Search Planned for Kellisue Ackernecht

May 19, 2009

With the 8 month anniversary of 35-year-old Kellisue Ackernecht's disappearance approaching, her family and friends are organizing a community search to look for the missing mom.

Kellisue's family was hoping that a nationally known search and recovery group would help them find her; however those plans recently fell through. Her family has since contacted Indiana based 3 View Search Services and asked for their help. While the group has not made an official commitment to the case, they are looking into it.

"We have spoken with law enforcement and we are now in the preliminary stages of our investigation into the case," Mandy Albritton, a spokesperson for 3 View Search Services, told Investigation Discovery. "We should have more information later this week."

Regardless of who heads up the search for Kellisue Ackernecht, her family remains committed to the effort and they have set a June 28 search date.

According to Kalley Lee, a volunteer who is helping organize the search, the command post location will be announced in the near future. Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to sign up online or via email.

Kellisue Ackernecht went missing on the night of Sept. 30, 2008, after she left her job at the Rite Aid pharmacy in Amsterdam, N.Y. Investigators later found Kellisue's 1998 Saturn sedan engulfed in flames at West Montgomery and Chestnut Streets, an area that local residents refer to as "Frog Hollow"-and only a few blocks away from the home Kellisue shared with her husband, Jayson Ackernecht (see photo below), 35, and her 10-year-old daughter. No human remains were found either inside the vehicle or in the immediate area.

At about 2:30 a.m. the next day, police awakened Jayson to inform him of the fire. When questioned, he alleged that he had not seen his wife since she had left for work the previous day.

In an effort to locate Kellisue, Johnstown police conducted a foot search of the Frog Hollow area, while a state police helicopter scanned the ground from above. The St. Johnsville Dive Team was also brought in to assist, and the group spent several hours searching the banks of Cayadutta Creek. Despite the massive amount of manpower put into the initial search, police found nothing of interest.

Police say they have no suspects in the case and no information to support the idea that Kellisue was the victim of a crime. The relationship between Kellisue and her husband, a salesman for Wilde Fire Equipment Co. in Mayfield, was reportedly strained; however, officials say he is not considered a person of interest in the case.

Meanwhile, Kellisue's family and friends have organized searches, benefits and put together candlelight vigils – the most recent of which was held this past weekend.

"Where are you Kellisue? There are so many people that are missing you and looking for you," Kalley wrote in a blog post about the vigil, adding, "You have not been forgotten."

Kellisue M. Ackernecht is 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. She has brown eyes and short, curly brown hair with red highlights. She was last seen wearing tan slacks, a black shirt, new white sneakers, tan stockings, and brown glasses. According to her husband, she was supposed to take medication for depression, but she had stopped taking it for some weeks before her disappearance.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Johnstown police at 518-736-4021.

For more information, please visit: Findkellisue.wordpress.com.

Related Links:
What Happened to Kellisue Ackernecht?

Photo Credits: Kalley Lee

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Comments

[helenhudson]

Thanks for the update.

Godspeed searchers.