The mission of the Missing You Foundation is simple. We vow to assist law enforcement agencies with funding and volunteers to search for and rescue missing persons. We vow to assist the families of the missing to get through the hardest time that life has presented to them. We vow to keep the media informed of relevant case information so as to promote regular and widespread coverage until our missing comes home.

We vow to keep the lines of communication open between law enforcement, families and media, because we believe that together, working as a team, it optimizes our chances of bringing home America ‘s missing.

Missing You Foundation is a Michigan based 501 (c) (3) Organization with offices in Michigan and various other states being added soon.

Founded in 2001, after the death of our Founder’s Mother in 1997, Missing You Foundation has worked several hundred cases.  We provide Search and Rescue resources, volunteers, Dog Handlers, equipment, administration, and act as a liaison between Law Enforcement and Media, Media and Families and if necessary, Law Enforcement and Media.

We serve the states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia.  We will be adding more states to the list soon!

This site serves as both a place to hang out with Staff and Volunteers and discuss cases, as well as a release of up to the minute coverage for the cases.  You will see both the Michigan Offices and the NC offices cases here, and we hope to keep you abreast of information as it comes in.  If you have comments or suggestions, please leave them on the site and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

The 28-year-old mother of two was last seen at her home on Sept. 3, 2008.

The following day, the house she shared with her family, including her husband, Scott Morris, caught fire, which officials ruled was arson. Hours afterward, authorities found Morris’ car about a mile from her home with her keys, purse and cell phone inside.

Since her disappearance, authorities and volunteers have searched numerous times to find her.

Investigators are awaiting confirmation of the official identity of the remains from the State Medical Examiner’s Office.

The sheriff would not say Tuesday what the charges against Scott Morris are, and officials would not allow WRAL News access to the arrest paperwork, which is a matter of public record.

Investigators have called Scott Morris a person of interest in her disappearance, and he has been a focus of investigators in multiple search warrants related to the case.

Family members and friends told authorities the couple was having marital problems and had talked about divorce, investigators’ affidavits say. They also indicate inconsistencies between Scott Morris’ account and those of others regarding his actions in the hours after he says he last saw his wife and the following day.

The Granville County Sheriff’s Office is planning a news conference Wednesday regarding the Morris case. Stay logged on to WRAL.com, and watch WRAL News for more on this developing story.

• Reporter: Beau Minnick
• Web Editor: Kathy Hanrahan

“It is still a cold case,” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton Tuesday, “but we still continue to get calls on it. The SBI (State Bureau of Investigations) continues to work with us in this case. Any leads that we get or any locations where he may have been sighted are always followed up on …”

Thornton said he feels that investigators are sure Tristen is not in Sampson County. “We don’t think he is anywhere around here,” he said. “He still may be in the state, but we don’t know. We are hoping that some day we will find him — we are not giving up hope.”

Investigators with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office are still looking for clues into the disappearance of Tristen “Buddy” Myers some nine years after the then 4-year-old reportedly wandered away from his Microwave Tower Road home.

“It is still a cold case,” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton Tuesday, “but we still continue to get calls on it. The SBI (State Bureau of Investigations) continues to work with us in this case. Any leads that we get or any locations where he may have been sighted are always followed up on …”

Thornton said he feels that investigators are sure Tristen is not in Sampson County. “We don’t think he is anywhere around here,” he said. “He still may be in the state, but we don’t know. We are hoping that some day we will find him — we are not giving up hope.”

On Oct. 5, 2000, the youngster vanished from the Roseboro home he shared with his great aunt and uncle, Donna and John Myers. There’s not been a trace of the child, who would now be 13 years old, since that fateful day.

According to reports, Tristen and Donna had just returned from running errands in town on that October day. Donna started the young boy’s favorite “Barney” video and he had settled down on the floor to waatch. Eventually he fell asleep. Mrs. Myers was on the couch and dozed off as well. Minutes later, a phone call woke her. While on the phone, Donna scanned the room only to find the youngster and their pet Chihuahua were no longer inside the house.

After searching on her own, Mrs. Myers called in law enforcent and a frantic search began. Despite thousands of volunteers and days of searching, the youngster was not found.

Five days after the disappearance, the puppy returned home without Tristen. More searching ensued but to no avail.

Years have passed with leads coming and going, all meeting without success.

Monday marked the ninth anniversary of the youngster’s disappearance and investigators are still holding out hope that one day they will find the young man safe and sound.

Family members and friends hold out that same hope.

Jackie Cox, southeast regional director for the Missing You Foundation and spokeswoman for the Myers family, said Sampson County citizens should rally to help find answers to his disappearance.“It has been nine long and extremely difficult years since Tristen was abducted from his family home on Microwave Tower Road in Roseboro,” Cox said. “It is a molecular impossibility for a person to vanish without a trace. Someone knows what has happened to Tristen and they need to come forward with the necessary information … We hope and pray whoever is responsible does not abduct another child. Tristen is the second 4-year-old male child abducted in Sampson County. Parents, please understand this could have been your child. Please help us help the Myers’ family find their little Buddy.”

And even after nine years, investigators are still working every lead.

“Until we find a body, the assumption is that he is alive, and that is what we are going on,” said Thornton. “We hope that someone will see his picture and help us bring him home. We encourage the public to get involved with it.”

Donna Myers agrees, “I’m so thankful Tristen has not been forgotten and there are people that really do care and are trying to help us bring him home,” she said in a prepared statement. “Every single day is just as hard as the day he was abducted.”

Mrs. Myers said that his anniversary was difficult.

“Monday was extremely difficult for us,” she said. “We miss him so much. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children stays in contact with us, as does the Sampson County Sheriff’s Department. We are grateful for the Missing You Foundation which continues to assist in our search efforts.

“Recently hearing that Jaycee Lee Dugard was found safe has renewed our faith that Tristen will also be found. We ask for continued prayers and want to thank any and all that have and are still searching for our Buddy. Please help us find and bring our little Buddy home where he belongs.”At age 4, Tristen was 4 feet tall and weighed 50 pounds. He has blond hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact the Sampson County Sheriff’s Department at 910-592-4141 or National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.

To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or send e-mail to sisports@myclintonnc.com