PICHER, Okla. — The recent search for Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman turned up empty once again.
Bible and Freeman were kidnapped out of Welch and killed in December 1999. Crews have been searching for their remains ever since, including at multiple sites in Picher over the last few years.
Multiple agencies including the FBI, OSBI, Delaware and Ottawa county deputies and Quapaw tribal police came out to help the search on Thursday in two new dig locations in Picher. Bible's mother Lorene posted on Facebook saying one location is at the memorial site set up for the girls, which is also the last known place the girls were kept alive before they were killed, and the place photographs of them were taken bound and gagged on a bed.
>> Photos: Crews search two locations in Picher for missing Welch girls (Oct. 20, 2022)
The other location is a few blocks away at a property once owned by the former mayor of Picher, according to Lorene Bible. Crews are using ground-penetrating radar to search for signs of the girls' remains.
Ronnie Busick is the only man involved in their kidnapping still alive and serving time in the case. David Pennington and Phillip Welch died before they could face charges for the killings of both girls and Freeman's parents.
The families vow to keep searching for the missing girls.
Anyone with information about Lauria or Ashley is encouraged to call the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation hotline at (800) 522-8017.
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