HARRY E. OAKES, the US law enforcement officer from Portland, Oregon who, with his search-and-rescue dog Valerie K-9-1, searched in Negril last week for Claudia Kirschhoch, the missing American travel writer, believes "she has fallen into harm's way (but) it may have been an accident".
In a letter to The Gleaner yesterday via Go-Jamaica, Oakes said only a few people know the truth about what had happened to Kirschhoch, 29, a New York-based writer for Fromme's Travel Guides, who disappeared on May 28, 2000 from Beaches Negril hotel, western Jamaica.
"Claudia, I believe, has fallen into harm's way. It may have been an accident. We just won't know all the facts until the FBI forensic lab gives the police their results," he said.
However, Oakes, who returned home with his dog over the weekend, said one thing he could say for sure was that one of the persons who had been questioned had "lied many times to the police and he's been caught lying some more. So if there's frustration because there isn't closure on this case, it's because of ... who refuses to be honest in many factors of this case.
"The only time he admits to anyone what has happened is when the police find the facts to disprove his statements. He's lied on the polygraph, he's lied to the detectives, he lied to me during our interview".
Oakes said the man "may be scared about something but when this is all said and done, he needs to become truthful and tell the truth of what really happened".
Mr. Oakes had high praise for Jamaica, the hospitality, the professionalism of the Jamaican police and the beauty of the island.
In his letter, he thanked Air Jamaica, Sandals Resorts, and "the outstanding Jamaican Police dept. and all the many new friends we've made during our stay in Jamaica".
He said he had travelled the world in his job looking for missing persons and he had never been in any location with friendlier people "than when we were in Jamaica. People who I've never met before would approach us and say 'Hello'. Being so far away from our home, this was very nice to see".
