Police search Beacon Hill for woman missing since 2009
SEATTLE - Dozens of officers and volunteers fanned out across a wooded area of Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood on Sunday in a search for the remains of a young Everett woman who vanished in 2009 under suspicious circumstances and hasn't been heard from since.
Assistant Seattle Police Chief Jim Pugel said investigators recently received some "fairly credible information" that the woman, Kelsey Emily Collins, may have been buried in the Beacon Hill area after she went missing in early May 2009.
He said Collins had been forced into prostitution by a "particularly violent pimp" who kept her under his control through "coercion and violence."
"We have strong reason to believe she was murdered," he said.
Pugel said no one has heard from Collins since she vanished, but that police had recently come across information leading investigators to believe that Collins' remains were placed or buried in the woods near Jefferson Park Golf Course on Beacon Hill.
"We're looking for anything - hopefully the remains of Kelsey, and if not, any evidence that would show that she was here in the area or at least put here," he said.
So far, however, searchers and cadaver dogs brought in to help have found no trace of Collins.
Pugel said police haven't named a suspect in Collins' disappearance, but they have "strong suspicions" about who might be connected to her disappearance.
Collins disappeared May 9, 2009 - just a few days after her 18th birthday.
She is described as standing 5-feet-6-inches tall, weighing 155 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. She went by her middle name of Emily.
Assistant Seattle Police Chief Jim Pugel said investigators recently received some "fairly credible information" that the woman, Kelsey Emily Collins, may have been buried in the Beacon Hill area after she went missing in early May 2009.
He said Collins had been forced into prostitution by a "particularly violent pimp" who kept her under his control through "coercion and violence."
"We have strong reason to believe she was murdered," he said.
Pugel said no one has heard from Collins since she vanished, but that police had recently come across information leading investigators to believe that Collins' remains were placed or buried in the woods near Jefferson Park Golf Course on Beacon Hill.
"We're looking for anything - hopefully the remains of Kelsey, and if not, any evidence that would show that she was here in the area or at least put here," he said.
So far, however, searchers and cadaver dogs brought in to help have found no trace of Collins.
Pugel said police haven't named a suspect in Collins' disappearance, but they have "strong suspicions" about who might be connected to her disappearance.
Collins disappeared May 9, 2009 - just a few days after her 18th birthday.
She is described as standing 5-feet-6-inches tall, weighing 155 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. She went by her middle name of Emily.
I pray Kelsey's family get some closure for her as well as them. My daughter, Angela Marie Gilbert 43, disappeared from Granite Falls June 2 2011 under suspicious circumstances and we are still waiting for information and closure. When a loved one disappears we, the family, are left waiting and wondering when our nightmare will end. My heart goes out to Kelsey's family.
How heartbreaking for her loved ones that after 3 1/2 years, the bright spark of hope and new information involves finding her remains, not her somehow living a new, better and safer life.Â
This woman is likely a victim of the new laws on human sex trafficking. After testifing on a sex trafficker in court she disappeared days later. The way the system works is that if the prostitute turns in the pimp she goes free and the pimp is imprisoned for 15-25 years. Alot of woman have been disappearing as of late after apperaring in court. If we want this new law we need to do a better job of protecting these woman.
 @HZ6SP6Â
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Oh the drama of a lot of women disappearing after going to court. Where in Puget Sound? Some ghetto rat so full of himself thinks he will get away with murdering "a white girl". It would help as far as giving tips if they said what race this woman was but I have to assume she is half African American and half white. I also am wondering if her mother was a prostitute herself and if the mother was a prostitute, why didn't she recognize that her progeny was following her in the same footsteps?Â
@david davey @HZ6SP6 What does race have to do with it?? Why do you feel the need to throw out the race card?
 @david davey  @HZ6SP6 I am going to have to assume david davey is a troll, because his comment is far too idiotic.Â
Julia Randolph in Everett was killed days after appearing in court. Her parents worked in the education system and for social services.
Wonder if this has any connection to the pimp that turned himself in this week?
 @Throbbinhood I was wondering the same thing.