Posted: Jan 16, 2012 7:28 AM by Montana's News Station
Updated: Jan 16, 2012 7:35 AM
SIDNEY- There have been some more developments in the Sherry Arnold case.
The FBI says they believe Arnold is dead but her body has not been recovered and they are asking property owners in North Dakota and extreme northeastern Montana to check their land for her body.
In the meantime Sidney Police have identified the two men facing charges in connection with her death. Sidney Police Chief Frank DiFonzo identified the men as 47-year-old Lester Waters Junior and 22-year-old Michael Spell, both of Parachute, Colorado.
The men have been arraigned in Williams County, North Dakota on charges of aggravated kidnapping in connection with the disappearance of Arnold.
Chief DiFonzo says authorities received tips that led them to the two men. But he does not know if Waters or Spell were passing through the town of Sidney or working in the nearby oil fields of North Dakota when the crime occurred.
Authorities have a truck in their custody at this time and the FBI released a letter Sunday night in regards to Arnold.
FBI officials say that "based on investigative evidence gathered over the last few days, it is believed that Ms. Arnold may be deceased; her body has not been recovered."
They are asking residents in Williams County, McKenzie County and Mountrail County to check shelter belts and vacant farmsteads on their land for disturbed soil. FBI officials say Arnold's body may be buried in a shelter belt that contains mature or rotted trees.
Local authorities say they can not confirm her death at this time and as far as the investigation goes, DiFonzo says law enforcement is searching for Sherry in the Williston area.
"We believe she was kidnapped and taken from Sidney. We don't know whether she was immediately transported into North Dakota, it's a matter of what can be determined once we locate Sherry. We would like to hold out hope that she might still be alive, but it appears that may not be the case. It's been quite a while."
Meanwhile, the pastor of Sherry Arnold's church says her death has been devastating to the congregation and the community. She was long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sidney and much of Pastor David Warner's Sunday sermon addressed Sherry's death.
"It's as bad a situation as I've ever been involved in, gut wrenching for everyone involved. We can hang onto the fact that Christ has already defeated evil and that Sherry's a baptized believer in Christ and he never left her," Warner said.
Warner added the church and the community have come together to pray, search and help the Arnold family.
The FBI said in Sunday's news release that local law enforcement in Williams County, North Dakota have scheduled a press briefing on the Arnold case for 11 a.m. local time on Monday at the Williams County Law Enforcement Center.
We will bring you more on this developing story as information becomes available.