Family plans vigil for missing woman
By MICHAEL ANICH, The Leader-HeraldArticle Photos
JOHNSTOWN - Family and friends Kellisue M. Ackernecht plan to conduct a second "birthday vigil" for her Dec. 16, the date of her 38th birthday.
Ackernecht, of 330 W. Main St., was 36 years old when she was last seen leaving her job as a night shift manager at the Rite Aid in Amsterdam on Sept. 30, 2008. The car she was driving home - a 1998 Saturn sedan - was found on fire early the next morning a few blocks from the family's home.
Thomas Kilcullen of Canajoharie, one of Ackernecht's brothers, said the missing woman's family and friends plan on having another vigil in honor of her birthday on Dec. 16 in the Frog Hollow area, where the car was found, near the Rail Trail.
"I would like to do something," Kilcullen said. "Yes, we're going to have cupcakes and candles. We're hoping for a decent turnout."
Kellisue Ackernecht, her husband, Jayson, and their daughter lived together in their West Main Street home the night she was last seen.
Since then, the Johnstown Police Department, with help from other agencies, has conducted searches and followed leads, but there has been no sign of Kellisue.
"Nothing," Police Chief Gregory Horning said today. "Leads are slow coming. There have been a few of them. They're not coming in like they used to."
The chief said his agency isn't particularly devoting any less time on the case after more than a year, but leads are dictating how active the search is. The case has never been labeled a criminal case because police say there has been no evidence of a crime.
"We're not ruling anything out," Horning said. He said the conventional wisdom would be to point to foul play after so long, but police have seen no proof that any harm has come to the woman.
Kilcullen said he has been dealing with Johnstown Detective Dave Gilbo on the case, and it has been "pretty quiet."
"There's a couple people of interest outside the Johnstown area," Kilcullen said.
He said he appreciates area media keeping his sister's disappearance in the news.
"I would think if we keep it out there, sooner or later something's gotta happen," Kilcullen said.
Police have conducted searches, including one with the assistance of a state police helicopter, over the wooded area near the Ackernecht home, but they found nothing tied to this case.
City police and forest rangers did several foot searches with cadaver dogs. Johnstown police and the St. Johnsville Dive Team also have combed the banks of the Cayadutta Creek leading to Sammonsville. The missing woman's family has conducted its own searches as well.
Kellisue M. Ackernecht is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. Her family says she has "short brown, naturally curly hair."
People with information on the case may call Johnstown police at 736-4021 or the Fulton County Crime Tips Hotline at 736-5561.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.
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unbelievable
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12-01-09 5:03 PM
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It is a mystery this is the stuff good books are made of, except there is no ending
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pageturner
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12-01-09 3:10 PM
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If a woman (or man) wants to leave the area to get away from their husband (or wife), it probably isn't too difficult. From everything that has ever been written here, it doesn't seem like Kelisue would have the resources, however, to leave the area on her own for any length of time without some help...either financial or physical. Hence, if she did run away, somebody (or somebodies) knows something, and juicey secrets are hard to keep. Sadly, I feel that Kellisue is no longer living. Why not start all over again with the car? Stan B. was out on his porch until 12:30, and the police reported the burning vehicle at approx. 1:00, and no one except Mrs. S. heard anything between 12:30 and 1:00. I wish that I could fall into that sound of a sleep that easily!
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InnocentParty
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12-01-09 10:14 AM
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Doesn't matter what size his shoes are. I have wooden legs.
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Discobulous
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12-01-09 10:02 AM
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What size are his shoes (assuming he has two of them)? You have to know that before you can walk in them.
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InnocentParty
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12-01-09 9:27 AM
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Jayson moved on within days of Kellisue going missing. He condemned himself. Do you really think he could move on to the point of being with another woman while not knowing what happened to his wife? It's only been a year. Like I said, he moved on within DAYS of her disappearance. Whether or not he had something to do with her going missing, he hasn't shown much concern. How many vigils has he attended? How many vigils has he brought the daughter to? I find it hard to believe that hooking up with someone new, within days of his wife disappearing is the way he chooses to show his concern for his wife.
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unbelievable
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12-01-09 8:47 AM
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Jayson is human he needs friends and people in his life just as much as anyone else. If anyone who really knows Jayson would understand him and his actions. It has been a year, Jayson has provided for his daughter to the best of his abilities, some people show their feelings differently, no one has been in Jayson shoes so before you condem think about the big picture and think about how you would react are the reactions right or wrong? We are not the ones to judge. negativity is not going to bring Kellisue home. Working as a team and trying to find answers will
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LinBee
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12-01-09 2:01 AM
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.
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unbelievable
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11-30-09 10:52 PM
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sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture.
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InnocentParty
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11-30-09 10:28 PM
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I saw Santa in Northville.
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InnocentParty
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11-30-09 10:27 PM
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From the looks of it her husband has already moved on. Unfortunate for the little girl who deserves better.
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unbelievable
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11-30-09 8:49 PM
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Kellisue is a Mother,Daughter,Sister,Wife,Sister n Law,Daughter in law, she was someone and she once had a life with her husband and daughter. She deserves to be found no matter what the circumstances, if she is ok and just ran off then she owes her husband and family an explanation so that they all can move on with their lives. No matter what Kelli needs to be found. It is very frustrating not knowing the speculation, the rumors and the pure sadness that surrounds this mystery. Unfortunate it really is
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Discobulous
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11-30-09 7:59 PM
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Everyone has been seen in Northville. Someday someone will figure all this out by accident. Meanwhile I'm sure the JPD have a copy of the famous police book "How To Find Missing Rite Aid Employees", unless they've missplaced it.
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debater
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11-30-09 7:21 PM
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I was thinking the same thing- setting a car on fire is not a crime? I think there must have been some foul play. I also think it makes sense that someone could have dumped her body in the vast Adirondacks, driven the car back to Johnstown, and set the car on fire. Was the car burnt too badly to look for any evidence? Maybe there was blood in the car and that's why it was set on fire to destroy evidence instead of abandoned.
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unbelievable
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11-30-09 5:22 PM
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The Adirondacks are right in our backyards there are miles and miles of wild state land that anyone can hike and frequent with out being noticed. There are virtually no resources to cover the vast wilderness that sits north of us. All we can hope for is a hiker, a fisherman, a hunter, a concerned citizen to either come forward with some information or to come across Kellisue's remains if she indeed has passed. I am frustrated that there has not been too much community involvement when we have tried to raise awareness for Kelli. We keep plugging on, I will never let her be forgotten. I thank The Leader Herald and the reporters that have helped us keep Kellisue's name and face out there throughout the year. Keep your eyes open. There was a tip that she was seen in Northville last spring. Other than that we can just pray.
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CJmajor
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11-30-09 5:17 PM
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it's been over a year...time to pass this on to the state police. I can't believe the state police just havn't walked into Horning's office and said your off the case. JPD does a good job but they are just over their heads. Horning thinks hes is the head of a U.S Marshals agency. It's Johnstown New York. It's Fulton County New York. We're not Albany or Shenectady who have 100+ officers and different agency departments specializing in missing persons. I feel safe in Johnstown but jeeze...theres a missing person...not a missing cat or dog. I personally went looking myself at frog hollow 3 weeks after she was reported missing and walked a good 3 miles back into the woods. Can't any relatives make-up a petition stating they want the state police to take over the investigation? JPD is making themselves look worse everyday.*****it up Horning. You obviously need help or you would of found something by now. Put your ego aside and take the help from the state police already.
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cruella
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11-30-09 5:11 PM
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Sorry, thats almost, Thanks!
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cruella
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11-30-09 5:09 PM
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If someone did something to that girl I don`t believe they would leave her in that area where the car was burnt. They need to start with the store, don`t the store have cameras there? Stores that have weman working late and alone should have cameras! Unbelievable has the right idea! I think some pervert followwed her almoswt home!
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unbelievable
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11-30-09 4:40 PM
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If she did runaway she is doing a good job of hiding. How is she making money, where is she living? She could not do it alone just take off and vanish, she did not have the money to pull off such a huge stunt. isn't it a crime to burn a vehicle and leave the scene of an accident? If that is the case there should be a warrant.
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Scarlet5
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11-30-09 3:24 PM
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CJ, I agree with you 100% that JPD needs to pass this on to the State Police or someone else,anyone else.FBI anyone please. They need to admit that they are in way over their heads.Good point CJ,good point!
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Scarlet5
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11-30-09 3:21 PM
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I want to know what kind of Community,Police Dept. Prosecutor, allows a Woman to go missing and does NOTHING. Come on people, of Johnstown,this could be your Sister,Mother, Your Loved One? You All need to bond together to make your Taxpayers dollars work. Its YOU, the people of your city, that have to tell JOHNSTOWN officials this is not acceptable to all of you! What if it was your loved one?? It could have been or worse,could be in the future?? Are you ALL satisfied with what has been done? I do not live there,and if I did,I would move. I would not feel safe at all.I pray for answers soon for Kellisue family.But I do not believe that the answers are going to come the way of JPD! Just my humble opinion here.
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CJmajor
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11-30-09 3:12 PM
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You would hope that if something bad did happen to her someone would have found some sort of evidence by now. I think it's time to JPD pass off the lead investigation to the state police, maybe they can find something that the JPD couldn't find. Personally I think she ran away. It's about time something was found out. I was at JHS when she was working there. She was nice. Sad to see nothing come up yet.
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unbelievable
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11-30-09 2:46 PM
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The real mystery seems to surround Rite Aid. I wonder what her work week was like? Who were regular customers that befriended Kellisue? I think the community needs to rally together to find out what happened to one of its citizens. This is very sad and very tragic. So strange. I can't believe she has not been found.
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Discobulous
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11-30-09 2:11 PM
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Thought of it.
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uzreason
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11-30-09 1:04 PM
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This is just so very sad
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privateeye
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11-30-09 12:59 PM
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Hey disco, you going to head over there and get a cupcake?
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