A friend of my brother is going through the same thing right now in Augusta, GA. We are praying for a good outcome. Though this is receiving a lot of attention there, they are trying to get the word out nationwide. Pass this along if you think it could help. I don't know his wife, but Bernard is a hell of a good guy and certainly doesn't deserve the pain he and his family are feeling right now.
You can go to
www.augustachronicle.com for full coverage. Unfortunately, you have to register to read. I wish they would make stories like this more accessible. The family was on Foxnews Friday night, and will be on GMA and Today Monday morning. Help a good family pray for the safe return of a loved one...
photo of Tamara
Family hopes public can help
Web posted Sunday, April 18, 2004
By Greg Rickabaugh | Staff Writer
Valuable artwork was taken from the Augusta home where police say Tamara Dunstan was abducted by burglars.
Richmond County investigators have not found the items at pawn shops and decided Saturday to release their descriptions. Sheriff's Maj. Ken Autry said he hopes the public might see the items and call investigators, possibly leading them to the abductors and Mrs. Dunstan, who is 29 years old and three months pregnant.
The items taken from the Kipling Drive home of Faye Cundey, Mrs. Dunstan's mother, include two Thomas Kinkade reprints valued at $1,000 each and several porcelain figurines, priced between $100 and $200 each.
Also on Saturday, Sheriff Ronnie Strength confirmed that the home had a security system installed.
The break-in, however, did not trigger the alarm or alert the security company, he said.
The sheriff would neither confirm nor deny what neighbors have been saying for two days: The burglars apparently came through the floor after cutting a hole underneath the $200,000, eight-bedroom home.
"It wouldn't be in the best interest of the investigation to release certain information that we have," Sheriff Strength said.
Police believe Mrs. Dunstan went to her mother's home Thursday afternoon and walked in on the burglars.
"We suspect it may have been going on when she arrived, and as a result, she was abducted," Maj. Autry said.
Saturday brought little news for the family, who seemed to be bracing themselves for a lengthy ordeal. Augusta attorney Pat Rice stepped forward as a family spokesman, holding a news conference in the driveway outside the home of Mrs. Dunstan's in-laws on Walton Way.
He said the intense media interest is taking a heavy toll on family members. He told reporters he would be fielding questions.
"Every time they are asked a question, they have to relive what is going on," said Mr. Rice, who is a family friend. "It just adds to their burden and makes life that much tougher right now. ... We want them to be positive and optimistic about the outcome of this matter."
The case continues to garner national attention. The family plans to appear Monday on The Today Show and Good Morning America, Mr. Rice said. They appeared Friday night on Fox News.
The emotional toll on the family was clear during a family news conference Saturday afternoon, where Mrs. Dunstan's husband, Bernard, appeared overwhelmed, his eyes red.
Prompted by Mr. Rice, he again spoke to his wife and the abductors.
"Tamara, I know you are out there. I love you. Hang in there. We won't ever give up," he said. "(She is) the most incredible human being in the world. If you could find a way in your heart to let her go, we miss her and we love her so much."
The sheriff's office worked on dozens of leads Saturday with the help of the FBI.
The agency set up a 24-hour hot linefor the case.
Maj. Autry said the $25,000 reward for information should increase soon because several Augusta residents have offered to donate more.
Prayer is what the family needs most right now, Mr. Rice said. "Please, if you can't do anything else, continue your prayers."
TIMELINE
Thursday, about 3:30 p.m.: Police say Mrs. Dunstan was at her mother's residence on Kipling Drive, near Boy Scout Road, where she walked into the middle of a burglary in progress.
Thursday, about 4 p.m.: Faye Lewis Cundey, Mrs. Dunstan's mother, said she attempted to call her daughter but got no response.
Thursday, 5:13 p.m.: Mrs. Cundey calls 911 after she finds her house broken into.
Thursday, about 7 p.m.: The first lookout for Mrs. Dunstan is called out over Richmond County's radio system. FBI agents begin to assist in the investigation. Later, a Georgia State Patrol helicopter is called to use night vision and infrared imaging technology to help find Mrs. Dunstan.
Thursday, about 8:30 p.m.: Investigators put out a lookout for a dark colored, newer model Mustang with two men, bearing a USC Aiken vanity license plate on the front.
Friday: Family and friends place reward posters throughout west Augusta on utility poles and in businesses. Arrangements are made to post billboards around the city in the appeal for Mrs. Dunstan.
Friday, about 9 p.m.: Lookout for the Ford Mustang and its occupants is canceled and investigators begin searching for a man driving a teal or light blue pick-up truck, possibly a Nissan, missing a tailgate with plywood in its place, for questioning only.
Friday, about 10 p.m.: Mrs. Cundey, Dr. Cundey and Mr. Dunstan appear on On The Record with Greta van Susteren show on the Fox News Channel in the first nationwide appeal to help find Mrs. Dunstan. CNN would later also air the story.
Saturday, during the day: Local and federal investigators continue to look for clues. District Attorney Danny Craig accompanies sheriff's investigators at the crime scene on Kipling Drive.
Reward posters are posted throughout Augusta, on pizza boxes and numerous businesses. Posters are also seen along Interstate 20 west from Augusta to Atlanta, and are also distributed in Savannah and Athens.
Saturday, 5:15 p.m.: Mrs. Dunstan's family holds a press conference at her father-in-law's home on Walton Way. Pat Rice, an Augusta attorney, speaks for the first time as the family's spokesman, thanking the community for their support but asking the news media to ask him questions to take stress off of the family. Mr. Dunstan appeals directly to his wife's abductors.
Mr. Rice also announces that the family plans to appear Monday on NBC's The Today Show and ABC's Good Morning America.
Saturday, 9 p.m.: Hundreds gather at the Dunstan family church, St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church, at a vigil to pray for Mrs. Dunstan's safe return.
Saturday, after 9:30 p.m.: Richmond County sheriff's investigators release pictures of porcelain figurines and two Thomas Kinkade reprints to the media, items which officials say were taken during the burglary at Mrs. Cundey's residence.
