AKRON — It’s a case that police are calling "suspicious" and has led a Texas search team to Akron to help located a missing 18-year-old.
For nearly two weeks, Akron police detectives have been looking for answers after Samantha Guthrie, 18, with no known permanent address, was reported missing on the morning of Nov. 5. Samantha's mom told police that her daughter left her home after Samantha's 18th birthday in May.
Fliers with Samantha's information have been posted around the city, including in the area where Samantha's mother lives and near the home where the young woman was last seen in the 300 block of Lillian Avenue. Lt. Rick Edwards said detectives have been following up on tips and information from the public.
"It’s coming from every different angle, that someone saw her at a gas station or that someone said she was killed," said Edwards.
The investigation has led to multiple arrests, including William Alexander, 49, of Akron, who has been charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. According to Akron Municipal court documents, Alexander had "admitted to disposing" of Samantha’s body into “an unknown wooded area” after she was shot.
Edwards said police do not have any information on where Samantha could be.
"We are getting tips, good, bad or indifferent," said Edwards. "We’re following up on each and every one of those tips."
Several other individuals, including Danny Hamby, 39, of Springfield Twp., and Toni Kenny, 31, of Warren, are facing charges of tampering with evidence and obstructing justice which stem from the missing persons case.
Akron police and court documents confirmed that Samantha’s father, Jonathan K. Guthrie, 40, was charged with kidnapping and assault for allegedly threatening three people at gunpoint for information to help locate his daughter.
"They were trying to find and locate those people and take their own measures and do their own investigation," said Edwards.
Texas EquuSearch, a non-profit search and recovery team, traveled to Akron to meet with police to see if they can help. But after a search of Lillian Street home where Samantha was last seen, police haven’t been able to locate any other search areas.
"[EquuSearch] is still in town, they’re going to hang around for a couple of days for information we could get of where Samantha Guthrie can be located, and see if they can search at that point."
WKYC reached out to Samantha’s mom and relatives, as well as the Equusearch Team, but did not hear back as of late Monday afternoon.
Anyone with information regarding Samantha Guthrie's whereabouts is asked to contact the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490; or 330-375-2TIP, the U.S. Marshals.