johnny
New Member
Tabitha has been missing for 11 months today!
TN TN - Tabitha Tuders, 13, Nashville, 29 Apr 2003
- Thread starter Doyle
- Start date
johnny
New Member
http://www.highlandrim.com/events.htm
They are now running Four Tabitha race cars and are planning a big event on April 24th. With hope the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation will be on hand as well!
************************************************************
Bring Home Tabitha
Racing is like one big family. I've always said that. At the Rim it is especially true. The Tuders family has been coming to the track for several years now. Their son drove a Rim Runner a couple of years ago. Their 13 year old daughter, Tabitha loved to come to the track with her parents to watch the races each week. Tabitha has been missing since April 29th. Her father woke her up to go to school and that was the last time he has seen her. A couple of people saw her on the way to her bus stop that day, but she never made it to the bus. There have been several searches done in and around the East Nashville Neighborhood where she lives - but still nothing has turned up. Her family and friend have worked tirelessly to keep her name in the news so that no one forgets and nothing is over looked - anything to bring their daughter home.
On Saturday September 6th, the latest in the attempts to keep Tabitha's name and picture on peoples minds was rolled out. Family and Friends of the Tuders built a Rim Runner Car. The car #29 has her picture emblazoned on the hood. And is lettered with phone numbers for anyone that has seen her or knows anything. The car will run each week for the rest of the season at the Rim. Each time that you see the #29 Tabitha car, say a little prayer that she will soon be back home with her family... And back at the track with her extended family at the Rim! If you or anyone you know has seen or knows anything about her disappearance, please contact the Metro Police at 615.862.5353. For more information about Tabitha and the case, log onto her website www.tabithatuders.com another family member has created an MSN Community for her check it out at http://groups.msn.com/TabithaTuders/
They are now running Four Tabitha race cars and are planning a big event on April 24th. With hope the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation will be on hand as well!
************************************************************
Bring Home Tabitha
Racing is like one big family. I've always said that. At the Rim it is especially true. The Tuders family has been coming to the track for several years now. Their son drove a Rim Runner a couple of years ago. Their 13 year old daughter, Tabitha loved to come to the track with her parents to watch the races each week. Tabitha has been missing since April 29th. Her father woke her up to go to school and that was the last time he has seen her. A couple of people saw her on the way to her bus stop that day, but she never made it to the bus. There have been several searches done in and around the East Nashville Neighborhood where she lives - but still nothing has turned up. Her family and friend have worked tirelessly to keep her name in the news so that no one forgets and nothing is over looked - anything to bring their daughter home.
On Saturday September 6th, the latest in the attempts to keep Tabitha's name and picture on peoples minds was rolled out. Family and Friends of the Tuders built a Rim Runner Car. The car #29 has her picture emblazoned on the hood. And is lettered with phone numbers for anyone that has seen her or knows anything. The car will run each week for the rest of the season at the Rim. Each time that you see the #29 Tabitha car, say a little prayer that she will soon be back home with her family... And back at the track with her extended family at the Rim! If you or anyone you know has seen or knows anything about her disappearance, please contact the Metro Police at 615.862.5353. For more information about Tabitha and the case, log onto her website www.tabithatuders.com another family member has created an MSN Community for her check it out at http://groups.msn.com/TabithaTuders/
dannyodie
New Member
like doyle said, it is really heartwarming that people care to help and wish to continue to help. thanks for the posting.
ziggy
Active Member
Thank you Johnny for keeping me informed. I live in Nashville but don't hear much anymore and don't get the Tennessean.
Anything else we can do? I passed out pictures a while back and attended a few of the events.
Most of the pics I got people to post are now gone.
It's very frustrating and unfortunately, I don't think we have the best and the brightest in law enforcement here. I hope I'm wrong... but Marcia Trimble, Janet Marsh...
I keep hoping we'll have positive news about Tabitha.
Anything else we can do? I passed out pictures a while back and attended a few of the events.
Most of the pics I got people to post are now gone.
It's very frustrating and unfortunately, I don't think we have the best and the brightest in law enforcement here. I hope I'm wrong... but Marcia Trimble, Janet Marsh...
I keep hoping we'll have positive news about Tabitha.
johnny
New Member
Thank you to the person who sent the letter to the Tuders we are following up on the information that you provided. Please, if you know any other details please don't hesitate to send an additional letter. Again thank you.
dannyodie
New Member
hey johnny, good to hear that at least there could still be people out there that wish to help. I was just reading an article which can be found under maura murry case, a nationally known physchic carla baron has given the family some info that could be accurate. I know that sylvia tried to help, I believe what she told the tuders awhile back is mostly hog wash. but I have watched on court tv channel 53 of some cases that carla helped with, wonder if she could give some insight on tabithas case? what do you think? thanks for the update.
johnny
New Member
Middle Tennessee briefs: 'Race for Tabitha' aids missing kids' families
http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/04/50190243.shtml?Element_ID=50190243
East Nashville teen Tabitha Tuders disappeared on her way to the bus stop April 29, 2003
The first ''Race for Tabitha'' at Highland Rim Speedway in Robertson County will raise money to benefit an organization that helps the families of missing children. The event is set for Saturday.
The event is named for missing east Nashville teen Tabitha Tuders, who disappeared on her way to the bus stop April 29, 2003.
Members of the Tuders family are big fans of the racetrack. This season, Tabitha's picture will be featured on four cars, up from two last year, including the car driven by her brother, Kevin, organizers said.
The raceway is in Ridgetop, Tenn., 20 minutes north of downtown off Interstate 65.
The grandstands will open at 3 p.m., and the first race is at 6 p.m.
Adult admission is $10; seniors, $8; kids 6-12, $3.
For more information, visit www.highlandrim.com.
http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/04/50190243.shtml?Element_ID=50190243
East Nashville teen Tabitha Tuders disappeared on her way to the bus stop April 29, 2003
The first ''Race for Tabitha'' at Highland Rim Speedway in Robertson County will raise money to benefit an organization that helps the families of missing children. The event is set for Saturday.
The event is named for missing east Nashville teen Tabitha Tuders, who disappeared on her way to the bus stop April 29, 2003.
Members of the Tuders family are big fans of the racetrack. This season, Tabitha's picture will be featured on four cars, up from two last year, including the car driven by her brother, Kevin, organizers said.
The raceway is in Ridgetop, Tenn., 20 minutes north of downtown off Interstate 65.
The grandstands will open at 3 p.m., and the first race is at 6 p.m.
Adult admission is $10; seniors, $8; kids 6-12, $3.
For more information, visit www.highlandrim.com.
johnny
New Member
Body found in trunk of car at Tommy's Wrecker Service. So far they have not released much information. In Nashville Tn. about 8 miles from where Tabitha came up missing.
The car has been at the wrecker company for close to a year and they have identified that the body is that of a woman. The car was a black cadillac and they belive the body was placed in the car at the wrecker company.
The car has been at the wrecker company for close to a year and they have identified that the body is that of a woman. The car was a black cadillac and they belive the body was placed in the car at the wrecker company.
close_enough
Inactive
http://www.newschannel5.com/content/news/4763.asp
here's some info on this....i had originally thought the wrecker service was on old lebanon DIRT rd, but i was mistaken....someone will finally have some closure regarding a missing loved one...
here's some info on this....i had originally thought the wrecker service was on old lebanon DIRT rd, but i was mistaken....someone will finally have some closure regarding a missing loved one...
johnny
New Member
Thanks for finding the post. The year date is coming up and we're looking into anything at all.
This woman has obviously been missing but it seems no one reported her missing.
The car has been at the wrecker company for a year and the body was placed in the trunk three weeks ago?
Also the car was a consensual tow.
This woman has obviously been missing but it seems no one reported her missing.
The car has been at the wrecker company for a year and the body was placed in the trunk three weeks ago?
Also the car was a consensual tow.
johnny
New Member
Body of strangled woman discovered in abandoned car
http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/04/50309836.shtml?Element_ID=50309836
Prayers to those who loved her.
http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/04/50309836.shtml?Element_ID=50309836
Prayers to those who loved her.
johnny
New Member
This was copied from the Tabitha Tuders Forum.
Topic
cjones1612
Starting Member
USA
18 Posts
Posted - 03/06/2004 : 6:47:06 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is for psychic feedback only. If you have a tip regarding this case please call Metro police at 862-8600 or if you want to leave an anonymous tip visit www.tabithatuders.com.
spiritofstlouis
Starting Member
1 Posts
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 10:10:23 AM
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First let me say I dont consider myself a psychic.Secondly I've kept these things to myself so as not to cause Tabitha's family any more stress and pain.In a case like this I 'd rather be wrong and crazy than right! But I've followed this case for a while (since it happened)and it rather bothers me the police cant find her as of this date 4/21/04.
I believe that I have made contact with the spirit of Tabitha these last couple of months.One day she describe an area to look in from a map.She said look for a parking lot next to water!
I dont live in Nashville did'nt grow up there and dont know the area she was pointing out/describing.But my curiousity got the best of me and so I drove to Nashville, picked the wrong day to go though.I'm driving down the road that she pointed to on the map I can see the end of the road dead ending ahead of me (I'm thinking I should have stayed at home in bed-I was just recovering from a really bad cold.This was a waste of time and gas!)that's when I look to the left and see a PARKING LOT.That was hidden from my view.The parking lot was right next to water\river.(My thoughts, this is the kind of out of the way place you went in high school to do things you had no business doing and did'nt have to worry about getting caught!)That thought proved to be right cause shortly after two different cars drove up and parked both contained what appeared to be underaged teenagers.Till then I was there by myself.That's about the time it started to rain.I decided to brave the rain at that point and got out and took a look at the area.That's when it started to rain really really hard.So I gave up at that point and I havent been back.(There's more but this is getting long so to keep it short I'm leaving out some).
Topic
cjones1612
Starting Member
USA
18 Posts
Posted - 03/06/2004 : 6:47:06 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is for psychic feedback only. If you have a tip regarding this case please call Metro police at 862-8600 or if you want to leave an anonymous tip visit www.tabithatuders.com.
spiritofstlouis
Starting Member
1 Posts
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 10:10:23 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First let me say I dont consider myself a psychic.Secondly I've kept these things to myself so as not to cause Tabitha's family any more stress and pain.In a case like this I 'd rather be wrong and crazy than right! But I've followed this case for a while (since it happened)and it rather bothers me the police cant find her as of this date 4/21/04.
I believe that I have made contact with the spirit of Tabitha these last couple of months.One day she describe an area to look in from a map.She said look for a parking lot next to water!
I dont live in Nashville did'nt grow up there and dont know the area she was pointing out/describing.But my curiousity got the best of me and so I drove to Nashville, picked the wrong day to go though.I'm driving down the road that she pointed to on the map I can see the end of the road dead ending ahead of me (I'm thinking I should have stayed at home in bed-I was just recovering from a really bad cold.This was a waste of time and gas!)that's when I look to the left and see a PARKING LOT.That was hidden from my view.The parking lot was right next to water\river.(My thoughts, this is the kind of out of the way place you went in high school to do things you had no business doing and did'nt have to worry about getting caught!)That thought proved to be right cause shortly after two different cars drove up and parked both contained what appeared to be underaged teenagers.Till then I was there by myself.That's about the time it started to rain.I decided to brave the rain at that point and got out and took a look at the area.That's when it started to rain really really hard.So I gave up at that point and I havent been back.(There's more but this is getting long so to keep it short I'm leaving out some).
johnny
New Member
Race Honors Tabitha Tuders
Posted: 4/24/2004 10:09:26 PM
Updated: 4/24/2004 10:09:26 PM
By: Joe Fryer
Next Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Tabitha Tuders' disappearance.
Tuders was 13 years old when she disappeared last April. She was last seen walking to her school bus stop in East Nashville.
In the past year, investigators and searchers have not turned up any good leads. But the family continues to search.
Tuders was honored at Highland Rim Speedway in Ridgetop Saturday night. The track held the first-annual "Race For Tabitha."
Tabitha and her family spent many Saturday nights at the race track. After she disappeared, friends and relatives formed a race team called Team Tabitha. The team includes four cars with Tuders' picture on them.
"We started a race team to have fun and keep her picture out in the public," said Tim Crauge, a family friend and Team Tabitha driver.
Two of those cars raced Saturday night.
Money raised during the race will benefit the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation. Shawn Hornbeck is a boy from Saint Louis, Mo., who disappeared seven months before Tuders. His family started a foundation to help search for missing children, including Tuders.
On Thursday the Tuders family will walk from their home to Tabitha's bus stop, to commemorate the anniversary.
"Starting another year without your daughter, sometimes it's hard to say how you feel," said Bo Tuders, Tabitha's father. "You feel numb all over."
"It's hard to believe it's a year, but it still hurts because we want to find our daughter and bring her back home," said Debra Tuders, Tabitha's mother.
Posted: 4/24/2004 10:09:26 PM
Updated: 4/24/2004 10:09:26 PM
By: Joe Fryer
Next Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Tabitha Tuders' disappearance.
Tuders was 13 years old when she disappeared last April. She was last seen walking to her school bus stop in East Nashville.
In the past year, investigators and searchers have not turned up any good leads. But the family continues to search.
Tuders was honored at Highland Rim Speedway in Ridgetop Saturday night. The track held the first-annual "Race For Tabitha."
Tabitha and her family spent many Saturday nights at the race track. After she disappeared, friends and relatives formed a race team called Team Tabitha. The team includes four cars with Tuders' picture on them.
"We started a race team to have fun and keep her picture out in the public," said Tim Crauge, a family friend and Team Tabitha driver.
Two of those cars raced Saturday night.
Money raised during the race will benefit the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation. Shawn Hornbeck is a boy from Saint Louis, Mo., who disappeared seven months before Tuders. His family started a foundation to help search for missing children, including Tuders.
On Thursday the Tuders family will walk from their home to Tabitha's bus stop, to commemorate the anniversary.
"Starting another year without your daughter, sometimes it's hard to say how you feel," said Bo Tuders, Tabitha's father. "You feel numb all over."
"It's hard to believe it's a year, but it still hurts because we want to find our daughter and bring her back home," said Debra Tuders, Tabitha's mother.
johnny
New Member
http://www.nashvillescene.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?story=This_Week:News:Editorial
Failing Tabitha Tuders
Since Tabitha Tuders vanished from her East Nashville home one year ago this week, Metro police have bungled nearly all aspects of her case and, worse, show no signs that they learned any lessons from the tragic ordeal.
It's difficult to identify any aspect of the investigation that the department has handled well. Detectives have been slow to interview suspects, track leads, keep the family informed and interview people who best knew the missing girl, whose 14th birthday came and went in February. There's no clear sense among the family and media about who's in charge of the case. It's almost as if the department wishes that people would stop caring about the fate of the young teen who woke up on a Tuesday morning, walked toward her bus stop and vanished.
Initially, police lost critical time and even available resources in the case when they persisted in treating Tabitha as a possible runaway, despite the absence of any evidence to support the idea. When the media finally kicked up enough dust to render such a working theory outrageous on its face, the police began to focus more on the less optimistic, more plausible scenario.
But throughout it all, it's frankly been disturbing just how many rocks the police failed to turn over, either in a timely fashion or at all. For example, within days after Tabitha disappeared, people close to her family told police about a suspicious neighborhood character who they thought might have been involved. This man talked badly about her to other children in the neighborhood. He told the Scene that she wasn't as innocent as people believed, as he crudely cupped his hands over his chest to indicate her developing body. He befriended other neighborhood children, including some of Tabitha's neighbors. And, finally, he claimed to have seen her the morning she disappeared, placing himself at the scene. His family was the subject of a Department of Children's Services investigation. There's even more damning information about this guy. But the police didn't get around to seriously questioning him until several months after she disappeared.
Then there's the case of Millard Earl Smith, a 52-year-old convicted rapist, who landed in jail again last June in a separate case after he was arrested for raping and kidnapping a 17-year-old girl. A month before that, he allegedly lured a young boy onto his motorcycle, took him to an abandoned trailer and told him, "I want you to come in here so I can masturbate you." Fortunately, the boy escaped. Before the kidnapping, he'd apparently stalked the boy and his mother for weeks. Incidentally, Smith kidnapped the teenager just two blocks from Tabitha's bus stop. And according to one source, he also tried to entice girls onto his motorcycle at Shelby Park, less than a mile from Tabitha's East Nashville home. He also lived just a few miles away. It would seem that Metro detectives would want to know everything they possibly could about this guy, right? Wrong.
There's still more. A few weeks after Tabitha disappeared, a prostitute trying to clean up her life confessed to a volunteer in the case that she and a client of hers from Kingsport, Tenn., drove through East Nashville, including Lillian Street, where Tabitha lived. She says the john had a computer in his car and told her he was looking to pick up a young girl named Tabby. The prostitute says this occurred around the time Tabitha went missing. The volunteer gave this tip to the police immediately and even told them where the prostitute was staying, but to the best of his knowledge, no detective has ever contacted her.
Shortly before she disappeared, Tabitha spent the evening with one of her best friends. The friend's father later took Tabitha home and was the last adult, not including her parents, to have seen her. When did the police interview him to check on Tabitha's state of mind or any other possible clues? Months later.
Tabitha's father, Bo, is a truck driver and her mother, Debra, works in a school cafeteria. A few months before their daughter disappeared, they impressed upon her the importance of an education, as both of them were high school dropouts. At the time an average student, Tabitha took their lecture to heart. Shortly before she disappeared, she brought home a report card with all A's. If the city were grading the police officers who worked on her case, none of them would receive anything close to Tabitha's marks.
We don't blame the police for not finding Tabitha. Her case is particularly tricky, as its left investigators with no credible eyewitnesses or forensic evidence. But Tabitha's family and friends and all of Nashville should have the comfort of knowing that their police department did everything it could to find the young teen.
Unfortunately, there is no such comfort.
Failing Tabitha Tuders
Since Tabitha Tuders vanished from her East Nashville home one year ago this week, Metro police have bungled nearly all aspects of her case and, worse, show no signs that they learned any lessons from the tragic ordeal.
It's difficult to identify any aspect of the investigation that the department has handled well. Detectives have been slow to interview suspects, track leads, keep the family informed and interview people who best knew the missing girl, whose 14th birthday came and went in February. There's no clear sense among the family and media about who's in charge of the case. It's almost as if the department wishes that people would stop caring about the fate of the young teen who woke up on a Tuesday morning, walked toward her bus stop and vanished.
Initially, police lost critical time and even available resources in the case when they persisted in treating Tabitha as a possible runaway, despite the absence of any evidence to support the idea. When the media finally kicked up enough dust to render such a working theory outrageous on its face, the police began to focus more on the less optimistic, more plausible scenario.
But throughout it all, it's frankly been disturbing just how many rocks the police failed to turn over, either in a timely fashion or at all. For example, within days after Tabitha disappeared, people close to her family told police about a suspicious neighborhood character who they thought might have been involved. This man talked badly about her to other children in the neighborhood. He told the Scene that she wasn't as innocent as people believed, as he crudely cupped his hands over his chest to indicate her developing body. He befriended other neighborhood children, including some of Tabitha's neighbors. And, finally, he claimed to have seen her the morning she disappeared, placing himself at the scene. His family was the subject of a Department of Children's Services investigation. There's even more damning information about this guy. But the police didn't get around to seriously questioning him until several months after she disappeared.
Then there's the case of Millard Earl Smith, a 52-year-old convicted rapist, who landed in jail again last June in a separate case after he was arrested for raping and kidnapping a 17-year-old girl. A month before that, he allegedly lured a young boy onto his motorcycle, took him to an abandoned trailer and told him, "I want you to come in here so I can masturbate you." Fortunately, the boy escaped. Before the kidnapping, he'd apparently stalked the boy and his mother for weeks. Incidentally, Smith kidnapped the teenager just two blocks from Tabitha's bus stop. And according to one source, he also tried to entice girls onto his motorcycle at Shelby Park, less than a mile from Tabitha's East Nashville home. He also lived just a few miles away. It would seem that Metro detectives would want to know everything they possibly could about this guy, right? Wrong.
There's still more. A few weeks after Tabitha disappeared, a prostitute trying to clean up her life confessed to a volunteer in the case that she and a client of hers from Kingsport, Tenn., drove through East Nashville, including Lillian Street, where Tabitha lived. She says the john had a computer in his car and told her he was looking to pick up a young girl named Tabby. The prostitute says this occurred around the time Tabitha went missing. The volunteer gave this tip to the police immediately and even told them where the prostitute was staying, but to the best of his knowledge, no detective has ever contacted her.
Shortly before she disappeared, Tabitha spent the evening with one of her best friends. The friend's father later took Tabitha home and was the last adult, not including her parents, to have seen her. When did the police interview him to check on Tabitha's state of mind or any other possible clues? Months later.
Tabitha's father, Bo, is a truck driver and her mother, Debra, works in a school cafeteria. A few months before their daughter disappeared, they impressed upon her the importance of an education, as both of them were high school dropouts. At the time an average student, Tabitha took their lecture to heart. Shortly before she disappeared, she brought home a report card with all A's. If the city were grading the police officers who worked on her case, none of them would receive anything close to Tabitha's marks.
We don't blame the police for not finding Tabitha. Her case is particularly tricky, as its left investigators with no credible eyewitnesses or forensic evidence. But Tabitha's family and friends and all of Nashville should have the comfort of knowing that their police department did everything it could to find the young teen.
Unfortunately, there is no such comfort.
johnny
New Member
Walk planned to honor Tabitha Tuders
Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Tabitha Tuders' disappearance. The East Nashville girl was on her way to the bus stop on April 29, 2003 when she vanished without a trace.
Friends and family will gather for a special walk in Tabitha's honor on Tuesday. The procession starts at 7:45 am at the Tuders home, and ends at the bus stop where Tabitha was last seen.
News 2 at 5 pm
Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Tabitha Tuders' disappearance. The East Nashville girl was on her way to the bus stop on April 29, 2003 when she vanished without a trace.
Friends and family will gather for a special walk in Tabitha's honor on Tuesday. The procession starts at 7:45 am at the Tuders home, and ends at the bus stop where Tabitha was last seen.
News 2 at 5 pm
johnny
New Member
Missing Girls Parents To Make Disappearance Anniversary
Posted: 4/28/2004 4:57:00 PM
Updated: 4/28/2004 5:09:38 PM
Thursday, the parents of an East Nashville girl will mark the one year anniversary of her disappearance.
Tabitha Tuders, 13, disappeared on April 29, 2003 on her way to school.
Her parents will start Thursday with a walk at 7:45 a.m. to follow the route she took to her bus stop.
The family called it a "Continue the Search" march.
The two block walk starts at 1312 Lillian Street. The family said the public is welcome to join them at the walk.
Posted: 4/28/2004 4:57:00 PM
Updated: 4/28/2004 5:09:38 PM
Thursday, the parents of an East Nashville girl will mark the one year anniversary of her disappearance.
Tabitha Tuders, 13, disappeared on April 29, 2003 on her way to school.
Her parents will start Thursday with a walk at 7:45 a.m. to follow the route she took to her bus stop.
The family called it a "Continue the Search" march.
The two block walk starts at 1312 Lillian Street. The family said the public is welcome to join them at the walk.
johnny
New Member
http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/04/50569083.shtml?Element_ID=50569083
Tabitha's room is as she left it, a year after her disappearance
By IAN DEMSKY
Staff Writer
Debra Tuders leaves the door to Tabitha's room open.
Little has changed inside since April 28, 2003, the night her then-13-year-old daughter went to cheer her brother's baseball team.
After a bath, Tabitha started the night in her own bed and later moved to the floor in her parents' bedroom, as she sometimes did for comfort.
The next morning one year ago today Tabitha disappeared on the way to her bus stop.
Police are no closer to knowing what happened to her today than they were then.
''It feels empty,'' Debra said earlier this week. The space holds her daughter's possessions but not her daughter.
Still, each item hints of her. Each thing Tabitha chose to place there reveals a part of her by its very presence.
On the left, a gauzy blue scarf is draped behind a mirror. Once the mirror displayed the image of her youth. Now it reflects her empty bed with the purple canopy, the Microsoft Xbox where she played the ''racing tapes'' her mom could never master, and the closet where she couldn't be bothered to hang up her outfits.
Below the mirror, drawers of the small, white dresser are stuffed with shirts, socks and pants.
In front of the mirror, three porcelain dolphins chase one another around a clock stopped at 4:47. Next to it sits an almost empty bottle of Pretty in Pink ''body splash'' and a ceramic teddy bear wearing a Santa hat with a present in its water-filled belly.
Nothing in the room suggests that a teenager lived there, much less a rebellious one who left without so much as a goodbye. There are no posters on the walls, just a framed triptych of a boy and girl shyly holding hands and playing on a farm.
Below that are two cherubic figurines, a boy astraddle a pumpkin and a brown-haired, blue-eyed girl, whose head is broken off.
Tabitha picked out furniture about six months before she went missing.
When Tabitha and her older sister, Jamie, shared the room, Tabitha used to fuss at Jamie for not picking up after herself, Debra said. Tabitha wanted the room kept immaculate.
Above her desk, the stuffed animals are posed just as she left them. More figurines wait below them a ceramic bear squeezes an accordion, a clown bows a violin also frozen in their places.
Debra's grandchildren sometimes play in the room and sit on the bed to watch videos. But they know not to touch anything.
The family has left a few objects for Tabitha to find on her return: a stuffed bear her grandmother bought before she disappeared but never gave to her, and colorful butterflies and flowers spelling out her name, painted by a Manhattan street vendor on the Tuderses' trip to the Montel Williams talk show in December.
Also awaiting her are a fiberglass angel and a racing trophy won in her honor.
''The only thing that's missing is Tabitha,'' said Johnny White, who has served as the family's spokesman.
Help find Tabitha
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Tabitha Tuders can call Metro Youth Services detectives at 862-7417, CrimeStoppers at 74-CRIME or the Team Tabitha tip line at 566-0943. Additional information and photos of the missing teen are on the Internet at www.tabithatuders.com.
Tabitha's room is as she left it, a year after her disappearance
By IAN DEMSKY
Staff Writer
Debra Tuders leaves the door to Tabitha's room open.
Little has changed inside since April 28, 2003, the night her then-13-year-old daughter went to cheer her brother's baseball team.
After a bath, Tabitha started the night in her own bed and later moved to the floor in her parents' bedroom, as she sometimes did for comfort.
The next morning one year ago today Tabitha disappeared on the way to her bus stop.
Police are no closer to knowing what happened to her today than they were then.
''It feels empty,'' Debra said earlier this week. The space holds her daughter's possessions but not her daughter.
Still, each item hints of her. Each thing Tabitha chose to place there reveals a part of her by its very presence.
On the left, a gauzy blue scarf is draped behind a mirror. Once the mirror displayed the image of her youth. Now it reflects her empty bed with the purple canopy, the Microsoft Xbox where she played the ''racing tapes'' her mom could never master, and the closet where she couldn't be bothered to hang up her outfits.
Below the mirror, drawers of the small, white dresser are stuffed with shirts, socks and pants.
In front of the mirror, three porcelain dolphins chase one another around a clock stopped at 4:47. Next to it sits an almost empty bottle of Pretty in Pink ''body splash'' and a ceramic teddy bear wearing a Santa hat with a present in its water-filled belly.
Nothing in the room suggests that a teenager lived there, much less a rebellious one who left without so much as a goodbye. There are no posters on the walls, just a framed triptych of a boy and girl shyly holding hands and playing on a farm.
Below that are two cherubic figurines, a boy astraddle a pumpkin and a brown-haired, blue-eyed girl, whose head is broken off.
Tabitha picked out furniture about six months before she went missing.
When Tabitha and her older sister, Jamie, shared the room, Tabitha used to fuss at Jamie for not picking up after herself, Debra said. Tabitha wanted the room kept immaculate.
Above her desk, the stuffed animals are posed just as she left them. More figurines wait below them a ceramic bear squeezes an accordion, a clown bows a violin also frozen in their places.
Debra's grandchildren sometimes play in the room and sit on the bed to watch videos. But they know not to touch anything.
The family has left a few objects for Tabitha to find on her return: a stuffed bear her grandmother bought before she disappeared but never gave to her, and colorful butterflies and flowers spelling out her name, painted by a Manhattan street vendor on the Tuderses' trip to the Montel Williams talk show in December.
Also awaiting her are a fiberglass angel and a racing trophy won in her honor.
''The only thing that's missing is Tabitha,'' said Johnny White, who has served as the family's spokesman.
Help find Tabitha
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Tabitha Tuders can call Metro Youth Services detectives at 862-7417, CrimeStoppers at 74-CRIME or the Team Tabitha tip line at 566-0943. Additional information and photos of the missing teen are on the Internet at www.tabithatuders.com.
johnny
New Member
Tabitha's trail, public interest grow cold
Walking for Tabitha
By CHRISTIAN BOTTORFF
Staff Writer
A year after the mysterious disappearance of then-13-year-old Tabitha Tuders, her image is fading from the community's consciousness, becoming rare in television and newspaper reports and landing in the cold files of Metro police.
Pictures of the east Nashville girl's face are no longer plastered all over town on missing-person posters. Her 14th birthday passed in February. Few neighbors these days are wearing buttons featuring her picture.
Police response isn't nearly as large as it was in the early days of the investigation. Tips of supposed sightings have slowed to a dribble, officials said.
''We're very frustrated,'' said Johnny White, a volunteer who has been involved in the search from the first day. ''We don't have any direction, not any way to go. We have no hope. We need someone to give us some hope.''
Tabitha's father, Bo Tuders, said it was not uncommon for him to encounter neighbors stunned to hear that his daughter has been missing so long. Often people assume she's safe at home, he said. That was where she was last seen April 29, 2003, as she walked to the school bus.
But she never boarded the bus and never arrived at Bailey Middle School that day.
''It's not in the public eye like it was,'' Bo Tuders said.
The Team Tabitha telephone line once hummed with activity. At times, 40 to 60 calls came in each day. Now five or six tips arrive in a month.
To the family, however, ''it still feels the same,'' said Tuders, who, along with a handful of family, volunteers and detectives, continues to look for Tabitha.
''She's still out there somewhere, and I still hope and pray that we get her back home,'' he said. ''At this point, all we have left now is hope. We still feel empty inside. We just want her back home.''
Police detectives are still tracking leads and rechecking facts in the case, but even police involvement has lessened over the months. There has been no positive sighting, and police have never had a significant clue to her whereabouts.
In the days immediately after she vanished, five detectives were assigned and police dogs were used to canvass the neighborhood. In July, police again energized the search by including help from veteran homicide and murder squad detectives in tracking down registered sex offenders.
Beat officers were used to question people in the neighborhood about possible sightings. Recruit officers at one point combed nearby Shelby Park, looking for clues or even a body.
Since January, 42 tips have come to Metro police, six of them from psychics. Police reported 52 interviews since January.
Just days after setting foot in Nashville, Chief Ronal Serpas met with Bo and Debra Tuders at downtown police headquarters, pledging to make the investigation his department's No. 1 case.
Serpas said that he was keeping close tabs on the probe and receiving a weekly report from investigators and that he still hoped police would be able to make some headway. An investigator from the police Youth Services division and other detectives will remain assigned to the case, he said.
''We need people to always call us with something because we're not getting substantive information,'' Serpas said.
''Even if it's an old lead. Even if it's old information we already heard about once before, we still will go back and check just to be sure.''
Volunteers, such as Johnny White, are continuing their search. This past weekend, two cadaver dogs were brought in to search part of Tabitha's east Nashville neighborhood.
Still, volunteers wonder whether their efforts will ever produce results.
''She is fading away,'' said White, part owner in a Nashville taxi company. ''That's the truth of it she's fading away.
Walking for Tabitha
By CHRISTIAN BOTTORFF
Staff Writer
A year after the mysterious disappearance of then-13-year-old Tabitha Tuders, her image is fading from the community's consciousness, becoming rare in television and newspaper reports and landing in the cold files of Metro police.
Pictures of the east Nashville girl's face are no longer plastered all over town on missing-person posters. Her 14th birthday passed in February. Few neighbors these days are wearing buttons featuring her picture.
Police response isn't nearly as large as it was in the early days of the investigation. Tips of supposed sightings have slowed to a dribble, officials said.
''We're very frustrated,'' said Johnny White, a volunteer who has been involved in the search from the first day. ''We don't have any direction, not any way to go. We have no hope. We need someone to give us some hope.''
Tabitha's father, Bo Tuders, said it was not uncommon for him to encounter neighbors stunned to hear that his daughter has been missing so long. Often people assume she's safe at home, he said. That was where she was last seen April 29, 2003, as she walked to the school bus.
But she never boarded the bus and never arrived at Bailey Middle School that day.
''It's not in the public eye like it was,'' Bo Tuders said.
The Team Tabitha telephone line once hummed with activity. At times, 40 to 60 calls came in each day. Now five or six tips arrive in a month.
To the family, however, ''it still feels the same,'' said Tuders, who, along with a handful of family, volunteers and detectives, continues to look for Tabitha.
''She's still out there somewhere, and I still hope and pray that we get her back home,'' he said. ''At this point, all we have left now is hope. We still feel empty inside. We just want her back home.''
Police detectives are still tracking leads and rechecking facts in the case, but even police involvement has lessened over the months. There has been no positive sighting, and police have never had a significant clue to her whereabouts.
In the days immediately after she vanished, five detectives were assigned and police dogs were used to canvass the neighborhood. In July, police again energized the search by including help from veteran homicide and murder squad detectives in tracking down registered sex offenders.
Beat officers were used to question people in the neighborhood about possible sightings. Recruit officers at one point combed nearby Shelby Park, looking for clues or even a body.
Since January, 42 tips have come to Metro police, six of them from psychics. Police reported 52 interviews since January.
Just days after setting foot in Nashville, Chief Ronal Serpas met with Bo and Debra Tuders at downtown police headquarters, pledging to make the investigation his department's No. 1 case.
Serpas said that he was keeping close tabs on the probe and receiving a weekly report from investigators and that he still hoped police would be able to make some headway. An investigator from the police Youth Services division and other detectives will remain assigned to the case, he said.
''We need people to always call us with something because we're not getting substantive information,'' Serpas said.
''Even if it's an old lead. Even if it's old information we already heard about once before, we still will go back and check just to be sure.''
Volunteers, such as Johnny White, are continuing their search. This past weekend, two cadaver dogs were brought in to search part of Tabitha's east Nashville neighborhood.
Still, volunteers wonder whether their efforts will ever produce results.
''She is fading away,'' said White, part owner in a Nashville taxi company. ''That's the truth of it she's fading away.
johnny
New Member
'Person of interest' crashes near house
Tabitha's room is as she left it, a year after her disappearance
Metro police detectives said last night they plan today to begin examining the wrecked car being driven by a ''person of interest'' in the Tabitha Tuders disappearance.
The vehicle was impounded yesterday evening after Ernest Fred Brown, who lives on Boscobel Street near the Tuders home, wrecked it at 14th Street and Boscobel. The accident happened near the school bus stop where Tuders disappeared. Yesterday was the eve of the first anniversary of her disappearance last April 29.
Detective E.J. Bernard said police had questioned Brown and the owner of the car several times in the past in relation to the Tuders case. Brown has not been charged with any crime in connection with the disappearance. The owner of the car was not named.
Debra Tuders, the girl's mother, said last night that Brown had been driving very fast in front of her house several times yesterday and family members had asked him to slow down because of children who play in the area. The crash happened shortly after that warning, she said.
Ian Demsky
On the one-year anniversary of her disappearance, Metro Police have again questioned a man they call a "person of interest" in the Tabitha Tuders case.
Ernest Fred Brown was taken into police custody Wednesday night after crashing his car into a tree at the exact location where Tabitha was last seen. Tabitha's parents say that Brown had also been racing his car in front of their home earlier in the afternoon.
Police told News 2 that they have questioned Brown before and received new information in the case last night. But they do not know if Brown is connected in any way to Tabitha's disappearance.
Ernest Brown was given a citation for leaving the scene of the accident. Police tell us he was questioned in Tabitha's case and released. They are also examining the car he was in.
News 2 at 6 am
Tabitha's room is as she left it, a year after her disappearance
Metro police detectives said last night they plan today to begin examining the wrecked car being driven by a ''person of interest'' in the Tabitha Tuders disappearance.
The vehicle was impounded yesterday evening after Ernest Fred Brown, who lives on Boscobel Street near the Tuders home, wrecked it at 14th Street and Boscobel. The accident happened near the school bus stop where Tuders disappeared. Yesterday was the eve of the first anniversary of her disappearance last April 29.
Detective E.J. Bernard said police had questioned Brown and the owner of the car several times in the past in relation to the Tuders case. Brown has not been charged with any crime in connection with the disappearance. The owner of the car was not named.
Debra Tuders, the girl's mother, said last night that Brown had been driving very fast in front of her house several times yesterday and family members had asked him to slow down because of children who play in the area. The crash happened shortly after that warning, she said.
Ian Demsky
On the one-year anniversary of her disappearance, Metro Police have again questioned a man they call a "person of interest" in the Tabitha Tuders case.
Ernest Fred Brown was taken into police custody Wednesday night after crashing his car into a tree at the exact location where Tabitha was last seen. Tabitha's parents say that Brown had also been racing his car in front of their home earlier in the afternoon.
Police told News 2 that they have questioned Brown before and received new information in the case last night. But they do not know if Brown is connected in any way to Tabitha's disappearance.
Ernest Brown was given a citation for leaving the scene of the accident. Police tell us he was questioned in Tabitha's case and released. They are also examining the car he was in.
News 2 at 6 am