Posted on 10/27/2005 5:11:36 AM PDT by smartin
OCILLA - More than 100 people gathered Wednesday to search parts of rural Irwin County for any trace of Tara Grinstead, a high school history teacher reported missing Monday.
Grinstead, a 30-year-old Hawkinsville native, was last heard from Saturday, law enforcement officials said.
Friends describe the former beauty queen as a bubbly, vivacious and outgoing person who never met a stranger. She decided on a teaching career, they said, because she wanted to help people.
Grinstead, a former Miss Tifton and a contestant in the Miss Georgia pageant, was last seen at a beauty pageant she attended Saturday in Fitzgerald, Ocilla Police Chief Billy Hancock said. She went home after the pageant but hasn't been seen or heard from since, Hancock said.
The GBI has taken the lead in the investigation, and Grinstead's disappearance is being treated as a missing-person's case, said Hancock, the top police official in a town of about 3,300 people.
Officials are considering the possibility that Grinstead, who lived alone and wasn't married, was abducted.
"We're considering any possibility that may come forth, and anytime the phone rings we're following up any leads," Hancock said.
Friends and family tried unsuccessfully to contact Grinstead on Sunday, Hancock said. Then she didn't show up at her teaching job at Irwin County High School, he said.
"We know this is very unusual for her. She is a very responsible person," Hancock said. "We don't think she wouldn't show up without telling someone."
Hancock said investigators found at her home the clothes she wore Saturday night, as well as her car and cell phone. Her pocketbook and keys were missing, he said.
Wednesday afternoon, searchers were told that some previously searched areas of the county will be searched again. They were told specifically to look for her pocketbook.
Volunteers prayed for Grinstead's safe return Wednesday before they headed out to their cars, trucks and all-terrain vehicles.
Officers from more than 10 nearby law enforcement agencies are assisting in the search, which included a helicopter and search dogs, Irwin County sheriff's deputy Nelson Paulk said.
More than $10,000 collected from donations is being offered to anyone with information leading to Grinstead's whereabouts, said Wendy McFarland, a teacher at Irwin County High School.
She said the response from the community "demonstrates how close a small community is."
Grinstead, she said, is a vital part of the community.
"She is more than just a teacher. Many of her students would call her more of a friend," McFarland said. "She took a personal interest in all of her students."
McFarland said Grinstead coordinated a beauty pageant at the high school, and proceeds went to charity.
Grinstead's stepmother, Connie Grinstead, said Tara Grinstead originally moved from Hawkinsville to take a student-teaching position in Irwin County.
"She fell in love with the community, and she decided she didn't want to leave and has been here ever since," Connie Grinstead said.
Tara Grinstead's father, Billy, who once lived in Ocilla, said he has been impressed but not surprised by the community response.
"I feel we're doing everything we can do," he said. "I feel empty. I feel helpless. I know I've got to be patient, but it's not easy to be patient."
Maria Hulett, a friend of Tara Grinstead's from Hawkinsville, said she has been in Ocilla since Monday searching, praying and handing out fliers.
"We're hoping someone is going to see something," Hulett said. "Any little tips they're going on and checking out."
Hulett said Grinstead has had a deep impact on the community.
"Kids at school have been so concerned," Hulett said. "The town has been great. You can tell they care about her."
Hulett, like many others Wednesday, said she was in shock about Grinstead's disappearance. She described the week as surreal.
"You don't think it will happen to someone that you love," Hulett said.
"You see this on the news and you hear about it, and you may pray about it a couple of times and that's it. But when it's someone you love, you wished you'd been (praying more) for somebody else."
Anyone with information about Grinstead's disappearance should call the Ocilla Police Department at (229) 468-7494.
We are now a nation of almost 300 million as opposed to 200 million 30 years ago.Also,when this happened 30 years ago,you never heard about it unless it happened in your community.
Who knows if it's happening more often on a "per capita" basis.
It does seem like it happens more often, but I think that there are just more people and it is more publicized because of the internet.
Sounds like Tara may have finally met a stranger.
It does.
BTTT
I would be interested in knowing if her cell phone was in her car or if it was in her house. Anybody know?
There's a lot more to this story than this article tells. She went to a friend's house for dinner (with several other people there) and to watch a ballgame after returning from the beauty pageant Saturday evening. The pageant was held on Saturday afternoon. She went home from her friends' house approx. 11:00 pm Saturday and hasn't been heard from since.
I don't know why most of the news articles makes it sound as though she went straight home from the beauty pageant. She didn't.
Who has the Georgia ping list?
Teacher Missing In South Ga.
WXIA-TV, GA -
... Authorities say 30-year-old Tara Grinstead of Ocilla was last seen late Saturday. night after the Miss Sweet Potato Pageant in Ocilla. ...
| Police search for missing teacher in south Georgia Macon Telegraph, GA - ... Authorities say 30-year-old Tara Grinstead of Ocilla was last seen late Saturday night after the Miss Sweet Potato Pageant in Ocilla. ... |
| Police search for missing teacher in south Georgia Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, GA - ... Authorities say 30-year-old Tara Grinstead of Ocilla was last seen late Saturday night after the Miss Sweet Potato Pageant in Ocilla. ... |
| Police search for missing teacher in south Georgia Access North Georgia, GA - Authorities say 30-year-old Tara Grinstead of Ocilla was last seen late Saturday night after the Miss Sweet Potato Pageant in Ocilla. ... |
| Ocilla teacher still missing WALB-TV, GA - Ocilla-- Flyers still decorate this small Irwin County town, where a vigil was recently held to pray for 30-year-old teacher Tara Grinstead and her family. ... |
| Investigation into missing teacher continues Macon Telegraph, GA - ... Tara Grinstead, a 30-year-old Hawkinsville native, hasn't been seen since Saturday and didn't show up for her job at Irwin County High School on Monday. ... |
| Community searches for missing 30-year-old teacher Macon Telegraph, GA - OCILLA - More than 100 people gathered Wednesday to search parts of rural Irwin County for any trace of Tara Grinstead, a high school history teacher reported ... |
| Town worries about missing teacher WALB-TV, GA - Tara, Grinstead, a 30-year-old teacher at Irwin County High School, is missing. Flyers decorate the small town and a vigil is held ... |
| High school teacher missing since Saturday Macon Telegraph, GA - ... Tara Grinstead, 30, did not show up for work at her school Monday, and her car and cell phone were found in her house, Ocilla Police Chief Billy Hancock said. ... |
| Police, GBI seek missing woman WALB-TV, GA - ... School. They were concerned because Tara Grinstead did not show up for work and they were unable to make contact with her. There ... |
New! Get the latest news on Tara-Grinstead with Google Alerts.
They have started a website for her that has a lot of info.
www.findtara.com
Fasten your safety belts, it's going to be a long ride.
Leni
I just wish they would ask the right questions! I want to hear about what Tara did AFTER the beauty pageant on Saturday. Was her bed slept in that night? Did she normally go to church on Sunday mornings but didn't go that weekend? I want to hear more about the broken lamp that was found in her house. I want to know more about the restraining order she took out against "a young man" this past year.
Inquiring minds want to know!
And so do I! ;-)
Haven't had a chance to read the links or anything about this yet.
Do you know her?
I don't know Tara but I'm very familiar with the town. I've traveled through there a zillion times going to visit friends in Tifton, Albany and Moultrie. It's a teeny tiny town where things like that usually just doesn't happen.
Nancy Grace is doing a segement on CNN Headline News at 8:00 tonight... less than an hour from now. I hope she has some good information.
I don't know Tara but I'm very familiar with the town. I've traveled through there a zillion times going to visit friends in Tifton, Albany and Moultrie. It's a teeny tiny town where things like that usually just doesn't happen.
Nancy Grace is doing a segement on CNN Headline News at 8:00 tonight... less than an hour from now. I hope she has some good information.
Prayers for Tara and her family and friends.
(pinged some old friends for you)
Hey, I was wandering by and look who I found...
Hello everyone. I hope life is going well for you all. :-)
Pinz
Hope all is well with you and yours. We'll need to catch up on things sometime soon.
Best wishes and kind thoughts always!
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