MH says an AMBER Alert could have already brought her nephew home saying: “Especially after learning what kind of child Xavior was. That he was afraid of the dark and that he would never run away from home. That there was still no amber alert issued because the criteria wasn’t met. If that’s the only thing that prevented them from it then that needs to change.”
[...]
Mitch Mortvedt with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says Xavior did not qualify for the AMBER Alert criteria and there are no exceptions to those rules.
Michelle says she plans to take her plans to state legislators when the session convenes in January.
[...]
The defense now saying they believe Tibbetts’ case is connected to the disappearance of Xavior, casting doubt on who killed Mollie, and Xavior’s looming disappearance.
But Mortvedt adds it’s all allegations and he remains confident on the investigation saying: “On Mollie’s investigation, I mean we remain confident on the investigation that was conducted. We remain confident in the trial and ultimately the conviction and feel as though there is no one else responsible for Mollie’s abduction and murder other than Cristhian Rivera.”
"There's something rotten in this community," Chad Frese, Rivera's attorney said. "We want to know why there's 10 missing kids in this area of the state that's getting glossed over that we think may have something to do with the disappearance of Mollie Tibbetts."
[...]
KCCI combed through pages and pages of the DCI's online database -- The Missing Person Information Clearinghouse -- and only found one currently active missing person case out of Poweshiek County, which is Xavior Harrelson's case.
So what about the other nine cases Rivera's attorney is referring to?
We reached out to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation -- they said they don't know where that number came from.
Mortvedt said the only thing in common between the two cases is that both victims lived in Poweshiek County.
“That’s the only thing that we have come up with at this point,” Mortvedt said. “You know, we have nothing to indicate, at this time, that there was anything to do with human trafficking in Xavior’s disappearance.”
[...]
Mortvedt said the DCI does not want to jump to conclusions on whether Harrelson is alive. But he says the investigation remains very active.
SH, Xavior’s mother, is putting out a plea to help bring her son home. She said in a statement to KYOU, “I just want everyone to keep looking for Xavior. Thank you to everyone who has been involved this far. Please attend the prayer vigil to help bring him home.”
Organized by Xavior’s aunt Michelle Harrelson and Diane Hoffman, a volunteer who is involved in the missing person advocacy group Mollie’s Movement, the vigil took place at the Montezuma High School football field.
Orange, Xavior’s favorite color, was ubiquitously sported on shirts, headbands, and ribbons by almost all attendees.
“It’s kind of bittersweet," Michelle, Xavior’s aunt on his father’s side, said, "because it’s amazing to find out how many people you don’t even know can care about a kid they’ve never met before. But I honestly wish I had met a lot of these people under different circumstances.
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JUL 26, 2021 Montezuma comes together two months after Xavior Harrelson's disappearance
“He’s scared of the dark, he’d never go anywhere by himself,” MH said. ...
Yates also addressed the secondary motion for a new trial, which involved connecting the Bahena Rivera case to the disappearance of Xavior Harrelson. Notably, the defense floated the name of James Lowe as potentially being involved in both cases. The order said that there was no material connection between the two cases, and that the defense did not present any evidence that invoking Lowe would have been relevant. Yates said that, even if presented, a connection to Lowe and the Harrelson case would likely not have changed the outcome of the murder trial.
Over two months after his disappearance, a fundraiser to increase the reward for missing 11-year-old Xavior Harrelson will be held in Grinnell on Wednesday.
The fundraiser will be held at the Pizza Ranch in Grinnell (613 West Street S) from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 4.
All tips at the restaurant will be donated to the reward fund for Xavior, which is currently over $35,000.
His mother, Sarah Harrelson, has never discussed the issue publicly until now.
“We love you,” she said. “We are not going to stop looking for you.”
[...]
His mom says she has no idea where Xavior could be, but says she’s holding out hope to find her son alive.
“Oh yeah, he is coming home. He is going to meet all these officers and people who have been looking for him and putting up his flyers,” Harrelson said.
Volunteers say they handed out around 10,000 flyers to people at the state fair.
The volunteer group, Finding Xavior Harrelson had the day of action on Friday. According to the release, “they are asking people across the country to do three things they can to help spread the word, such as emailing friends, sharing social media posts, or handing out flyers with the missing child’s photo.”
“Xavior needs us. There are so many ways to help spread awareness that he is missing. We need to keep asking “Where’s Xavior?” Please do three things today to spread the word and to bring Xavior home. Can you imagine the ripple effect if everyone did three little things?” said Joy VanLandschoot, founder of Mollie’s Movement. Group of community volunteers plan Day of Action for missing Iowa boy
... They are asking people across the country to do three things they can to help spread the word, such as emailing friends, sharing social media posts or handing out flyers with the missing child’s photo.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Friday marks the third-month people have searched for a missing Montezuma boy. Jacki Bolen, who is the Mayor of Montezuma, said she believes law enforcement needs to inform the public about the direction of the search for 11-year-old Xavior Harrelson.
She said the lack of information has created confusion and anxiety in the community about their children’s safety.
“Are the kids safe that are riding their bike to school?” Bolen said. “You know, is it okay for the parents to allow that to happen? Is there somebody in the community we need to be careful of? We truly just don’t know.”
She said the lack of information has created confusion about the case as well.
The Poweshiek County Sherrif’s Office said there’s not a lot of information with the public because it is still an active investigation. Sheriff Tom Kriegel told us the department is still receiving tips and said there is no additional threat to public safety.
Their current effort? Sending flyers about Xavior's disappearance all over the country to help spread the word. And that's a project that anyone can help with.
"We also send it to police stations, campgrounds, homeless shelters all over the place. So we need stamps. So if anybody wants to send stamps to help find Xavier, that would be awesome," VanLandschoot said.
If you've got stamps to donate, they can be sent to Mollie's Movement, PO Box 205, Brooklyn, Iowa, 52211.
“Maybe it gets somebody talking that saw something, people have to be reminded that even the smallest tip could be something that breaks the case and get somebody home,” VanLandschoot said.
The reward fund for information in Xavior’s disappearance currently sits at just below $36,000.
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