Burning Need

Ok, here is the wonderful Fox, aided and abetted by Magic, in action...

I have been MIA (Missing In Arkansas) and it's about time to share the info and experience with those of you who might find my line of work interesting. I got the courage to write this one for you...but you'll have to bear with me as it's not a pretty one. For those who might get offended with the details, I apologize in advance. I have had to let nature heal my mind, and this will help me confine it to words and let the mind clear. I took yesterday for time to run the woods and talk to God, and of course Connie. After all, it's thanks to her and her gift of human ashes that allowed me to find the missing man!

A Burning Need
 March 12, 2004
The Investigation

The Friday after Fox turned 10 was a downer. I was bummed out as he was getting old. I still had no replacement for his talents. I worried quietly as Ray and I built the new wooden fence. So far we had completed 6 of the 11 panels across the back section of the fence. It was hard work, but looked so wonderful and secure as we finished the sections.

I had returned to the kitchen for sodas when the phone rang. I answered instead of letting the answering machine pick up, as I was stealing a break...only this time it was the Sheriff's department.

"We have a missing couple that we need to see if we can locate. Can you bring the dogs and help us??"

"When will you need us, sir?"

"We need you today. In fact we needed you yesterday, but didn't have your phone number."

"Yes, sir, I'll see who I can put together. Which type of dogs do you need?"

"Well its probably buried and we have about 240 acres to cover. Do you have dogs that can do that much area? It's pretty rugged, too."

"Yes, sir, and they can go deep buried or surface. We'll be there right away."

As I hung up the phone, I yelled at Ray to put away the fence building equipment while I made the calls to round up the unit dogs. Sharon, yes, Ray Allen couldn't go, nor could his son, Justin. Marty would call me as soon as she talked to her boss. Her call back said, "Where do we meet?"

I hurried to put up the Schips. I changed my clothes, loaded my SAR bag, water and radios. It took less than 35 minutes from start to finish. The main cadaver dogs were loaded...Magic and Fox. Ray would go as Main scout/flanker, Melissa as new base camp coordinator. Sharon and Marty would meet me at the local McDonald's along the way.

After driving for over an hour, meeting at the Sheriff's office, we made the 23 extra mile trip out to the house of the missing couple. I divided the team into outer fields and inner house perimeters. Sharon with Taylor, the Dobie, would work the outer loop of trees and fenced pastures. Marty would take the far field and the small dirt road with Dare, the Portie, for a hasty search. Fox would work the details of the closer house section. His smaller size couldn't cover the distance the larger dogs could.

Each of us set off to cover their area. Each was accompanied by an officer carrying a semi-automatic rifle over their shoulder. The tale of local extremist was not taken lightly. These guys were friendly, kind, full of information and downright good, and I knew I could trust them totally. But I have to admit it made my hair stand up on the back of my neck. I swear I could feel someone watching us all the time.

Fox headed for the garden area and we cleared it fast. The next was the outer building where he wanted me to open the door to the workshop. I had no key, so we moved on. He again headed to the back door and slowly worked his nose along the door frame...grrrumble...touch...followed by a down on the top step. Fox had something human along the door frame. I went to ask the deputy if we had any keys. No. But it seems they HAD found a trace of 4 drops of blood there when they had check with luminol, a spray used to highlight blood. They awaited the DNA results. Fox had just confirmed it was human.

As I couldn't get into the house, I move out to the sides and checked the tractor. Fox showed interest, but moved back to the boat and extra blade that was sitting there. He checked it close and moved back to the tractor. About that time Taylor hit the front of the loader and indicated human scent. Fox was still moving about the back, making his way among the working deputies as they unhooked the front loader, and, as he approached the front edge, his nose touched the very edge and he grrrumbled and downed...his way of telling me he had some form of scent. I pushed him. He touched only the very edge of the corner of the blade. I had confirmed the find by Taylor.

A word of explanation here, that even if one dog tells us its' there, I always run a second dog to confirm the scent. If only one dog hits, we tend to ignore it as a false indication or weak scent cone. If more than one will pinpoint a zone, we mark it as "hot". This was marked and noted.

Now the search moved out into the fields where the neighbor had been plowing and dragging that past Sunday afternoon. It was thought they might have been burying the man. His wife was seen that day as well, but not after. Fox slowly swung back and forth looking into each pile of hay. Dare stopped to investigate the horses following us. I stopped and put Fox on a down as I chased them back up toward the barn. I must say his herding instinct was dying to set them off with a Schip on their heels! He held the down and we set back to work on the track to the dump.

Taylor and Fox moved over the fenced section and into the garbage of months. He climbed into the mound, over, through, and behind. I followed slowly and looked into the ravine behind the pile. Dare bound into the zone and he too looked all through the extended trash. Nothing.

I called them all back to the fenced section, and decided to moved into the next field. We walked single file and spread out into a very open and large pasture. Fox headed out for a big white tank sitting in the middle of a plowed section in the southwest corner of that field, just beyond the red entry gate. His nose to the ground, he dropped to the soil and grummmbled...I had an indication. I hurried the last 30 feet to see what had set him off. As I called to Sharon, she was about to check Taylor's indication near the white water tank. The two dogs were only 20 feet away from each other. I knew we had the burial site. It was three for three as Dare moved into the scent and he too barked and sat.

The deputy asked if we could find something if the body was burned. "Yes," I said. "All the dogs had worked and been certified with burned flesh. Why?"

Well they had bought over 60 gallons of gas and diesel just that Saturday and it was a possibility they might have burned the body. The thoughts crossed my mind that we might have both people right here.

To make sure we gave them the exact spot, we used a "probe" stick. Its a hollow tube that you shove into the ground and extract the core of soil for the dogs to recheck for scent. To make sure we could hit as close as possible, we cover the zone with holes in a 20 foot radius from the location of Fox's hit.

After allowing them to "air", we ran first Fox, then Taylor, and Dare. Fox hit the same spot again...he liked that same zone each time. Taylor and Dare selected about the same. Three holes all in a row. I commented that we had found the pit where they had burned or buried the body (or bodies).

It was time to bring in the second set of dogs. I sent Ray back for Magic and Sharon asked that Bubba be brought down as well. We rested the first set in the shade of the tree line.

As Ray came back into view, all I could see was pulling dogs! He was leaned back into the leashes as both picked up the human scent. I yelled to turn Magic loose. And one flying black body came at top speed into the plowed earth! He slammed on the brakes and dug his nose into the holes...one by one and flipped around to sit at the very same hole as Fox! Bubba was slower and much more methodical. He had to check and recheck each hole with delicate care...and then gave a raspy cough of a bark to sound his opinion of the strongest hole. Fox's choice still had top billing! I suggested they find a shovel and begin looking.

I let Magic continue to run the corner of that field. I checked the type of soil disturbance, and decided it was not deep enough. Only that one part was loose dirt and deep soft and easy to probe. I was now 5 for 5 with the dogs within that 3 hole zone. It was time to recall the dogs and to let the officers dig.

About that time we had a radio message the news crews had shown up. I didn't want them to know what we had, so we pulled the dogs and headed for the house. I continued to search as we moved through the woods, along the edges of the small road and on into the main house again. Fox showed interest in the wood pile. Taylor agreed with him that something was smelly in there, too. The wind was carrying the scent upwards. Blood?? It often lifts and dissipates in the wind or warm air currents. Both checked it, and the surrounding woods. Fox returned to the pile three times. Taylor did not confirm it. I did note it as a zone to check closer for perhaps the weapon or maybe just some blood from a cut finger as they stacked the wood.

I had put off the talk with the camera lady for over an hour<G>, but you have to keep them "friendly" or pay the price later. I gave her just enough info on the dogs, and why we search. Nothing big, but ALL truth. The TV spot that night was a nice covering of the dogs at work. My comments said we could at least tell them where it WASN'T...<G>.

After they left we checked the truck. They did indicate in one corner, but we didn't find anything of note. It was then one of the officers asked me if I could check a truck in the back zone not far from the hole in the field. I took Fox and rested Magic. I headed back down the road to the back acres.

There were several old mowers and a fairly good pick up truck. Fox took the attitude he was done, and got impatient. I had to settle him once more and he finally checked the gloves, ax and hammers. Nothing. On the way back to the house we returned to the holes being dug...and once more Fox climbed into and over them and settled on the center one with strong indication they were digging in the correct spot. I headed back to finish my reports.

So off we set for home. Leaving many question in our minds and in the thoughts of the officials. As usual we didn't hear a word on the results. I cleaned up the Schips, packed my bags and set off for the Texas shows.

From success of the SAR finds to the success of the show ring, I felt a complete sense of peace. Winning at both, I knew which meant the most to me. How, oh how, can I even think of Fox getting old and retiring?? I know he is the best we have and until the younger ones catch up, he has a job to do....for now. The thrill of Best Of Opposite for Cloudy in the Lone Star Sweeps, was a big excitement, but the report of the TV on the search going full out in Arkansas seem to overshadow the brags for me. They had gone in to serve the warrants, and the State Policeman was shot and injured. The long slow manhunt was on. It would last all week.

On Friday night, Marty called and told me they had located The Lady as well as one of the men. That meant she was NOT murdered at all, and only the body of the husband was missing at this point. On Saturday morning, they brought in the third man. They held them all on attempted murder of a police officer, and aiding and abetting a felon.. It would do until I could get back home. The cell phone held to the TV speaker gave me the full report from the Arkansas TV station. <G> Marty once more took care to keep me fully updated as they brought in the last suspect. I couldn't keep my mind on the show and even a Best Of Breed on Cloudy that Sunday was small stuff compared to the coming search next week.

A Burning Need
April 6th
The Recovery

For the rest of the week following the manhunt, we read the papers and realized our danger. The three locked up let us breathe easier. It was still all up in the air as to what was IN the hole.

On Tuesday, April 6^th we got the second call. I was a little surprised, but pleased they were going to let us finish what we had started. Oh, little did we know!

"Hi Pat, can you come back up today?"

"Well tomorrow would be better as Sharon and Marty are at work. I am not sure I can round up enough dogs."

"I need you now as the full investigation crews are here. Besides they say it will rain tonight. They want your little black dog..."

"What did you find in the hole??"

"Its a long story but that dang dog was right on target...that is why we need you again. We dug it up, but we didn't find a body. Today we found the ashes we should have found the first time. I am afraid its a little scattered now."

"So they did burn him. Do you know if it's still there??"

"We don't know where they took him, but he was moved after they finished burning the body."

"Ok, I am on my way. I'll try to see if I can get a back up to come as well."

I started calling. Sharon, at work, didn't answer her beeper. I really needed to get her for her probe. Marty was a "Yes. I'll get off at 11 am." Ray Allen could go this time as we were leaving at 11 as well as a new student in training for SAR dog handler, Kathy. We would all meet at McDonalds at 11:30am and travel off to the search area together.

I loaded Fox and Magic. Stuffed the food box and cooler with goodies. It was going to be much warmer today. Tick sprays, water, and extra clothes to change into. I packed everything into a box for transfer to Marty's van. I would ride with her as my van had power steering problems and was in the shop.

We gabbed as we drove, comparing thoughts on the first search and what today's might bring and planning what we needed to search and which dogs we would work first. It took us a little under 2 hours to reach the search site.

At first we talked and they gave us a briefing. The doors stood open to the house, but it was the workshop Fox was headed for first. Last time he had hit at the door but we lacked a key. This time he entered and began to sniff along the left workbench. He hit and downed at the front alongside the trash can. A hammer lay up on the bench. I asked if it was the murder weapon. No. Hmmm, it sure was giving Fox a pause for thought.

As we continued, he worked all the way around. Only the trash and hammer seemed to set him off. He passed a big hammer right by the door without a glance. THAT was supposed to have been the murder weapon. Fox liked the other ballpeen hammer. They tagged and bagged it for testing too. Once again we had used Dare to back up Fox and he too had given the exact signs in the same places.

As we came out, he headed for the door and once again hit the frame. At least he was still convinced it was human. In fact they admitted he was left laying on the steps as they went for the tractor to move him off to the hole down the field. We marked and asked if this time we could go into the house to search for evidence.

Fox then went into the house. He didn't even wait for permission as he went through the door and straight to the back bedroom. He hit on a closet, but, after removing the stuff, it was a simple matter of someone had probably cut their finger on the flagstone while working with it. Remember now, he will hit blood anywhere. It may not be related to the crime.

He then moved off into the kitchen. He seemed to be in a hurry and gave not a glance to anything there. Right down the back hall straight to the back porch and the door frame from the inside. He grumbled, down and touched the rug, door frame and window glass. I rewarded him and moved him around the rest of the porch. All of a sudden he swung onto a chair and up to the table. I gave him a "Hup" command and he jumped onto the table, sniffed the items, and down next to the scissors!

I called to the wonderful lady who was gathering the evidence. She told me the scissors were not original there. She had moved them off the table in the living room. They had been close to a chair that was supposed to have been the site where he was killed.

Fox moved back into the house and followed the hall into the bathroom. I told him to check and he hopped into the tub and downed! Grumbled, touched the drain hole. Hmmm. I asked him to find more. So he then went to the sink and stood up on the front. I lifted him onto the top and he dug at the drain there, too. I lifted him off and opened the cabinet doors for him. He went inside and touched the "trap" knocking things around to get to it. I told them we might have residue of blood if they washed their hands after they handled him. I left it to them if they wanted to check it for blood residue. Fox moved on. I asked Hunter and Dare to double-check us. Both confirmed the evidence.

Back into the living room, he went into the corner. I told him to check closely. Slowly he moved along the floor. I could see they had marked what might have been blood. Fox ignored it. But lifted to stick his nose into the electric plug! I was sure he was about to get a real charge. Instead he stood up, touched a spot and then down with a deep rumble in his throat. I could plainly see they had already taken a sample for testing. It was human.

"Find more," I asked him and he jumped into the chair. Slowly he checked, jumped down and went to the back. Down, grumble. We had located more blood.

After, they told us the chair was where he was supposed to have been sitting when they hit him with the hammer. They then lifted him and carried him through the hall to the back porch, through the door to the tractor . They then placed him in the front loader and took him off into the woods to the hole.

Now if you remember, Fox had located something human there in the field. The informer said it was where they had placed a barrel, stuffed him in it with diesel poured into it, then loaded fire wood around him, covered it all with gasoline and set it on fire. I wondered if the hits on the pile had been from where they had placed the contaminated blade of the loader while putting the wood in it to carry down the hill.

After burning him for a few days, they scooped him up in the front loader and carted him off down the road. The informer didn't know where they had dumped him. It would be our job to find the remains somewhere along the 2 miles of dirt road (really a track in the woods).

So we started with the original hole. Fox went straight to the section and looked confused. "Hey mom, some one moved the smells!" But it didn't take him a minute to relocate the scattered ashes. He hit in three different places. Dare and Hunter both took to the dirt and confirmed his locations. This was Hunter's first major cadaver search and he was doing really well.

Marty and I moved back and forth to double-check, but the hot spot was where they were digging. They had located a button right in the hole where Fox was going to China. Dirt was flying out in all directions and I rushed to stop him from destroying the evidence! The scent seemed to be the hottest right here they were working.

But they really wanted us to move off down the road, so we loaded up our water, treats and dogs and started down a long and very rugged road. It was narrow, twisty and newly grated. It was the newly turned dirt we had to search for the next 2 miles. They thought the body might have been dumped into the river below us at the end of the road. But no matter, we had to check the whole length along both sides just in case they had buried him somewhere along the way.

As we entered the woods, I turned Magic loose too. Off he went, chasing after Fox. Two kids turned loose for a game. I hated to recall them, but we had real work to do. Dare and Hunter both decided blowing off a bit of steam might help the stress, and soon we had to wait for 4 dogs to regain there SAR composure. It took about 3 minutes. I loved to see them so happy, while needing them to not blow by any evidence.

Soon it settled into Magic and Dare working zig zag patterns across the roads. Both are large sector dogs and cover territory. Both have a refind if they locate anything human in the woods. Fox check every tip out where the dirt was piled up along the drainage ditch. It was slow and hot thirsty work. It took us well over an hour to work the mile and a half to the flat spot in the road.

The old logs were piled up into aging brush piles. They framed the level triangle on all sides. But the Anthropologist was ahead of us as we came out of the woods to her right. The tractor tracks had gone off and Fox and I had checked deeper into the woods before returning to the road. As we approached her, she told me she had found ashes...and then perhaps a piece of human bone.

Of course Fox was right in her way...or was she in his? Anyway, he was pushing into her, so I removed him for a bit to allow her to work. As she dug up the white speck, held out the chip...so small it looked like a rock chip, Fox checked it and downed to grumble! I told her we didn't need a lab now. Fox had confirmed it was human. I told him "Go Find MORE"...and he ran off to my left to check the left fork of the road. I followed.

As I got there, he was standing looking down. I moved slowly as he was very, very tired now. I asked him to "sook sook". And he grumbled. I was surprised until I looked close. The ground was full of ashes and dotted all over with white fragmented bone! I told him to touch it and he selected a pile in the middle, then one off to his right. I asked him "FRED??" and he play bowed and grumbled again. I called loudly back to the group I had found the victim.

Marty on the other hand had gone to her right. Dare had followed the main road to where it joined this branch. And she also called out that she was looking at an awful lot of debris. Dare was barking and sitting, but seemed to have a harder time with just which piece he wanted to call human. It was everywhere!

At that point, we turned the investigation over to the anthropologist and retreated to the trucks that began to arrive with deputies, ATF, State Police, and JUSTIN, our flanker. The only thing they really wanted was a tooth! And as soon as we had given them the left side road full of bones, they located one complete and two pieces among the shards Fox had indicated on. All of us shouted with glee. The other important find was several pieces of skull bones. Along with the teeth, that would give them enough DNA to ID the person we had located.

Fox, Dare, Magic and I all rested for a space. Magic had done a great back up with hitting the same larger bones Fox had, and had even given me the fourth fragment of skull in the top of the rise where Fox had hit. The four pieces had matched and made one larger section. In another pile, they found another tooth shard.

Hunter and Ray Allen moved off along the road and found a "run off" filled with fragments. Next he hit on one of the big wood piles. And Hunter again proved he was a top class forensic helper too! Both Magic and Hunter are fast moving large cadaver dogs. It was wonderful to know they were capable of close in delicate work as well. I knew that as old as Fox was getting, I did have a back up to him right there with me. But I sure missed Taylor. It was hard not to have another true forensic certified dog along with us that day. He had been Fox's double-check all that first day and we really needed him again today.

Hunter might have been working run off. We had plenty of rain that week, and the water action might have carried it under the pile. Or was it they had walked the road after to toss aside the larger section of bone? It was so hard to tell what might have been there. It was just too heavily covered with human for the dogs to pin point for us now.

I took Dare, Fox, and Magic back to the truck and placed them into the back for a rest. They had some bottled water for us and they all drank deeply. I tied Magic to the trailer hitch, put Fox on a stay, and walked back to help pick up the pieces.

We had a paper bag in the middle of each 10 foot section, and all shards were to be kept within the zone they had been found in. I walked and picked up for well over thirty minutes. Kathy our newbie was at my side most of the day and had done so well. I must admit it was one heck of a search to be a "first". But at least she had the opportunity to start with the top search of the unit! She is still talking about the SAR dogs and loving on Fox Man.

All of a sudden a black streak came flying into my face. Fox! He had recovered and was reporting back for duty. I set off into the wood edges to see if we could locate any larger bones. Although he hit several times, we didn't find anything larger than what was on the road.

It was getting late now. Soon it would be dark. The hours had flown by. From 1:30 to 6:30 we had gone nonstop. The dogs, as well as the handlers, were tired and needed a break. I asked for a ride to the top field where we had left the van...it was a bumpy and long, rough ride. I just didn't realize how FAR it had been along that road.

Once at the top I finally had something to eat. Yes, I had forgotten to take a snack along with me. Bad Pat. But I had done very well and not had any diabetic lows all day. Of course I run on adrenalin anyway on searches! After we had caught our breath we drove up to the main house. I reported in and asked for permission to go home. It was a long and hard day for all of us. I don't think Magic or Fox was going to move all the way home.

The thank you from the deputies was heart warming and very rewarding. They sure gave our dogs a lot of the credit and it was nice to know we WERE right all along. They had capped off 5 long weeks of searching with a few good dogs. From the hole where he had been burned, to the blood spots in the house to the bone fragments found at the road edge--the job had been a perfect display of TEAM work--Deputies, Dogs, Handlers, Flankers, and Investigators. No one would have been able to do their stuff without the other. Five weeks of intense work. A huge manhunt and the capture of the fugitives. The recovery of the victim and the knowledge that one more crime had been foiled by the SAR dogs. Yes, I was about to burst my buttons.

What a team! What dogs and, yes, Fox was really my hero! At 10 I sure hope he holds out until I can certify Flash!

So on Saturday we had a debriefing session. I made everyone talk, sound out their feelings and drew a detailed map of the search zones. We played, ate pizza and talked, talked, talked. You have to know that critical debriefing is very, very important to a team, as well as myself. I held up really well until Monday. Then I seemed to get so very tired but was unable to sleep. I found the cure, of course. I started to write this post and to bring it where I ALWAYS find the help and understanding to get me through the tough time!

Again I thank you for the interest and the understanding and for letting me share the hurt, the joy and the horror I find all rolled into one big emotion. Writing always helps me to "see" it in your perspective. And then I can move on to the next step...and today Flash worked so well I think I might be about to move him into a working position sooner than I had hoped.

But for now, I need sleep and soon Kathy will be here. And off to the show in Harrison. And then a wonderful visit from my friends. Ahhhh, yes... Life is good isn't it?? And after all the hard work over the last 12 years, I feel everything was there for us--Connie, T, and me. Ya done good, my friends! Your bones have taught our dogs and, through that, we gave closure and peace to a family--and, of course, put the murderers behind bars.

Right now they await the trial. The DNA is in and they have charged them with murder one. Indeed it was the man we had been looking for...and they will not get away with murder.

I shall keep you all posted as the news media fills us in with details. The latest tells of how they did it and it parallels the findings of Fox's evidence.

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