FBI asking Pittsburgh-area residents for help to solve missing person cold case in Cleveland
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The FBI is asking for help from Pittsburgh-area residents to solve a missing person cold case in Cleveland, Ohio, that has been opened since July 2007.
Ashley Summers, who was 14 at the time of her disappearance, was last seen in Cleveland, Ohio, around July 7-8, 2007, and was reported missing to the Cleveland Division of Police on July 11, 2007.
Police initially reported Ashley as a runaway, likely due to tensions with her family at that time and because she frequented other relatives' homes, according to a media release from the FBI.
Summers' family believes she did not disappear on her own.
The FBI joined the investigation in 2008 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted the FBI to the case.
Throughout the investigation, family members, neighbors, and anyone who could have potentially offered information leading to Ashley's whereabouts have been interviewed, including Gene Gill, Ashley's boyfriend at the time, who has cooperated with authorities. There has been no evidence to suggest that foul play was involved on Gene's part, the FBI said.
"I can't think of a single agent on our squad or analyst that hasn't touched this investigation," said FBI Cleveland Special Agent Cristin McCaskill. "And this is including a lot of victim specialist support, analyst support, and support from agents and analysts on other squads, as well as the FBI Evidence Response Team and Child Abduction Rapid Deployment team."
Ashley was described as 5-foot-5, and weighing 130 pounds when she was last seen. She has brown hair, blue eyes, and a tattoo on her upper-right arm with the name "Gene" in black ink over a red heart. She would be 31 years old now.
"Ashley is deeply missed and loved," said Jennifer Summers, Ashley's mother. "Her mysterious disappearance has left our family in pieces. We appeal to anyone with information to come forward and contact the Cleveland FBI."
"This is still very much an active investigation," McCaskill continued. "We still hope to bring resolution to Ashley's family. And I believe that the only way we're going to be able to do that at this point is through tips—and the only way to generate those tips is by getting Ashley's story out to the public. I am certain there are individuals out there who we haven't spoken to yet. If someone believes they saw Ashley or knows where she may be, we welcome all tips."
If anyone in the Pittsburgh area knows anything about Ashley Summers' whereabouts, you're asked to call the police, the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or submit a tip online at this link.
