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Police Ask Locals Not to Interfere in Search for BaristaAPD says civilians could endanger official searchRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - One week into the search for Samantha Koenig, the FBI has joined the investigation. The 18-year-old barista disappeared from a Midtown coffee shop last week. Anchorage police say surveillance footage shows Koenig was kidnapped. Police say with a $41,000 reward on the table, they’ve received a lot of calls from people who claim to have information about Koenig’s kidnapping. Some are credible, others, not so much. On week after Koenig was kidnapped from Common Grounds Espresso in Midtown, her family still waits for answers. Family and friends are camped out in a motorhome in the Alaska Club parking lot, and while no one wanted to go on camera, friends say they’re still optimistic Samantha will be found. Officers say they’ve taken a lot of calls in the past week, even from psychics claiming to have information. “We can't accept stuff that comes from psychics,” said Lieutenant Dave Parker of APD. “We've never had a psychic lead in the history of the Anchorage Police Department that turned out to be a lead, a true lead that assisted us in solving a case.” John Bacon, a man who helped search for Koenig on Monday and said he was a private investigator and bounty hunter, now says he’s off the case. After researching his past, KTVA has learned Bacon is a two-time convicted sex offender and was once publicly outed by a Florida television station for impersonating a psychologist. Bacon told KTVA Wednesday he is heading to Virginia, and has passed off the case to another PI, but KTVA was unable to confirm that information, or for whom in Alaska Bacon was supposed to be working. Officers say detectives are looking at every credible lead, hoping one will bring Samantha home. Police called in the FBI to help with the investigation as well. “They assist with specialized equipment and training, also they have a lot of experience dealing with kidnapping,” Lieutenant Parker said. “We have a lot of local knowledge and you put those two together and our investigators are quite good at what they do as well, so my money is on the cops.” Police say it’s okay for people to pass out flyers and organize search parties, like Monday’s ground search, but they say it’s best to leave the detective work to the professionals. There will be a candlelight vigil for Samantha Koenig at Town Square downtown Saturday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mayor Dan Sullivan also issued a statement today sending his thoughts and prayers to the family, and says all the resources available to the city are being used in this ongoing investigation. Again, if you have any information about Koenig’s disappearance, call Anchorage Police at 786-8900.
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mikey372002 said on Thursday, Feb 9 at 1:12 PM
Hmmm, makes you wonder what this looser bacon guy was doing there to offer help, maybe the police need to take a very close look at this kind of looser. just like a piro going back to the fire they started. Might be a good lead to look at.
81128207me_in_ak said on Thursday, Feb 9 at 2:09 PM
No, more likely an ambulance chaser.
81131272mediablitz said on Thursday, Feb 9 at 3:05 PM
Why not post a recent photo of this poor girl in/on every news story that in anywy regards her, or the situation? That would only help people to notice her if they see her. This would seem to increase to value of leads given to law enforcement, right?
81134308jackie said on Thursday, Feb 9 at 3:13 PM
Just to correct, the candlelight vigil is in Town Square Saturday night from 6:30-8 not on the parkstrip
81134808Anonymous said on Thursday, Feb 9 at 3:57 PM
crime scenes go from the outside, circular until you get to the center...apply this to the area that she was abducted from...walk around...take a pic...send to APD...I would start at a 5 mile radius and down until you get to the cafe...
81137112john Q public said on Thursday, Feb 9 at 4:48 PM
Sounds like an inside job. Just sayin
81139708ak_hermit said on Friday, Feb 10 at 2:13 PM
Please let law enforcement handle the investigation. Pretend private investigators/bounty hunters are just looking for money/publicity. The psychos are probably looking for the same. Hand out flyers, tell people about it, search areas, and hope for the best.
81193811Castogere said on Friday, Feb 10 at 6:34 PM
Funny funny shat, let the circus begin......everyone wants 15 minutes at the expense of a missing person....ha ha ha. Sad part is, this isn't funny. It's going to take leg work and luck. The police will find her alright.....ten bucks they'll find her a year from now. What about all of the other missing persons around anchorage? I don't see any vigils for them. Makes you wonder.....this unfortunately is quite laughable the way its being handled. And does nothing to find her.
81203417Mike J. said on Friday, Feb 10 at 10:39 PM
Good chance APD is checking out Mr Bacon. Police don't always tell all, and often what they don't say that helps with the investigation. Interesting all the people that think the Police owe them some type of nighly debrief, or else saw something on CSI so why isn't APD doing it...
81209659Anonymous said on Saturday, Feb 11 at 8:06 AM
Why offer a 41,000 dollar reward if you do not expect people to try and earn it???? Unless of course you are all rich and I am the only one thinking that is a sizeable chunk of 'change?'
81220951Ron Stevenson said on Saturday, Feb 11 at 11:33 AM
..“We can't accept stuff that comes from psychics,” said Lieutenant Dave Parker of APD. “We've never had a psychic lead in the history of the Anchorage Police Department that turned out to be a lead, a true lead that assisted us in solving a case.” What about the psychic who tipped police off in 2007 that Rollins was raping women while on duty? what about the 2009 tip from a psychic that said APD was harboring an illegial alien?
81229188Ron Stevenson said on Saturday, Feb 11 at 12:54 PM
“We can't accept stuff that comes from psychics,” said Lieutenant Dave Parker of APD. “We've never had a psychic lead in the history of the Anchorage Police Department that turned out to be a lead, a true lead that assisted us in solving a case.” Wow APD can't accept tips from psychics but they can employ rapists cops (Anthony Rollins) and illegal aliens (Rafael Espinoza). Go figure....
81231807I agree said on Sunday, Feb 12 at 12:56 AM
the people wandering around "posing" as concerned friends/family are on the verge of trespassing and breaking and entering private property. What type of media nightmare will this turn into if someone is defending themselves in their own home when the vigilantes show up? I am also wondering (like Castogere) why this much attention isn't given to other people who are missing?
81251849Anonymous said on Sunday, Feb 12 at 11:01 AM
first the police wants the public to help.ok. now they don't want our help. which one is it?
81270219Ron Stevenson said on Tuesday, Feb 14 at 4:57 AM
APD doesn't want the communities help for the simple reason that the public is justifiably critical of their inept investigative skills. Go to ratemycop dot com and see what is posted about APD officers.
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