Rachel Cooke - The Search For Rachel Phase I

The taste test

Copyright ©2002 Jacqueline L. Riggs

 

Debriefing

Copyright ©2002 Jacqueline L. Riggs

 

Texas Equusearch Needs You!

There is a search in progress for Rachel Cooke. Please help in the search for her by downloading and posting the flyer in as many places as possible and participating in the search if possible. If you are able to participate in any way please call the office at 281-309-9500 or come to the command center at: Faith Lutheran Church Lc-Ms, 4010 Williams Drive, Georgetown, TX 78628. If you would like to make a donation, Rachel Cooke's parents have asked that any donations be sent to the First State Bank of Texas and made out to Texas EquuSearch. The address to the bank is:

First State Bank of
Texas, 2415 Williams Drive,
Georgetown, TX 78628, (512) 868-9023

Our February monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, February 12th at 7pm at our Dickinson office. Please plan on attending! If you need directions, please email us.

Make sure to include the location you will be leaving from in the email.

If you would like to help us finish the office, please contact us via email and let us know. Your help would be greatly appreciated!

http://www.texasequusearch.org/

texas_equusearch@hotmail.com

 

Rachel Day 17

Morning comes bright and early for the search teams. Walking teams I and II get briefed...

Copyright ©2002 Jacqueline L. Riggs

 

Kitchen Duty

The kitchen crew starts very early and are about the last to leave because they have clean up to do. They keep energy levels going all day.

Copyright ©2002 Jacqueline L. Riggs

 

Reams of paperwork

There are massive reams of paperwork prepared daily. Maps, registration, sign-in's, sign-out's, etc. The team has to track all volunteers and know if they are in a plane, on horseback, walking, on ATV's, and so on. This is a major effort and every task is as important as the next.

Copyright ©2002 Jacqueline L. Riggs

 

We Love You Rachel

Why all these people have come togeather...

Copyright ©2002 Jacqueline L. Riggs

 

Rachel

D.O.B. 05/10/82
Hair Blonde with dark auburn streaks
Eyes Hazel
Height 5'2"
Weight 120 lbs
Missing since 1/10/02
Missing From Georgetown, Tx

Rachel has blonde with dark auburn streaks. She has multiple ear pierces and a naval pierce. One ear has an upper piercing. She has a tattoo of two heart shaped cherries on her left shoulder and a black star on her left foot.

She disappeared while out for her morning jog. She was wearing a green sports top, gray sweat pants, Asics shoes and carrying a yellow walkman.

Anyone with information please contact the Williamson County Crime Stoppers at"

1-800-253-STOP,

or Texas Equusearch at:

512-635-7310 or 281-309-9500

An independent Reward Committee has established a $25,000 reward for information leading to the return or location of Rachel Cooke. The reward is valid through February 4, 2002 or until Rachel is located.

 

Thanks Y'All

Being involved is a mixed bag. You want to help, but it's so sad seeing the parents come in with renewed faith in the mornings and then seeing that faith drooping as the day passes into night with no new leads and so on. They are a wonderful family and work hard to keep the searchers from getting discouraged. I really admire each and every one of them.

 

Acknowledgement

One thing I have failed to to is acknowledge that the Travis County Search and Recovery Team is working hand in glove with Equusearch in the search for Rachel. Tomorrow, I will make it a point to get catch more of these folks on camera. They are often hard to catch because many of them are behind the scenes in the debriefing rooms, briefing the teams as they go out or actually physically involved in the search. Rachel disappeared in Williamson County but Travis County SAR has been right there working long days with Equaasearch. Yet another great group of people. Unfortunately, all links I have found to their web site appear to be "broken." I'll have t check into that and see what's up.

I should also have some pictures of the Sheriff's Posse to post tomorrow. The horseback teams have managed to be out in the field by the time I arrive. Yes, another group of very dedicated folks.

Please keep Rachel and the Cooke family in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks.

 

Rachel update

Sorry folks, no pictures today (forgot to get the camera back) but maybe tomorrow.


The search continues, we will not give up nor go home until we have found Rachel.

Volunteers are desperately needed during the week if anyone is within driving distance of the area. If not, call the Equuasearch number because some folks have opened their homes to take in out of town searchers.

Please keep the Cooke family and Rachel especially in your thoughts and prayers.

 

Update

The search continues though search volunteer have really dwindled. We think this was caused by some talk of scaling back the search but new leads changed the decision. Unfortunately, the news teams didn't get that word out until tonight. We have a major push going on for volunteers Friday-Sunday. We want as many folks as we can get out in the field.

Today, one girl was actually found and returned to her family safe. On a sad note, two bodies were also found so at least those families now have closure. None of these were Rachel.

For those who may think Rachel ran away - no, she was abducted. Rachel is 19, lives away from home to go to college, had airline tickets to return to school within a day or so of the abduction and there are no other indications she would or did leave on her own. Sorry, I can't disclose more than that.

 

JR

I have printed out the flyer and will post them in downtown DC today at lunch. I also called a friend of mine who is a DC police and he is going to stop by for a copy of the flyer.

Rachel could be anywhere and DC seems to attract a lot of criminals. I figure, it can't hurt.

I will also post some in VA when I get home tonight at the gas stations. That was really a great idea. They have to have gas.

 

Amglory

Thank you. You are terrific!

 

Thanks Moab

I would like to share a letter that was posted at the command center for Rachel's case. All I can say is "amen" and that many volunteers and givers have not been mentioned here but oh...so many folks have done so much more than anyone can ever track.

Just in the past 24 hours, Wallmart donated 48 T-shirts for Rachel "HOPE" shirts for the family, Quimby's Cleaners (rush) pressed all the shirts flat and a local silk screener (I will have to add the name later as I don't have it handy) is donating the silk screening. The actual art work for the silk screen has been generated by Forums For Justice members. Another FFJ member sent a gift certificate for office supplies just yesterday. A 14 year old girl made heart buttons featuring Rachel and sold them at school then donated all of her proceeds to the reward fund. People coming togeather in the name of a child. Is there anything more beautiful?
***
We would like to share our experiences over the past several days.

We have seen a community come together, for the most basic concerns to us all, a young girl abducted.

It has been the most bittersweet few days: watching people come to help many not knowing the family, just caring about their situation, caring for the safety of our community.

We have seen elderly people ask, "What can I do," a pregnant woman with kids in tow asking how to help out, men forfeiting a day's pay to walk grids of land to search. We have seen local grocers, restaurants, individuals bring food all day long to feed the workers. We have seen volunteers set out gracious spreads of food. We have seen people signing in other people to work while their hands turn blue from being cold. We have seen exhausted people from a full days search ask what else they could do, and everyday people keep coming back. We have seen what everyone else must dream of in a "community."

We don't know what the outcome will be of the situation concerning Rachel Cooke, but we do know that when 400 to 500 people come out to help, we are sending a strong message to everyone out there that our community will not sit back nor tolerate our children being hurt. We will fight with everything inside ourselves until we are exhausted. We will unite and stand by our neighbors because, somehow, by the Grace of God, we have held on to the concept of people who "care" about each other.

Veta Stratmann
Janie Lovoi

 

Update on Rachel Case

At last, the much awaited horse pictures. This is today's horse team who were out all day. Lunch was brought to them in the field.

Copyright ©2002 Robert W. Cooke

 

Update horses continued

This may be a regrouping period or maybe a break. I wasn't at the search site so am only able to go by what I know actually goes on out in the field.

Copyright ©2002 Robert W. Cooke

 

Update continued..

Yes, this is what we have been walking through as foot searchers as well. The horses can cover ground more quickly in and have better visability up high where as the walking searchers can actually get in and under a lot of the scrub brush. Rachel's mom was one of those on horseback searching today. Imagine how difficult that must be for her. This particular shot is one of Rachel's uncles. I don't have a total headcount but believe there were about 40 horseriders and over 100 walking searchers out today. Add kitchen and command center folks and we still have a lot of momentum going on this search.

New leads did came in again today. We keep hoping for that major break in the case.

Copyright ©2002 Robert W. Cooke

 

Phase I Concluded

Sadly, the active search for Rachel has ended for the moment. It has been twenty-four days since Rachel was abducted. Though many local folks will continue to keep their eyes open for unusual events or out of place items, and have volunteered to join any further search efforts, the official search has been suspended. The Sheriff's department is working the leads that have come in. I will keep you updated as I receive new information. I for one, will not rest until Rachel is found and justice is served on the person who is responsible for her abduction.

This case didn't simply change the family dynamics, it changed our town and our county. The kids and women in this area no longer have the freedom to feel safe as they come and go. Parents have to be worried each time a child is out and about. Husbands are concerned each time their wives leave home alone. Folks now lock gates and doors and don't leave keys in ignitions. Not only are we concerned with our own safety, we don't want to give this person the opportunity to come onto our property to commit crimes against others.

We don't take too kindly to having our life style changed by an act of agression. This perp will wish s/he had never messed with this town when caught.