe DiPietro and others who were staying at the home last December know more about the case than they are telling detectives. In January, they announced that they’d found Ayla’s blood in DiPietro’s basement and in May, they said they no longer believed Ayla was alive. Investigators have periodically performed searches of bridges and waterways around Waterville, but said those efforts have turned up nothing related to the case.

Reynolds said her grief is still searing, but it’s evolved.

“It’s still painful, but I have been able to cope a lot better lately,” she said. “I’m always thinking about how how tall she’d be right now and what words she’d have. I imagine that her beautiful blue eyes are looking right through that blue sky down at me.”

At least two events are planned around the anniversary of Ayla’s disappearance. At 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Riverton Community Center at 1600 Forest Ave. in Portland, supporters will gather for a “Shining Hope for Ayla” event that includes a silent auction. Half of the proceeds will benefit an organization called LostNMissing Inc., which has been assisting in the search for Ayla, and the rest will benefit efforts in New York and New Jersey to recover from Hurricane Sandy. Attendees are asked to bring a wrapped children’s gift, which will be donated to children who suffered losses during the hurricane. Contact Cynthia Caron at 603-965-4621 or lostnmissing@comcast.net for information or to donate items to the silent auction.

At 6 p.m. Dec. 17, a caroling and candle-lit walk will begin at the Lutheran Church at 36 Cool St. in Waterville and continue to Violette Avenue, the site of Ayla’s disappearance.

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/12/02/news/state/mothers-grief-evolving-one-year-after-disappearance-of-ayla-reynolds/

Missing toddler's dad and his family talk to police
As lines of communication are re-opened, there's also a hint that a substance with DNA found in the basement might not be blood.

By BEN McCANNA Morning Sentinel
December 14

WATERVILLE – The family of Ayla Reynolds' father has reopened communication with investigators -- a step that police are calling positive.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland answers questions from media about the ongoing investigation in to the search for missing toddler, Ayla Reynolds, during a news conference at the Forum in downtown Waterville on Friday.

Meanwhile, the family's attorney said the DNA evidence that was found in the missing toddler's home might not be blood.

Police spoke in November with Ayla's father, Justin DiPietro; her aunt Elisha DiPietro; and her grandmother Phoebe DiPietro, said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety, during a news conference Friday.

"I'm not going to disclose what was discussed, but it was a frank conversation," he said. "So there has been some renewed communication."

When asked whether the conversation changed the course of the investigation, McCausland said no.

"We wanted to give them an update, and we were very frank in the information we shared with them," he said. "I viewed the meeting with the DiPietros as positive."

In March, McCausland announced that communication between police and Justin DiPietro had "basically stopped."

Steve Bourget, the Augusta attorney who represents Elisha DiPietro and Phoebe DiPietro, agreed with McCausland that the meeting was a positive step.

"It brought hope back to this family that the police were working for them and not against them," Bourget said by phone Friday. "The family is still hoping for the safe return of Ayla alive."

Bourget said that when police met with his clients, they presented the family with the physical evidence they had, including the revelation that DNA evidence that police found in the basement of the toddler's home might not be blood.

"The DNA was a match to Ayla, but it wasn't necessarily blood," Bourget said.

When reached by phone Friday afternoon, McCausland said he had "no reaction" to Bourget's statement.

In January, police announced that they had found an undisclosed amount of blood in the basement of the home.

Friday's news conference was held to serve as a recap of the yearlong investigation into Ayla's disappearance. Justin DiPietro reported the girl missing on Dec. 17, 2011.

McCausland initially said he would reveal no new developments in the case, but midway through a question-and-answer session with reporters, he announced the change in communication with the family.

McCausland added that police had communicated with Ayla's mother, Trista Reynolds, on Thursday, and that investigators plan to meet with her "in the coming days."

"We will share with her as much information as we can, as we've continued to do throughout the year," he said.

The news conference also featured a new voice. Maine State Police Detective Jeffrey Love, who often has been in the background at similar briefings, made an appeal for more tips.

"A significant component of this investigation is the leads," Love said. "We would like the public to forward any relevant information they feel would be beneficial to investigators. As time passes, please remember that it's important to keep looking and listening."

State police have followed up on 1,300 tips from 40 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and Canada. Love said all tips are followed, some by municipal police departments throughout Maine and the rest of the country.

"Some leads are closed out within hours. Some take days, weeks or even months," he said.

McCausland said tips from psychics are not wanted.

"Not one piece of information offered (from psychics) -- although it's well-meaning -- has amounted to anything, and so the psychics need not call any longer," he said.

Police are interested in hearing from people who might have first-, second- or third-hand accounts of the circumstances surrounding Ayla's disappearance, "or specific items that might have been found."

Lt. Kevin Adam of the Maine Warden Service said his agency, along with the volunteer Maine Association for Search and Rescue, did smaller searches for Ayla.

The smaller searches -- combined with larger events that drew media coverage -- have shown no signs of Ayla in a 5-by-7-mile area around her home.

"As we keep moving forward, we'll keep expanding out and try to find where Ayla is," Adam said.

As recently as last month, two searches were done in the New Hampshire communities of Mayfield Township and Stoddard, in the southwestern part of that state. Those searches were based on tips, McCausland said.

New Hampshire State Police conducted the search in Stoddard.

McCausland reiterated that the case is still active and ongoing regardless of the approaching anniversary.

"To investigators, December 17 is a date on the calendar and does not change a thing about the scope of this investigation," he said. "We're working for little Ayla. That's who we're working for. The investigators are as committed today as they were a year ago."

Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey spoke from a prepared statement, saying he's often asked whether he is frustrated by the pace of the investigation.

"My answer is simple," he said. "We cannot let ourselves become frustrated. We need to turn frustration into determination and commitment to moving this case forward, and that's what we're going to do."

No one has been named as a suspect or a person of interest in the girl's disappearance.

DiPietro contends that Ayla was abducted. Police say she was not and they believe the three adults who saw her last -- her father, aunt Elisha DiPietro and Courtney Roberts -- are withholding information in the case.

Investigators also believe Ayla is dead. State police are asking that anyone with information call them at 624-7076.

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Communication-improving-between-Aylas-father-and-police.html

EVENTS FOR AYLA

• The Shining Hope for Ayla event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Riverton Community Center, 1600 Forest Ave., Portland, and includes food, beverages, a silent auction, door prizes and a flying lantern release. For more information, contact Cynthia Caron, president and founder of LostNMissing at 603-965-4621 or 603-548-6548.

• Peace for Ayla will feature caroling and a candle-lit walk. It begins at 6 p.m. Monday at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 36 Cool St., in Waterville. Participants will walk along Violette Avenue, the street where Ayla lived before she disappeared, and sing Christmas songs.

Ayla Reynolds case: If it’s DNA, it’s probably blood, expert says

December 20
By Ben McCanna bmccanna@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

WATERVILLE — When an attorney for Ayla Reynolds’ paternal family announced Friday that DNA found in the toddler’s home might not be blood, it led many to ponder two questions:

• If it isn’t blood, then what is it?

• If investigators found Ayla’s DNA, couldn’t they determine the type of substance it came from?

According to an expert forensic investigator, the list of possible substances is short and, if investigators were dealing with microscopic amounts, they could only confirm the type of substance if it was blood.

The questions were raised last week when Steve Bourget — an Augusta lawyer who represents the missing toddler’s grandmother and aunt — said police told his clients that DNA evidence found in the toddler’s basement belongs to Ayla, but it isn’t “necessarily blood,” he said.

Police haven’t commented on Bourget’s claim about the DNA evidence, but Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said Wednesday that “there has been no change in any of our previous statements.”

In January, McCausland said investigators found blood belonging to the 20-month-old girl in the basement of 29 Violette Ave. — the home where the toddler reportedly was seen last. McCausland wouldn’t disclose how much blood investigators found, but said they used the chemical luminol to find it.

Melisa Staples, assistant director of the New Hampshire State Police Crime Laboratory in Concord, N.H., said DNA can be found in blood, saliva, semen, bone, hair roots and skin cells, but not much else.

DNA is also present in urine and feces, but it’s difficult for investigators to obtain evidence from those materials, Staples said. Urine contains a small amount of DNA and is difficult to find unless investigators have a large sample. Fecal matter is even less useful for investigators because its bacteria quickly destroys any DNA within the sample. Complicating matters further, urine or feces would be virtually undetectable if a crime scene was cleaned up before investigators arrived.

Blood and saliva, on the other hand, might withstand a cleanup, and the DNA within is “very stable over time, particularly in a climate that’s dry and not hot,” Staples said. “It can be stable for years and years.”

Dried saliva, however, would be difficult for investigators to find, because there aren’t chemical agents to detect its presence, she said. Investigators would almost have to find saliva by accident, she said.

Blood is much easier to find, she said. If investigators suspect the presence of blood, they can use chemical agents — such as luminol and phenolphthalein — to confirm their suspicions.

Luminol stimulates electrons within hemoglobin — a component of blood — and causes the mixture to glow. Luminol also reacts with bleach, copper, horseradish and more, so investigators at the scene often perform additional tests to confirm the presence of blood, Staples said.

One such test uses phenolphthalein — a chemical that turns color when it is mixed with other substances. Investigators will typically swab an area that is suspected to be blood, then apply phenolphthalein to the swab. If the swab turns purple, it’s most likely blood, Staples said.

Once the presence of blood is confirmed, investigators would swab a few more samples, then develop a DNA profile at the laboratory, she said.

In other words, if Ayla’s DNA sample came from blood, investigators would know it was blood, Staples said. If the DNA came from something else, such as saliva or skin cells, investigators might never know its source.

Bourget said Tuesday he didn’t know whether investigators told his clients what the substance might be, adding that he did not attend the meeting.

Ayla was reported missing on Dec. 17, 2011, by her father, Justin DiPietro. No one has been named as a suspect or a person of interest. DiPietro contends that Ayla was abducted.

Police say a kidnapping did not happen and they believe the three adults who saw her last — her father, aunt Elisha DiPietro and Courtney Roberts — are withholding information in the case.

Investigators also believe Ayla is dead. State police are asking that anyone with information call them at 624-7076.

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/Ayla-Reynolds-case-If-its-DNA-its-probably-blood-expert-says.html

Investigators meet with missing toddler Ayla Reynolds' mother on Thursday
'We gave her specifics that we felt a mother should know,' state police spokesman says

January 4
By Ben McCanna

Investigators met with Trista Reynolds, the mother of Ayla Reynolds, on Thursday for a review of the investigation into the toddler's disappearance, said Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland.

"I'm not getting into specifics, but we shared the status of the case with Trista, as we had with the relatives from Waterville," he said Friday.

Reynolds did not respond to a reporter's requests for an interview this week, but she has said that investigators planned to show her evidence that has been gathered over the past year since the child disappeared, along with items that were recovered from the Kennebec River during searches near the Lockwood Dam by state police last spring.

In October, investigators met with members of Ayla's paternal family from Waterville -- father Justin DiPietro, aunt Elisha DiPietro and grandmother Phoebe DiPietro.

An attorney for Phoebe and Elisha DiPietro has said the October meeting included an update of the investigation and a review of the physical evidence that has been collected.

McCausland, during a press conference last month, described the October meeting as a frank conversation with the paternal family. McCausland on Friday wouldn't characterize the tone of this week's meeting with Reynolds.

"We gave her specifics that we felt a mother should know," he said.

Ayla was reported missing on Dec. 17, 2011, by her father. No one has been named as a suspect. Justin DiPietro contends that Ayla was abducted. Police say a kidnapping did not happen, and they believe the three adults who saw her last -- her father, aunt and Courtney Roberts -- are withholding information in the case.

Investigators also believe Ayla is dead. State police are asking that anyone with information call them at 624-7076.

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/investigators-meet-with-trista-reynolds_2013-01-04.html

Police to relatives: Evidence exists Ayla Reynolds is not alive
In a January meeting with family members, investigators reveal 'unequivocal evidence' Ayla is dead; photographs show items found in the Kennebec River

Yesterday at 8:10 PM
By Ben McCanna bmccanna@centralmaine.com, Staff Writer

WATERVILLE -- The maternal family of missing toddler Ayla Reynolds has broken its silence regarding a January meeting with investigators.

On Sunday, Ayla's step-grandfather posted a brief summary of the meeting on his website, saying that investigators told Trista Reynolds that there is "unequivocal evidence" that her daughter Ayla is dead. Police, however, won't confirm the claim.

Jeff Hanson, the step-grandfather and webmaster for aylareynolds.com, also wrote that investigators shared photographs of items that were found in the Kennebec River during searches by state police last spring, but "Trista could not identify the items as Ayla's."

Reynolds, a Gorham resident, said he was asked by investigators to withhold additional details from the meeting because it could jeopardize the case, according to the website.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said he had "no reaction" to the website's claims, adding that the information shared during that meeting "is between us and her."

"I'm not going to get into specifics other than to repeat what I've said: We think it's unlikely (Ayla) is still alive," he said.

Investigators met with Reynolds on Jan. 3 for a review of the investigation into the toddler's disappearance, McCausland said. Reynolds did not respond to a request for comment, but in December she said investigators were planning to show her evidence that had been gathered, including items that were recovered during searches near the Lockwood Dam.

A similar meeting took place in October, when investigators met with members of Ayla's paternal family from Waterville: father, Justin DiPietro, aunt, Elisha DiPietro and grandmother, Phoebe DiPietro.

Steve Bourget, an attorney for Phoebe and Elisha DiPietro, has said the October meeting included an update of the investigation and a review of the physical evidence that has been collected. The family was told that DNA discovered in the basement of the Violette Avenue home belonged to Ayla, but it wasn't necessarily blood, Bourget said.

McCausland, during a press conference in December, described the October meeting with the paternal family as a frank conversation. In January, McCausland wouldn't characterize the tone of the meeting with Trista Reynolds other than to say investigators "gave her specifics that we felt a mother should know," he said.

Investigators have not had a similar meeting with Courtney Roberts -- a Portland woman who was at the Violette Avenue home the night before Ayla was reported missing. The meetings were only for Ayla's family members, McCausland said.

McCausland said the case is still open and active, but there have been no new developments. State police continue to receive some tips in the case, but the numbers have "declined greatly."

Ayla was reported missing on Dec. 17, 2011, by her father. No one has been named as a suspect. Justin DiPietro contends that Ayla was abducted. Police say a kidnapping did not happen and they believe the three adults who saw her last -- her father, aunt and Roberts -- are withholding information in the case.

Since Ayla's disappearance, Hanson has reported some information through his websites, including the discovery of Ayla's DNA in the basement, which was later verified by McCausland.

In May, McCausland announced that investigators believe Ayla is likely dead. State police are asking that anyone with information call them at 624-7076.

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/ayla-reynolds-relative-posts-information-about-meeting-with-investigators_2013-02-11.html

Did Ayla's dad hide her body?


02/14/2013

The father of missing tot Ayla Reynolds reportedly took a two hour road trip prior to reporting her missing -- and after learning that she was missing himself. Yahoo News writer Carol Bengle Gilbert reported
this information on Feb. 13, 2013 along with other details that have
been revealed by Ayla's loved ones. The details have sparked suspicion,
even more so, against Justin DiPietro regarding the whereabouts of the missing girl.
The family members of the missing tot believe she died in the home of Justin DiPietro and
then he traveled two hours away -- about 160 miles -- to dispose of her
body. But where? This case just keeps producing twists and turns and it
doesn't feel like there will be closure in the disappearance of Ayla
Reynolds.

Justin DiPietro allegedly claimed that he was traveling to see if Trista Reynolds
(the mother) had her, but as records show he did contact Trista at all,
and went to a different part of Maine than where she lives. This is a
blatant display of dishonesty by the father of the missing tot in a time
where all eyes are on him. Officials in Maine have long acknowledged
that Justin and his family have not been honest about what happened to
Ayla the night she went missing, and it looks like this incident is part
of that suspicion.

It's entering the second year of Ayla's disappearance with there
being the same lack of answers as there were from the first week of the
case. It looks like officials are aware of who their persons of interest
are in this disappearance, but without the little girl's body it's
going to be next to impossible to find actual closure.


http://www.examiner.com/article/did-ayla-s-dad-hide-her-body?cid=taboola_inbound

Ayla's mother says her missing daughter's blood was found in ex's basement as she demands authorities press charges

By Daily Mail Reporter  PUBLISHED: 12:57 EST, 11 September 2013

The mother of toddler Ayla Reynolds who went missing nearly two years ago has revealed that her daughter's blood was found in her ex's basement, his bedroom, his truck and on the base of his shoes.

Trista Reynolds is trying to reignite the investigation into her daughter's disappearance, which occurred in December 2011 when the then-20-month-old girl was spending the night at her father's home.

The news about the bloodstains come just two days after Ms Reynold's ex, Justin DiPietro, was put in jail for violating the conditions of his bail for a different charge.


Desperate: Trista Reynolds is coming forward with evidence against her ex that she hopes will reignite the search for her daughter Ayla who went missing in December 2011


Mom: Ayla, right, was in her father's custody while her mother, Trista Reynolds, left, checked into a 10-day rehab programme

DiPietro was charged with the domestic violence assault of his ex-girlfriend Courtney Roberts in July and one of his bail conditions was that he not use or possess alcohol.

On Monday, he was stopped by traffic police due to his car's expired inspection sticker. The officer discovered alcohol in the car and he was brought in.

Ms Reynolds is now making public some of the pieces of evidence about the case that the police have not yet released.

'Theres been nothing in two years and I think it might help just close it,' she said to local station WCSH of her decision to make the evidence public.

Father: Justin DiPietro, left, told cops he last saw Ayla, right, when he put her to bed. He said she was wearing green pyjamas with polka dots and the words ‘Daddy's Princess’ on them


Father and daughter: Ayla's blood was found in the partially finished basement that DiPietro used as his bedroom

'If Ayla was their daughter or their child or their family member, I honestly believe that the case would be solved.'

She says that police showed her pictures of her daughter's blood that was found in DiPietro's basement, room, and truck.

A sample of the blood showed that the toddler's saliva was mixed with it, leading Ms Reynolds to believe that she suffered.


Mystery: Ayla Reynolds, of Waterville, Maine, was reported missing in December 2011 by her father Justin DiPietro, who told police he last saw her when he put her to bed the previous night

Police have not arrested DiPietro because there is no evidence to prove that he was the one who killed his daughter, but they have said that they do not think it is reasonable to believe that she is still alive.

'With what was shown to me I don't see how any little child can survive after that. All I can picture when I close my eyes is the blood that I saw,' Ms Reynolds said.

'No mom should have to ever experience what I did that day, ever.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2417882/Ayla-Reynolds-Mother-says-missing-daughters-blood-exs-basement-demands-authorities-press-charges.html

When is this little angel going to be found?  When is she going to get justice?   Finding her body will at least let the mother put her to rest.  William

Baby Ayla's mother: I blame her father the most

Baby Ayla Reynolds was reported missing in December 2011, and after nearly two years and very little progress in the case, her mother is opening up about gruesome evidence that has never been publicly shared.

By Alexandra Thomas

updated 7:28 PM EDT, Mon September 23, 2013
1 of 7












Image Credit: PHOEBE DIPIETRO/FAMILY PHOTO

Ayla Reynolds20-month-old Ayla was reported missing on December 17, 2011, from her Waterville, Maine, home. Her father claimed he last saw his daughter when he put her to bed the night before.

As the two-year anniversary of her daughter’s disappearance approaches, Trista Reynolds is opening up about the case in an effort to help police make progress in the investigation.

In an interview last week with CNN’s Susan Candiotti, Reynolds revealed details about evidence that had never before been publicly shared -- details that she says police showed her about a year after Ayla’s disappearance.

Reynolds said that, in January 2013, police showed her pictures of the home where Ayla was last seen. Reynolds told Candiotti she saw police photos that allegedly showed 20-month-old Ayla's blood on her baby doll, and both her blood and her saliva on the belongings of her father, Justin DiPietro.

“On the side of [the baby doll’s] face there was some blood, like a swipe, so that’s what made me think she tried wiping blood from her mouth with the doll,” Reynolds explained. “Her slippers also, she had pink princess slippers with pom-poms on them, and on the pom-poms were droplets of her blood.”

DiPietro reported Ayla missing from his home in Waterville, Maine, on December 17, 2011. He claims he last saw his daughter when he put her to bed the night before. The home belongs to Ayla’s paternal grandmother, Phoebe DiPietro. She wasn’t home that night, but police say Ayla’s aunt Alicia and Alicia's daughter, Gabby, were there and slept on the ground floor. Ayla was reportedly alone in her own room across the hall from her aunt and cousin. Justin DiPietro was in the basement of the home that night with his girlfriend, Courtney, and her son. The basement is where Ayla’s blood was found by investigators. 

Reynolds told Candiotti that police showed her pictures of the home’s basement and called it “a murder scene.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s the truth,” Reynolds said with tears in her eyes. “There was just, like, Ayla’s blood everywhere. There was blood on sheets, blood and saliva mixed on a mattress, blood on a fan cord, on the TV, VCR. There was blood found in Justin shoes, blood spattered on the walls,” Reynolds said. “There was a tote that had blood on it and in it, and then inside of that tote there was a white sheet that was wrapped up with all kinds of blood spots on it, like someone could have wrapped Ayla’s body in it. The blood was just everywhere.”

Reynolds said police told her that about a cup of blood was found in DiPietro's basement, and they had determined foul play was involved in her daughter's disappearance. Reynolds told Candiotti that police said the blood they found was from internal and external injuries, and after finding that much blood, they could determine Ayla wasn’t abducted. She said police also told her the people in the home that night, including Ayla’s father, “aren’t telling us the truth.”

All three adults who were in the home that night claim to know nothing about Ayla’s disappearance.

“Sometimes I think maybe, was something going on in that house,” Reynolds said. “Was there a party going on, were there drugs there, did she get a hold of drugs or what not and that’s what happened to her, and that’s why she was bleeding, and why it could be internal. And then I think, were they doing drugs and maybe Justin just got upset with her cause he was messed up or just abused her? It’s just so hard to think of ways that your daughter could suffer,” Reynolds said in the interview.

“But at the end of the day, no matter what happened, I still blame three people, and those three people need to be prosecuted for what they did to Ayla,” she said.

No one has been charged in connection with Ayla’s disappearance, and when asked why she decided to reveal this evidence now, Reynolds said she decided she had to do something to get justice for her daughter.

“The only thing I could think of was letting everybody hear and know about the evidence that I had seen,” Reynolds told Candiotti.  “To get that justice for Ayla is by sharing it, with everybody, but it was mainly to put pressure on [Justin DiPietro] to see if it will get Justin, Courtney and Alicia to speak of that night and to tell someone, anyone, where Ayla is or at least what happened to her."

Reynolds said that since police have made no apparent progress in solving her daughter’s disappearance, she doesn’t think revealing this information will jeopardize the case. Since no one has come forward with any information in two years, Reynolds thinks revealing this evidence can only help.

“Maybe by me releasing that information and the evidence that they have all refused to see, maybe those people out there who do know something won’t want to back [the three people who were in the home] up, they will actually want to speak on behalf of Ayla,” Reynolds said.

Although Reynolds wants the investigation into her daughter’s disappearance to move forward, she says she doesn’t believe her daughter could still be alive.

“I don’t want to believe that my 3-year-old is no longer alive,” she said. “But in two years and with all of the evidence I’ve seen, there’s no way that she is still alive. If she is, it would be a blessing and it would be a miracle, but I do believe that she is with the good lord and I do believe that she is looking down through the sky with her beautiful blue eyes. I just don’t think she survived that night.”

“Anybody who sees [the evidence] knows that Ayla did not make it through that night,” Reynolds continued. “She couldn’t have.”

When asked about the investigation and why no arrests have been made, Reynolds told Candiotti that, considering the evidence, she doesn’t understand what police are waiting for. She said that state police have told her they are continuing to interview people about the case.

“You have been interviewing people for almost two years and you still don’t have something,” Reynolds said. “But you have evidence of my daughter’s blood, you have a room full of her blood and you have it on her car seat, you found it on a pair of slippers, you found it on her baby doll, you found it on Justin’s shoes, but you want to tell me that you don’t have enough evidence to go ahead and prosecute? I don’t believe it.”

Authorities have not confirmed the authenticity of the alleged evidence Reynolds claims to have seen, nor her analysis. Maine Deputy Attorney General William Stokes told Candiotti that there is not enough evidence for the state to prosecute anyone yet, and Reynolds’ decision to go public with this information will not pressure them to make an arrest.

“No amount of press conferences is going to change the reality that as professional prosecutors, [we’ll only make an arrest] if and only if the evidence warrants it,” Stokes said. “To allow this type of pressure to influence either the investigation or prosecution undermines the integrity of the investigation or any prosecutor’s decision in the future. It simply cannot happen.”

While Reynolds continues to search for answers, she says she blames Ayla’s father the most for what happened to the little girl.

"As a father, you have a job, you have a duty, you are to protect your child. That was the whole reason he took her from me, because he thought I was unstable to raise Ayla…I did a better job than he did," she said. "In my eyes, Justin is full to blame because he should have protected her and he should be the one to speak on her behalf. But all three of those people were in that house that night. All three of them know what happened to Ayla, and all three of them should be prosecuted for it.”

http://www.hlntv.com/slideshow/2013/09/23/baby-ayla-reynolds-missing-new-evidence-murder

Unbelievable that those people in that house were not charged.  I'll bet the prosecutor only prosecutes slam dunk cases.  Pool little Ayla's death will go unpunished.  This is such a miscarriage of justice.

Missing Maine Toddler Ayla Reynold's Families Angrily Accuse Each Other

Sept. 26, 2013
By CHRISTINA NG

The two sides of missing Maine toddler Ayla Reynold's family erupted in a screaming match outside a court where her father was making an appearance in an unrelated case.

Both sides of the family accused the other of being responsible for the girl's disappearance and presumed death.

"Hi, my daughter is Ayla, you know, your granddaughter?" Ayla's mother Trista Reynolds said forcefully as she approached a bench where Ayla's paternal grandmother Phoebe DiPietro was sitting.

"Why don't you tell me what you did with her, Trista?" DiPietro said.

"No, Phoebe, you tell me what you did with my daughter," Reynolds shouted. "Tell me what you did with my daughter!"

DiPietro rushed away from her and Reynold's father Ron Reynolds shouted after her, "Your son killed my granddaughter!"

Ayla vanished from her father's home on Dec. 17, 2011 when she was 20 months old. State police have said that they believe Ayla is dead, but her body has never been found. Authorities have never charged anyone with a crime or named any suspects, but have said they they suspect foul play.

The exchanges were captured on camera by ABC News' Portland affiliate WMTW-TV, the Bangor Daily News and other news stations.

Inside the building, Reynolds approached Ayla's father Justin DiPietro.

"Justin, talk to me for a minute," she pleaded with the man who stayed silent and avoided looking at her.

"I can see it in your eyes. And you know that's the problem," Trista Reynolds said. "I know you care. Please, Justin."

Footage from outside the courthouse showed Reynolds shouting at DiPietro who eventually rushed down a stairway and sprinted down the street, leaving Reynolds screaming after him.

"Justin, he's a murderer. He killed my granddaughter. Are we not supposed to hurt every day? We all miss Ayla every day," Ron Reynolds sobbed. "Every day."

DiPietro made a Wednesday court appearance in Portland, Maine, for a July assault charge, according to ABC News' Portland affiliate WMTW-TV.

The charge was dismissed and DiPietro pleaded guilty to violating conditions of a September traffic stop. He was sentenced to four days in jail and a $150 fine, but was released with credit for time served, WMTW reported.

"I want them to pay for what they did to Ayla," Trista Reynolds said. "This should have never happened. This still shouldn't be going on because Ayla should still be with me."

"She was in a safe place and Justin pulled a fast one, just like he has done with the State Police and the Attorney General's Office," she said angrily. "He has outsmarted them. Who can outsmart the State Police the way Justin did? I didn't even think he was that talented."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-maine-toddler-ayla-reynolds-families-angrily-accuse/story?id=20382922

Could Trista Reynolds' actions hurt Ayla investigation?

Thursday, September 26 2013, 11:21 PM EDT

PORTLAND (WGME) -- As missing toddler Ayla's Reynolds' mother releases new information about her daughter's disappearance, at least one legal expert thinks her plan could hurt more than help.

Defense Attorney Peter Richard with DeGrinney law offices has read about the newly released evidence Reynolds says points to Ayla's father being involved in her disappearance, and watched the messy confrontation between the parents outside a court house Wednesday afternoon. Richard says justice for Ayla could now be jeopardized.

"While Trista's emotions are running high, I think she would be served better from a prosecutor's standpoint by working with the police department and working with the prosecution rather than taking it on her own for public justice," Richard said. "She doesn't want public justice. She wants justice in the court system."

Richard says Reynolds' actions could taint a potential jury pool if police ever arrest anyone for Ayla's presumed death. He says it could also discourage witnesses to come forward with new information, fearing it will be leaked to the public.

Deputy Attorney General Bill stokes says he understands Reynolds' frustration, but they can't prosecute anyone based on pressure from the public.

http://www.wgme.com/news/top-stories/stories/wgme_could-trista-reynolds-actions-hurt-ayla-investigation-18887.shtml

More than 30 officials searching area in Oakland for Ayla Reynolds

By Mario Moretto and Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff
Posted Oct. 23, 2013, at 9:32 a.m.
Last modified Oct. 23, 2013, at 11:37 a.m.

OAKLAND, Maine — Numerous law enforcement officials began canvassing a wooded area in Oakland early Wednesday morning in an effort to locate missing toddler Ayla Reynolds.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said Wednesday in a news release that more than 30 personnel from Oakland police, Maine State Police, four canine teams, state police divers and game wardens are participating in the search.

Search efforts are being focused on an area off Hussey Hill Road, McCausland said. He would not go into further detail about the cause of the search. A warden told the BDN late Wednesday morning that searchers are focusing on both sides of Hussey Hill Road.

“I’m not going to give any specifics,” said McCausland by phone Wednesday morning. “I was very clear as to what we were doing in the press release and I will get into additional details at [a scheduled 1:30 p.m. media briefing].”

A combination of woods and a small pond will be searched throughout the day, McCausland said.

The entrance to the search area Wednesday is cordoned off with police tape. A mobile command vehicle for the warden service and other vehicles were parked on Nike Lane. One Oakland police officer on the scene said he could not comment about the search.

The area is the planned location for Ridgewoods Estates. It was cleared within the last few years to make way for the development.

Paul Stevens, who lives in the area, said game wardens arrived at about 6:30 a.m.

“I’ve been hunting and snowshoeing out there before,” he said. “It’s all just trees, there’s not much out there until Zachary Drive. They must figure something is out there. I just hope they find her.”

Reynolds has been the subject of a police investigation for nearly two years since she was reported missing by her father, Justin DiPietro, on Dec. 17, 2011. DiPietro told police that Ayla had gone missing overnight from his Violette Avenue home in Waterville. Within days, investigators said they had ruled out that Ayla had been abducted by a stranger and in subsequent months, sought to pressure DiPietro and two other adults, DiPietro’s sister and girlfriend, who were in the home on the dates in question.

Police first said that they had found Ayla’s blood in DiPietro’s home and later that they were convinced DiPietro and the others hadn’t told them the truth about what had happened to the missing toddler.

No one has been charged in connection with the toddler’s disappearance and investigators have said repeatedly that they have ruled no one out as a suspect. At an emotional scene outside a courthouse in Portland last month, Trista Reynolds, who is Ayla’s mother, confronted DiPietro and his mother, Phoebe DiPietro, about the missing girl. Reynolds and Phoebe DiPietro accused each other of knowing what happened to Ayla; Justin DiPietro refused to speak.

Wednesday’s search in Oakland is the latest of numerous searches conducted by police, wardens and dive teams in and around Waterville, though investigators have been quiet about the case for several months.

McCausland originally announced that authorities would brief the public and media at 3 p.m., but later Wednesday morning changed the time to 1:30 p.m.

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/10/23/news/mid-maine/30-law-enforcement-officials-searching-area-in-oakland-for-ayla-reynolds/

Police find nothing in latest search for Ayla Reynolds

Wednesday, October 23 2013, 08:35 PM EDT

OAKLAND (WGME) -- State Police spokesperson Steve McCausland said they did not find missing toddler Ayla Reynolds in a search Wednesday of a wooded area in Oakland. Over 30 police officers searched more than six hours, leaving no stone unturned in their search for little Ayla. Unfortunately, there was no sign of her. But police investigators say they`re not giving up.

Ever since toddler Ayla Reynolds went missing 22 months ago from her Waterville home, State Police have received more than 1800 tips from the public. Police say one of those tips called in shortly after Ayla vanished led them to this location. They searched the woods then. In fact, this was the third search of these woods, but this was the first comprehensive search.

The search took place off Hussey Hill road in Oakland, in a wooded area six miles from the home of Justin DiPietro, Ayla`s father. Four canine units went through first to see if they could pick up a scent. Then, the officers walked in a line and did a grid search to make sure they didn`t miss anything, searching a quarter mile radius of woods on both sides of the road.

A State Police dive team also searched a pond. But there was no sign of Ayla. But police investigators say they aren`t giving up. Authorities vow to solve the case, even as they continue to say they believe Ayla is dead. Police say they found Ayla`s blood in the basement of the home. Maine State Police have officially called it the largest criminal investigation in state history.

DiPietro reported his daughter missing from his home back on December 17th, 2011. He has said he believes his daughter was kidnapped. But police say there was no sign of a break-in. Since then, it has been 22 months of frustration for police and the family. The step dad of Trista Reynolds, Ayla`s mother, told CBS 13 News the family was notified Tuesday about the search.

http://www.wgme.com/news/top-stories/stories/iframe_vid_19318.shtml

Friday, June 7, 2013

Baby Ayla's Grandfather Arrested

Baby Ayla was reported "missing" 6 weeks after her single chronically unemployed father took out a large life insurance policy against her.  Her blood was found in his home where Statement Analysis indicated deception on his part.  He failed his polygraph.

His words revealed that Ayla was dead.

Police officials agreed.

As basic as these facts appear, her father, Justin DiPietro, remains free.

Not so for her grandfather.

Baby Ayla was a battered child, bruises, marks, and eventually, a broken arm in the home of her father and paternal grandmother, Phoebe DiPietro, who was also indicated for deception when she appeared on television claiming to have "heard nothing" that fateful night when Ayla lost her life.

After both Statement Analysis and body language analysis indicated her for deception, she was forced to apologize for "misleading" the media on the night she heard "nothing":

She wasn't even in the home.

Justin DiPietro's sister was also in the home that night and has been indicated for deception, taking a page from her brother's method of lying, refusing to say she passed her polygraph, allowing us to say:

If she is unable to bring herself to say she passed her polygraph, we are unable to say it for her.

Prosecutors have heard the evidence against DiPietro but have refused, to date, to bring charges.

Local media has refused to challenge this decision.

We recall the quaking Alex Hunter, Boulder DA who deceived the press, via passivity, when the Grand Jury returned indictments against John and Patsy Ramsey, in the death of their daughter, Jonbenet, in 1997, as he feared going up against private sector attorneys.

Since local media refuses to ask questions of prosecutors, it remains to be seen if the same fear of the private sector is behind the lack of judicial action in a case which has, from the first week, been without mystery, other than what body of water Ayla's body was unceremoniously dumped by her father, even as he addressed the rumors "floating out there" (see initial analysis), while refusing any "negotiations" with the "kidnappers" of Baby Ayla.

As we have seen from the start:  Ayla never had a chance.

From the Bangor Daily News: