After one month, search continues for missing rural Filley woman

By Harold Campbell/Daily Sun editor
Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 09:38:54 am CDT

Exactly a month has passed since Ann Marie Kelley was last seen, but Gage County officials say they still have few clues and no new leads in the disappearance of the 36-year-old rural Filley woman.

“There is absolutely nothing to report,” Gage County Attorney Randall Ritnour said in an interview Wednesday evening.

Last week, authorities searched unsuccessfully at several Gage County lakes for Kelley and her 1991 Plymouth Voyager minivan she was last seen driving on the morning of April 15.

The Nebraska State Patrol has also flown numerous aerial surveillance flights over Gage County and surrounding southeast Nebraska counties as well as over parts of northern Kansas during the past four weeks, while authorities have also scoured the Gage County countryside searching for clues, Ritnour said.

In addition, Kelley’s name and description have been posted on a nationwide missing person’s database.

Ritnour said the search will likely slow down next week when the Richard Griswold murder trial begins on Monday in Gage County District Court.

However, Ritnour said representatives from the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office who had volunteered to help earlier with the investigation and Gage County officials are expected to meet on May 27 to discuss further options, including searching more lakes.

According to Gage County officials, Kelley left her residence about three miles east and two miles north of Filley at about 5:45 a.m. April 15. She was last seen by a relative driving her dark gray wood-paneled 1991 Plymouth Voyager minivan at about 8:25 a.m. that day at SunMart in Beatrice.

Ritnour said other clues remain scarce.

What is known is that Kelley bought about $50 worth of items at SunMart, Ritnour said, and she left her cell phone at home that morning.

An additional piece of information Ritnour revealed Wednesday was that Kelley had called her employer, a cleaning service which cleans Southeast Community College, to say she was not coming in to work that day because of something at her children’s school she had to deal with.

However, nothing was going on at her children’s school, Ritnour said.

In addition, there have been no reported sightings of her van or any contact with her since her disappearance.

“It’s highly unusual that someone would go an entire month without contacting somebody,” he said.

Ritnour said authorities are still considering Kelley’s disappearance as a missing person’s case and not a criminal case.

“We have no reason at this point to consider this a criminal investigation,” he said.

Meanwhile, authorities are continuing to ask the public for any information surrounding Kelley’s disappearance. She is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighing about 125-130 pounds, with auburn/red/brown hair.

Anyone with information should call the Gage County Sheriff’s Office at 402-223-5221 or Beatrice Crime Stoppers at 402-228-4343.

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Suzy Q
May 15, 2008 10:09 AM
Did she take anything with her that day? Money, clothes etc?
A
May 15, 2008 1:45 PM
What do you expect the family to say. They're hurting and personally I comend the press for leaving them alone to go through this in private. They must be worried. If you want to see someone crying over a lost family member go to the funeral home. What can they say or do that the police haven't already. Put yourself in their shoes wouldn't you want the focus on her and not on the family?
Question for Randy
May 15, 2008 2:06 PM
Please expand on why you are not considering foul play in this case?
TOA
May 15, 2008 3:41 PM
The focus is on Ann. If one of my family members went missing, I would be on the press doorstep and the Sheriff's so they would stay on top of it. I would not let it become backpage news. Of course the family is hurting. I am hurting for the children. My heart goes out to those children whose mother wasn't home for mother's day.
If the County Attorney believes it is just a case of Ann abandoning her family in Filley, and not wanting to be found, then I hope he goes public with the reasons. If it isn't foul play and he truly believes she just left on her own, then why are they searching lakes?
Consumed in thoughts
May 15, 2008 6:01 PM
After reading this article I find myself to be more confused than before. Mainly because here it stated: “An additional piece of information Ritnour revealed Wednesday was that Kelley had called her employer, a cleaning service which cleans Southeast Community College, to say she was not coming in to work that day because of something at her children’s school she had to deal with.
However, nothing was going on at her children’s school, Ritnour said”

Unfortunately I am unable to find the article that stated that Ann went to work at the college that morning. I believe it said something to the effect of her using the card key to gain access for cleaning rooms that morning. She later spoke with her employer and said she was leaving to run an errand but would return to work. If anyone remembers reading that article or otherwise noted somewhere, feel free to post.

Just trying to figure out how she reportedly went into work, utilized her card key, phoned her employer, and then left work for a supposed brief amount of time. The Press is now releasing a statement saying she phoned her employer that she would not be at work that day at all.

Just doing some math on this and things aren't "adding up". I suppose it could be getting to me and I am just imagining that entire statement with her using her card key that morning. Either way, my thoughts are consumed by Ann's disappearance, and she is certainly in my daily prayers!!


Curious
May 15, 2008 7:17 PM
I too was wondering why no one has considerd this a crimnal case? Usually isn't it the spouse or signifant other that is suspect first? Whys this case any difrent?
me too
May 16, 2008 8:23 AM
You are so right. It isn't adding up. Her husband says she left for work. Were the kids with her at 545am? She took them to school at that time in the morning? How long does it take to get from Filley to Beatrice. She was seen at 830 at Sun Mart. Where was she for 2.5 hours?
The article said she did not taker her phone. What about her purse, clothes?
Did she take some money.
They keep saying it is just a case of a missing person, no foul play. Why are they saying that? I think the public is missing a piece of the puzzle.
timing
May 16, 2008 11:09 AM
hmmm, what time was that call made? Was it made on her cell phone that she left at home?
to TOA
May 16, 2008 12:10 PM
Have you gone through something like this before? No one knows how they will react until it happens to them. Right now I'm sure their primary focus is on the children and not the press. They know the police are doing everything they can to find her. I'm glad she has been in the paper in Beatrice and will be sending a letter to the Lincoln and Omaha papers to let them know they need to have a story on this also. I personally don't want to imagine not knowing where my mother, child, sister or spouse is. I don't know how I would react but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to suffer in front of the whole community.
me too
May 16, 2008 3:17 PM
I find myself consumed with thoughts of Ann too. If we could be given more information we could deal with it better. Anyone who knows Ann and cares about her has a right to know what is going on. And anyone who cares about her owes it to her to find out if she left voluntarily.
To A
May 16, 2008 8:02 PM
I don't expect anything from the family. They have enough to deal with. On that point we both agree. However you state the police are doing everything they can to find her. Are you sure about that statement? What are they doing? Next week is out, they have murder trial to deal with. So maybe on the 27th Randy says they can meet and come up with something. They let a week go by before they searched the house. Now, a month later they are looking in lakes 20 miles away?
DR
May 17, 2008 6:47 AM
Prayers will bring Ann safely back to her family and friends. My heart goes out to them as they deal with this sad, mysterious circumstance. Being a backyard cop and criticizing is not helping at all.
Foul Plan
May 17, 2008 9:20 AM
Randy must know something that no one else knows that has him convinced that she left town on her own desires. If this is the case, all that has to happen is for that reason to be released and we will all be done. Until we know it isn't against her will, then the search needs to go on.
Concerned Reader
May 20, 2008 10:49 AM
I guess I am wondering how the authorities can continue stating that "no foul play is involved." Ann has been missing for more than a month - four children are without their mother. If "no foul play is suspected," do the authorities know more than what they are releasing to the press? Do they have proof that she "disappeared" on her own free will?
sa
May 20, 2008 11:12 AM
To consumed in thoughts, I too remember reading those articles you speak of. But I, like you, do not recollect where or when i read them.
Lisa Morgan
May 20, 2008 5:56 PM
To All Of Us That Have Known Ann Rickenberg for years. Never could spell the name right, why start now?
Ann used to be best friends with my sister as many of you out there know. WHY HASN'T A SEARCH POSSEY been formed by her friends, co-workers, etc? I WOULD GLADLY HELP!!I'M ALL THE WAY IN FALLS CITY, BUT I WILL DO ALL THAT I CAN!
She used to be in a click of Michelle Morgan, Judy Smith, Christine Thompson, Pam Johnston, just to name a few. I KNOW THAT SHE WAS VERY POPULAR IN SCHOOL AND VERY WELL LIKED! ANN WENT OUT OF HER WAY TO BEFRIEND MANY AND MEANT IT!Even though throughout the years these girls have lost each other then re-connected again if just to chat at the store. You would never think for a moment to listen to them that they have ever fell out of touch!
Sincerely,
one of Anne's old high school friend's older sister
To Consumed....
May 21, 2008 8:19 AM
Someone else found that comment, but I am not sure where it was posted to this website from. Here is the site:

http://helpfindthemissing.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4314&page=4
To Consumed more
May 21, 2008 8:20 AM
Is this just a misquote or conflicting info? It was stated previously

" Her employer at a contract cleaning company may have been the last person to talk to her. He said Kelley was cleaning a dorm room on April 15 when she called him on her cell phone and said she needed to leave but would return to work shortly. Investigators say the key card Kelley had issued was used that morning. The cell phone call is the last recorded on her account, and police said the phone was found in Kelley's room at her home. "

I am sure it is most likely misquote but just curious about the conflicting info.
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