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National group Texas EqquSearch in Akron to plan search for missing teen, Samantha Guthrie

Posted at 4:52 PM, Nov 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-19 18:54:51-05

The founder of national non-profit Texas EqquSearch arrived in Akron offering to provide resources in the search for missing Akron teen Samantha Guthrie.

Tim Miller was invited by Guthrie's family and met with Akron police on Monday.

Miller said he doesn't want to drive a wedge in the investigation but is ready to bring in volunteers to search by foot and on ATV's as early as Tuesday.

"We just don't have any place right now to do the footwork. We can't just shoot an arrow in the sky and wherever it comes down, start a search," Miller said. "I'm not leaving anytime soon."

Guthrie, 18, was last seen in the early morning hours of November 4 at a house in the 300 block of Lillian Street near the Akron Zoo.

Posters on neighborhood telephone poles offering $5,000 for the teen's location and pleas on a Facebook page dedicated to the young woman have not provided answers.

"This is just one of those cases that we have not found her. We have not located her and there are suspicious circumstances from people that we've interviewed," said Lt. Rick Edwards.

Edwards confirmed several people are in the Summit County Jail on charges in connection with Guthrie's disappearance.

According to court records, William Alexander admitted to detectives that he was present inside the house on Lillian Street when she was shot.  He also admitted moving Guthrie to the trunk of a Mitsubishi Eclipse following the shooting and helped move the victim to an unknown wooded area, according to the court papers.

Alexander is charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with records.

Dylan Brown, 39, Danny Hamby, 19, and Toni Kenney, 31, are charged with tampering with evidence and obstructing justice.

According to an affidavit, Kenney assisted Hamby in moving Guthrie from the house after she was shot.

Court records indicate Brown confessed to being present when Guthrie was shot and carried the body to the trunk of a vehicle. According to police, Brown also admitted to tearing up living room carpet, cleaning the floor and put his bloody clothes in a bin.

Detectives recovered bloody clothing and rolled up carpeting at the location.

Another affidavit states Hamby was instrumental in moving Guthrie's body after she was shot and refused to disclose her whereabouts.

Edwards would not make any further comment on the suspects or if they could face more serious charges.

He said the police department will work with Texas EqquSearch if necessary.

"At this point, we don't have any locations for them to check so they're kind of like on standby. If we do get a location or we want to work a specific area, they will bring in the manpower to help us," Edwards said.

Since 2000, Texas EqquSearch has helped find more than 400 loved ones alive and 238 loved ones deceased, according to its website.