Missing Woman: Rachel Conger--TN--3/13/2008

[Kelly]

Project Jason Profile:





Missing Person: Rachel Conger
 
Date of Birth: 10/11/77
Missing Since: 03/13/08
Missing City: Paris
Missing State: TN
Age at time of disappearance: 30
Gender: Female
Race: Caucasian
Height: 5 ft 2 in
Weight: 128 lbs
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Green

Characteristics: Tongue and nose piercing, several tattoos

Clothing: Burgandy tanktop with pink lettering and black sweatpants.

Circumstances: Last seen 03/13/08 in a gray Ford F-150 with her estranged husband. Surveillance video has the truck passing by at 8:07am, and the cell phone tower has a recorded call coming in to Rachel's phone at 9:30 with the husband answering the call. The husband was seen at his home twenty miles from the location where the call was received at 10:15 am. Rachel's husband was found deceased on 03/16/08 as a result of a self inflicted gunshot wound.  No one has seen or heard from Rachel.

Agency Name: Henry County Sheriff's Department
Agency Phone: 731-642-1672

Family Website: http://bringrachelhome.blogspot.com/

Print a Poster: http://www.projectjason.org/aan/AAN_RachelConger.pdf

[Denise]

http://www.texasequusearch.org/

Rachel Conger, age 30, of Paris, Tennessee, disappeared on Thursday, March 13, 2008 and has not been seen or heard from since. Rachel was last seen wearing a burgundy colored tank top with pink letters and black sweat pants.

[Denise]

From Bring Rachel Home

Rachel Conger is a thirty year old mother who went missing from her home in Como, TN on March 13th, 2008. Her estranged husband was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 16th, 2008. The Henry County Sheriff's Department in Paris, TN has not yet been able to determine where Rachel is, and we are praying for Rachel to be found as soon as possible.

http://bringrachelhome.blogspot.com/

[Denise]

Older, initial articles:

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/s...&nav=menu374_1

18 March 08

Tuesday morning, police said they are looking for a missing woman.

Investigators in Henry County said Rachel Conger hasn't been seen since Thursday. She was last seen with her husband Paul.

The couple was having relationship problems, but was trying to make up.

Sunday police found Paul's body in a wooded area. He had apparently shot himself.

Henry County investigators are asking if anyone has any idea where Rachel may be to please call police.


http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8030382

17 March 08

A Henry County man is dead, the apparent victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The body of Paul Conger, age unknown, was found Sunday morning in some woods.

His wife, Rachel, 30, has been missing since last Thursday when she was seen with her husband in his truck.

According to a Henry County Sheriff's Department news release, the couple spent Wednesday night together with their daughter.

The couple apparently had been having marital problems and were attempting to reconcile.

http://www.wsmv.com/news/15618216/detail.html

18 March 08

The Henry County Sheriff's department said they, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Henry County Rescue Squad and Callaway County, Ky., officials are focusing their search for a missing woman in the Land Between the Lakes.

Police called Rachel Conger's cell phone, which her husband answered Thursday morning, and the signal bounced off a cell phone tower near that area.

Officials said they believe 30-year-old Rachel Conger is the victim of a murder-suicide at the hands of her husband, Paul Conger.

Paul was found dead on Sunday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound about 500 yards down the street from his home in a wooded area.

Authorities were using ATVs, helicopters and horses in the search for Rachel.

The couple disappeared on March 13.

Channel 4 talked to Rachel's parents, and they said the couple had domestic problems during their 10-year marriage. Rachel moved out of the couple's house about two months ago. The missing woman has a 13-year-old daughter.

Those who have information on this case are encouraged to call the Henry County Tennessee Sheriff's Department at 731-642-1672.

[Denise]

http://www.henrycountian.com/news.php?viewStory=1835

Conger Family Thanks Well-Wishers At Vigil

By Shannon McFarlin
smcfarlin@henrycountian.com
Updated: Monday, April 14, 2008

Paris, Tenn. -- Despite the chill in the air, some 65 people gathered on the steps of the Henry County Courthouse for a vigil Sunday night to honor Rachel Conger on one month anniversary of the date she went missing.

Conger, 30, Briarpatch Lake Rd., Paris, was last seen March 13 in the company of her husband, Paul Conger. Her husband's body was found a couple days later, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Investigators believe that Mrs. Conger is the victim of a murder-suicide. Extensive searches have been conducted for Mrs. Conger by the sheriff's department, Henry County Rescue Squad, the county's equine rescue team, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the community.

Family members, including Mrs. Conger's daughter, Amber Simmons, and her mother, Louise Younger, spoke at the vigil, as did Sheriff Monte Belew.

Also in attendance at the vigil were Vice Mayor Sam Tharpe, Chief Deputy Randy Gean and his wife, Rita, and dozens of friends and community members.

"It means a whole lot to me that you're all here," Simmons said. She said she wanted people to know that her mother "isn't just a person in the news; she was a great person."

Younger told the crowd that "the Lord is carrying us through this" and that she appreciated "everything everybody has done."

Sheriff Belew said it was frustrating meeting "dead-end after dead-end" in the search for Mrs. Conger. "But I promise you to continue to use every tool at our disposal to bring her home."

He said the thoughts and prayers of the sheriff's department go out to the family.

Whitney Buckelew, a family relative, spoke of the shock of having something like this happen in our community. "You think something like this doesn't happen, but it does."

Buckelew praised the efforts of the sheriff's department. "They have gone above and beyond in their search for Rachel," she said.

Other speakers included William Ellis, who read scriptures and led the group in prayers, and Maggie Johansen, family friend. Jeremy Buckelew sang and played a couple of songs on guitar.
 

[Denise]

A search is underway for a missing Tennessee woman and investigators say she may be in serious danger.

The Henry County Sheriff's Department is investigating the disappearance of Rachel Conger.

She and her husband Paul disappeared on March 13th.

Family and friends became concerned and contacted the authorities.

Sunday morning Sheriff's Deputies found Paul Conger's body in a wooded area off Briar Patch Lake Road near the car he and his wife drove.

Investigators say he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but the focus continues to be on search efforts to located Paul's wife Rachel.

The search effort is being made by foot, on horseback, on ATVs and in the air by helicopter.

Police tape still surrounds the couple's rural Henry County home.

Only about 500 yards from the house is where Sheriff's Deputies discovered Paul's body near his car.

"He was deceased from a self inflicted gun shot wound" says Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew.

He went on to say, "We do believe Rachel is in extreme danger or possibly fatally injured from wounds she's received. We are all kind of coming in together, pulling our man power resources in an attempt to find her."

If you have any information that can help the Henry County Tennessee Sheriff's Department with the search call 731-642-1672.

http://www.wpsdtv.com/news/local/sto...8-3f8f3d2608fe

[Denise]

Search For Missing Woman Resumes  

An extensive search continues today for Rachel Conger, pictured on a recent driver's license photo.
PARIS, Tenn. — An extensive search resumed this morning for Rachel Conger, 30, 2020 Briarpatch Lake Road, who had been missing with her husband since Thursday.

Her husband, Paul, 50, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound around 10 a.m. Sunday morning in woods near the couple's home.

Sheriff Monte Belew said Sunday evening that law enforcement officials fear that Mrs. Conger may be in extreme danger or fatally wounded. "We're afraid this may be a murder-suicide," Belew said.

The search today continues in the Swan Bay area and into Stewart County, while an equestrian unit continues looking near the couple's home.

Belew said the sheriff's department started working the missing persons case Thursday.

The sheriff this morning provided a timeline on the case. He said Rachel, Paul and their daughter spent the night together on Wednesday. When their daughter woke up, her parents were gone and Rachel Conger has not been seen since.

Rachel was last seen Thursday, driving away in a gray 2000 Ford truck with her husband. They were in the Como area, he said.

The investigation into the case has determined that the Congers were having problems, but were in the process of trying to reconcile. "Paul and Rachel did leave the Como area Thursday morning around 7:45 a.m.," Belew said. "The last phone conversation on Rachel's phone was Thursday morning around 9:30 a.m. and Paul was who answered the phone. The caller did not speak with Rachel."

The same day, around noon, "Paul was seen at their home on Briarpatch Lake Road by himself. He was there only for a brief time," Belew said.

On Saturday, the vehicle that both were last seen in was located in a wooded area off of Briarpatch Lake Road. A search of the vehicle found her wallet, ID, cell phone and personal medication. "No one was around the vehicle and the search continued into the night," he said.

When the search resumed Sunday, Paul Conger's body was found.

Investigators from the sheriff's department, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and Paris-Henry County Rescue Squad, searched all day yesterday by a variety of means, using K-9s, ATVs, horses and the 24th Judicial Task Force helicopter. A cadaver dog from the highway patrol office in Nashville also was used, but with no success.

Belew said all leads will be followed and if anyone has any information, they are asked to call 731-642-1672.

http://www.henrycountian.com/2008/ne...sing_woman.htm

[Denise]

Search on for wife after husband found dead A Henry County

A man is dead and an extensive search is on for his wife today, the fourth day she has been missing.

The body of Paul Conger, age unknown, was found Sunday morning, the apparent victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

His wife, Rachel, 30, of Briarpatch Lake Road near Como, still has not been found. She was last seen with her husband on Thursday in a Ford truck near the Como area.

A missing person search began on Thursday after a friend of Rachel’s who had lent her a car became worried because she hadn’t heard from her.

According to a Henry County Sheriff’s Department press release, Paul and Rachel Conger spent Wednesday night together with their daughter, and the couple, who apparently had been having marital problems, were attempting to reconcile.

When their daughter awoke the next morning, nobody was home and Rachel has not been seen since.

The same Ford truck the couple had been seen in on Thursday was found on Saturday in a wooded area off of Briarpatch Lake Road, and a search of it found Rachel’s wallet, identification, cell phone and personal medication.

The last phone call on Rachel Conger’s phone was Thursday around 9:30 a.m., but the caller spoke with Paul and not Rachel.

Paul Conger was seen at his Briarpatch Lake Road home, alone, around noon the same day. According to the release, he was there for a brief period and was not heard from again.

His body was found Sunday in the same area as the abandoned truck.

The Sheriff’s Department is conducting an extensive search for Rachel Conger, using the combined forces of the Paris-Henry County Rescue Squad, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Henry County Sheriff’s Department Reserve Unit and the 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force with the use of their helicopter.

“We have covered a large area in the Briarpatch Lake Road area and have extended our search to the lake area and into the Stewart County region,” Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew said.

If anyone has seen or heard from Rachel Conger, they are encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Department at 642-1672 with any information.
Belew said all leads will be followed, and if anybody knows anything to please call.

http://www.parispi.net/news.php?viewStory=17520

[Denise]

Search moves to lake area
 By GLENN TANNER, P-I Staff Writer 

Searchers for a woman missing since last week shifted their focus to the Land Between the Lakes area Tuesday.

Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew said the search for Rachel Conger, 30, of Briarpatch Lake Road near Como was being suspended in the Como area because the ground had been covered by several agencies.

Rachel Conger has been missing since Thursday when she was seen with her husband, Paul Conger, 50.

Paul Conger’s body was found Sunday morning with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound in a wooded area off Briarpatch Lake Road.

His abandoned truck contained Rachel Conger’s cell phone, wallet and medication.

Belew said the Briarpatch Lake Road area had been combed by the Sheriff’s Department, including its Horse Search and Rescue Unit, as well as Highway Patrol officers and the Paris-Henry County Rescue Squad.

Belew said Tuesday’s search was being conducted by members of the department and its search and rescue team in what he called areas 15 and 16 of the Land Between the Lakes area.

“We are searching with the Highway Patrol, Calloway County Sheriff’s Office and the Paris-Henry County Rescue Squad,” Belew said. About 30 people were involved in the hunt for the missing woman.

“We did have two helicopters coming from the Highway Patrol and the (24th Judicial District) Drug Task Force, but they had to be suspended because of weather,” Belew said.

Anyone with any information about the missing woman is asked to call the department at 642-1672.

http://www.parispi.net/news.php?viewStory=17607

[Denise]

"Tremendous" Turnout, But No Leads

PARIS, Tenn. — Some 300 people from all over west Tennessee came together Saturday to help in the search for Rachel Conger, combing the fields along Briarpatch Lake Road by foot and on horseback. Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew praised the "tremendous turnout," but said this morning the search turned up no new leads to Rachel Conger's disappearance.

The missing woman disappeared Thursday, March 13, with her husband, Paul, in Conger's gray 200 Ford truck. Paul Conger was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the woods near the couple's Briarpatch Lake Road home.

Belew had issued a call to the public to help in the community-wide search for Mrs. Conger. Hundreds heeded the call, gathering around noon at the Yoder Brothers Meat Processing Company on Briarpatch Lake Road.

Most of the people who showed up did not know the Conger family, but said they felt compelled to aid in the search for Mrs. Conger.

Jeff Andres of Henry came with his son, Daniel. "I didn't even know her, but we just wanted to help," he said.

Ivan Folsom, Jr. of Camden, came with his horse, "Lady". "I think it's great that so many people showed up," he said. "The more the merrier."

June Taylor and Shawnee Hill said they didn't know Mrs. Conger, but wanted to donate their time to the effort. "I didn't know her, but we're from Paris and as far as I'm concerned, we're all neighbors."

Kay Whitby of Paris said she and her family just returned from a spring break vacation. "We didn't even know about it until yesterday and once I heard what was going on, I decided I wanted to help."

Search and rescue teams and law enforcement personnel came from all over the area, including Shelby, Obion, Benton, Decatur and Carroll Counties. Belew said he didn't call them to come, "they just heard about it and volunteered on their own."

Along with the Henry County Sheriff's Department, the sheriff's reserves were there in force, along with the county's Equine Search and Rescue Group and the Henry County Search and Rescue Squad. Many also brought their K-9 units.

In his search instructions to the crowd, Belew also provided a detailed time-line on the Conger case. According to Belew, Rachel had been staying at a residence in Como and she left with her husband in the truck around 7:45 a.m. Thursday.

The couple drove into Paris and Paul placed a phone call at 8:03 a.m. from his cell phone, which was transmitted by a cell tower in Paris. In the call, he told his first cousin that he was going to Clarksville with Rachel.
A video surveillance camera at West Wood Wine and Liquor captured video of the Conger truck driving by at that time, Belew said.

At 9:33 a.m., the cousin called Rachel on her cell phone, but Paul answered the call "and he seemed upset." That phone call was transmitted by the cell tower at Swan Bay, Belew said.

At 10:20 a.m., a reliable witness saw Conger in the side yard of the couple's home. At 11:45 a.m., the gray Ford truck was back on Briarpatch Lake Rd. "and Paul Conger pulled into the house and stayed briefly, maybe 5-10 minutes, and got back into the truck". At that point, Conger drove to Hwy. 140 along a dirt road where he ditched his vehicle. ''

Paul Conger was then found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Sunday morning about 500 feet from his vehicle in the woods, Belew said.

Using law enforcement personnel, as with the help of two helicopters and a cadaver dog, searches for Rachel already had been performed near the couple's home, at Swan Bay, in Benton County, at Paris Landing, Gray's Landing, and in the Land Between The Lakes areas 15, 16, and the Standing Rock area, Belew said.

"If she is deceased, and we believe she is," Belew said, "she probably received her wounds between 9:30-11:30 a.m. on Thursday morning."

With nothing new uncovered during Saturday's search, Belew said a decision will be made on how to proceed. "We're going to sit down today and re-interview witnesses and look at evidence again. We'll be getting DNA evidence back soon, too. We may have another search next weekend. But in the meantime, we just want the public to know how much we appreciate how helpful they were in trying to find Rachel."

http://www.henrycountian.com/2008/ne...r24_search.htm

[Denise]

[Denise]

Rachel's MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/helpfindrachelconger

[Denise]

Bring Rachel Home t-shirts available for purchase: http://www.zazzle.com/rachel7_bring_rachel_home_missin_customized_shirt-235151336089641839

[Kelly]

New Photos:

[Kelly]

Rachel Conger and Mac and Lynn Strelioff are Project Jason's featured missing persons for July 2008. The image you see below, with links to their news and information threads, is on the main page of the Project Jason website. This is one means of awareness for their cases, and with an average of 700-1500 hits to the site daily, we'll reach many with their stories.

If your missing loved one is not registered with us for services, please click here: http://www.projectjason.org/report.html