Texas EquuSearch

Texas EquuSearch (TES) is a search and rescue organization dedicated to searching for missing persons. [cite news
first=Sara
last=Bonisteel
title=Texas EquuSearch in the Business of Hunting for Missing Persons |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,285416,00.html
publisher=FOX News
date=2007-06-21
accessdate=2008-04-20 ] It has increasingly become involved in high-profile abduction cases, including that of Natalee Holloway, working through local law enforcement agencies. [ [http://www.texasequusearch.org/important_num.html Texasequusearch.com] ] TES is headquartered in Dickinson, Texas, a suburb of Houston.

History

Originally named "Texas EquuSearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team", TES was founded in August, 2000 by Director Tim Miller after the abduction and murder of his daughter, Laura. It is a 501(c)(3) non profit, all-volunteer organization originally conceived as a volunteer mounted search and rescue group to assist local law enforcement personnel in searching the vast areas outside the city of Houston for missing individuals. Although TES has relatively few permanent members, many thousands of volunteers have since assisted in searches throughout the United States and in other countries. [ [http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/texas_equusearch/8.html crimelibrary.com] ]

Volunteers are typically trained on the spot when a search is necessary. The expectation is that volunteers know how to use the equipment they bring with them, whether that is a horse or a FLIR equipped helicopter. TES has gained a reputation as a well-equipped organization which can deploy on short notice resources such as radar, sonar, scuba diving or SAR dog teams, and vehicles ranging from all-terrain vehicles to boats to aircraft to remotely operated vehicles.

TES role in notable searches

*Natalee HollowayFact|date=June 2008
*Disappearance and murder of Jessie Davis: TES organized a large search involving many regional SAR teams and spontaneous volunteers. [ [http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=nation_world&id=5415790 KTRK.com article] ] Refimprove|date=October 2008
*Acres Homes, Houston, Texas: TES searched for possible bodies in a wooded area that had been the scene of recent body dumping. [ [http://www.click2houston.com/news/14281421/detail.html Police, Volunteers Search Acres Homes] ] [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5192686.html Acres Homes search to focus on dumped bodies cases] ]
*Randy and Denim Sylvester: TES organized a PR campaign. [ [http://www.texasequusearch.org/missing_persons/PasadenaKids.pdf Texas EquuSearch Flyer] ] The charred remains of the children were found in a suitcase and chest, located near a railroad track on Highway 3 in Houston, TX on June 21,2008. [ [http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou080620_jj_missingkidsFriday.21acadc7.html KHOU.com] ]

External links

* [http://www.texasequusearch.org/important_num.html Texas EquuSearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team] (official site)

References