Family plans vigil for missing woman. Kellisue M. Ackernecht.

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JOHNSTOWN – Family and friends Kellisue M. Ackernecht plan to conduct a second “birthday vigil” for her Dec. 16, the date of her 38th birthday.

Ackernecht, of 330 W. Main St., was 36 years old when she was last seen leaving her job as a night shift manager at the Rite Aid in Amsterdam on Sept. 30, 2008. The car she was driving home – a 1998 Saturn sedan – was found on fire early the next morning a few blocks from the family’s home.

Thomas Kilcullen of Canajoharie, one of Ackernecht’s brothers, said the missing woman’s family and friends plan on having another vigil in honor of her birthday on Dec. 16 in the Frog Hollow area, where the car was found, near the Rail Trail.

“I would like to do something,” Kilcullen said. “Yes, we’re going to have cupcakes and candles. We’re hoping for a decent turnout.”

Kellisue Ackernecht, her husband, Jayson, and their daughter lived together in their West Main Street home the night she was last seen.

Since then, the Johnstown Police Department, with help from other agencies, has conducted searches and followed leads, but there has been no sign of Kellisue.

“Nothing,” Police Chief Gregory Horning said today. “Leads are slow coming. There have been a few of them. They’re not coming in like they used to.”

The chief said his agency isn’t particularly devoting any less time on the case after more than a year, but leads are dictating how active the search is. The case has never been labeled a criminal case because police say there has been no evidence of a crime.

“We’re not ruling anything out,” Horning said. He said the conventional wisdom would be to point to foul play after so long, but police have seen no proof that any harm has come to the woman.

Kilcullen said he has been dealing with Johnstown Detective Dave Gilbo on the case, and it has been “pretty quiet.”

“There’s a couple people of interest outside the Johnstown area,” Kilcullen said.

He said he appreciates area media keeping his sister’s disappearance in the news.

“I would think if we keep it out there, sooner or later something’s gotta happen,” Kilcullen said.

Police have conducted searches, including one with the assistance of a state police helicopter, over the wooded area near the Ackernecht home, but they found nothing tied to this case.

City police and forest rangers did several foot searches with cadaver dogs. Johnstown police and the St. Johnsville Dive Team also have combed the banks of the Cayadutta Creek leading to Sammonsville. The missing woman’s family has conducted its own searches as well.

Kellisue M. Ackernecht is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. Her family says she has “short brown, naturally curly hair.”

People with information on the case may call Johnstown police at 736-4021 or the Fulton County Crime Tips Hotline at 736-5561.

Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.