JOHNSTOWN - City Police Chief Gregory Horning said Tuesday he believes missing city resident Kellisue M. Ackernecht might be alive and may return back to her loved ones.
Horning also reiterated something he has said since she went missing Oct. 1 - her husband, Jayson Ackernecht, is not a person of interest in her two-month disappearance and has been very helpful to police.
"Jayson's been very cooperative," Horning said, including his periodic meetings with the lead investigator, Sgt. David Gilbo.
Horning said his department, Fulton County District Attorney Louise K. Sira and other area police agencies had a recent four-hour meeting on the case. The chief expressed optimism Kellisue Ackernecht is still alive.
"She'll turn up," Horning said. "All our hopes and prayers are with the Ackernecht family. We hope we'll find her alive someplace."
Meanwhile, family members of the missing city resident's family this week are continuing to do things behind the scenes to keep her case in the media. They also say they are still upset by how the case is being handled by law enforcement.
Monday marked two months since she has been missing. Kellisue Ackernecht's 37th birthday is Dec. 16. Her brother, Chris Clouston of Connecticut, said Tuesday he might be organizing a vigil for her birthday.
Although he can't always break away from his job in Connecticut to help with the case, Clouston said he wants to keep his sister's case in the spotlight, even if only through a vigil.
He said he's "displeased" with the way city police and Sira have have handled his sister's case. He said he wants more answers to his questions. Both Johnstown police and Sira continue to say Ackernecht's disappearance remains a missing-person case.
Clouston said he's going to make a concerted effort to contact area media.
Ackernecht, of 330 W. Main St., left her job at Rite Aid in Amsterdam just after 9:30 p.m. Sept. 30, city police said. She was reported missing by her husband in the early morning hours of Oct. 1 - about the same time the car she was driving was found engulfed in fire at West Montgomery and Chestnut streets, also known as Frog Hollow.
State police have helped the city Police Department as lead agency with the search by use of one of its helicopters that hovered over the Frog Hollow area in October, but found nothing to tie into this case. The city Police Department has conducted several foot searches with dogs and forest rangers. Johnstown police and the St. Johnsville Dive Team have combed the banks of the Cayadutta Creek leading to Sammonsville.
Lately, Horning said, his department has been "following a few leads here and there."
He said there's still no evidence of foul play and there is nothing new to report on the cause of the burned car.
"We've done everything humanly possible," Horning said. "We've done a lot of leg work for leads that sometimes have gone nowhere."
On the positive side, he said his department has "ruled out" several things in the case. Some of that has had to do with conversations with Jayson Ackernecht, Horning said.
Horning said he has conferred with "major crimes" experts in the region. He said they are telling him, "Your people are doing everything."
"We're a pretty competent police department," Horning said.
Clouston said despite what city police say, he would like his sister's family better apprised of what's going on in the investigation.
"Something needs to be done," he said.
He said he sent a letter to CNN legal and crime broadcast personality Nancy Grace.
Clouston said he has a source in Maine that may help with another K-9 search in the Johnstown area.
"They've done many cases nationally with positive results," he said, declining to provide the group's name.
He said his sister's case continues to be on state and national missing-persons registers.
Clouston said people can find information about the case
on a Web site, www.findkellisue.wordpress.com.
Kellisue M. Ackernecht is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. Her family says she has "short brown, naturally curly hair with red highlights."
People may call Johnstown police at 736-4021 with confidential information on the case.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com
