HI HI - Laura Vogel, 43, Maui, 21 Feb 2010

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http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20000547-504083.html

March 16, 2010 2:27 PM
Laura Vogel Missing: Cops Call Off Search While Family Fears "Foul Play"
Posted by Carlin DeGuerin Miller

MAUI, Hawaii (CBS) Laura Vogel, 43, has been missing for over three weeks after going on a solo camping trip in Maui, and her family is beginning to suspect foul play.

Friends reported Laura, a self-employed tutor, missing on Feb. 22 after she didn't show up for a tutoring session and they failed to reach her. Vogel told a friend she planned to camp alone Feb. 21 and sent a text message to a friend that night saying "I'm camped down the way from birthing pools and meeting all the locals."

That was the last anyone heard from her.
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Update from the Maui Police Department
Yesterday the Maui Police released some information regarding the investigation through Laura's brother: "The police have located the owner of the cell phone that was the last number dialed from Laura's phone the night of her disappearance, and this individual has been brought in for questioning. The investigation continues in search of definitive forensic evidence. In addition, the FBI has been and continues to be involved and is providing assistance to the Maui Police department as required.
 
From the Laura Vogel website

Texas Equusearch will be flying a professional to Maui from Texas this Friday, March 19, 2010. He will be bringing specialized surveillance technology to aid in the search. Family and friends are also organizing a large ground search of the area for Sunday to follow up on information gathered.
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http://findlauravogel.blogspot.com/
 
http://www.kitv.com/news/22894692/detail.html

Maui Police Interview Man Called on Laura Vogel's Cell Phone
Jill Kuramoto KITV 4 News Reporter
POSTED: 5:10 pm HST March 19, 2010
UPDATED: 7:46 pm HST March 19, 2010

HAIKU, Hawaii -- Maui police said they have questioned a person of interest in the case of Laura Vogel who disappeared while camping nearly a month ago.
Investigators questioned the man whose cell phone was the last number dialed from Laura Vogel's phone, information gathered from her phone records.

"Right now, he's denying knowledge of Laura Vogel or meeting her or having a conversation with her," said Maui police Lt. John Jakubczak. "He indicated his phone was recently stolen prior to Miss Vogel being reported missing. So we're still looking into that. We're trying to check out his story and we'll continue talking to him."
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http://www.kitv.com/news/22904636/detail.html

Laura Vogel's Family Hires Professional Search Company
Jodi Leong KITV4 News Reporter
POSTED: 4:34 pm HST March 21, 2010
UPDATED: 5:37 pm HST March 21, 2010

HONOLULU -- The family of a missing Maui woman has hired a Texas company to help in their search.

RP Search Services used a drone aircraft Saturday, to take high resolution photos of the areas where Laura Vogel was last seen. “We use these high resolution images to analyze targets on the ground. If we see anything of interest on the ground, we’ll send in individuals to go and clear that target and determine if it’s relevant or not,” said Gene Robinson, of RP Search Services.
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I live very close to this trail...did not hear about the hike at all...I guess it was just friends and family...
What a sad story...I hope the company they hired helps locate her.
 
http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20100502_Site_where_woman_vanished_has_tragic_past.html

By Rob Shikina
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, May 02, 2010

As the search goes on for Laura Vogel, a Maui woman who disappeared two months ago while camping at the Pauwela Lighthouse, new attention is being given to an earlier disappearance in the same area.
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Vogel's family hopes one day they can bring home their beloved 43-year-old daughter, a Maui tutor with a master's degree in wildlife biology. About 20 family friends will search again at 10 this morning.
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According to the Find Laura facebook group, a new flyer has been made for Laura. I pray this generates some new leads.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/photo.php?pid=4665980&id=327203795945

2mm5khx.jpg
 
JVM spent some time tonite on Laura's case

<snip>

Tonight, a family`s desperate search for their beloved sister, who went missing in Maui three months ago. For the Vogel family, the dreamy island paradise where 43-year-old Laura was living has turned into a hellish nightmare.

The last time anyone heard from Laura was when she texted a friend about where she was camping, saying she was, quote, "meeting all the locals". That was February 21st. Then nothing, nada, no communication at all.

Maui cops found Laura`s van near a homeless encampment. The keys were still in the ignition. Her cell phone was never found. However, part of a phone similar to hers was discovered nearby. Phone records show two - - count them -- two mysterious calls made from Laura`s cell phone the very night she disappeared.

Who made those calls? Ok. Who made those calls on her phone? That`s key.

Are cops in Hawaii doing everything they can or should to solve the tragic mystery of what happened to this innocent young woman? ISSUES reached out to police in Hawaii. We did not hear back before air time.

Mike Brooks and Brian Russell, back with me, and I am joined right now by Tim Vogel, Laura`s brother. Tim thank you for joining us. We can barely imagine your pain right now as you frantically search for your sister. You`ve devoted your life to this cause ever since she went missing three months ago. What are police telling you about this case? Do you feel they want to solve it?

TIM VOGEL, BROTHER OF MISSING WOMAN: Thank you so much for having me on.

You know, the answer to that question is we`re really frustrated right now. Despite repeated attempts to really get in touch with the police, we haven`t heard any communication with them in the last four weeks.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s pretty shocking. I mean, what, you call them, and they don`t return your calls? You get a voicemail, and they don`t return your calls?

VOGEL: Called, e-mailed tips, e-mailed them questions, everything, and we just have not had any communication with them.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. Mike Brooks, you`re the law enforcement analyst. That doesn`t sound good to me.

MIKE BROOKS, HLN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: No, I can`t make any excuses for the Maui Police Department. I mean, if they say there`s no lack -- there`s no issues of foul play, they think.

But you know, she just vanished, Jane, and these calls are a mystery to me. You know, where were these calls? You can always go back and try to find out where the cell phones were pinging to or from. You know, is there any record of that? I`m not hearing of any.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: How can they say it`s not suspicious when her keys were found in the ignition?

BROOKS: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: When`s the last time any of us just parked our car and left the keys in the ignition of our car as we waltzed away?

BROOKS: Exactly. And all her camping gear was there in the vehicle, but her keys -- I mean but her wallet and cell phone were not. And they found a back that was similar, but they can`t say for sure if it was hers or not.


VELEZ-MITCHELL: We actually got some new information on that that`s just in. Two key pieces of evidence: Laura`s wallet and her cell phone.

We just learned something new about her wallet. Initial reports were that cops did not find her wallet. But the family now says that, when cops released Laura`s van back to them, voila, there was the wallet.

I got to ask you this. Tim Vogel, how is it possible that cops can go through a car and not find a wallet in the car and then report it as there was no wallet when the wallet was right there in the car?

VOGEL: Yes. I mean, I don`t know how to answer that question. I know that the vehicle was said to be processed. Once it was processed, it was released to us. Once we got into that vehicle, we found the wallet immediately.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So what do you make of that? The cops didn`t look hard enough, under the seat for the wallet?

VOGEL: Yes, I don`t know how to answer that. I`m baffled by that.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Where did they find the wallet, Tim? Where did you find it?

VOGEL: The wallet was found in the middle console underneath a plastic piece.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow, wow, wow.

BROOKS: Were all the contents, Tim, still in the wallet? Were all her personal papers and credit cards and everything still in the wallet?

VOGEL: Everything. And that was a real point of frustration to us as a family. We did a lot of leg work finding out if there was any kind of financial transactions at her banks and credit cards and all that stuff to weeks later find the wallet there completely intact.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, what about this phone call, two calls made to a number that did not show up in her address book? The calls were placed actually to a prepaid phone card in the possession of some mystery individual. What do you know about that? Apparently, that mystery individual was tracked down and questioned.

VOGEL: That piece of evidence is significant, and one of the reasons we`re pushing so hard to get the FBI involved in this case, the last statement I gave on your last show was that the FBI is involved and continues to be involved. But since we`ve lost communication, we don`t know if the FBI involvement is being pursued or even happening. That`s really important piece for us.

BROOKS: Tim, I would suggest, if you call the FBI office, there`s always a duty agent on duty at the FBI office there in Honolulu. Call them and follow up with them. That would be my advice to you.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, let me ask you this question. Apparently, there were other missing persons in the area, and there was also a person of interest at one point. What can you tell us about that, Tim?

Well, I mean, because it`s an ongoing investigation, I can`t talk much about that person of interest, but we are pushing hard to have the FBI involved partially for that reason. There`s clearly a history of violence and missing people in that very specific area. And I can say that if Laura knew about the history of that area, she wouldn`t have been down there, and we wouldn`t have had this conversation.

In fact, someone went missing just a couple of miles down the road a month after Laura went missing.

BROOKS: Jane can I say something about that --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Does this have to do with the homeless encampment?

VOGEL: I don`t know. I mean I do know that that specific area is used for meth dealing, for drug dealing, for meth parties, and frequented by meth users. So it`s just a dangerous area, and there`s a history of violence there.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Brian Russell?

BRIAN RUSSELL, FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST AND ATTORNEY: You know what this reminds me of, Jane? It reminds me of when there are seedy areas near college campuses, and the cops sometimes don`t want to be as straightforward as they otherwise might be about the danger that`s there because they don`t want to scare parents and students and prospective parents and students, but that does not serve the public well.

If this is a seedy area that becomes dangerous at night; it sounds like there`s a lot of homeless, which correlates with drug traffic and also mental illness, unfortunately, then the public needs to know about that, and it needs to be cleaned up. In the meantime, people need to be made aware of the threat.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, let`s remember that this is a vacation resort.

BROOKS: Oh, yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And of course, just like Mexico, they have vacation resorts there, and people who live there want to make sure that the tourism industry doesn`t die.

After her daughter went missing, Laura`s mom spoke out about what cops were telling her. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOAN VOGEL, MISSING WOMAN`S MOTHER: I think they feel that she slipped and fell over the cliff, which is a 50 to 60-foot sheer rock cliff that goes right into the ocean.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Contrary to published reports, Laura, it turns out now, was not thought to be hiking. Laura`s family says she was in flip-flops hanging out. What can you tell us about that, Tim? Why were we told that, oh, she was hiking and the cops felt maybe she fell off a cliff? Now, she`s not even hiking?

VOGEL: No. She just wanted to be under the stars for a night. She had been to that area during the day, knew it was a beautiful area. She texted a friend saying down from the (INAUDIBLE) pools, giving a location, and meeting all the locals, meaning people down in that area.

And it`s highly suspicious that not one person in that entire area or anywhere that we can find says they even saw her that night. And the reality is people know. That`s one thing I`m desperate about is somebody knows something. We need people to come forward with information.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I know you can`t talk about a person of interest, but obviously there is a person of interest, and so, you know, the cops are the ones who declare that, a person of interest. They simply will not update you on the status of the investigation?

VOGEL: That`s what`s so frustrating is there`s some critical pieces to this investigation, and we just don`t know what`s happening with those critical pieces, if they`re being pursued at all.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, that`s crazy. You know, Maui cops, if you`re watching tonight, there is a desperate, frustrated brother who loves his sister very much, as well as a whole extended family who have not been able to sleep for three long months because their loved one went to Hawaii and was in Maui having a good time and disappeared. So give him a call, please.

Anything you want to add to that, Mike?

BROOKS: No. I think that`s great.

I mean, Tim, how long had she been there before all this happened?

VOGEL: Let me see. She`d been living on the islands in general for about a total of 9 years. She`d been on the big island in Oahu. But she`d lived in Maui specifically for only about six months.

BROOKS: What about some friends and associates? Had they been to that area with her before?

VOGEL: Yes. I mean, almost all of her friends said, if I`d have known she was going there, I would have told her not to go there.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

VOGEL: But she had been there during the day, and it`s just a gorgeous place.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tim, I`ve got to tell you, we`re going to stay on top of your case. We`re not going to let your sister`s case --

VOGEL: Thank you.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: -- become a cold case. Ok.

VOGEL: Thank you.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Come back and give us updates.

VOGEL: Absolutely.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1005/18/ijvm.01.html
 
http://www.mauiweekly.com/page/cont...earch-Continues-for-Missing-Woman.html?nav=13

Three months after Laura Vogel disappeared while camping alone on Maui’s North Shore, family members are still searching for clues. “We are not giving up.”

Sarah Ruppenthal
POSTED: May 27, 2010

“I love you, sis.” Those were the last words Tim Vogel said to his older sister, Laura, before she disappeared while camping alone near the Birthing Pools at Pauwela Point on Maui’s North Shore the weekend of Feb. 19, 2010. He said he will never forget that phone call.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J9TG4pRhtw

Laura's Mother speaks in this video NOTE: I believe this is a video from on or around 09 May 2010.

http://www.hawaiian-tv.com/video.php?do=viewcategory&categoryid=20

The above website has a lot of information about Laura's case.

There are also discussion forums much like this one for crimes commited in the state of Hawaii. I just stumbled upon it today. I will not link directly to the forum but I scanned it and they have named the POI(s) with first and last names on that forum.

Just a heads up for anyone that wants to favorite that site for future cases within HI.
 
bumping for Laura - it's been one year since she disappeared. :(
 
No Clues About Missing Woman

It's been a year since former New Mexico resident Laura Vogel vanished in Hawaii.

A "not ... real pleasant year" in which tips in the missing person case periodically arrive — though nothing solid has materialized — psychics have come out of the woodwork, and the police report no new developments.

"It's the one-year mark, and it's a reminder to us that she's gone and probably not going to come back," said Richard "Dick" Vogel, Laura's father. "So people are feeling that."
 
My prayers go out to the family. The fact that the police are not keeping the family abreast of updates is a point of frustration. To many things could have happened and none sound good but there still is a possibiltiy of hope
 
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