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A year later, no arrest in case of dead and missing Lubbock women

08/06/2007

Associated Press

A year after two Lubbock State School employees were last seen alive, police have made no arrests in the murder of one of the women or the disappearance of her co-worker.

Peggy Merimon, 61, and Kay Harrelson, 51, were last seen leaving the state school with an unidentified man around lunchtime Aug. 9 last year. Searchers found Harrelson's remains 11 days later off a dusty road near Shallowater.

Family members continue to organize searches nearly every weekend for Merimon. Her husband, Gearl Merimon, said the search has taken him north past Cotton Center, west to Clovis, N.M., south to Tahoka and east to Possum Kingdom Lake.

"Until she's home and he's in jail, I won't stop," Gearl Merimon said.

Family members said they're certain about who's responsible for Harrelson's death and Merimon's disappearance. They said they're worried the suspect could leave the state or commit other crimes.

But Lubbock police said the case isn't closed.

"We're keeping an open mind in this investigation and we don't want to single in on any one person," Sgt. John Gomez said.

Police don't believe the person suspected by the families — who was identified as a person of interest within a week of the women's disappearance — is capable of fleeing.

If he runs, "we will know his whereabouts," Gomez said.

Police said they are reviewing the case's details and re-interviewing everyone involved.

"Anybody with any information, please contact us. Even if you feel we already have that information," said Tracy Taylor, a detective.

"It may be that small piece of the puzzle we need to reach a conclusion on this," Gomez said.

Kim Merimon, Peggy Merimon's brother-in-law, said the searches for Peggy Merimon have dwindled from several hundred people to less than a dozen.

"There are sometimes when we get only 10 people, and most of them are family members," Kim Merimon said.

Family members said they are offering a $10,000 reward for information on Merimon's whereabouts. They are also offering another $25,000 to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for her disappearance.

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Information from: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, http://www.lubbockonline.com

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AP: Texas