The trail has gone cold, the clues have
dried up and an 77-year-old woman and her 10-year-old grandson from
Deltona seem no closer to being found since they vanished more than
11 weeks ago.
The family of Lillian Martin, 77, and Joshua Bryant are captive
in an anguished limbo. They can't move forward until they hear some
news.
"I still need answers," a tearful Joanne Miller said, "I want people to know that this is
still going on in my life.
"People still say, 'You haven't heard anything? You haven't
found out anything?''' Miller continued, her voice cracking. "I
know as much as everyone else, and that's basically nothing."
Martin and Bryant were reported missing the morning of May 12 by
Miller. She told investigators the grandmother and boy were at home
about 7 a.m. when her husband left work and she went to a charity
event.
When Miller returned home around 11 a.m, she discovered her
grandmother and brother missing, but Martin's car still in the
driveway.
Since then, there has been few leads. That's despite thorough
media coverage, including a segment on "America's Most Wanted."
"Did 'America's Most Wanted' result in leads? No,'' stated
Cheney Mason, the family's attorney. "Not substantial, not
insubstantial, nothing.''
The lack of progress in the case also has authorities stumped.
"It's certainly puzzling to all of our investigators and very
frustrating that we haven't been able to unravel this mystery,''
said Gary Davidson, spokesman for the Volusia County Sheriff's
Office.
Davidson said that the investigation continues, but little progress
is being made.
"We still are following up on tips, leads and information. Some
of them have been suspected sightings but, of course, none of them
have panned out,'' Davidson said.
"I would not say that we're at a dead end, but at the same
time, I can't say we're any closer to finding Lillian and Joshua."
One of the worst parts of Miller's wait, Mason said, is hearing
news reports that a dead body has been found in central Florida.
Human remains were found Sunday on the shore of a lake near Oviedo,
about 15 miles south of Deltona.
"I watch all the news channels because I think you all are
going to find out before I am,'' Miller said at a press conference
Monday afternoon.
The family also announced that the reward fund has grown to
$10,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the search. In
the days following the vanishing, an agency behavioral scientist
began to look into whether Martin's and Bryant's disappearance was
the result of a planned crime.
FBI officials refused to comment Monday, referring all questions
to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.
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