SOMER RENEE THOMPSON - 7 yo (2009) - Clay County FL

Clay County investigators have found the trash truck used to carry
Somer Thompson's body to a Georgia landfill and are getting close to
learning where that trash came from, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Mary
Justino said this afternoon.
Justino said the trash truck driver is one of many individuals
interviewed by detectives for information, but she gave no other
details about him, the truck or the route it took. Trash in the area
where Somer disappeared Monday was picked up the next day, taken to the
Rosemary Hill Landfill in Green Cove Springs and transferred to a
landfill in Folkston, Ga.
The body of the 7-year-old Orange Park girl was found Wednesday, two
days after she disappeared while walking home on Gano Avenue from Grove
Park Elementary School. She was with her brother and sister when she
left them and vanished.
"We are making progress into narrowing down not only the contents
of that garbage, but where it came from," Justino said. "Can we say
definitively yet that we have detailed evidence from the garbage that
leads back directly to the neighborhood, not yet."
Investigators know how Somer Thompson died based on an autopsy done
in Savannah Thursday, but they are keeping those details secret to
protect the investigation, Justino said. Somer was initially identified
through a birthmark and clothing she was wearing when her body was
found Wednesday in a Folkston, Ga., landfill.
Funeral arrangements made today will involve opportunities for the
public to pay their respects, while the family's privacy will also be
ensure.
A public memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the
First Baptist Church of Orange Park, 1140 Kingsley Ave. Graveside
services and burial will be private, but there will be a procession
from Kingsley Avenue to Blanding Boulevard to the property of
Jacksonville Memorial Gardens.
A public viewing will be at the same church from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday.
Somer's mother, Diena Thompson, declined to talk to reporters when she came home from the funeral home about noon.
More than 50 Clay detectives and state and federal agents continue
to chase leads in the case. About 900 tips have been called in, with
more than 200 still being pursued, Justino said.
Justino said she has inquired with investigators about a registered
sex offender whose name and address in Orange Park is listed on the
incident report that was written after Somer was reported missing.
The 36-year-old man was involved the sex assault of a female minor
in Texas in 1992, records show. He also served about a year in prison
after a 2003 conviction in Polk County of failing to register as a sex
offender in Florida. It's unclear why his name appeared in the report
about Somer, since there is no connection to him mentioned in the
narrative. The report was made public Thursday night. The Times-Union
has been unable to contact the man.
Justino also said she has heard and inquired about reports of
neighbors being asked by investigators about a white van connected to
the disappearance, but she declined to comment further on that
information.
"We have no interest in corrupting this investigation by releasing information that may become evidence," she said.
Clay County investigators have found five sexual predators and
offenders being sought for questioning in Somer's slaying and have no
reason to believe they or the 85 others in the area were
involved, Justino said.
Investigators returned today to a house at 1080 Gano Ave. in the
block where Somer was last seen before vanishing Monday. They are
collecting evidence from a house, large trash bin and the grounds. That
effort began Thursday afternoon and now involves members of the same
team of FBI forensic investigators who've been seeking clues in the
Folkston landfill.
Evidence removed from that scene and the landfill are being given
top priority at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement laboratory in
Jacksonville, Justino said.
Scores of people continue to visit and contribute to a growing
memorial of stuff toys, signs and balloons outside the family's home on
Horton Drive. A prayer circle formed about 1:30 p.m.
Somer's father, Samuel Thompson, and his sister, Laura Holt, are
planning to come to Orange Park this weekend from their home in North
Carolina, Holt told the Times-Union this afternoon.
Thompson said he's been unable to make the trip because he was
recently hurt in an accident and didn't have the money or
transportation to come from his home in Graham, N.C. But Holt said a
local business donated a handicap-accessible van to them today and they
should be arriving Saturday or Sunday. Thompson and Somer's mother,
Diena Thompson, are getting divorced.
"I don't know how I'm going to make it through it," Holt, 43, said of the funeral. "This was the most precious child."
Thompson, 41, was busy receiving the van and would comment
later, Holt said. He is the father of Somer, her brother Samuel and
their sister, Abigail, 10. He and Somer's mother are going through a
divorce. The obituary written from the mother's side of the family and
sent to the Times-Union does not include his name.
In hopes of generating more interest, Sheriff Rick Beseler plans to
go on the television show "America's Most Wanted" Saturday night after
being contacted by the host, John Walsh.
"Even though this is five days later, we are not letting up,"
Justino said this morning. "Our agency is working feverishly today just
as we will every day until we locate the person or persons responsible."
Somer disappeared while walking home from Grove Park Elementary
School with her brother and sister. The siblings said she separated
from them after she and her sister had words about a fight Somer had
earlier in the day at school.
The siblings last saw her walking west on Gano Avenue at Solomon
Street into a crowd of children. Another witness told deputies she saw
Somer about a block from that spot at Grove Park Road.
As for the area sexual predators and offenders, authorities have now
talked with all 90 that live within 5 miles, Justino said. Those
meetings have included property searches and discussion with family.
Investigators have not ruled out anyone in the case, but have no reason
to believe at this time that any are involved, Justino said.
Justino did not say if police had any suspects.
When asked about a traffic stop of a beat-up van made this morning
on Kingsley Avenue just south of where Somer disappeared, Justino said
she had no indication it was connected to the case. The vehicle was
seen later at the Sheriff's Office substation in Orange Park.

Police "remain encouraged at the progress" of the investigation into
the killer of 7-year-old Somer Thompson, but do not have a suspect yet.
Details of the cause and manner of death or whether there has been DNA evidence
collected that points toward a killer were not released at an afternoon
news conference in the interest of preserving the investigation, said
Mary Justino, Clay County Sheriff's Office public information officer.
Police have made "progress into narrowing the contents of the
garbage" at Chesser Island landfill in Folkston, GA. The first-grader's
body was found Wednesday afternoon at the landfill, which is the
dumping site for trash from Somer's neighborhood.
The Thompson family does not have the remains of Somer at this
point, Justino said. An autopsy was done Thursday in Savannah, GA at
the Medical Examiners office, but the Clay County Sheriff's Office has
a liaison that communicates with the family.
"We have had someone with them the entire time since Monday," she said, calling the autopsy a priority at the M.E.'s office.
She reiterated funeral plans next week for Somer, some of which will be open to the public. Jacksonville
Memory Gardens is handling the arrangements. Justino also praised
parents in the neighborhood for staying vigilant in protecting their
children.
"They have taken the safety of their families into their own hands,
which is great," she said, adding that many have changed their routine
and route to school.
"Until we have an arrest, I think that's a smart move," said Justino.
Earlier today, she announced that police have interviewed all known
sex offenders living close to the area where Somer vanished Monday, and
said they do not suspect them in the murder.
Investigators finished interviewing the 90 sex offenders living within a five-mile radius of the area where Somer disappeared.
"We feel certain at this time we do not have any suspects who are
members of that group," Justino said at a morning news conference.
She confirmed police have no persons of interest or suspects in the
case. "There is no information about a suspect one way or the other."
Police have taken evidence from a house at 1080 Gano Ave. where
witnesses last saw Somer Monday, and from the landfill where her body
was found; they continue to work both scenes.
Police say the home has been empty for several months since a fire.
They are "interviewing any and all persons" who either worked or lived
on or near the site, but they are not searching at random, Justino
said.
Evidence has been transported from the house on Gano and the landfill to labs run by the CCSO, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in Jacksonville, and the Medical Examiners Office in Savannah, GA, are all being used for analysis.
"We have collected evidence at the landfill," Justino said. "It is a tremendous mountain of garbage."
The television show "America's Most Wanted," which focuses on
unsolved crimes, will feature the Somer Thompson's case tomorrow
evening. The media, "only helps focus attention on this family,"
Justino said.
She also said that many businesses have offered their services to
the Thompson family for the funeral of Somer. The family was meeting
with business owners this morning.
Investigators left the abandoned house around 1 a.m. Friday, but it remained a crime scene with 24-hour police protection.
Three police officers are on each end of the house and crime scene
tape still keeps everyone away. Gano Avenue, a major roadway through
this neighborhood, is still blocked off, with a FDLE unit parked in the
street.
Just after 11:30 p.m. Thursday, crews brought in a digging machine
from the State Fire Marshal's Office to dig on various parts of the
property and to lift heavy objects, according to officials.
"On this side, it's pure pandemonium," said neighbor Andy Carlson,
who watched the search with his sons. He said it's strange seeing this
type of thing in his neighborhood.
"I'm not used to all these cops all over the place," added Carlson,
who said the home was being renovated. "You can see in the windows,
it's gutted. It just has two by four framing."
Somer's mother said she knew the home on Gano Avenue was vacant, but
added that she never had any concerns about the home until now.
The first-grader disappeared on her walk home from school Monday
afternoon. Detectives searched a Georgia landfill Wednesday afternoon
and a child's remains were found. At a Thursday morning news
conference, investigators confirmed that the remains found were that of
Somer Thompson.
Investigators are currently searching the home on Gano Avenue and say they plan to search well into the night.
Police are asking anyone with information about this case to call 1-877-227-6911.

Investigators in North Florida said
they are still searching a vacant house in connection with the slaying
of a 7-year-old Orange Park girl.Somer Thompson disappeared on Monday while walking home from school. Her body was found Wednesday in a Georgia landfill.At
a news conference on Friday, authorities said investigators with the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement were searching for clues at a
vacant home near where Somer was last seen. Clay County Sheriff's
Office spokeswoman Mary Justino said the FDLE crime lab is looking for
evidence a body has been at that house. Investigators
with FDLE also sifted through a trash bin Thursday night at a vacant
home where Somer was last seen. In protective suits, investigators used
black lights and searched every inch of the home looking for evidence."They
have worked late into the evening and have meticulously started the
process, going through the location and transporting any evidence that
is located to the crime lab in Jacksonville," Justino said.Officials
have also said investigators have interviewed more than 160 sex
offenders in the area around Somer's home and school, and while all of
them have so far been cleared, officials said that could change.Justino
said the Sheriff's Office will not release the child's cause of death
in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation.The Clay
County Sheriff's Office has 50 detectives split between Somer's
neighborhood and a landfill in Folkston, Ga., where she was found. More
than 200 tons of trash is taped off, and it could take weeks to find
key pieces of evidence.Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler is not ruling out that this slaying only involves one person, and they are following each lead."As of this morning, we have received a total of 810 leads into our tip line," Justino said.A
total of 231 leads are currently being investigated. There are no
suspects yet, and investigators said they're not saying what they may
have found."We are open to any and all information about people who in any way are connected to that location," Justino said.Outside
of the Thompson home a banner that once read "Amber Alert" now says
"Justice for Somer." Dozens of people continue to stop by a memorial
dedicated to the girl and stand in silence.There
will a viewing for Somer at the First Baptist Church in Orange Park
from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday and a memorial service at the same
church at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Both of those events are open to the
public. The graveside service at burial will be at Jacksonville Memorial Gardens and is private.Grove
Park Elementary School was quiet on Friday due to a teacher planning
holiday. Still, some parents are considering making new plans for their
children."It's terrifying," Leo Stock said. "I don't know if I
would like him to continue going to this school. It's heartbreaking.
I'm almost at a loss for words."Both Crime Stoppers and the
Justice Coaltion is collecting money to go toward the reward for
information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a suspect in
this case. They can be reached at 1-866-845-TIPS and 904-509-4034.
There is currently a $30,000 reward.Anyone who has any information on the case is asked to call the Clay County Sheriff's Office at 1-877-227-6911.

Authorities are getting closer to learning where Somer Renee
Thompson's body was initially dumped as they continued Friday sifting
through tons of trash found with her in a Southeast Georgia landfill. Clay
County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Mary Justino said a large trash
truck that took the garbage from the Rosemary Hill landfill in Green
Cove Springs to the Chesser Island Road Landfill in Folkston has been
identified. By locating items with addresses or other information in
the trash from that truck, investigators are hoping to find the smaller
truck that drove the trash from Orange Park to Green Cove Springs. They
could then likely trace the smaller truck's route, Justino said. "We
are making progress into narrowing down not only the contents of that
garbage but where it came from," Justino said. "Can we say definitively
yet that we have detailed evidence from the garbage that leads back
directly to the neighborhood? Not yet." The body of the
7-year-old Orange Park girl was found Wednesday, two days after she
disappeared while walking home on Gano Avenue from Grove Park
Elementary School. A team of FBI forensic investigators from
Jacksonville is working with Clay detectives and Georgia authorities to
search the landfill. Members from the same FBI team got involved Friday
in sifting through trash found in a Dumpster outside a home near where
Somer was last seen. It's unclear what connection there may be between
the two searches. Investigators know how Somer died based on an
autopsy done Thursday in Savannah, but they are not releasing those
details to protect the investigation, Justino said. Somer was initially
identified through a birthmark and clothing she was wearing when her
body was found. Funeralarrangements completed Friday will give
the public a chance to pay their respects while also ensuring the
family's privacy. A public viewing will be from 5 to 8 p.m.
Monday at the First Baptist Church of Orange Park, 1140 Kingsley Ave. A
public memorial service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday in the same church. A
private graveside service and burial will follow, but it will be
preceded by a procession from Kingsley Avenue to Blanding Boulevard to
the Jacksonville Memory Gardens just south of the Orange Park Mall. Diena
Thompson, Somer's mother, emerged from her home Friday night to
tearfully tell dozens of supporters that she wouldn't be able to view
the body. "They are going to give me a lock of her hair, but I'm
not going to be able to see her," said Thompson, 34. "I wanted to tell
somebody that, so maybe it'll make somebody want to say something if
they've seen anything. Anything. Somebody please tell." Thompson's
boyfriend said Friday night that she was too exhausted to give
interviews. A message left for her by the Times-Union was not returned. More
than 50 Clay detectives and state and federal agents continue to chase
leads in the case. About 200 of 900 tips called in by Friday afternoon
were still being pursued, Justino said. Interviews with 90 area sexual
predators and offenders were completed Friday with no suspects
identified. "Even though this is five days later, we are not
letting up," Justino said. "Our agency is working feverishly today just
as we will every day until we locate the person or persons responsible." Hoping
to generate more interest, Sheriff Rick Beseler plans to film a segment
about the case today for the TV show "America's Most Wanted." It's
unclear when that segment would air because the network is pre-empting
tonight's show for the baseball playoff game. Host John Walsh is trying
to convince network officials to air the segment during a commercial
break in the game, but they have yet to agree, Justino said. Investigatorsreturned
Friday to a property at 1080 Gano Ave., in the block where Somer was
last seen by her brother, sister and moments later, a friend. Evidence
taken from the vacant house, large trash bin and the grounds is being
given top priority at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
laboratory in Jacksonville, Justino said. Scores of people
continued to visit and contribute to a growing memorial of stuffed
toys, signs and balloons across from the family's home on Horton Drive.
A number of signs that once asked for Somer's safe return were covered
by other signs asking for prayers for her and her family. The
outpouring of community support also could be seen along the main
strips in Orange Park, with prayers offered for Somer and her family
popping up on marquees outside businesses ranging from the
International House of Pancakes on Blanding Boulevard to the Back Pain
Institute on Park Avenue. Somer's smiling face remained visible
to acquaintances, newly found admirers and strangers. A large poster
advertising the Amber Alert for her still hangs at the busy
intersection of Park and Kingsley avenues. Many smaller fliers still
hang from trees and poles throughout Orange Park. Among those
planning to attend the memorial are Somer's father, Samuel Thompson,
and his sister, Laura Holt. They intend to travel this weekend from
their home in North Carolina, Holt told the Times-Union. Thompson
said he's been unable to make the trip because he was recently hurt in
an accident and didn't have the money or transportation to come from
his home in Graham, N.C. Holt said a local business donated a
handicap-accessible van to them Friday and they should be arriving
today or Sunday. Thompson and Somer's mother have been estranged and
are getting divorced. "I don't know how I'm going to make it through it," Holt, 43, said of the funeral.

Clay County Public Information Officer Mary Justino updated the
public on the search for answers dealing with Somer Thompson's death.
After getting close to 1,100 tips dealing with the case, about 200 tips are still being investigated.
Various law enforcement agencies have contacted over 2,000 people in
regards to the case as well. Of that, 50 have been contacted directly
in relation to the case.
Police have completed their investigation at 1080 Gano Avenue, the
site where the 7-year old girl was last seen. The property owners have
been given control back of their property.
The police have also completed their investigation at the Chester
Island Landfill Site in Georgia, where the girl's body was found. The
GBI, FBI conducted a thorough search of all the garbage that came from
the Orange Park area. That evidence, along with the evidence from 1080
Gano Ave., is now at the FDLE crime labs in Jacksonville.
Special Agent Dominic Pape also spoke about the Blue Nissan which
was seen at the scene 10 days prior to the disappearance of Somer.
He said the car was driven by a FDLE employee. The employee was at a
football game and was leaving the game and saw a small female child
which almost got hit by a car. The FDLE employee drove next to the
child at the time and asked her "Are you ok?" The child replied that
she couldn't find her house, so the officer pulled into a driveway to
help find the mother. The child was able to find her house and let the
FDLE officer know, so the officer left the scene.
Special Agent Pape didn't release the identity of the FDLE employee because he didn't want to be identified.
The Justice Coalition has a new number for any tips and it's at
904-783-6312. People can also call First Coast Crime Stoppers at
1-866-845-TIPS.

They are trees of life. And death. Of hopes and dreams. Of loss and despair. Around
and taped to the two oaks across the street from Somer Renee Thompson's
home is an ever-widening collection of candles, posters, balloons,
flowers and hundreds of stuffed animals - a tribute to a little girl
lost then found in a Georgia landfill, a life cut short by an unknown
evil. The growing memorial began shortly after the 7-year-old
disappeared Monday while walking home from school with friends in her
suburban neighborhood. Back then, the posters said things like "Somer
Please Come Home" and "Amber Alert" - signs of hope the girl would be
found. Many of those signs are still there, but alongside are
messages of despair and vengeance, of heaven and angels, that began
appearing Wednesday when Somer's body was found at the Folkston, Ga.,
landfill where her neighborhood's trash ends up. The signs track the
police investigation, from missing child to murder. "Our Joy Left Upon This Mound." "Justice For Somer." "Whoever Did This, We Are Going To Get You." The
massive memorial is the first thing Somer's family sees when walking
out the front door in the morning, the last thing before locking up at
night. It's become a gathering spot for well-wishers, reporters and the nightly vigil that has drawn perfect strangers to the spot. Saturday
night, a woman set up luminarias on the street, and a young boy handed
out candles for the dozens of people gathered. Drivers in a steady
stream of cars shouted "We love you." "I haven't been able to
think about anything else," said Lori Childers, who traveled from her
home in Riverside to deliver a teddy bear and a card. She doesn't know
Somer's family, but raised three children of her own and wanted to do
what she could. She wished she could do more, like find the killer. 'We're coming for you' Detectives
have finished gathering evidence at the landfill and the vacant home
near where she was last seen, police said Saturday. It is being
processed by labs in Florida and Georgia. But there was no news on whether they are any closer to identifying who killed Somer. "We're
coming for you, buddy," Somer's mother, Diena Thompson, said Saturday
night after thanking those who showed up for the vigil and leading them
in "You Are My Sunshine," Somer's favorite song. "Detectives are
busting their ***** to find it, because it's an it." Afterward, the gatherers, many of them children, stayed behind and sang impromptu songs of hope. Clay
County Sheriff Rick Beseler is hoping the investigation gets a boost
from the Fox Television show "America's Most Wanted," which has put
together a segment on Somer and is featuring the case on its Internet
site. It was unclear Saturday when the TV segment would run. And
the reward pot grew as an Orange Park business owner chipped in $2,500
to the $30,000 being offered by Crime Stoppers and the Justice
Coalition for information leading to a suspect. Howard Cummins of
Howard Construction challenged other businesses to do the same. Clay
County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Mary Justino said investigators
have received 1,100 tips, 200 of which remain active. More than 2,000
people have been contacted by investigators, and 50 have been directly
interviewed. Dominick Pape, special agent-in-charge of the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement office in Jacksonville, said
investigators have ruled out any connection between a reported
abduction attempt Oct. 10 in the same area and Somer's Oct. 19
disappearance. He said the blue Nissan reported in that case belongs to
an FDLE member who stopped to help the girl after she almost got hit by
a car and stayed with her until determining she was safe. Diena
Thompson met Saturday morning with Bruce Tarkington, the pastor who
will conduct Somer's funeral at First Baptist Church of Orange Park. "They
spent the morning talking about Somer ... sharing stories about her so
that Pastor Tarkington could speak from his heart at the services,"
Justino said. The family is asking people to bring purple balloons to release after Tuesday's funeral.

Reward
First Coast Crime Stoppers and the Justice
Coalition announced a combined reward of $32,500 for tips leading to an
arrest and conviction in the case. Call the Sheriff's Office at (877)
227-6911 or Crime Stoppers at (866) 845-8477 (845-TIPS) to remain
anonymous or e-mail CART@claysheriff.com.
How to contribute
Anyone interested in assisting the family with expenses related to Somer's
death can do so at any area VyStar Credit Union. A bank account has
been set up in the name of Somer Thompson with the account number
0702794000. Residents and businesses wishing to donate to the reward
should contact the Justice Coalition at (904) 783-6312 or Crime
Stoppers at (866) 845-8477 (845-TIPS). The Justice Coalition also has
set up an account, number 3123504437, for people to donate to the
reward at two Ameris Bank locations in Jacksonville - 888 Lane Ave. and
4835 Town Center Parkway.
Rally
A rally and fundraiser in support of the family will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today
at the Orange Park Town Hall, 2042 Park Ave. There will be an auction,
bounce house, bake sale and more.
Funeral
Visitation (open): 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church of Orange Park, 1140 Kingsley Ave. Memorial service (open): 11 a.m. Tuesday at same location.Graveside service and burial (private): Tuesday,
immediately following memorial service, Jacksonville Memory Gardens,
111 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park (procession from Kingsley Avenue to
Blanding Boulevard to cemetery property). Reception (private): Tuesday, immediately following burial, First Baptist Church of Orange Park.

Note from the NewsRoom: This report was found on http://blinkoncrime.com/
While I appreciate the investigative report posted by one of our most dedicated Blamily members I wanted to note that at this point in time (Monday 10/26 9:10 PM) there have been NO mainstream Media (MSM) reports of this incident or anything about these alleged perpetrators. I look forward to seeing this is verified in the MSM soon. 10/21, the date of the incident, Somer's Mom and I presume other family and friends at the Courthouse for interviews on the major TV networks. I think these alleged perps were thinking they could waltz right in and take whatever they wanted because everybody would be downtown. It's quite possible that the Thompson's had a house sitter who interrupted the incident.

Somers home robbed by gunman the morning she was recovered?

Orange Park, FL– As developments unfold in the investigation of the murder of 7 year old Somer Thompson, a new twist:

4 Men Arrested For Robbery with Firearms











The defendent pictured directly above, Montrail Howard,
received a “Jaywalking” infraction on October 14. On October 20, that
infraction turned into a citation for unknown reasons and the following
day all four were arrested for armed robbery at the 1706 Horton Drive
address of Somer Thompson and her family.

All 4 inmates remain in custody at the Clay county jail without bond.

It is not known at this time what relation this
incident or these individuals have if any, to Somer Thompson’s
abduction and murder. All suspects should be presumed innocent while
awaiting due process.

Check back to blinkoncrime.com for updates
Candace Bond , Kate Mills and Brandi of scaredmonkeys contributing editors for this report.

Arms large and small wrapped consolingly around the shoulders of
Somer Renee Thompson’s family as they sat near her casket at a viewing
Monday for the Orange Park girl. At 5 p.m. hundreds of people
waited outside the First Baptist Church of Orange Park to go inside,
where the 7-year-old girl’s body had arrived two hours earlier and was
surrounded by floral bouquets of mostly purple accented by reds and
whites and pinks. A signed poster stood on the floor. Monday was
a week since the community was rocked by her disappearance as she
walked home from Grove Park Elementary School. Then a second bombshell
fell when her body was found in a Georgia landfill two days later. Monday,
parents brought children and waited as the procession moved along
church aisles, then signed guest books before giving the family hugs. Hal
Runnfeldt lives outside Orange Park and brought his 11-year-old son,
Kyle, to the viewing after the two talked about the service on the way
to school Monday morning. He said what happened to Somer brings home the need to be protective. “It’s not fair but it’s the reality,” he said. “So much has happened, from the hope to the reality.”At
one point, Somer’s mother, Diena Thompson, left the hall with her
boyfriend for a break in the greetings, Pastor David Tarkington said. “They’re here,” he said to the procession. “We’re just trying to make sure they are safe.” Photos
of the first-grader flashed on screens overhead in the worship center.
Another portrait photo stood on the closed brown wood casket. Many of the mourners did not know the family but were deeply affected by the week’s events.“This
is the first time in the nine years that I’ve lived here that something
like this has happened,” said Leah Davis. “Now that is taken from us.
That is a very uncomfortable feeling.” An autopsy has determined
how Somer died and what the cause was but that information is not being
released. Authorities have also finished searching a vacant house
partway between the school and Somer’s home and near where she was last
seen. For days, parents visited an ever expanding memorial of
stuffed animals and candles across from the girl’s home. There, they
told their children a “bad man or a bad woman” had done this or that
other children were bringing favorite toys to leave in her memory. The
memorial that was maintained by neighbors for nearly a week was
dismantled Sunday night. The intent was to then tag the toys with
Somer’s name and distribute them in the community. Today,
Tarkington will officiate at an 11 a.m. memorial service that will be
open to the public prior to a private graveside service and burial at
Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park. The community
outpouring has been so great it was unknown if the 1,500-seat capacity
and overflow area at First Baptist’s worship center would be adequate.
Officials with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office are anticipating crowds
in the magnitude of those who turned out for the return of downed pilot
Scott Speicher. The route between the church and cemetery will be closely controlled, authorities said. Clay
County Sheriff Rick Beseler said Monday that having a child abducted
and murdered is the “worst case scenario that can come along in a
sheriff’s career” and has had a powerful impact on detectives. “I’ve never seen such focus on a case,” he said. “That’s what it’s going to take to solve this.” By early afternoon Monday, 1,500 leads had been fielded. Detectives were still working 200. Beseler said while investigators were fortunate to have found Somer’s body quickly, patience will be needed. “I
don’t want people to think that just because we don’t have a suspect in
custody after a week that means this case is not going to be solved,”
he said. “We have got a tremendous amount of evidence. We have a
tremendous amount of leads.” Analysis of evidence sent to forensics labs has not been finished and will take time, Beseler said. Somer’s
casket was closed for the viewing and it was recommended her mother not
view her daughter. Thompson has a lock of her daughter’s hair. “It
just probably was better to keep the memory of her alive the last time
she saw her rather than her present condition,” Beseler said. “It’s
just a recommendation. You’ve got to remember she was in a landfill for
a couple of days.”

Hundreds of people filled the First Baptist Church of Orange Park Tuesday morning for the funeral of Somer Thompson. The
body of the 7-year-old girl was found in a Georgia landfill after she
vanished on her way home from school, and they honored her favorite
color by releasing hundreds of purple balloons into the sky.

Purple flowers adorned Somer Thompson's wooden casket and filled the floral
displays around First Baptist Church of Orange Park. Her family wore
purple ribbons on their clothing. Pastor David Tarkington called
her "a community hugger," who even hugged the crossing guard on the way
to school each day. "Somer was able to love greatly. She was also
greatly loved," Tarkington said. The north Florida girl
disappeared a week ago Monday while walking home from school. Her body
was discovered two days later in a landfill in southern Georgia. Somer's parents, Diena and Samuel Thompson, who are estranged, sat across the aisle from each other during the funeral.
The pastor said Somer loved to dance, play dress up, draw and color.
"She had a creative mind and was very imaginative," he said. "She loved people and she loved animals." Anna
Braddy, two lived two houses away from the Thompsons, said outside the
service that Somer loved to swim in her pool and play with other
children, including her 9-year-old daughter, Kayla. "She was the little sister to all the kids in the neighborhood," Braddy said.
"It has affected the whole community." Nikki Morris, a 37-year-old mother of four from Middleburg, Fla., said she
hoped the funeral would bring some closure for the community. She
said she was especially touched by Somer's death, because she has an
8-year-old daughter. Morris said the incident makes her watch over her
children. "We keep them close and tell them we love them. I
watch them a lot closer. They don't like it, but they understand it,"
she said. Afterward, a motorcade accompanied Somer's body to
Jacksonville Memory Gardens for a private graveside services for her
family and friends. The Clay County Sheriff's Office has investigated about 1,500 leads,
but have not named any suspects or people of interest.

Authorities want to talk to specific people who may unknowingly be associated with the person responsible for the death of the 7-year-old Florida girl whose body was found in a Georgia landfill after she vanished on her way home from school.

During an 11:00am press conference Wednesday, Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler asked the public's assistance in identifying people who may have exhibited certain changes or unexplained behaviors.
He listed some of the behaviors as: Leaving the area unexpectedly, missing work or routine engagements, having unexplained injuries and having an unnatural interest in the status of the investigation.

Somer Thompson was buried Tuesday.

Authorities investigated about 1,700 leads, but have not named any suspects or people of interest.

A $35,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Somer's killer.

Police in Florida urged the public
Wednesday to be suspicious of changes in behavior and appearance of
people they know — because one of them could be 7-year-old Somer
Thompson's killer.
The child disappeared Oct. 19 on her walk home from school; her body was
found two days later buried under a mound of garbage in a Georgia
landfill.
Her funeral and burial were held Tuesday.
"Yesterday was about Somer Thompson," Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler told
reporters during a brief press conference. "Today is about her killer."
Beseler, who took no questions after he gave his prepared statement, said he
needed help finding Somer's murderer from "certain people" who live
nearby.
"We have reason to believe there
are individuals in the community who have information pertinent to this
case who have not come forward ... people who may know or associate
with the offender," the sheriff said.
He asked the public to be on the lookout in particular for friends,
relatives and acquaintances who have shown changes in their patterns or
behavior since Somer was killed.
People who have suddenly left the area, missed work, suffered unexplained
injuries, or changed their appearance — by shaving or growing head or
facial hair, for example — should arouse suspicion, Beseler said.
He also encouraged those in the
community to identify anyone who has abruptly hidden or sold a cars,
acted increasingly nervous or irritable, shown unusual interest in the
case or changed alcohol consumption or sleep patterns.
Anyone with any information or tips that may be relevant is asked to call 1-877-277-6911.
The Clay County Sheriff's Office has investigated about 1,700 leads, but have not named any suspects or people of interest.

More than 2,000 calls nationwide have now been received on the
Somer Thompson tips line, said Clay County Sheriff's Office Public
Information Officer Mary Justino in a statement this morning.
Justino said Wednesday 50 law enforcement personnel from agencies
including CCSO, the U.S. Marshals Office, the FBI and the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement continue to work the case.
First-grader Somer disappeared Oct. 19 while walking home from Grove
Park Elementary School in Orange Park. After a tremendous community
response and search, her body was found two days later by police at a
Georgia landfill. She was buried Tuesday.
Also on Wednesday, at news conference, Clay County Sheriff Rick
Beseler asked the public to be alert to anyone they might know who has exhibited certain changes or unexplained behaviors.
Among those behaviors:

• Leaving the area unexpectedly
  
• Missing work or routine engagements
  
• Having unexplained injuries
  
• Having an unnatural interest in the status of the investigation
  
• Having noted increase in nervousness and irritability
  
• Sudden change in physical appearance, such as shaving off facial hair
  
• Changing vehicles
  
• Changing religious beliefs
  
• Changing sleep patterns
  
• Changing use of alcohol, drugs or cigarettes
  

If you have any information that could help investigators, all 911, or call 1-877-227-6911 or 1-866-845-TIPS. You also can email cart@claysheriff.com.

Authorities investigating Somer Thompson murder alerted to sex offender arrest in Georgia
October 29, 5:28 PMCrime ExaminerCindy Adams


Clay County Sheriff’s investigators and the FBI have been notified regarding the arrest of a man in Dougherty County, Georgia.
Dougherty District Attorney Greg Edwards said there is no direct evidence linking the man to Somer’s murder, however, he has forwarded information to Florida authorities regarding the arrest of Kenneth Kellam.
Kellam was arrested on Tuesday after following two elementary boys home from school, according to the Albany Herald.
Somer, 7, disappeared on her way home from school on Oct. 19 and her body was found only days later in a Georgia landfill.
To see photos of Somer, click here.
Edwards said “It’s geographically feasible that he could have a connection to that case, and his M.O. is similar. So we have passed the information along to the proper authorities in Florida and the FBI has taken an interest.”
Edwards said although there is no actual evidence connecting Kellam to the case, his Georgia authorities have notified Florida law enforcement out of due diligence. “We’ve been told they’ve received more than 1,500 tips in that case and this may just be another one, but we have the obligation to report it,” said Edwards.
The Albany Herald reports that Kellam was denied bond on Thursday and was ordered to remain in jail.
Kellam is a registered sex offender and was released from the Florida prison system in 2008.
To watch breaking news and events streamed live over the Net, click here.

When FBI agent Larry Meyer heard that police found Somer Thompson’s
body in a Georgia landfill last week, he mobilized a group of
co-workers whose gruesome, painstaking work may reveal her killer.

Some
were gun-toting agents who regularly hunt criminals on the streets of
North Florida. Others included FBI support staff whose full-time jobs
entail photography and data analysis.

They are all part of the
Jacksonville-based FBI Evidence Response Team, a highly trained group
of forensics-fascinated folk who could run circles around any CSI
television star, though it’ll take more than an hour.

The team
put their game faces on when they got to the Folkston landfill,
focusing on finding even the smallest clue that could solve the case.
It was only days later that some felt the emotional drain of recovering
the body of the 7-year-old Orange Park girl.

Alex Silverstein felt it on his first day off.

“I
probably hugged and kissed my kids more in that one day than I have
probably in a month,” said Silverstein, 39, a 13-year agent and father
of two.

Angela Hill felt it when she set eyes on her infant son.
While Silverstein is a veteran of body recoveries, having worked as
part of a team at the Pentagon after 9/11, this was Hill’s first.

“It’s
not an easy thing to do, knowing it’s an innocent child,” said Hill,
30, an agent for 3 1/2 years. “But it’s for a greater purpose: To find
evidence; to get some answers.”

The 16-person team seeks those
answers through everything from taking crime scene photographs to
lifting fingerprints. Their arsenal includes special lighting that
spots invisible bodily fluids; a kit that lifts dust prints from a
surface using an electromagnetic charge; and a machine that can vacuum
human scent that is then tracked by bloodhounds.

They have a
stocked equipment van and a high-tech command center vehicle. They also
have a pipeline into the FBI’s state-of-the-art laboratory in Quantico,
Va., where some of the evidence collected in Somer’s case is being
analyzed.

But it’s the people on the team and their drive to
help solve cases that make the biggest difference, said Meyer, the
senior team leader and a 23-year agent.

“There’s a motivation to do more than the regular job,” said Meyer, 50.

FBI
agents, analysts and other support staff who volunteer for the team get
two weeks of forensics training and take follow-up classes. They are
responsible for scenes on federal property and in FBI cases, such as
collection of evidence during search warrants. They can spend upwards
of half their normal work week on a case such as Somer’s.

They
also assist smaller police agencies with evidence collection and body
recovery, including another Clay County case this year in which the
buried remains of a murder victim were being search for in Keystone
Heights nearly 30 years after the slaying.

“I have a great deal of confidence in them,” Clay Sheriff Rick Beseler said.

Meyer
said the team spent about six hours recovering Somer’s body and
evidence around her, then returned two days later to collect more. They
were joined at the landfill by Clay detectives and agents with the
Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

“At first it was a great disappointment because we all hoped to find her alive,” Meyer said.

“Then when we got up there, as emotional as it was for everyone, we had to get the job done.”

Team
members also worked with Clay detectives and the Florida Department of
Law Enforcement at a property on Gano Avenue where Somer disappeared.

Though the team couldn’t discuss details of the case, members said they are hopeful their work will make a difference.

“Bring people to justice. There is no more noble cause than doing that,” Silverstein said.

Poster's Note: The NG Show and HLN are reporting this person of interest in Somer's murder

A judge denied bond for a
36-year-old man after he was accused of trying to entice elementary
school children into his van as they were walking home.Police charged Kenneth Kellam with enticing a child for
indecent purposes, attempted child molestation and failure to register
as a sex offender on Monday after he was spotted near Northside
Elementary School. He made his court appearance on Thursday.A
convicted sex offender in Hillsborough, Fla., Kellam faces additional
charges of criminal attempt to commit aggravated sodomy and false
imprisonment after police found suspicious items when they searched his
van.
* * * *

Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards confirmed Thursday that Clay
County, Fla., sheriff's investigators and the FBI have been made aware
of the arrest of a man here who Edwards thinks could be linked to the
death of a Florida girl, though the prosecutor says there is no
evidence directly linking him to the girl.

Edwards said his office has forwarded information on Kenneth Kellam, who was arrested
here Tuesday after following two elementary school boys home. Edwards
said it's "geographically feasible" that Kellam could have a connection
to the death of 7-year-old Somer Thompson in Florida.

"It's geographically feasible that he could have a connection to that case,
and his M.O. is similar," Edwards said. "So we have passed the
information along to the proper authorities in Florida, and the FBI has
taken an interest."

Edwards was quick to say there is no direct
link between Kellam and the Florida slaying, adding that local
authorities have acted out of due diligence to notify authorities in
Florida.

"We've been told they've received more than 1,500 tips
in that case, and this may just be another one. But we have the
obligation to report it," Edwards said.

FBI Special Agent Stephen Emmett refused to comment on what he said were the "day-to-day"
operations of investigators and would not confirm whether the FBI had
interviewed Kellam at the Dougherty County Jail.

Kellam was denied bond by Magistrate Victoria Darrisaw Thursday and was remanded
to the custody of the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities in Charlton County in southeast Georgia confirmed last week that the
remains of a young girl discovered in a landfill there were those of
Somer Thompson, who police believe was abducted Oct. 19 while walking
home from school.

Kellam was released from the Florida prison system in 2008 and was required to register as a sex offender.
* * * *

A judge denied bond for a 36-year-old man after he was accused of
trying to entice elementary school children into his van as they were
walking home.Kenneth Kellam was charged with two counts each of
attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes, attempted child
molestation, attempted false imprisonment, and attempted aggravated
sodomy. He will likely also face charges for failure to register as a
sex offender.Police said Kellam he tried to get 9 and 10-year
old brothers to get into his van as they walked home from Northside
Elementary School last week. He was arrested on Monday when he
approached them again.Kellam was led into court in handcuffs and
shackles for his first appearance Thursday morning. He was ordered held
without bond.A convicted sex offender in Hillsborough, Fla.,
Kellam faces additional charges of criminal attempt to commit
aggravated sodomy and false imprisonment after police found suspicious
items when they searched his van.

Here's a link to KK's FDLE Sex Offender registry page:

http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/flyer.do?personId=67613

Thousands of tips in the hunt for a child killer have poured into the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.Officials said their Somer Thompson hotline has been ringing off the hook with tips from the Orange Park area and across the country.Deputies said they have taken around 2,400 tips as of Sunday morning, but none of them have led to a suspect.Investigators
said they have not named any persons of interest in the murder of
7-year-old Somer, who disappeared in late October while she was walking
home from school.Somer’s body was found days later in a Georgia landfill over 50 miles from her home. She was laid to rest Tuesday.If you have any information on the case, call (877) 227-6911, or e-mail CART@claysheriff.com.

Two weeks after 7-year-old Somer
Thompson disappeared while walking home from school, an anonymous donor
added $10,000 to the reward for catching her killer.This brings
the total Crime Stoppers reward for an arrest in the case to $15,000.
Just over an additional $30,000 is available through the Justice
Coalition for the arrest and conviction of whoever killed Somer."To
be eligible for the Crimestoppers reward, you do have to call the Crime
Stoppers number," said Wyllie Hodges, executive director. In addition
to calling 866-845-TIPS, tips can be e-mailed to rewards@fccrimestoppers.com, left on the Web site, or by text message by sending "TIP326" plus message to "CRIMES."All calls, e-mails and texts to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous.
Somer's
body was found two days after she disappeared in the landfill in
Charlton County, Ga., where Orange Park's garbage is dumped.Detectives
with the Clay County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement and the FBI continue to investigate Somer's disappearance
and slaying.Despite 2,400 tips received, no one has come forward to say they saw the girl abducted or attacked.Investigators
have talked to all 161 registered sex offenders who lived within a
5-mile radius of Somer's home, but that doesn't mean they've been
cleared."There's someone out there who's killed a child, and
he's still out there in our community," Clay County Sheriff Rick
Beseler said last week. "He may not be right here in Orange Park, but
they're still out in society. And I want that person off the street."

The hunt for the killer of little Somer Thompson will hit national airwaves.Today
Clay County sheriff Rick Beseler met with a crew from America's Most
Wanted as the shows prepares to air the case nationally Saturday Night.The
reward offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction
of Somer Thompson's killer now stands at $45,000 from the Justice
Coalition and Crime Stoppers.A task force of investigators are trying to find the person or people responsible for killing the 7-year-old."The
task force still includes agents from the FBI, Florida Department of
Law Enforcement and U.S. Marshals, who have committed to remaining part
of our team until Somer's killer is caught," said Mary Justino of the
Clay County Sheriff's Office.Sheriff's deputies say so far 2,600
tips have come in, but they hope airing the case will help generate
solid leads that will lead to a person or persons of interest, and
eventually an arrest in the case.Justino said that no arrest has
been made. "We do not have anyone in custody and have not named any
persons of interest," Justino said.

When the search began for Haleigh Cummings and Somer Thompson, two
North Florida girls who disappeared this year from their neighborhoods,
officers immediately started questioning registered sex offenders
living near their homes.Investigators spoke to 44 sex offenders within a 5-mile radius of
Haleigh's Putnam County home, where she was last seen on Feb. 9.In
Clay County, officers followed up with sex offenders living near
Somer's school after the 7-year-old vanished Oct. 19 while walking home
with relatives and friends. Her body later was recovered from a Georgia
landfill.The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which
maintains a Web site listing registered sexual offenders and predators,
showed about 70 sex offenders living within a 3-mile radius of Somer's
Orange Park school.No suspects have been named in either case.
But both disappearances highlight a message often repeated by officers:
Parents need to know their neighborhoods, check out who lives near
their children's schools and be proactive about keeping their children
safe."You need to be aware of what is around you," Alachua County Sheriff's Office spokesman Art Forgey said.Gainesville
Police Capt. Lynne Benck said, "My advice to parents would be that you
need to assume that predators are everywhere and they know where to
find kids."The number of sex offenders around some Gainesville elementary schools is higher than the Orange Park figure.More
registered sex offenders have addresses within a 3-mile radius of some
local elementary schools, all in east Gainesville, including Williams,
Duval, Metcalfe and Lake Forest, according to the FDLE listing.Each
of these schools has at least 100 registered offenders living within
that set distance. Because of the proximity of the schools, some of the
same offenders show up in sex offender searches by address for each
school.Another reason for the higher numbers near these schools
is the Alachua County jail, which lies within the 3-mile radius of all
four of the schools. Still, accounting for the almost 30 registered sex
offenders housed at the jail, these schools still have the highest
number of offenders living near them compared with other elementary
schools in the county.Numbers near other schools range from six to 96, according to FDLE. About 370 sex offenders live in Alachua County.News
of how many offenders live near her daughters' school doesn't surprise
Stephanie Elkins. She routinely walks two daughters, ages 7 and 9, to
and from Williams Elementary School at 1245 S.E. Seventh Ave.Officials
who work with sex offenders say some end up living in the same areas
because they can't find anywhere else they can afford and still abide
by mandates that determine where they can live.Elkins said she
wasn't aware of the number of sex offenders who live in the area. Based
on other crime-related problems locally, such as drug dealing, she said
she thought there might be other issues with the neighborhood and keeps
a constant eye on her daughters."My kids don't leave my side. I know where they're at," Elkins said as she walked recently with the girls after school let out.Many
students that day were leaving school with adults or older children who
drove or walked with them. School staff waited with others as motorists
drove up to ferry them home.Some children did head out on foot. Most were with other students in groups of three or more. Less than a handful walked alone.Still, Elkins said she's constantly surprised to see children heading home by themselves."Little bitty, tiny, tiny ones," she said of students she has seen alone on the streets near the school. "It's crazy at times."State
and local laws do put restrictions on where many offenders, based on
their crimes, may live. As long as registered sex offenders are
following the law, they can live where they want.In 2005,
Gainesville enacted an ordinance that prohibits sex offenders whose
victims were younger than 16 years old from living within 2,500 feet of
schools, day-care centers and some city parks.The ordinance is
stricter than state law, which states people convicted of certain sex
crimes after Oct. 1, 2004, involving a minor under 16 cannot live
within 1,000 feet of such locations.The city's ordinance has
resulted in more offenders living in the county than in Gainesville,
Gainesville Police Detective Leah Hayes said. With the ordinance's
requirements barring where sex offenders can live, "It cuts down most
of Gainesville," she said.Currently, 83 sexual offenders and six
predators - those convicted of a first-degree felony sex crime or
declared such by a court - live in the city limits, Hayes said.The city ordinance would not cover sexual offenders living in the county, meaning they may live closer to some schools.Hayes
said police in different districts of the city get alerts about
offenders who live in the zones they patrol. Those alerts notify
officers when someone has moved or when they're due to be checked.
Police check on offenders every 90 days and predators every 30 days.Officers
are aware of the proximity of offenders to certain schools and also
know the criminal histories of offenders, Hayes said, so they know who
to watch more closely.Earlier this year, Williams Principal
Valdenora Fortner said the school was contacted by a parent about the
number of offenders near the school. The concerned parent prompted a
reminder to staff that they need to be constantly aware of where
students are."We make sure they have the buddy system here at
school. We reiterate and remind faculty and staff, if they do send out
one student, send them out in pairs," Fortner said. "We're being
vigilant about and being reminded about the procedures in place."The school's guidance counselor also addresses personal safety with students.Fortner
recommended parents do the same to teach kids how to stay safe. Parents
also can run scenarios with their children, such as what to do if they
are approached by a stranger, she said.Like Fortner and Hayes, Benck urged parents to be careful and keep an eye on their children."When I pass a bus stop, I'm always happy to see one parent waiting," Benck said.Benck added that searches for sex offenders living near schools don't necessarily mean one area is safer than another."We
know about how many sexual offenders and predators are living around
each school. I don't think the sexual offenders and predators living
near a school put any one child at any more risk than they would be
outside their home or a park. Kids can be abducted just walking to a
school from their homes or standing at a bus stop," Benck said.And FDLE's list of sex offenders lists only people who have been convicted, Benck said."We
have found plenty of cases where there have been multiple (victims)
where the person was not in the system at all," she said. "Some of the
sex offenders who have the most victims probably have never been or
will never be identified."

Legendary Southern Rock Band Molly
Hatchet will hold a benefit concert at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at the
Orange Park High School football stadium.



According to band owner Bobby Ingram,
they have agreed to help the family of murder victim Somer Thompson and
the Justice Coalition to help raise money to increase the reward being
offered.



Orange Park High School Principal
Treasure Picket said, “We are pleased to help with this much needed
community outreach project.”



The band will also feature a specially
written tribute song for Somer as well as play their complete concert
line up of music including Dreams I’ll Never See, Gator Country,
Tumblin’ Dice, Whiskey Man, Devil’s Canyon, Beatin’ The Odds and
Flirtin’ With Disaster.



A $10 donation
will be taken at the gate to be divided between the Thompson family and
the Justice Coalition. In the event of bad weather, the concert will
move inside the school’s domed gymnasium.

Turnout was high on Saturday for a fundraiser honoring 7-year-old murder victim Somer Thompson.
The event was a bike ride at the Adamec Harley Davidson store in
Baymeadows. Organizers say the fundraiser was to raise awareness for
child safety, and to prevent a tragic situation like Somer's from
happening again. Many participants wore and decorated their
bikes in purple, which was Somer's favorite color. The money raised on
Saturday will go to the first-grader's family and the Justice Coalition. Somer was abducted while walking home from school last month. Her body was found in a Georgia landfill two days later. The reward for information leading to the arrest of Somer's killer is currently $45,000.