FBI Joins Search Party for Missing Barista

Day seven, and family and friends still search for answers

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By KTVA CBS 11 News
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Story Created: Feb 8, 2012 at 8:12 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Feb 9, 2012 at 12:49 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - One week after 18-year-old Samantha Koenig was kidnapped from a Midtown coffee stand, her family still waits for answers.

Family and friends are camped out in a motorhome in the Alaska Club parking lot. Friends said they're still optimistic Koenig will be found.

Officers said they've taken a lot of calls in the past week, even from psychics claiming to have answers.

“We can't accept stuff that comes from psychics,” said Anchorage Police Department Spokesman Lt. Dave Parker. “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.”

Officers said detectives are looking at every credible lead hoping one will bring Koenig 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. 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,” said Parker.

Police said it's okay for people to pass out flyers and organize search parties, like Monday's ground search, but they said it's best to leave the detective work to the professionals.

 

 
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