GUILTY VT - Melissa Jenkins, 33, St Johnsbury, 25 March 2012

State police said they would provide an update in the case at 6:30 p.m. today.

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A friend reported Jenkins missing at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday, saying she had not heard from her in about three hours, Vermont State Police said.

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Jenkins has been a science teacher at St. Johnsbury Academy since 2004, said headmaster Tom Lovett. She had coached freshmen girls basketball, but stopped when her son was born to spend more time with him. Lovett said Jenkins, a single parent, was working toward her masters in education.

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Jenkins also works four days a week at The Creamery Restaurant in Danville. Restaurant owner Marion Cairns said Jenkins was well-known around town, and when she wasn’t working she was spending time with her son, T*. She said she didn’t know of any reason why she would be missing.

“She’d cut her arms off before she’d let anything happen to that little boy of hers,” Cairns said.

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A candlelight vigil is planned for 7 p.m. tonight at the restaurant.

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nursebeeme said:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/...-johnsbury?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

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swanniee11 said:

I have not come across anything on this but Does anyone know if she lives alone?

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A relatives spoke candidly about Jenkins Monday following her mysterious disappearance.

Eric Berry, the husband of Jenkins' first cousin, said that Jenkins' entire extended family has been saddened by the news.

“Everyone loved her,” Berry said. “She would make the whole room light up.”

Ledo said that Jenkins does not a have a history of disappearance. Ledo added that there is no reason to believe that Jenkins is not alive.

“She is very well known within this community,” said Ledo. “We are pulling out every resource that we can in order to find her and bring her back safely.”

Berry said he believes Jenkins left her house on Sunday night with the idea that she would try to help somebody.

“She was doing really well in life,” said Berry, who added a plea to anyone who may have captured Jenkins, asking them to return her to the St. Johnsbury police barracks unharmed.

“I hope that these people who took her will see the light and let her come home,” said Berry.

Ledo said that Jenkins is a single parent and her son was interviewed by State Police regarding the incident. Ledo would not reveal what, if anything, the boy said during the interview.

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"She's got a real gift with students who either haven't liked science before or learning science doesn't come easy to them," Lovett said. "She's got a real gift with them."

She is also a waitress at night at The Creamery Restaurant in Danville, where co-workers, friends and the father of Jenkins' son gathered Monday afternoon while the restaurant was closed.

"We all know her. It's a tough thing right now," said Marion Cairns, the owner, who described Jenkins as bright, pretty, a good mother and fun to be around. "She'd cut her arms off before she'd let anybody touch that boy. I mean, that boy meant everything to her."

A family friend is caring for the boy. His father, B.J. Robertson, would not comment on Jenkins' disappearance.

Eric Berry, 44, of Lyndonville, a cousin by marriage whose daughter is Jenkins' goddaughter, described her as a beautiful, kind person whom he believes was coming to someone's aid when she disappeared.

"She left her house with the idea, I think, to try to help somebody, and that's as far as I'm going to go with that, because I don't want to damage any investigation," he said. "Again, she was someone that was always trying to help somebody in the world, and I think that's what happened."

He told students of her disappearance in an assembly in the chapel Monday morning. Some, especially the dozen seniors she met with each morning as their adviser, were "very emotional," he said.

He said he told the students, "The best we can do for each other and Miss Jenkins is to be hopeful."

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Vermont State Police said this evening that a body of a woman found in Barnet is believed to be missing St. Johnsbury teacher Melissa Jenkins.

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ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. -
New developments in the case of a missing St. Johnsbury woman, 33-year old Melissa Jenkins.

Vermont State Police announced at 6:30 p.m. that a body has been found near Comerford Dam Road in Barnet. Authorities say it appears likely that it is Melissa Jenkins, but will wait for an autopsy on Monday to confirm that. They say the body was found in a disturbed area.

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State Police Maj. Ed Ledo said Monday evening that authorities found a woman's body in a nearby town.

He says that authorities are searching for a suspect and that the public should be vigilant.

Police did not give details on the condition of the body or how they believe the woman died. An autopsy is planned for Tuesday.

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cluciano63 said:

It sounds like her family believe she was called out to help someone, maybe? The way it was worded in one of the articles above...I hope so, as at least there would be phone records...

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Truthful Lies said:

Whoa!

Police think they've found her body. Wow. How sad.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/...suspect-body-found-missing-St-Johnsbury-woman

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