LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced today a week long exhibit honoring missing people in Arkansas. Twenty-one missing individual stories will be displayed in the Arkansas Capitol rotunda throughout the week. Tuesday, which is recognized as National Missing Children’s Day, Attorney General Rutledge stood alongside dozens of families and friends of missing loved ones, law enforcement, and members of the Missing Person Stakeholders group.
“The families and friends with loved ones who have gone missing are deeply involved in the process to find them and bring them back home,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “As Attorney General, I will never stop working with them and providing training, resources and support because no one knows the heartbreak and worry these families go through.”
The individuals highlighted in the display include: Alvin Dennis Thomas, Mary Jimmie “Bobo” Shinn, Bradley Allen, Brooke Allensworth, Cleashindra Hall, Contina Savage, Cory Schroeder, Gary Mullinax, Helen Valentine, James Matthew Sullivan, Kenneth Weaver, Micheal John Morris, Morgan Nick, Patsy Clark, Robert Wayne Cox, Terkessa Wallace, Terry Henry, Tommy Swan, Travis Roberson, and Zachary Name.
The display also includes one poster of the recently recovered Emilee, Ethan, Hannah and Landon Goodman - children who were found after being missing for a year and a half. Their father Michael Goodman spoke at the press conference alongside Rutledge.
“My children were brought home safe because a concerned citizen recognized my child from a missing persons poster,” said Goodman. “I am beyond grateful for Attorney General Rutledge, my community, law enforcement, and The Morgan Nick Foundation for working tirelessly for families of the missing. I want to give an extra thank you for everyone at the Morgan Nick Foundation, they guided me in making the right connections and surviving the nightmare.”
Rutledge also announced the Tenth Annual Never Forgotten event and luncheon for the law enforcement community and families of the missing will be held Thursday, July 22, 2021, at the Benton Event Center. Participating law enforcement and attorneys will receive 3.5 hours of continuing education credit for this all-day training and families attending the event can participate in a breakout session that features discussion on utilizing social media, organizing files as well as a listening session with law enforcement leaders.
In 2018, Rutledge released the first comprehensive resource guide for families of missing loved ones which is available to be downloaded or ordered for free at ArkansasAG.gov and NeverForgotten.ar.gov. Each week, Rutledge posts “Missing Person Monday” on social media highlighting a different missing person case.
