GUILTY MT - Sherry Arnold, 43, Sidney, 7 Jan 2012 - #1

[bdawk20]

Wondering about her ex-husband and whether he lives in Montana too -- whether there were any issues between them. Same thing with the husband's ex-wife.

Link

Good thought!

 

[BrownRice]

If she was a serious runner then she would not have wanted shoes so loose you could get them off easily or with your other foot/toe. That can actually damage your feet, legs, and back. Once again, I mean if you are a serious regular runner. However, I guess we don't know what type of shoes she had or how snugly they fit even if she was a serious runner. She could have been wearing shoes that would not be advisable for regular runners.

It is suspicious to me though and this is why I love websleuths. I totally skimmed over the shoe detail at first without realizing that it is potentially a case-breaking clue. I hope LE sees it that way too!

BBM Since she was running at 6:30 a.m. in January in Montana, I'd say she's a serious runner. That's pretty darned cold and dark to be an average jogger. I'm in Indiana (which is just as cold as Montana I think), and during the winter I only see the hardcore runners out with me. It's pretty unpleasant weather in my opinion.

 

[Boilly]

Gary's ex wife does live in Sidney. She has married twice since they divorced many years ago. They had 3 children who are now adults. Sherry had 2 from her first marriage. Gary and Sherry have been married approx 10 years. I don't know exactly how long but her 2 children were quite young when they married.

 

[BrownRice]

I believe it was a Brooks running shoe. I haven't seen a picture of the shoe either, just a copy of the bottom which I think was used to help searchers on the weekend look for footprints. As far as stopping to help someone in distress, that's a possibility. As most people in small towns, and probably all areas, if someone stopped her for directions I think she would have assisted. She was not outside her comfort zone. However it would be unusual for her to be passed by much traffic at this time of day in this town. One thing to note is that the witness saw her running near the post office at 6:40-6:45. The post office is not far from where the shoe was found. If something happened in the area of the shoe it was within minutes of her being seen by the witness.

Another strange occurrence in Sidney this morning. Probably not related but I feel worth mentioning at this point. The Triangle Night Club was closed and under remodel by new owners. It was slated to open tomorrow. It burned to the ground this morning. This building is on the opposite side of town from where Sherry's shoe was found. It is an old building and probably had old wiring, electrical, etc. I am not sure where they were with the remodeling process but again, it had to be close to done since they were open to the public tomorrow. The town is really taxed right now.

I have also known Gary for many years and Sherry since grade school. I understand the speculation about the husband, I'm usually one of the first ones to consider them. But in this case I honestly do not think he was involved. Both Sherry and Gary are very involved in the school system. Gary a former teacher and now administrator for probably close to 30 years or more. You usually didn't see one without the other around town. Often walking or running together.

Thanks for all your insight and thoughts. It's nice to have a more personal look at the situation. That is interesting about the building burning down. Especially in such a small town - that's a lot happening (Sherry and now this).

I'm curious why LE isn't releasing the shoe info. Maybe it's just an oversight on their part - thinking people aren't interested in the brand of the shoe. I do have 2 pairs of Brooks and just looked at their soles. They don't match the picture (but Brooks has many styles, so that is understandable), but both of my shoes have a Brooks logo on the sole and the picture doesn't from what I can tell. I zoomed in as much as I could.

 

[Noway]

Boilly, thank you again for your insight to Sherry's case. Since she was the type of person for follow a routine, it would not be hard for someone who wanted to harm her to have found the opportunity.

I do think that if she had been struck by a vehicle, even if that person decided to take her with rather than just fleeing the scene -- that there would have been evidence to that effect -- broken glass, car bits, and possibly although not necessarily blood.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

BBM Since she was running at 6:30 a.m. in January in Montana, I'd say she's a serious runner. That's pretty darned cold and dark to be an average jogger. I'm in Indiana (which is just as cold as Montana I think), and during the winter I only see the hardcore runners out with me. It's pretty unpleasant weather in my opinion.

I'm in north-suburban Detroit, and it's rare to see anyone biking, jogging, running, or even walking during the winter months. DH put our bikes in the basement in November when it turned cold. Then, it was unseasonably warm and sunny for several days lately, so he brought his bike upstairs so that he could ride a couple of times. I do more indoor exercise at this time of the year

 

[bdawk20]

I believe it was a Brooks running shoe. I haven't seen a picture of the shoe either, just a copy of the bottom which I think was used to help searchers on the weekend look for footprints. As far as stopping to help someone in distress, that's a possibility. As most people in small towns, and probably all areas, if someone stopped her for directions I think she would have assisted. She was not outside her comfort zone. However it would be unusual for her to be passed by much traffic at this time of day in this town. One thing to note is that the witness saw her running near the post office at 6:40-6:45. The post office is not far from where the shoe was found. If something happened in the area of the shoe it was within minutes of her being seen by the witness.

Another strange occurrence in Sidney this morning. Probably not related but I feel worth mentioning at this point. The Triangle Night Club was closed and under remodel by new owners. It was slated to open tomorrow. It burned to the ground this morning. This building is on the opposite side of town from where Sherry's shoe was found. It is an old building and probably had old wiring, electrical, etc. I am not sure where they were with the remodeling process but again, it had to be close to done since they were open to the public tomorrow. The town is really taxed right now.

I have also known Gary for many years and Sherry since grade school. I understand the speculation about the husband, I'm usually one of the first ones to consider them. But in this case I honestly do not think he was involved. Both Sherry and Gary are very involved in the school system. Gary a former teacher and now administrator for probably close to 30 years or more. You usually didn't see one without the other around town. Often walking or running together.

Thanks Boilly - it helps to hear things from the point of view of someone closer to the situation, that knows the people affected, the area, etc. I hope they can find Sherry and bring her home safely!

 

[Noway]

Map link to post office area (if Google is accurate)
http://g.co/maps/28cyy


Boilly, is there much snow on the ground in Sidney? I live outside Helena and have no snow in yard and there is none on my route to work -- on the streets, in the fields or in yards and none in downtown Helena (some of higher elevations may have snow).

 

[BrownRice]

I'm in north-suburban Detroit, and it's rare to see anyone biking, jogging, running, or even walking during the winter months. DH put our bikes in the basement in November when it turned cold. Then, it was unseasonably warm and sunny for several days lately, so he brought his bike upstairs so that he could ride a couple of times. I do more indoor exercise at this time of the year

Ya, we're in a heat wave here, 40's. Winter is supposed to hit Friday. My parents live in western MT and they have been having warmer weather too.

I wonder how cold it was on Sunday morning in Sidney. Was it normal for Sherry to run without a phone? That surprised me, especially since she was in a sparsely populated area at a very quiet and dark time of the day.

 

[mojave_red]

Many serious runners carry a watch-thingie that records their time, pace, ~ROUTE~ and other good things. Some device manufacturers even have a website where a runner can upload their data and review it later.

Wonder if Sherry carried a Garmin or Nike+ or something of that nature that might show her usual routes - not that she'd uploaded the data from when she went missing, but maybe knowing her usual routes would help?

 

[ccane]

How close is the nearest house to the shoe finding? Would it have been within ear shout to hear any screams for help?

 

[BrownRice]

Many serious runners carry a watch-thingie that records their time, pace, ~ROUTE~ and other good things. Some device manufacturers even have a website where a runner can upload their data and review it later. Wonder if Sherry carried a Garmin or Nike+ or something of that nature that might show her usual routes - not that she'd uploaded the data from when she went missing, but maybe knowing her usual routes would help?

Ya, if she used it it would be stored on her watch even if she didn't upload it. I've never uploaded my information and I just have to clear it after a while if the memory gets full. If she had it that day, I wonder if the police can contact the manufacturer and see if they have any information (like a cell phone GPS - but I don't know if they work like that).

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

FBI joins search for missing Montanta teacher Sherry Arnold, will look one more day

The FBI has joined the search for missing Montana teacher Sherry Arnold. An FBI spokesperson says because of the abduction potential and the proximity of North Dakota, agents are on the ground in Sidney.

[snip]

Authorities say they will search one more day for the 43-year-old Arnold, who left her home for a pre-dawn run and never returned.

More: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_...teacher-sherry-arnold-will-look-one-more-day/

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

From link in post above:

Authorities say they will search one more day for the 43-year-old Arnold, who left her home for a pre-dawn run and never returned.

Why would authorities already be planning to suspend searches? Is there any indication that Ms. Arnold may have "disappeared" voluntarily?

 

[TexasCharm]

Ugh .. this is horrifying. The implications of "anyone" could have taken her and be half a country away by now...

I, too, don't get that hinky 'hubby-did-it' feeling that I usually get..

Just ... crap!

imo

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

From link in post above:

Authorities say they will search one more day for the 43-year-old Arnold, who left her home for a pre-dawn run and never returned.

Why would authorities already be planning to suspend searches? Is there any indication that Ms. Arnold may have "disappeared" voluntarily?

I think they've probably run out of places to look. If the dogs had her scent up until the point of the shoe, and they are thinking abduction, she is probably not in the immediate area anymore. Or, if the dogs had her scent *only* at the location of the shoe, they are probably leaning toward other scenarios. (I'm not sure what the whole story is about the scent and the shoe.)

Hopefully they've thoroughly searched the area. They must be confident that she is not there to suspend the searches. One would hope, anyway.

 

[JeannaT]

Ugh .. this is horrifying. The implications of "anyone" could have taken her and be half a country away by now...

I, too, don't get that hinky 'hubby-did-it' feeling that I usually get..

Just ... crap!

imo

This is one of the few cases where when you give the family a second and third look you don't come up with suspicious skeletons in the closet.

I think this case is what it is - she went jogging, and now mysteriously she's gone.

 

[ccane]

How many sex offenders are on her running route that new her daily routine .. she could have easily lost a shoe being pulled into a car

 

[terracotta]

I wonder if the LE have made sure there isn't a connection between Sherry and a building being burned to the ground. Okay...so I was thinking burned to get rid of evidence or heaven forbid a body. Who knows...it is a small town and both those events are ones that don't happen all that often.....

 

[maggieo]

How many sex offenders are on her running route that new her daily routine .. she could have easily lost a shoe being pulled into a car

While we don't know her exact running route, I found a number of sexual and violent offenders that live in the area. The articles reference 9th avenue, which appears to go along the railroad tracks. Neighborhoods near tracks can be pretty sketchy.

Here's the address of the offender search:

http://svcalt.mt.gov/svor/search.asp