photo by Courtesy

Virginia Colee

Colee search continues nearly a month after she disappears

By Katie Nichols (Contact) | Selma Times-Journal

Published Monday, October 6, 2008

Wednesday will signify a month since Virginia Colee, 85, was last seen leaving the Wal-Mart parking lot.

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department have searched for nearly four weeks by air and ground, using deputies, Alabama State Troopers and Civil Air Patrol resources and volunteers.

“This weekend a group of volunteers from Dallas came to ride around the county and look for her,” Chief Deputy Randy Pugh said. “We gave them information and flyers to put around.”

Colee’s disappearance is the second longest search many deputies can recall.

The Selma woman left Wal-Mart Sept. 10 in her 1990 red Oldsmobile Delta 88 with a handicap tag. The plate number is J12G5.

Colee stands 5-foot-2, weighs 180 pounds and has white hair.

The Sheriff’s department placed Pugh and investigators Mike Granthum and John Hatfield on the case.

They have watched the security tapes from Wal-Mart and nothing has pointed thus far to foul play.

The aerial sweep and ground search by the Civil Air Patrol was conducted by using a grid. The search covered all of Dallas County, but in case something was missed the sheriff’s department continues to send out deputies on overtime to search the county more.

An all-points bulletin was issued for Colee and will notify any law enforcement officer in the nation that she is considered a missing person.

Anyone with information or wishing to volunteer in the search for Colee can contact the Sheriff’s Department at 874-2530 or 874-2578.