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Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Tonight there are concerns for the safety and wellbeing of American, Sherris Stringham - who is a resident of Hopkins Village.

The 67-year-old - who is originally from the US state of Missouri, was last seen on Saturday, and was reported missing yesterday. Her vehicle, a green Nissan Xterra is also missing. The X-Terra has Stann Creek license plates, C - 14628.

We understand that police presently have the identity of a male person of interest who they believe may know her whereabouts. He is also nowhere to be found in the village - and, tonight, Police believe he may be in the Belmopan area.

Stringham has been living in Belize as a retiree for over a year, according to reports. She is reportedly building a home in the village.

Channel 7


US NATIONAL MISSING

Family and friends of a 67-year-old woman from Missouri, USA are concerned for her safety. Sherris Stringham has been reported missing in southern Belize. Correspondent Harry Arzu spoke with the officer commanding Dangriga about the missing woman.

Harry Arzu: Police here in the South have organized an intensive hunt for 67 year old American national Sherris Stringham who reportedly went missing since Saturday of last week and has not been seen or heard from since. Stringham, a retiree resides in Hopkins Village here in the Stann Creek District where she is constructing a house. Police here are asking the public for their assistance in locating the American woman. Officer in charge of the Dangriga Formation Superintendent Leslie Wade tells us more.

Officer in charge of the Dangriga formation Superintendent Leslie Wade: "The person that is presently doing the construction on her residence had called for her but she did not answer her phone. Police visited her residence with the assistance of the Justice of the Peace.They had made checks in the residence at the house where it was observed to be ransacked. There was a wallet that was apparently searched by someone and that was left inside the house also. We recovered her passport and the Belizean drivers license. At present because of the circumstances Police is suspecting foul play. We have a extensive search with Police officers and even with concerned residents of Hopkins in trying to locate Ms. Stringham. Up to present moment last night and up to present moment we are still out there searching the different off roads and different locations. We are following all leads to try and see how best we can recover Ms. Stringham. We also have sent all formation messages as to her green Nissan Xterra was also missing. We have a person at this time of concern, I think who could assist us with our ongoing investigation. That person is being sought for at this time so as soon as we can find that person we believe we will be able to get some assistance as it relates to information in the ongoing investigation. "

LOVEFM


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There is confirmation this afternoon that the green Nissan Xterra belonging to Sherris Stringham, the American national missing since Saturday, was found abandoned near the Orange Walk bypass, license plates allegedly taken off. A Police source tells us that there was nothing inside the vehicle to assist them in locating Stringham. Stringham was last seen at her home in Hopkins Saturday, and Police have stated that they suspect foul play. One person has been detained for questioning.

Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Concerns Mount For Missing American After Vehicle Found

There are still no clues about the whereabouts of US retiree and Hopkins resident Sherris Stringham. But police found her green NISSAN Xterra last night on a feeder road off the bypass in Orange Walk - a long way from Hopkins. Police did not address this matter on camera today at the bi-weekly press briefing just said they will continue to investigate and hopefully Stringham's vehicle can lead them a step closer to finding her. Also our information is that police have a male person of interest from Silk Grass who has been detained. Stringham had only been living in Belize for a little over a year.

Channel 7


Sherris Stringham is Still Missing; Her Vehicle is Found in Orange Walk

Sixty-seven-year-old Sherris Stringham is still missing. It has been five days since the American woman has last been seen. And tonight concerns for her whereabouts are growing after police found her missing vehicle. The Exterra SUV was found abandoned near the bypass in Orange Walk. Now, that is a long way from Hopkins village and her friends say they are worried. They say she has U.S. and Belize cell phones, but the service for the local cell has been off since they last heard from her on Saturday. �According to her close friend, Laurene Holcomb, Stringham has been living in Hopkins for about two years and is building a home on the south end of the village. She says that Stringham was planning to go to Missouri, U.S.A. to pack a container to ship to Belize with her personal belongings. Today, when we spoke with Holcomb she told us that the last time she personally heard from Stringham was Friday morning when a group of ladies in the village met to play their usual game of cards. �Stringham then left for home, but she later made a stop at a friend's house to deliver some shirts. Others have reported that they made contact with her on Saturday when she sent a text promising to meet up for their routine get-together. Here's what Holcomb told us via phone today about Stringham's disappearance and what they are doing to try to locate her.

On the Phone: Laurene Holcomb, Friend of Missing Woman

"Her plans were to go out with the ladies the next day. They were having a day out and her plan was to join them and when the ladies went to get her, the other ladies who play cards - we are all friends here, a big group of women -, she wasn't there. And that is when one of the women, Karina went to the police. They got a text on Saturday confirming that she will be hanging with them on Sunday."

Andrea Polanco

"Now, Laurene, I'd imagine as her friends, you guys are growing more and more concerned since there is no news on her whereabouts?"

On the Phone: Laurene Holcomb

"Yes. Very concerned. Heart-broken."

Andrea Polanco

"Do you guys fear that something bad may have happened to her?"

On the Phone: Laurene Holcomb

"Definitely, there is no doubt. Karina, who is part of our friends' group, went into the house with the police. Sherris is renting a house on the north end. She is building a house on the south end. I do her building blueprints with her. I was helping her with that for her house. So, Karina went into the house with the police. The purse was a little in disarray. It was dumped out and the passport was there on the counter and her wallet was open on the counter and there was no money in it. And Sherris carries cash for services - she uses cash most of the time and there would have been cash in there in her wallet and there was no cash."

Andrea Polanco

"The police indicated to us that they've found Sherris' vehicle in Orange Walk - how is this new settling with you guys?"

On the Phone: Laurene Holcomb

"Not well - that they found her car and not her - not well. We are very, very fearful for our friend."

Once again, that number to call with information to locate Sherris Stringham is 635-0393. The family has also set up a Go Fund Me page to raise ten thousand U.S. dollars to help with investigation into the matter.

Channel 5


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Marty Offline OP
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Family says Blue Springs native missing in Belize found dead

A Blue Springs native who was missing for close to a week in Hopkins, Belize has been found dead according to her family.

FOX4's Zac Summers spoke with 67-year-old Sherris Stringham's son, who said Stringham was found dead under a bridge overnight Saturday. Police told family that four teenagers were trying to break down a gate outside of her home and she caught them, but she was struck on the head and knocked out.

Police say the teens ransacked her home, dumped her body and took her SUV for a joyride before trying to set it on fire. The SUV was found abandoned along a dirt road on Thursday.

Police have arrested four teens, but no one has been charged yet.

FOX4 reported earlier this week that Stringham was enjoying retirement after decades of working as a school bus driver and cashier at a grocery store. Son Matthew Hall said she wanted to retire somewhere tropical, and chose Belize after researching and visiting the country.

KCTV NEWS 5 reported "Her family says after decades of driving a school bus and checking groceries at Hy-Vee, she (Sherris Stringham) scraped together all she had and retired to Hopkins, a village in Belize".

"She was very happy over there, sending me pictures every day of her hiking the waterfalls and enjoying the village," Hall told FOX4.

Last Sunday, when Stringham failed to show up to a softball game, her friends went to her rental to check on her and noticed something wasn't right.

"They found the house ransacked, a wine glass half-full with her lipstick on and what appeared to be a white substance and her car was missing," Hall said.

Family is flying down to Belize this week to bring Stringham's body back to the U.S.

FOX Kansas City


Joined: May 2000
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Such a tragic, horrific ending to a story that should have been about a wonderful retirement. My heart goes out to the family. I am beyond words to say what and how I feel about the children who have perpetrated this terrible crime. When people feel that they can take whatever they want and have no regard for life they are truly lost and, in my opinion, they should not be enjoying freedom. Similar stories are playing out in Belize on a daily basis and it is unacceptable. The moral compass and social fabric of family, respect and decency is broken. May Ms Stringham rest in peace and may justice be served swiftly.

Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Three persons arrested for the murder of Stringham

Three persons from Hopkins Village, including a minor, have been charged for the murder of US national, 68-year-old Sherris Ann Stringham. Harry Arzu has the story.

Harry Arzu: "Three persons from Hopkins Village were arraigned today in the Dangriga Magistrate court for the Murder of 68 year old American National Sherris Stringham whose body was found last week Friday night after 11 o'clock decomposed under a bridge in Stedfast community in the Stann Creek district. The three persons charged for her murder are 18 year old Wilhelm Clayton Nunez, 18 year old Anthony Nunez and a minor. Due to the nature of the case no plea was taken and as a result they were remanded to the Belize Central Prison until their next court date. Love News spoke with one of the deceased's friends."

Friend: "An emotional siege because this lady she interacted with my children and she read books to my children so for me personally it is a very emotional time and I am very very sorry.

Harry Arzu:" The people of Hopkins Village are shocked and disturbed by the senseless killing and are disappointed in the behavior of some of the people in the area and their parents. Love News also spoke with the Chairman Ted Mckoy.

Chairman Ted Mckoy: " That crime is to be condemned in every way you can think about the word condemned. It is not acceptable; the community has many feelings now towards that crime and we as a community will not allow the criminals to take over our community and it is wrong in every way. We condemn it and as the Chairman of the community I condemn this crime completely and anybody that is involved in this crime needs to be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. This lady had her family, she was a great person, she tried as much as possible to work with the community. You wouldn’t imagine that something like this would happen to people like that.

Villagers are planning a vigil for later this week.

LOVEFM


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Marty Offline OP
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Police: Sherris Stringham Was Killed By Teenaged Burglars

Hopkins residents are still trying to come to terms with Sherris Stringham's ruthless murder. Stringham's body was found on Friday night under a bridge at mile 17 and a half on the Stann Creek Valley Road. It looks to investigators like a case of a home invasion turned murder. But Police have made major headway, they have reportedly gotten confession statements and charged two men and a 16 year old minor. The two men are related: they are 18 year old Anthony Nunez and 18 year old Wilhlelm Nunez. Courtney Weatherburne has the full story from the time Stringham went missing to this morning's arraignment at the Dangriga Magistrates court. Here's her report:

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
The joy and warmth that once filled Sherris Stringham's Hopkins home is gone.

Now there is only sorrow, this black bow and a makeshift message board that her friends pinned on the gate.

Sherris Stringham's decomposed body was found on Friday night around 11:30 under this bridge at mile 17 and a half on the Stan Creek Valley Road.

Now to backtrack, Stringham went missing on the previous Saturday. Her friends started to get worried when she didn't meet up with her friends on Sunday.

Will Sanders, Friend
"Sherris went missing as far as we can tell, between 7:00 and 9:30 on Saturday night and she was supposed to meet some other friends on Sunday but she did not show up and that is very much unlike Sherris, she does what she says she is gonna do, she is a very responsible individual, she speaks to her daughter like everyday religiously. So it was thought that maybe something came up on Sunday and she did something out of the norm but when she did not show up for yoga which she did on Monday people were extremely alarmed, people had not heard from her, her vehicle was missing and that is when the alarm bells went off."

That is when her friends made an official police report and formed a search party. But it didn't turn up anything.

The first big lead in Strinham's case was when police found her vehicle on Wednesday night in Orange Walk.

Our information is that 5 males, including 2 minors broke into her home on Saturday night, one of them strangled her while the others raided her house.

The men then took her in the vehicle, drove to this bridge and flung her body over. She fractured her ribs and chest bone on that massive fall. Police are unclear whether she died when she was strangled at her home, or when she was thrown over the bridge.

Today when we spoke to Stringham's neighbor he says he didn't suspect a thing that Saturday night.

Voice of: Albert Martinez, Neighbour
"I didn't hear anything unusual that is the thing because when they told me she was missing I didn't quite understand why she was missing."

Reporter
"We understand it was a home invasion, that a couple men broke into her house."

Voice of: Albert Martinez, Neighbor
"That is what the police said when they came."

Reporter
"But you didn't see or hear anything at all?"

Voice of: Albert Martinez, Neighbor
"No nothing, nothing unusual."

But police were still able to get useful information and crack the case. So far two men and a minor have been charged with murder and this morning they were arraigned at the Dangriga Magistrate court. Stringham's friends were all gathered at court looking on as the men accused of killing their beloved friend, were escorted to the police station. It was bitter sweet as they were relieved that justice was served but then the crushing reality hit that they would never see her again.

Leslie Sorrelo, Friend
"All of us are especially saddened about Sherris but also thinking so much of her family and friends all across this country and the United States."

Bob Miller, Friend
"This is very close to home, other people have lost their lives and been burglarized and beaten and various things but because I actually spoke to Sherris and knew her somewhat, that makes it close to home and that is why I say she was a sweet lady."

Reporter
"Finally for me how you all will remember Sherris."

Will Sanders, Friend
"As an enthusiastic bubbly personality that was happy to do anything for anybody."

There will be a vigil of remembrance for Stringham on Thursday evening at 5:00 in Hopkins at the Catholic Church grounds. Stringham had retired to Hopkins a year ago. The Kansas native's murder has been making headlines in the US. Was building a house on the south end of the village by the Marina. The construction workers said they have been working on the house for about 3 months.

Alleged Killers Menace Stringham's Friends In Court

And, in more bad news, one of Stringham's friends who was at court this morning says one of the accused men threatened to kill her. She told us more about it. She also discussed how the crime situation in Hopkins is affecting them as foreigners as well as Belizean born residents.

Leslie Sorrelo, Friend
"Two of the people charged with Sherris' murder I was taking notes because LOVEFM saw that and they threatened my life and said they will murder me too and the other one said yeah we will. So these are dangerous men and we hope for Sherris's sake justice is served with the appropriate action."

Reporter
"You are also going to make an official police report regarding this threat?"

Leslie Sorrelo, Friend
"Yes I will and witnesses have agreed to do that. We called Hopkins home and we called Belize home and we did that because we love this country. We love the people of this country and it's not just expats or tourists, it's the Belizeans too and we are worried about them. We are all in this together, because it's about the bad guys committing crimes and those of us that wants to live in a safe community."

Stringham was Sorrell's yoga classmate.

Police Discuss Stringham Investigation

Now, reports say police have gotten confession statements from at least one of the suspects - and that is how they found the body.

Today, the Head of National Crimes Investigation told us more:..

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, NCIB
"Around 11:45am, police visited an area between miles 18 and 19 on the Stann Creek Valley Road where they discovered the body of Miss Stringham in a state of decomposition. The body was removed from there where a post-mortem was conducted where she died from traumatic asphyxia. As a result, police have since arrested and charged eighteen-year-old Wilhem Nunez and eighteen-year-old Anthony Nunez and a sixteen year old minor for the crime of murder."

Reporter
"Are they related?"

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, NCIB
"Yes."

Reporter
"So these men are Hopkins villagers?"

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, NCIB
"Yes they are."

Reporter
"So she was missing for a week, maybe 8 days before her body was found. Is it the belief of the investigators, based on the condition of the body found, that she had been killed on the day of her disappearance?"

ACP Joseph Myvett
"Yes, we do believe that was the case based on the investigation."

Reporter
"Was she killed in a home investigation or aggravated burglary as it is called?"

ACP Joseph Myvett
"Yes, the house was indeed burglarized where she was taken from the home and then later on she was transported to where the body was found."

Reporter
"You all believe that she was taken from the home alive or that she was killed in the home and then?"

ACP Joseph Myvett
"We do not know that at this point in time. We are still currently investigating this matter."

We'll keep following the story to see if more charges are brought.

Channel 7



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