KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana |Texas EquuSearch at Indian Village

Texas EquuSearch at Indian Village

October 3, 2007
By Theresa Schmidt

Texas EquuSearch is now a part of the probe for the remains of an Allen Parish couple, missing since 2001.

The world renown  volunteer group was on the scene near Indian Village cemetery preparing to join the search for the remains of Ted Boyett and Charlene "Denise" Sawyer.  When the couple disappeared in 2001 Boyett was 48 years old; Sawyer, 47. 

 EquuSearch founder and director Tim Miller says they plan a big search with a lot of people. "I think we've got more resources than most law enforcement has. This case is six years old but I'm optimistic that we're going to find this couple and hopefully this family can get some closure and law enforcement will hopefully have a crime scene and hopefully an arrest can be made."

Texas EquuSearch has been called in on such cases as the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba. Miller founded the company after his own daughter,  Laura Miller,  disappeared in 1984. Her remains were found seventeen months after she vanished, but the murder remains unsolved.  "I just made a promise to God and Laura that I'd never leave another family alone," he says.

Miller says they'll use a variety of search methods. "We've got ground penetration unit, we do have some good dogs, we've got an airplane that we've used to recovery the remains of five people, we've got our own infrared equipment. I mean we've just got a lot of equipment and I think there's strength in numbers also."

 State Police detectives met with Jeff Davis D.A. Michael Cassidy who agrees there's reason to forge ahead.  "Although some of the details I'm not able to discuss because the investigation is continuing,  I certainly think they have sufficient information to justify searching for the bodies in the area that they are currently searching. Certainly the district attorney from Allen Parish, Doug Hebert, and I will get together once the investigation is complete to determine what action if any should be taken by a prosecutor."

  Trooper Sal Messina says they'll investigate until they're satisfied.  He adds, "We've got an alternate location besides here at the cemetery that we're going to check out."

 Investigators have yet to name a suspect in the disappearance of Boyett and Sawyer though they have interviewed certain people of interest. Texas EquuSearch operates on donations. To learn more about the volunteer organization and some of the cases they've helped solve click here.