Paige Birgfeld 34yr Colorado missing since 6/28/07(Remains Found)

[MuffyBee]

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/father-struggles-to-cope-after-remains-of-daughter/
Father struggles to cope after remains of Paige Birgfeld found
By Paul Shockley
March 9, 2012

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The Mesa County Coroner’s Office on Thursday took custody of Paige Birgfeld’s remains, while an examination toward determining how Birgfeld died was expected to be completed over the coming days, coroner’s investigator Kim Hollingshead said. Toward that end, the bones may be sent to a forensic anthropologist, he said.

Hollingshead held out the possibility they may return to the excavation site to search for more of Birgfeld’s remains.

Authorities haven’t specified which skeletal parts were recovered at the location just north of Wells Gulch Road, roughly a mile east of U.S. Highway 50.
Birgfeld, 34, a mother of three children missing since June 28, 2007, was tentatively identified Wednesday using dental records, although a DNA comparison is expected to be completed. Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey said Birgfeld’s remains appeared partially covered by dirt, most likely exposed by water or other natural causes after originally being buried there. The gulch is flushed seasonally by runoff from Grand Mesa.

“Personal items,” among them some of Birgfeld’s clothing, were also found at the scene, officials have said.
Frank Birgfeld said a Grand Junction memorial service will be organized for his daughter, happening sometime after the first week of April, when he and his wife, Suzanne, have tentative plans to take Paige Birgfeld’s children, including a 13-year-old daughter and two boys, 11 and 8, to Florida. The children are with Birgfeld’s second husband, Rob Dixon, in Pennsylvania.
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[MuffyBee]

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/dad-is-blunt-about-1377631.html
Dad is blunt about missing daughter's double life
By Dan Elliot
March 8, 2012

[Sister]

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/dad-is-blunt-about-1377631.html
Dad is blunt about missing daughter's double life
By Dan Elliot
March 8, 2012

An added hurt for this family.  We never, never know what is on someone else's plate and as her father said, if she walked in the door, "I would hug her."  What an enormous amount of pain.
 

[Bearlyhere]

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/dad-is-blunt-about-1377631.html
Dad is blunt about missing daughter's double life
By Dan Elliot
March 8, 2012

An added hurt for this family.  We never, never know what is on someone else's plate and as her father said, if she walked in the door, "I would hug her."  What an enormous amount of pain.
 

This is so very sad.  One, for a woman who was so desperate for _____ (I don't know what, could be money, could be excitement if she was bipolar, could be she feared she could not support her children otherwise, could be anything), she took a dangerous path.  Two, for her children, who will never get over her loss, who will have their mother's double life hang over their heads, and so very many other reasons, my heart breaks for them.  Three, for her Dad, who clearly loved his daughter and would receive her back with love, if she could somehow walk through the door tomorrow.  Four, for her friends, family, and all who loved her for their great loss.  Five, etc. for those who have worked with her case or followed her case and were working, hoping and praying for another outcome, or who knew the outcome in their hearts.

RIP, Paige.  Prayers for her, her family, and friends, and all who loved her.

 

[Sister]

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/dad-is-blunt-about-1377631.html
Dad is blunt about missing daughter's double life
By Dan Elliot
March 8, 2012

An added hurt for this family.  We never, never know what is on someone else's plate and as her father said, if she walked in the door, "I would hug her."  What an enormous amount of pain.
 

This is so very sad.  One, for a woman who was so desperate for _____ (I don't know what, could be money, could be excitement if she was bipolar, could be she feared she could not support her children otherwise, could be anything), she took a dangerous path.  Two, for her children, who will never get over her loss, who will have their mother's double life hang over their heads, and so very many other reasons, my heart breaks for them.  Three, for her Dad, who clearly loved his daughter and would receive her back with love, if she could somehow walk through the door tomorrow.  Four, for her friends, family, and all who loved her for their great loss.  Five, etc. for those who have worked with her case or followed her case and were working, hoping and praying for another outcome, or who knew the outcome in their hearts.

RIP, Paige.  Prayers for her, her family, and friends, and all who loved her.

 

Well said Bearly.

[Bearlyhere]

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/dad-is-blunt-about-1377631.html
Dad is blunt about missing daughter's double life
By Dan Elliot
March 8, 2012

An added hurt for this family.  We never, never know what is on someone else's plate and as her father said, if she walked in the door, "I would hug her."  What an enormous amount of pain.
 

This is so very sad.  One, for a woman who was so desperate for _____ (I don't know what, could be money, could be excitement if she was bipolar, could be she feared she could not support her children otherwise, could be anything), she took a dangerous path.  Two, for her children, who will never get over her loss, who will have their mother's double life hang over their heads, and so very many other reasons, my heart breaks for them.  Three, for her Dad, who clearly loved his daughter and would receive her back with love, if she could somehow walk through the door tomorrow.  Four, for her friends, family, and all who loved her for their great loss.  Five, etc. for those who have worked with her case or followed her case and were working, hoping and praying for another outcome, or who knew the outcome in their hearts.

RIP, Paige.  Prayers for her, her family, and friends, and all who loved her.

 

Well said Bearly.

 

[MuffyBee]

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/03/11/back-in-denver-birgfelds-father-looks-ahead/
Back In Denver, Birgfeld’s Father Looks Ahead
March 11, 2012

Video at Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/birgfelds-bones-to-be-examined-by-specialist/
Birgfeld’s bones to be examined by specialist
By Paul Shockley
March 13, 2012

Authorities were tight-lipped about an examination Friday at Community Hospital involving the skeletal remains of Paige Birgfeld, which are expected to be sent to a Front Range specialist for more analysis.

Mesa County Chief Deputy Coroner Kim Hollingshead declined comment on observations and conclusions from Friday on a host of issues, such as a possible cause of death. Hollingshead, Coroner Dean Havlik and a representative of the Mesa County Sheriff’s Department were involved in Friday’s examination.

The roughly 20 boxes or packages of varying sizes holding Birgfeld’s bones, under lock and key at the coroner’s office, will be transported to a forensic anthropologist sometime over the next few weeks, Hollingshead said. Hollingshead refused to identify the specialist.

“If you don’t have the expertise, you reach out for it,” he said. “This person’s training may spot things we might overlook.”

The remains apparently won’t stray too far from Mesa County custody. Hollingshead said he will drive them across Colorado to their destination, stay with them through the upcoming examination and bring them back to Mesa County.
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[MuffyBee]

http://www.9news.com/news/article/259544/222/DNA-confirms-remains-are-that-of-missing-Colo-mom-
DNA confirms remains are that of missing Colo. mom
March 28, 2012

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Dental records had allowed investigators to tentatively identify the remains as those of Birgfeld.

Mesa County sheriff's Sgt. Matt Lewis tells The Daily Sentinel that investigators learned last week that a lone tooth matched a DNA profile for her. The cause of death remains undetermined.
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[MuffyBee]

http://www.kjct8.com/news/30789189/detail.html
DNA Confirmation Of Birgfeld's Remains
The Colorado Bureau Of Investigation Says After Testing The Remains To Birgfeld's Parents And Toothbrush They Have A Match
March 28, 2012

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"As in any case, especially a homicide case which this is classed as, we try to be very meticulous and thorough and so we felt it was right to go back and do a DNA comparison just to be absolutely certain and have two means of comparison is better than one," he said.

The sheriff's office says the remains are with a forensic anthropologist. They will do an examination to assist the coroner's office in determining a cause of death.

At this point in the investigation the sheriff's office is waiting for those tests to help them move forward with the case.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.gjsentinel.com/breaking/articles/bones-yield-no-cause-of-death-in-birgfeld-probe/
Bones yield no cause of death in Birgfeld probe
By Paul Shockley
April 2, 2012

A Front Range specialist’s examination of Paige Birgfeld’s skeletal remains yielded no conclusions about how she died, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Department said Monday.

“There is no readily identifiable cause of death in the investigation,” Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Matt Lewis said.
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[MuffyBee]

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30824802/detail.html
No Cause Of Death For Paige Birgfeld
Grand Junction Mom Disappeared In 2007; Body Found In Early March
Posted By Alan Gathright
April 3, 2012

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DNA test results have confirmed that the remains found in western Colorado in early March are that of Grand Junction resident Paige Birgfeld, who disappeared in 2007. However, a forensic anthropologist told investigators that no cause of death could be determined.
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“There is no readily identifiable cause of death in the investigation,” Mesa County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Matt Lewis told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

The findings were in a report done by Colorado State University forensic anthropologist Dr. Diane France, the newspaper reported. France examined the bones on March 22 in Fort Collins. She is the director of CSU’s laboratory for human identification.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.kjct8.com/news/30857612/detail.html
New Evidence Gathered in Birgfeld Case
April 8, 2012

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Weeks after receiving confirmation that bones found in Delta County are those of Birgfeld, investigators now say they are receiving test results for the items found nearby.
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The latest evidence returned to deputies was being tested by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Officials won't say whether the suspect's DNA was found or not, but they do tell KJCT News 8 that no new suspects have been identified and no one has been ruled out.

Lester Ralph Jones is the only suspect ever labeled in this case. Deputies do not expect to make an arrest any time soon.

A cause and manner of death has not been uncovered.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.nbc11news.com/localnews/headlines/Community_invited_to_Paige_Birgfeld_memorial_service_147536905.html
Community invited to Paige Birgfeld memorial service
April 15, 2012

Paige Birgfeld's family is inviting the community to celebrate her life. A memorial service has been set for the end of the month here in Grand Junction.

Paige Birgfeld's family is inviting the community to celebrate her life. A memorial service has been set for the end of the month here in Grand Junction.

The service will be held on Saturday, April 28th in the Grand Junction High School auditorium. The service is open to the public and all are invited to attend.

Paige's family asks that those looking to give a memorial gift consider the Abbey and Jennifer Search Foundation or the Latimer House, two organizations in Grand Junction that helped Paige.

"To have all of these people, few of whom knew Paige, none of whom who knew her family generally, turn out and support us like they did. We're very humbled to them and certainly that will be a far better way for people to honor Paige," father Frank Birgfeld said.
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Video at Link

[MuffyBee]

This article shows the importance of researching before donating or becoming involved with some organizations.  Their hearts may be in the right place, but when money and other donations are involved, there needs to be record keeping and of course, compliance with filing the necessary papers for tax-status and etc.  I hope Abby & Jennifer Recovery Foundation are able to get the problems resolved soon.  The group helped with searches in the Paige Birgfeld case and others.  The article has a lot of information.  I've posted just a bit of the article. 


http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/abby--jennifer-recovery-foundation-for-years-has-b/
Abby & Jennifer Recovery Foundation for years has been out of compliance
By Mike Wiggins
April 27, 2012


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Without any forms on file with the IRS, it’s impossible for donors or anyone else in the public to know how much money the foundation has collected or spent, or how money has been spent over the years.

Flukey estimated the foundation raised roughly $8,000 in its 10 years while she and her husband have spent more than $20,000 out of their own pockets supporting the foundation. She said most of the money raised and spent relates to the 2007 search for Grand Junction mother Paige Birgfeld, whose remains were found last month.

 

SUPPORT, CONCERN

FOR THE FOUNDATION

Birgfeld’s father, Frank, said the problems plaguing the foundation strike him “more as omission rather than commission,” and he’s not concerned. He said the group was founded for good reasons and is an underappreciated asset in the community.

“Certainly without question our family is hugely indebted to them for what they did on behalf of Paige,” he said. “Few of the people knew Paige, and none of them knew me.”

Birgfeld, who guessed he’s donated hundreds of dollars to the foundation, said he saw the Flukeys routinely dip into their own pockets to cover the costs of the search for his daughter.

“I’m not surprised that somebody didn’t know to file, but I don’t see anything to suggest dishonesty,” he said. “I will continue to support them.”

Bob Wolcutt, executive director of the Laura Recovery Center, was in Grand Junction at the beginning of the Blagg search and thought Flukey performed good work and has her heart in the right place. He said it’s not unusual for organizations similar to the Laura Recovery Center to form in communities to help search for missing people, and that initially there’s a lot of emotion and enthusiasm that serve to invigorate the group.

“But the reality is, over the long haul, the organizations do fail because they haven’t really figured out there generally isn’t a whole lot of money,” Wolcutt said. “Once the initial crisis is over, they have to figure out how to raise the money and all the paperwork involved (with) state and federal requirements.”

Wolcutt said there is a lot of work involved in running as a nonprofit an organization that searches for missing persons.

“It doesn’t run on its own. You have to be as actively involved as you can to make sure everything gets done,” he said.

He said he’s glad to see Flukey is trying to keep the foundation running and believes it can do a lot of good “if they have the right people involved.”

Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey said the foundation’s struggles could harm not just it, but law enforcement and other agencies involved in missing-persons searches.

“From the standpoint of when this organization was helping law enforcement, I think the public often believes they’re part of the law-enforcement agency,” he said. “This stands to hurt everyone’s credibility in those kinds of operations. I hope they can get this issue resolved quickly.”

 THE FUTURE

Flukey says the foundation is taking steps to recover and reorganize.

She said her family hosted a yard sale to raise money to re-register the organization with the Secretary of State’s Office. Records show that happened Wednesday, with the foundation now registered under the Flukeys’ home address. Reinstating its tax-exempt status also is on the to-do list, she said.

Volunteers next month will begin calling the 2,000 or so people listed in the foundation’s database to enlist their help. She said she started putting together marketing packets and will seek financial backing from corporate sponsors. Someone agreed to donate a fifth-wheel trailer in which searchers can travel and sleep, saving on lodging costs, she said.

Flukey said she intends to enlist the help of attorneys to ensure everything is being done legally and convene a new board whose members will stay committed to the cause.

“I will be aware of every single thing with every single board member,” she said. “It shouldn’t have to be that way. But I guess it has to be that way. I have way too much trust that this is other people’s passion.”
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[MuffyBee]

http://www.krextv.com/news/around-the-region/Frank-Birgfeld-Wants-Daughters-Remains-158976545.html
Birgfeld Cries Foul, Demands Daughter's Remains
June 13, 2012

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- The person or persons behind the death of Paige Birgfeld remains a mystery.

Frank Birgfeld, Paige's father, wants to obtain her remains so he can put an end to the 5-year tribulation, but he says he's being met with resistance from the Mesa County District Attorney's Office.

Since Paige Birgfeld's body was found in early March, Frank has wanted to put her remains to rest and put an end to this tragic story. However, he has been unable to do so because he cannot receive his daughter's remains from the coroner's office.

Frank claims due to some previous complications he's had with the Mesa County District Attorney's Office and Mesa County Sheriff's Office, he believes, "They're jacking around with my family."
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District Attorney Pete Hautzinger says Paige Birgfeld's remains must stay as evidence until the case is closed. He sent NewsChannel5 an email that he sent to Frank Birgfeld, explaining, "As long as there is the potential for a criminal prosecution of the person or persons deemed responsible for Paige Birgfeld's death, it is absolutely impossible for the remains to be released. An individual charged with criminal offense has an absolute right to review, inspect and confront the evidence against him or her. Any evidence which is potentially exculpatory and which has been released, lost or destroyed by the government will be fatal to the success of a criminal prosecution."
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Authorities say this is a special case. Those with the coroner's office say they were instructed by Hautzinger to keep the remains until no criminal prosecution is conceivable.

[melisb]

Is that normal to keep remains until they find whom to prosecute or that there will be no one to prosecute?  I don't remember that ever happening before?!

[Sister]

Is that normal to keep remains until they find whom to prosecute or that there will be no one to prosecute?  I don't remember that ever happening before?!

melisb, I don't recall this either.  How horrible for the father and daughters and family and friends.  Good gravy, she could be exhumed if necessary.  I know they don't like to do that, but still.

[KittyMom]

Is that normal to keep remains until they find whom to prosecute or that there will be no one to prosecute?  I don't remember that ever happening before?!

melisb, I don't recall this either.  How horrible for the father and daughters and family and friends.  Good gravy, she could be exhumed if necessary.  I know they don't like to do that, but still.

Unless there is a plan to cremate the remains.  It may be that the state wants to ensure that there is something to test should the defense push to run their own tests.  It might be a huge problem if the defense wins motions concerning not having access to potential evidence.  Just speculating here.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.gjsentinel.com/breaking/articles/birgfeld-family-wants-her-remains-back/
Birgfeld family wants her remains back
August 30, 2012

The family of a Colorado mom found dead in Delta County wants her remains back.

According to the Denver Post, Mesa County authorities say they have not released the body because they have been unable to determine the cause of death since her remains were found last March.
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