Misleading Comments? Interesting the way the Sheriff's Office spokesperson worded the information about the injury during the search for Rachel. The only person I am aware who has been injured worse than having a thorn go through a shoe was in fact part of the Sheriff's search - certainly not when Texas Equusearch was here nor anyone since RC has been running the searches. However, that said, we do need trained searches IMHO.
SAR teams A guy fell down a cliff during the first Sheriff's Department search. During the Texas EquuSearch search one of the search dogs got hit by a car and it broke the dogs leg. The SAR teams mentioned are just like the ones that Janet and I attended in Travis County presented by the Austin Police Department. I am in favor of having trained teams to be available, although with big searches, they will have to use untrained people. The volunteer teams should be lead by the trained SAR members. Of course Williamson County has a lot of experienced people now because of the Rachel Cooke Searches. 16 hours of training is not the same as 100+ hours in the field that we have had.
Comospolitan Article Here is the picture from the November issue of Cosmopolitan. "Could you be a Predators next target?"
Letter to the editor of COSMOPOLITAN I am the father of missing Rachel Cooke. I would like to commend you on your November 2002 article "Could you be a Predator's Next Target?". Something I would like to point out is that Rachel Cooke and Elizabeth Smart are both still missing. Please publish contact information for Rachel and Elizabeth in case any of your readers might have information about their disappearance. Readers with information on Rachel Cooke's disappearance may call 1-800-253-STOP or access her website: http://www.rachelcookesearch.org/ . Those readers with information on Elizabeth Smart's disappearance may call 1-800-932-0190 or access her website: http://elizabethsmart.com/ . Rachel loved COSMOPOLITAN magazine, and she is a current subscriber. I wish this important article had appeared in time to help Rachel, but it CAN help other young women. I still see women fumbling for keys in parking lots and others that jog alone. What happened to Rachel can happen to anyone. Please attend a women's safety class and learn how to protect yourself. Do it for yourself and do it for your family. Sincerely yours, Robert Cooke Rachel's father
Rachel's Hunters' Bulletin http://www.kvue.com/breaking/1029kvuecookes-jw.108ab0958.html Cookes asking for help from hunters 10/29/2002 By Sarah Kleiner Special to KVUE.com Tens of thousands of hunters will fan out in fields and woods across Texas this week in search for deer as the 2002 hunting season begins. Robert and Janet Cooke are asking that they hunt for something else while they’re out there: clues to their daughter’s disappearance. The Georgetown couple are asking hunters who will be treading through forests and fields during the upcoming deer season to keep a watchful eye for anything that may seem suspicious or out of the ordinary.
NASCAR Rachel Next Thursday, November 7th, Darrell LaMoure in the Featherlite Southwest Division of NASCAR will be racing in Phoenix and.... Rachel's picture will be on the hood of her car. This is a newly published picture of Rachel taken last year.
Cookes Visit, Lobby At Capitol Building 10/30/02 - 5:26 pm Video & Link Available The parents of a Williamson County teen missing for more than 10 months are still searching for her or information on what happened. Wednesday, Rachel Cooke's parents met with state leaders at the Texas Legislative Caucus for missing and exploited children. ***snip The point is to get state lawmakers trying to prevent the crimes. Another goal is to get tough on criminals who commit them. ***snip The Cookes are hoping more awareness will create more support for organizations working to find missing or abducted people. Texas legislators can expect to see upwards of 30 bills relating to these issues in the next session. ***snip http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=993056&nav=0s3cC6Zc
NEWS 8 Austin Report with video http://news8austin.com/content/headlines/?SecID=2&ArID=50375 {snip} Leaders gather to discuss missing children Updated: 10/30/2002 4:24 PM By: News 8 Austin Staff A Georgetown couple hasn't given up the hope their missing daughter will be found. Wednesday Robert and Janet Cooke, parents of missing teen Rachel Cooke, joined national and state experts at the Texas Legislative Caucus for Missing and Exploited Children. They shared their pain, frustrations and recommendations with lawmakers. The one-day conference is a first of its kind in Texas. About 60 state representatives and other leaders hope the conference will generate ideas for policymakers to use to prevent abductions. {snip}
I have been on pins and needles for the past day and a half. I received official word this morning that the remains found have been there for at least two years. A news report said that there is a good chance that they are Jennifer Stover, who was murdered by her boyfriend in 1997. The boyfriend is serving a life sentence after being convicted on DNA evidence. The remains where found about 35 miles from our home. http://kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=996224&nav=0s3cC9DN {snip} 11/01/02 - 5:32 pm Photo Available Remains Not Cooke's, Waiting For More Dental Records The partial skeletal remains found Wednesday in a northeast Austin field are posing some problems for the Travis County medical examiner's office. The medical examiner is awaiting the dental records of two missing persons cases. One missing persons case has pretty much been ruled out, but the other has not. The medical examiner says preliminary findings show the bones are weathered and do not belong to Rachel Cooke. That same finding could be the last piece in a Travis County murder case. {snip}
NASCAR Driver Joins the Search for Rachel Cooke For Immediate Release November 4, 2002 Missing Georgetown woman Rachel Cooke's picture will be displayed on the hood of NASCAR driver Darrell LaMoure's race car in Phoenix, Arizona. The race, which will be held on Thursday, November 7th, at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR), begins at 3:45 p.m. LaMoure competes in the Featherlite Southwest Division of NASCAR. Rachel Cooke's father, Robert Cooke, and grandfather, Glenn Cooke, will attend the race. They will meet with Mr. LaMoure around 1:00 p.m. before the race. Please call Robert Cooke at (512) 773-9608 or Elaine Cooke Hettenhausen at (512) 689-7291 if you have any questions.
DPS Missing Persons List Contains Three Williamson County Women The Department of Public Safety has launched the Project Find Me list. Three people on that list are from Williamson County. Project find me floods the media and law enforcement with information about missing people. This one features Althea Rogers, last seen hitch hiking near Highway 29 and IH-35 in Georgetown in 1985. Vicki Lynn Nesbitt, has been missing from her Anderson Mill apartment since December 1991. And Rachel Cooke, last seen jogging near her family's Georgetown home last January 10th. Investigators hope Project Find Me is just the tool to jog people's minds. http://keyetv.com/morenews.shtml#6
ARIZONIA REBUBLIC article Here's an article from yesterday's ARIZONIA REBUBLIC newspaper. http://www.arizonarepublic.com/smartliving/articles/1107nascarkid07.html {snip} Hopes of missing kids' families ride with NASCAR driver By Scott Craven The Arizona Republic Nov. 7, 2002 When NASCAR driver Darrell LaMoure started to put photos of missing persons on the hood of his race car, he didn't expect them to generate many leads. But he thought they might generate hope for the families still waiting to hear from loved ones who had vanished. When LaMoure's car rolls onto Phoenix International Raceway today for the Featherlite Southwest Series, fans will see a photo of Rachel Cooke, 20, on its hood. Cooke, of Georgetown, Texas, went for her daily jog Jan. 10 and never returned. {snip} {snip} "It shows that people still care, that there are people out there who still want to help," Robert Cooke said. "A big part of my life was taken away the day Rachel disappeared. She could be anywhere, so getting her photo shown outside of Texas is a good step to take." {snip}
Bones indentified My heart goes out to Jennifer's family. Bones indentified 11/12/2002 4:40 PM By: News 8 Austin Staff The Travis County Medical Examiner's office identified bones found near Cameron Road last month. They belong to Jennifer Ann Stover. Calvin Troy Oliver murdered Stover three years ago, and is serving a life sentence after being convicted in 2000. Stover would have turned 34 this past summer.
Very sad indeed. So many missing in your area, RC. At least one family can now bury their loved one. I sometimes dread hunting season in Pennsylvania. Remains are found on a regular basis at this time of year. Someone's child....always someone's child. Prayers and kind thoughts to all the relatives of missing persons.
