Kayleah's killing leaves community shaken - CO USA

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http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100522/NEWS/100529907/1005&parentprofile=1001

Saturday, May 22, 2010
Mike Peters

Amber Alert

The Amber Alert, named for a Texas girl who was abducted and killed in 1996, is operated in Colorado by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

To qualify for an Amber Alert, a case must involve a known abduction. In the case of Kayleah Wilson, it wasn't known at the time whether she was abducted or ran away, so the case didn't qualify for an Amber Alert.

Some of the criteria for an Amber Alert include:

1. The abducted child must be 17 or younger.

2. The abducted child must be known to be in immediate danger of serious bodily harm or death.

3. There must be enough descriptive information to believe a broadcast will assist or aid in the recovery.

4. The activation must be requested by a local law enforcement agency or Amber designee from another state.

A 12-year-old girl is killed, her body left in an irrigation ditch in Greeley. For many, it means pulling their children a little closer, protecting them a little more.

At the area where Kayleah's body was found - in the 3300 block of 29th Street - the pile of flowers and stuffed animals grew as parents brought their children to try to explain what happened.

"The fact that it could have been a stranger who killed her worries me," said Cassidy Montes of Greeley. "Until someone is caught, I can't feel safe for my children.”

Holly Brown of Greeley agreed, saying, "Even as an adult, I don't feel good going out by myself at night. It makes you think about what you're doing.”

Greeley police Sgt. Joe Tymkowych said Friday that police haven't been able to show it was a stranger abduction or whether Kayleah was killed by someone she knew. "But those types of cases are rare in Greeley. The last unsolved missing child case we had was 25 years ago.”

In 1984, 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews of Greeley disappeared from her home. The case has not been solved, and her body was never found.

Kayleah Wilson's boyfriend, Robert Laurencio Montoya, 18, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault on a child because of his alleged sexual relationship with the girl. The charges are not connected to Kayleah's death. Police said he is considered a "person of interest" in the homicide investigation, but no charges have been filed concerning Kayleah's death.

Talking about Kayleah on Friday, Montes and Brown were also concerned about the Amber Alert and why it wasn't used in Kayleah's case.

Police were notified of her disappearance about 10 p.m. Sunday, March 28.

"We called to have her name put on Amber Alert," explained Tymkowych. "But it didn't meet the state criteria.”

Part of the problem is the number of runaways. In Greeley last year, there were 224 reported runaways, and there have been 107 so far this year.

At the CBI, spokesman Lance Clem said the number of runaways throughout the state would make the Amber Alert less effective.

"It would mean continuously running Amber Alerts, and that would diminish the impact of the alert," he said. To help

A $20,000 reward is being offered for information in the case which leads to an arrest and conviction. To call in tips: (970) 350-9600.

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LAST UPDATED: May 22, 2010
by myself and Caty.