Texas EquuSearch
Texas EquuSearch (TES) is a search and rescue organization dedicated to searching for missing persons.[1] It has increasingly become involved in high-profile abduction cases, including that of Natalee Holloway, working through local law enforcement agencies.[2] TES is headquartered in Dickinson, Texas, a suburb of Houston.
History
Originally named Texas EquuSearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team, TES was founded in August, 2000 by Director Tim Miller after the abduction and murder of his daughter, Laura. It is a 501(c)(3) non profit, all-volunteer organization originally conceived as a volunteer mounted search and rescue group to assist local law enforcement personnel in searching the vast areas outside the city of Houston for missing individuals. Although TES has relatively few permanent members, many thousands of volunteers have since assisted in searches throughout the United States and in other countries.[3]
Volunteers are typically trained on the spot when a search is necessary. The expectation is that volunteers know how to use the equipment they bring with them, whether that is a horse, a FLIR equipped helicopter, or something in between. TES has gained a reputation as a well-equipped organization which can deploy on short notice resources such as radar, sonar, scuba diving or SAR dog teams, and vehicles ranging from all-terrain vehicles to boats to aircraft to remotely operated vehicles.
TES role in notable searches
- Natalee Holloway on initial search,[4][5] with a follow up after Joran van der Sloot's arrest in the murder of Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez.[6]
- Disappearance and murder of Jessie Davis: TES organized a large search involving many regional SAR teams and spontaneous volunteers.[7]
- Acres Homes, Houston, Texas: TES searched for possible bodies in a wooded area that had been the scene of recent body dumping.[8][9]
- Randy and Denim Sylvester: TES organized a PR campaign.[10] The charred remains of the children were found in a suitcase and chest, located near a railroad track on Highway 3 in Houston, TX on June 21, 2008.[11]
- Caylee Anthony, who was later found dead. Tim Miller wants Equusearch to be reimbursed for costs related to the search (over $110.000 for two-day search), since, according to Casey Anthony's trial testimony, the child was never missing.[12]
References
- ↑ Bonisteel, Sara (2007-06-21). "Texas EquuSearch in the Business of Hunting for Missing Persons". FOX News. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
- ↑ Texasequusearch.com
- ↑ crimelibrary.com
- ↑ Texas Equusearch Dispels Media Reports Concerning Natalee Holloway Case Posted on 28. Mar, 2009 by Admin, TES in Featured Articles, Press Releases, TES News
- ↑ Texas team to aid Aruba search CNN Tuesday, June 21, 2005
- ↑ Texas Equusearch heads to Aruba for Holloway case KTRK.com Friday, June 11, 2010
- ↑ KTRK.com article
- ↑ Police, Volunteers Search Acres Homes
- ↑ Acres Homes search to focus on dumped bodies cases
- ↑ Texas EquuSearch Flyer
- ↑ KHOU.com
- ↑ "Local search group considers suing Casey Anthony". KTRK-TV. 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-07-10.