Lafayette Cyclist Mickey Shunick Never Makes It Home *found deceased*

[Whisper]

Mickey Shunick

LAFAYETTE, LA (NBC33) — UPDATE: A $10,000 reward is being offered for any information that leads to the location of Mickey Shunick.

ORIGINAL STORY: What started out as a normal night out on the town has turned into a living nightmare for the family and friends of a 21-year-old woman from Lafayette. A massive search party began this morning to find clues as to what happened to Mickey Shunick, a cyclist who was last seen at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 19.

“The first thing that raised a red flag for us is when she didn’t show up to her brother’s high school graduation on Saturday,” Ashley Says, a close friend of Shunick who helped organized the search party, explained. “She had been looking forward to that for weeks, so there’s no way she would have missed that.”

It all started as a typical night out. Shunick went to a local club on Friday, May 18 to watch a concert with friends. At around 1:00 a.m. she left the venue with a friend, had a bite to eat, then rode off to go home for the night. But she never made it there and hasn't been seen since.

“We all know it’s dangerous to ride at night, but it was something she loved,” Says explained. “She’s not a rebel. She always has a can of mace in her front pocket, she obeys all traffic laws. She loved to have fun, but she’s really responsible.”

When Shunick’s family had not heard from her all day on Saturday, they began to worry. They started off by calling around to hospitals. When that failed to provide results, they went to the police.

“We went to the police department to file a report,” Says recalled. “At first we were told that there was nothing we could do until Monday. My friends and I said that this isn’t something that can wait until Monday, so we started sharing pictures of her on Facebook. We had friends make flyers and it’s been blowing up on Facebook.”

Although the story is being rapidly shared, little information has resulted via the social media outlet. That prompted the group to put boots on the ground and form a search party.

“We organized a search that started at 10:30 this morning,” Says noted. “We went to the house of the person who she was last with, and about 50 people ended up in his front yard to help look for her. They were on bikes, in cars, and walking on foot all over.”

The search party has covered the streets of Lafayette looking for any clues as to what happened to Shunick.

“We started on her normal bike path,” Says explained. “Then we went into the neighborhoods and started knocking on doors. We’ve gone to the local pawn shops to see if anyone tried to pawn her bike. We’ve asked local shops in the area if they may have caught her on surveillance cameras. We have people out right now at Cajun Field because the UL softball game is going on today, so we knew there would be a lot of people out there. We have people handing out flyers there to see if anyone knows anything. We’ve really tried to think of every possibly scenario.”

Currently the family is at the Lafayette Police Department providing information that will help detectives continue the search. Although they’ve had some leads throughout the day, none have proved too lucrative.

“I notice there’s anxiety in the air about it all,” Says explained when asked if about the mood of other cyclists’ who ride in the area at night. “The thing about cyclists is that they’re stubborn and they’re going to do what they love.”

That stubbornness, however, is what Says hopes will ultimately help bring her best friend home to her friends, family, and animals she cares for.

“She’s a horse enthusiast,” Says noted when asked about Shunick’s personal interests. She really just loves life and all animals. She had about 16 pets – a pig, snake, and tarantula. She just loves everything. She loves life. She’s a great person, and we’re all just trying to keep positive thoughts.”

Shunick’s home is located near the intersection of Congress Street and Ambassador Caffery Parkway. She is 5’1”, about 115 pounds, and has blond, curly hair. She was riding a black and gold bike. She was wearing a bright, multi-colored shirt, grey acid washed skinny jeans

“Mickey’s description is so unique,” Says added. “She has the blondest hair you’ve ever seen and she wears really exuberant clothing. She’s hard to miss.

“I hope we find her soon,” Says continued. “She’s the best friend anyone could ever have. This is just not something you think would ever happen.”
[...]

http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/local-ne...ers?hpt=ju_bn4

[Whisper]

Community plans candle light vigil for missing cyclist
May 21 2012

LAFAYETTE, LA (NBC33) — A community that banded together to finding a missing woman has sparked the attention of a national audience. Those who organized the grass-roots search party say all the attention is bringing much needed hope that their friend will soon be found.

“It’s a really crazy feeling. This is Lafayette, Louisiana. We never thought it could garner this much attention,” Ashley Says, a close friend of Mickey Shunick and one of the organizers of the search party, explained. “I feel more hopeful today than I have in the past three days.”

Multiple law enforcement agencies have joined in the search for Mickey Shunick. She turned 22-years-old today, but she hasn't been seen since Saturday, May 19 at around 2:00 a.m. when she was riding her bicycle home for the night.
[...]

http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/local-ne...issing-cyclist

[Abroad]

This is so not looking good

I hope they find her, and I wish she could be alive..........

[Whisper]

Michaela "Mickey" Shunick Missing: Vigil held for missing La. college student

CBS/KLFY) LAFAYETTE, La. - Hundreds gathered Tuesday night in Lafayette to pray for the return of Louisiana college student MIchaela "Mickey" Shunick, 22, whose disappearance early Saturday has quickly gained national attention.
At the vigil, those who know Shunick shared stories about her and pleaded for anyone who has information that could help locate her to please come forward, reports CBS affiliate KLFY. Scores of strangers also reportedly showed up in a display compassion and support for Shunick's family.
Shunick was last seen riding a bicycle around 2:00 a.m. on May 19, 2012, according to a Lafayette Police Department press release. Shunick's family says they knew something was wrong Saturday morning when she didn't attend her brother's graduation ceremony, reports KLFY.

Shunick's disappearance has reportedly gained national attention partly due to a tireless social media campaign. According to KATC, an online team works around the clock posting videos on youtube and running a Facebook campaign to raise awareness. The case has already been covered by CNN, Good Morning America, Nancy Grace and the Huffington Post.

"It's so wonderful to see everyone jump on board and spread this around, to see that it's been picked up everywhere, it's amazing," said Josh Coen, who leads the online efforts, KATC reports.

ABC News reports that searches by K-9 units, police and volunteers have yet to lead to any clues but the missing woman's family remains hopeful.
"We want our daughter back -- that will make everything better," Nancy Rowe, Micky's mother told ABC News.

The college student, who turned 22 on Monday, is reportedly a senior anthropology major at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

A $20,000 reward is being offered for any information that may lead to finding her, according to ABC News.

Police say Shunick is a 5'1" white female, with blonde hair and weights 115 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pastel, multi-colored striped shirt, light wash skinny jeans and grey shoes. Shunick departed the residence on a black Schwinn bicycle with gold handle bar grips and wearing a brown leather backpack purse. It is believed that she was going to her residence near the intersection of Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Congress Street in Lafayette.[...]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_1...llege-student/

slideshow
http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-504083_1...in;contentBody

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Investigators into the disappearance of a Louisiana student, Michaela "Mickey" Shunick, believe they have surveillance video showing her on a bicycle the night she disappeared, and they are trying to track down information about a white pickup truck seen on the same video.

The surveillance images appear to corroborate elements of the timeline surrounding Shunick's last known whereabouts because it is believed they show her riding her bicycle home from a friend's house at 1:47 and 1:48 a.m. on Saturday, May 19, as the friend had described.

The images show the bicyclist believed to be Shunick, a 22-year-old senior anthropology major at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, on St. John Street and St. Landry Street in Lafayette, La.

According to a news release from the Lafayette Police Department, "Investigators are seeking information regarding a white newer model four door pickup truck, which was captured on video after Mickey Shunick traveled on both streets."
[...]

Before the newest surveillance video, investigators searching for any clues have found no cell phone, purse or virtually any trace of Shunick after she left Wilson's house on her bicycle.

As investigators and the woman's family expanded the search, even sending out a recorded plea for help mentioning a $25,000 reward for information, some people in the area where she vanished have begun to wonder whether Shunick was abducted at all.

"What concerns us is, where is her bicycle?" Det. Stephen Bajat of the Lafayette police department said. "If it is some kind of abduction, most people would snatch and go on and not concern themselves with the bicycle."

Past instances of what were first thought to be abductions have eventually been discovered to be entirely different criminal situations. In 2003, a Texas woman was convicted of hitting a man while intoxicated, and then in a panic left his body in a park to cover the crime. A friend ultimately tipped off police, leading to her arrest.

"The only way to solve this is if someone comes forward with a tip -- and [investigators] need the public," former FBI profiler and ABC News consultant Brad Garrett said.

Hundreds of people from the community and beyond have come to aid in the search for Shunick. So many are coming to help that the volunteer headquarters had to be moved to the nearby university to accommodate them all.

Now Equusearch, the well-known search and recovery group, has turned out in force.

"We're hoping for the best," Tim Miller of Equusearch said. "We don't sugarcoat anything. It does not look good, doesn't look good at all, but we believe in miracles."
[...]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/mickey-shun...3#.T8KKpMX4Ix6

After seeing the white pick-up truck released by the police, new leads are already coming forward.

A local girl, Tasha Patterson claims that it is the same truck that approached her two months ago while she was riding her bike down South College around 2 p.m.

She says that after heading back from a meeting a man in a white truck pulled over and asked if she needed a ride.

Patterson says she was exhausted and was not thinking clearly and got in.

Throughout the car ride the man apparently offered her money in return for sex, an offer which she refused.

Dropping her off unharmed, Patterson described the truck as a white GMC Sierra 2500 Texas Edition and during the journey told her matter-of-factly that, 'He rides around town all the time trying to pick up pretty girls'.

The driver was described as white, heavyset and in his 50's or 60's.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...uncovered.html

Lafayette Police confirm they have found the bike of Mickey Shunick under the Whiskey Bay exit off Interstate 10. Fishermen called in the information to the police department's tip line. Investigators are continue to collect evidence at the scene.

http://www.katc.com/full-coverage/se...nick/#fcanchor

[Dakota Valkyrie]

The mother of Michaela "Mickey" Shunick said she believes her missing daughter is the victim of an accident after police on Sunday found the 22-year-old college student's bicycle under the Whiskey Bay bridge on Interstate 10.

Police say Shunick's bicycle was found about 30 miles east of Lafayette near the swamps of the Atchafalaya Basin, and that Shunick's family confirmed it was her black-and-gold Schwinn.

"We really think that somebody had an accident," said Shunick's mother, Nancy Rowe. "An accident, and maybe hit her bike. What they need to do is go to some truck stop, a public place. Just drop her. By the time that they take an hour to figure out who she is, they can be in another state. Just drop her. Drop her and run. Don't hurt her. A mistake is a mistake."
[...]

Cpl. Paul Mouton, spokesman for the Lafayette Police Department, said fishermen found the bike early Sunday morning and called the special tips line that police have dedicated to the Shunick case.

The expanded investigation included searching the waters in and around Whiskey Bay and the adjacent Atchafalaya Basin, scouring the wooded areas and shoreline, and using helicopters to see if anything could be spotted by air. Dozens of law enforcement vehicles from several different agencies were at the scene Sunday afternoon.

"We've got boats on the water, and are looking in the woods as well for any other evidence. We've set up a perimeter around the area where the bike was found and are processing the entire area," Mouton said.
[...]

Mouton said Sunday afternoon police were not ready to reveal the exact condition of the bicycle or where exactly it was found, except to say that it was under the I-10 Atchafalaya Basin bridge.
[...]

About 50 yards from where investigators worked on Sunday, a missing persons flier bearing Shunick's description and photo was taped to the pole of a solitary stop sign. Thousands of such fliers have been posted all across Acadiana and the surrounding areas in the past week as hundreds of friends and volunteers took part in the search.

Mouton credited those efforts, as well as the case's widespread visibility, with contributing to Sunday's discovery.

"I think social media and the word getting out really has helped us," he said. "There's a lot of trash around in the area (where the bike was found), so without the visibility, it's possible that someone may have not noticed the bicycle or not thought twice about it."
[...]

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article...Waiting-Mickey

[Whisper]

Sister of missing Lafayette woman talks

[...]

"We didn't know what to do my sister's friends immediately formed a search party the very next morning. And we figured we would get 200 people helping us," says Charlie.

And they would get that many, and ten times as many in the coming days.

After volunteers arrived from all over the country they would move into bigger headquarters to help keep everyone fed, hydrated and rested.

"Just this morning alone at the church off campus from 8 o'clock to 1:30 there were over 1,800 people that came in and out for search parties," says Charlie.

Despite their best efforts there are still no indications of what happened to Mickey. "Nothing, we have taken blood hounds, I know they've taken cadaver dogs everywhere, we've had organized search parties," says Charlie.

The effort to find Mickey has even reached Shreveport with hundreds of flyers. A friend of the family who lives in the area believes that Mickey could be anywhere, so she wants her face to be everywhere.

"The more people that have her face in their head a better chance we have of bringing her home," said family friend, Amanda Adams.

She says the effort has required the dedication of a full time job.

"I've been emailing everybody I could possibly get a hold of trying to get the word out there. That's the biggest goal right now," said Adams.

"How do you thank someone for doing something like that for you? We don't even know how to show the level of appreciation we have for everyone we know that's doing that….we love them they are now going to be part of our family forever," said Charlie as she cried.

In just over a few days Adams posted and passed out 500 flyers, and she plans to make more.

[...]

http://www.ksla.com/story/18629521/s...te-woman-talks

Charlie and Mickey

[sugarfree irony]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/mickey-shun...9#.T8PbssUXJ30
They found her bike .

Two fishermen found the bicycle of missing Louisiana student Michaela "Mickey" Shunick today, more than a week after the 22-year-old woman went missing after leaving a friend's home on her bike.

Police found the bike early this morning under a bridge at Whiskey Bay on the Atchafalaya River, after being tipped off by the fishermen.

Shunick's family members were brought to the scene and confirmed that the bike is Shunick's black and gold Schwinn. Police are not releasing details on the bike's condition.

[sintax]

The mother saying that she thinks her daughter was in an accident makes me believe the bike was bent and broken. Why else would she say that? If Mickey was taken, why would the assaulter break her bike? It's odd that the cops aren't saying anything about the condition of the bike. What does that mean, I wonder? Why would an abductor take the bike, as well as the girl? And then throw the bike out 30 miles away? This new information is really puzzling to me.

[carolinablue]

This has been passed on to me, it's gossip and rumor, but I offer it for what it's worth. There may not be a word of truth in it, or they may be on to something.

Word is, the bike was damaged, but not too badly. Rumor has it she may have been hit by a car just hard enough to damage the bike and throw her off, then she was abducted and the bike planted at the Whiskey Bay exit over the Atachafalya Basin. if you remember Derek Todd Lee, you'll remember he dumped Carrie Yoder's body there. Lots of people think this is significant...beats hell out of me why they think so.

What pisses the everliving FUCK out of me is the victim blaming running wild: "What was she doing riding a bike, alone, at that time of night?" "How stupid could she be?" "She made a target of herself". "No wonder she got killed. She's too stupid to live" That's what I've been listening to and it has me at DefCon 5, if there is such a thing. I told them that the perp ALONE is responsible for the crime and that blaming the victim is just an attempt to make ourselves feel safe..."nothing like that will ever happen to ME because I would never _______," fill in the blanks. I would never go there/dress like that/hitchhike/talk to a stranger/open my door to a stranger etc, etc. I got laughed at and told to grow up.

Oh, just got a new report. The cops in Indiana (person telling me didn't remember the county), have contacted the Lafayette cops regarding a similar disappearance in their area in June of last year. A pretty, petite blond disappeared, and a white pickup matching the description of the truck seen around Mickey's route was also seen at or around the site of the Indiana girl's disappearance. Person doesn't know if that girl's body has ever been found.

Please remember, this is just word of mouth and there may not be a word of truth in it; just wanted to stick my 2 cents in.

[Whisper]

What pisses the everliving FUCK out of me is the victim blaming running wild: "What was she doing riding a bike, alone, at that time of night?" "How stupid could she be?" "She made a target of herself". "No wonder she got killed. She's too stupid to live" That's what I've been listening to and it has me at DefCon 5, if there is such a thing. I told them that the perp ALONE is responsible for the crime and that blaming the victim is just an attempt to make ourselves feel safe..."nothing like that will ever happen to ME because I would never _______," fill in the blanks. I would never go there/dress like that/hitchhike/talk to a stranger/open my door to a stranger etc, etc. I got laughed at and told to grow up.
Please remember, this is just word of mouth and there may not be a word of truth in it; just wanted to stick my 2 cents in.

because now a days they blame the victim
Victims are the ones that "set themselves up"
As most know I dont go out at night alone
in the last 8 years I have MADE myself walk to the store after dark 2xs
by the time I was at my door my panic attack was right there
I was followed home by a serial rapist,
thank god I had my dog with me and my neighbor was home and up
I was aware enough I was being followed from the second I left the store
He was caught after I made like I lived at my neighbors who then chased him barefeet in snow and ice
He didnt get him but the rapist grabbed a 20yo and raped her 50 feet from my house that night

when cops came here to talk to me
I told them go to that store and only caucasian guy in there is the one (rest were arabic who owned the store)
Grab the tape and they will have the guy
they placed blame on me "why would you walk to store that time of night alone"
Ummm I thought Im a grown up and it was midnight and it was 1 and 1/2 blocks from my house in well lit street there and back
police"well you knew a serial rapist was in the city"
Me"no you thought he was"
police "well still shouldnt be out like that"

I now have Larry (maintenance man) meet me at end of my drive or a girl I sometimes work with will park here and walk with me the maybe 40 yards

Daytime I can fly all over the city but at night,just the thought of having to get out of my car and come into house alone when its dark sends me into panic attack mode

but by cops way of thinking its my fault

[sintax]

Thanks for the info @carolinablue. I don't understand why the perp would take the bike to the bridge 30 miles away to dump it. Why not just take the girl, if that is what you are after? Why wouldn't you just leave the bike at the scene of the accident? I just don't know. I can't think of a scenario where this makes sense.


Wow! @Whisper .......That is fucked up that the cops told you that.

[Whisper]

Thanks for the info @carolinablue. I don't understand why the perp would take the bike to the bridge 30 miles away to dump it. Why not just take the girl, if that is what you are after? Why wouldn't you just leave the bike at the scene of the accident? I just don't know. I can't think of a scenario where this makes sense.


Wow! @Whisper .......That is fucked up that the cops told you that.

if he left bike at scene then that would cut the time he has to get away
With them not having bike to know there was something sinister going on
they were just working a normal missing persons case
The bike wouldve put them at a scene days ago giving them knowledge and a better chance to get evidence it was something sinister taking place and not just a missing persons case
and wouldve given them a crime scene to investigate
they have none right now b/c bike was dumped

[Whisper]

hopefully guy left finger prints but Im not sure if it was in water under bridge or land
also if this guy is doing this often then he prob has a kit in truck with gloves,tape,cord and whatever else

[Whisper]

The bike wouldve put them at a scene days ago giving them knowledge and a better chance to get evidence

'

[Abroad]

"What was she doing riding a bike, alone, at that time of night?"

I always felt a lot safer riding my bicycle than I would have walking....... Not much time to notice me, form intent, and attack, if I was barrelling down the road on two wheels, or that was always my thinking.

[sintax]

I am watching tonight's Jane Velez-Mitchell and Mike Brooks just said that there is damage to Mickey's bike. The rear tire was "ripped away from" the rim and the rim was bent. He thinks it is possible that she was hit from behind. Also, they said the cops believe the bike was placed in the water, not thrown from the bridge. The bike was found submerged.

There some real similarities to the Lauren Spierer case from Indiana and the Holly Bobo case. Also a Kelli Bordeaux from North Carolina. When they showed all the pictures, the resemblance of these girls is amazing. They are all around five foot tall and about 100 pounds....very petite blondes. There was a four-door white pickup spotted at the scene of Lauren's abduction, too.

[Whisper]

Mickey Shunick, Lauren Spierer Missing Person Cases Connection Probed By Police

Bloomington, Ind. police see similarities between the missing person cases of two college students.

Indiana University student Lauren Spierer was last seen around 4:30 a.m. on June 3, 2011, according to the Herald Times. Bloomington police said there might be a connection between Spierer's disappearance and the missing person case of Mickey Shunick, who was last seen at around 2 a.m. on May 19.

Fox News noted that the two women are both petite blonde women who disappeared after nights out with friends. Both cases also involved a white truck, though, in Spierer's case, investigators eventually determined the truck had nothing to do with the woman's disappearance.

In the Shunick case, the 4-door Chevrolet is still being sought because surveillance video shows it drove in the same direction as Shunick on the night of her disappearance, according to a Lafayette Police press release sent to The Huffington Post.

Cpl. Paul Mouton of the Lafayette Police Department told Fox 44 that he doesn't think there's a connection between the two cases.

"They contacted us and we did share information pertaining to the two cases," Mouton said. "We currently do not think the two are related, but we are looking at the information they provided us to see if there are any similarities."

[...]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...html?ref=crime

[carolinablue]

Thanks for the update; it's been busy here, canning and crap. I don't know if I'm glad or sorry that there are other disappearances that may be related. I don't mean I'm glad other young women have gone missing, and are presumed dead. I mean that the more cops working this the better; there may be new evidence they can share to find this fuck hole. It's scary to think there's a possible serial killer out there.

There used to be a site on Louisiana serial killers; it posited that Louisiana is becoming serial killer central. For a state our size, we seem to have more than our share...a horrible distinction.
http://helpfindthemissing.org/forum/...p/t-10118.html
http://psychowatcher.wordpress.com/2...serial-killer/
http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_...er-serial.html Qoute is from this link:

Ronald Joseph Dominique, Sean Vincent Gillis, John Peter Malveaux and Derrick Todd Lee - each one of these men has been arrested in recent years for committing serial murders in the state of Louisiana. They are certainly not responsible for all of the unsolved cases in the state; however, they are four of the most recognized criminals. Louisiana has, for all intents and purposes, become Serial Killer Central. Consequently, investigators in Jefferson Davis Parish have formed a task force to investigate the mysterious murders of at least seven women dating back to 2005

http://crime.about.com/od/serial/a/dominique.htm

We also have the uncaught "shoe killer", he killed several young men and always took the shoes. Back in the late 8o's, early 90's there was the overpass killer down NO way. He murdered prostitutes and left the bodies under an overpass in the city.
Bear in mind, this is only South Louisiana.

[Whisper]

Thanks for the update; it's been busy here, canning and crap. I don't know if I'm glad or sorry that there are other disappearances that may be related. I don't mean I'm glad other young women have gone missing, and are presumed dead. I mean that the more cops working this the better; there may be new evidence they can share to find this fuck hole. It's scary to think there's a possible serial killer out there.

There used to be a site on Louisiana serial killers; it posited that Louisiana is becoming serial killer central. For a state our size, we seem to have more than our share...a horrible distinction.
http://helpfindthemissing.org/forum/...p/t-10118.html
http://psychowatcher.wordpress.com/2...serial-killer/
http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_...er-serial.html Qoute is from this link:



http://crime.about.com/od/serial/a/dominique.htm

We also have the uncaught "shoe killer", he killed several young men and always took the shoes. Back in the late 8o's, early 90's there was the overpass killer down NO way. He murdered prostitutes and left the bodies under an overpass in the city.
Bear in mind, this is only South Louisiana.

we have a low budget porn killer mailing body parts all over thats it for here that I know of

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Lauren Spierer: Connection to Mickey Shunick 'manufactured,' cops say

Police in this city say media reports of a connection between the disappearances of Lauren Spierer and a college student 850 miles away are “manufactured.”

“Any reports of a ‘connection’ have been manufactured by the media and was never put forth by us,” police spokesman Capt. Joe Qualters wrote to The Journal News, in response to news stories reporting that his department had reached out to police in Louisiana to look into a possible link with the disappearance of University of Louisiana student Michaela “Mickey” Shunick, who has been missing since May 19.

“I simply indicated to a media person that we’d made an ‘inquiry’— a seemingly appropriate thing to do — and that was turned into us contacting them because of ‘similarities’ which is inaccurate,” Qualters wrote.

He later added, “It should be noted that nothing of significance to the Spierer investigation came from the discussion held with police investigators in Louisiana.”

A Lafayette, La., Police Department spokesman said investigators there also don’t believe there are links.

http://www.lohud.com/viewart/2012052...tured-cops-say


As for the white truck in the Spierer case, it turned out to be nothing:

Police in Indiana also investigated a white pickup truck seen on video that had driven by the area Spierer was last reportedly seen. Investigators initially thought the truck circled the block suspiciously, but later determined a time discrepancy between video cameras was the reason the truck appeared to go by twice.

After releasing photographs and receiving more than 500 tips, police tracked down the owner of the truck and determined he had driven by the area about 4:15 a.m. to pick up an employee. Investigators said the truck wasn’t linked to Spierer’s disappearance.

http://www.lohud.com/viewart/2012052...disappearances

[Dakota Valkyrie]

There some real similarities to the Lauren Spierer case from Indiana and the Holly Bobo case. Also a Kelli Bordeaux from North Carolina. When they showed all the pictures, the resemblance of these girls is amazing. They are all around five foot tall and about 100 pounds....very petite blondes.

I'm betting that if you pulled the pictures of the thousands of missing people in the USA, you could find many sets of 4 or 5 that looked alike.

Ugly brown haired girls, fat black men, women over 45... just about any subset of society you could think of would be well represented and could be found to be "missing and looking similar". They just don't get the attention that pretty blonde white girls do.

[carolinablue]

Well, I did say it was gossip and speculation...I'm glad I did. It's a big story here and everybody "knows someone who knows someone who is related to someone who works next to the police station..." You know how it goes in a small town. We have had our share and more of serial killers, in fact mr cb and I lived 3 houses down from Sean Guillory when we were first married. Talk about creepy!

I hope Mickey is found soon, I hope alive.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

The recovered bicycle of missing college student Michaela 'Mickey' Shunick was found significantly damaged police announced in new details today suggesting the possibility she was hit by a car.

Three days after the Louisiana student's bike was found beneath a bridge 27 miles from where she was last seen Lafayette police now say it experienced major damage to its rear tire and a bent rim.

Police are now rushing forensic testing on the bike in hopes of finding new clues to the 22-year-old's disappearance on May 19.

'Detectives are hopeful that forensic experts can find evidence on the frame, handle bars and handgrips that were recovered at the scene,' the Lafayette police department said in a release.

'If her bike was hit by a vehicle... you may be able to tell from the damage whether it was intentional or not,' former FBI special agent Brad Gerrett told ABC News.

He suggests such clues as paint from the suspect's vehicle found on the bike, along with any DNA belonging to Miss Shunick or anyone else.

'It could be a wealth of information potentially gathered, in addition to the location of the bike,' he said.

With the bike's condition, police have also revealed their discovery of off-road tire tracks near the bridge where the bike was found.

'We strongly believe that the person, or perpetrator, drove down to the edge of the water and dumped the bike into the water for it not to be found, Cpl. Paul Mouton of the Lafayette Police Department told ABC.

Police report that they're currently searching for the drivers of three vehicles seen passing around the same time and area she was seen riding in security footage.

The vehicles are a white pickup truck with a bed cover, a white four-door Chevy Z71 truck, and an older model sedan.

'The vehicles we're looking for are just vehicles of interest, not necessarily suspects,' Mouton said. 'We know those vehicles were in the area and in the immediate area.'
[...]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...m-hit-run.html

[Nell]

This may sound bad but i hope that she died and they dropped her in the river too. Other scenario is that someone hit her on purpose to steal her, and that is never a good situation.

[Whisper]

No new details emerged Sunday in the disappearance of Michaela “Mickey” Shunick, Lafayette police spokesman Cpl. Paul Mouton said.
[...]
As of 7 p.m. Friday, police were no longer manning the department’s tips line 24 hours a day because of a drop in calls, Mouton said. An answering machine will record all calls after normal business hours and on weekends.

Investigators continue to seek information on a white, four-door Chevrolet Z-71 pickup that was seen on videotape traveling the same way on St. Landry Street as Shunick, Mouton said.

Police have ruled out two other vehicles caught on videotape in the Shunick case, as well as any connection to the disappearance of an Indiana woman who has been missing since June 2011.

Police have said Shunick’s bicycle was damaged when fishermen found it May 27 at the Whiskey Bay exit off Interstate 10 in the Atchafalaya Basin.

The rim of the rear wheel was bent and the tire was off the rim, Mouton said. The bike has been sent to the State Police Crime Lab in Baton Rouge for processing.
[....]

http://theadvocate.com/news/police/3...mains-unsolved

[sintax]

Cadaver and forensic canines brought into Shunick search; Texas Equusearch returns

Special K-9s Recovery Specialist, a Texas-based forensic canine company, joined the search for Michaela “Mickey” Shunick today. Texas Equusearch also returned to Lafayette to resume searching for Shunick.

Carencro resident Mike Candella owns a dog being trained in forensics, and he contacted Special K-9s to assist in the Shunick case that has piqued the interest of many since Shunick’s mysterious disappearance May 19.

Special K-9s is not affiliated with Texas Equusearch or the Lafayette Police Department and will be begin land-based searches today independently. Special K-9s conducts searches with dogs that can distinguish between animal and human bodies while searching water, land, ash and vehicles.

According to Special K-9s’ website, the group specializes in the "location of human remains and evidence" and is skilled in "crime scene preservation."

While Candella is not affiliated with Special K9s, he hopes the group’s forensic search dogs can help give the Shunick family closure.

“My only goal here is to help the family,” Candella said “I’m not aligned with Equusearch or LPD. We’re strictly on our own. Our goal is strictly to find Mickey.”

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/artic...sey=nav%7Chead

[sintax]

Private Investigator Says new Developments in Mickey Shunick Disappearance

The private investigator tracking Mickey Shunick's disappearance says he has credible information about two people who could be involved in her disappearance.

http://www.chathousenews.com/2012/06...-says-new.html

[sintax]

Still no answers in Shunick case

At the corner of South College and Johnston streets, a wrinkled, torn missing-person flier clung to a utility pole Tuesday, the one-month anniversary of Michaela "Mickey" Shunick's mysterious disappearance.

In one month, Shunick missed three major celebrations: her brother's graduation from high school, her own 22nd birthday and Father's Day.

Shunick's disappearance attracted national media attention, led to one of the largest investigations in Lafayette Police Department history and brought the community together in a way Shunick's sister, Charlie, compares to the public reaction to Hurricane Katrina.

"A lot of people have compared it to the way the community came together in New Orleans," Charlie Shunick said. "They say it's a similar universal awareness and outreach, so Mickey has impacted the community here unlike anything I've ever heard of."

Volunteers continue to operate out of their headquarters at 2811 Johnston St. from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Volunteer work consists of posting fliers, updating social media sites and correcting false information, Charlie Shunick said.

No new leads have been announced since May 29, when police released the condition of Shunick's bicycle, discovered May 27 by fishermen in Whiskey Bay, about 30 miles east of Lafayette........

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article...nclick_check=1

[sintax]

Arrest Made!

The Lafayette Police Department, working with the multi-jurisdiction task force, has made an arrest in connection with the case. Brandon Scott Lavergne is from the Lawtell area. He is a regestered sex offender.

LPD and Saint Landry Parish Sherriff Deputies are executing a search warrant of Brandon Scott Lavergne's residence on the 100 block of Elaine Lane in the Swords area. Saint Landry Parish Sherriff Bobby Guidroz says they are there investigating a major crime. He would neither confirm nor deny that the operation was in connection with the Shunick case.

There will be a news conference at the Lafayette Police Department on Friday, July 6, 2012, at 1:00 pm, regarding new information in the Mickey Shunick case. There will be no comment on the investigation until the press conference. The investigation remains ongoing.

Shunick went missing after leaving a friend's residence in the 100 block of Ryan Street at approximately 2:00 am on, May 19th. Lafayette Police later found Mickey Shunick's bike beneath the Whiskey Bay I-10 Bridge at Exit #127.

https://www.facebook.com/KLFYTV10/posts/419278251445014