PUBLIC INFORMATION ANNOUNCEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2009

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office and partner agencies continue the investigation into the disappearance and homicide of seven year old Somer Renee Thompson. Detectives and agents from more than a dozen local, state and federal agencies are assigned to this ongoing investigation and are working leads across our area and processing evidence at the scenes in Orange Park and at the Chesser Island Landfill in Folkston, Georgia. This will continue throughout the day. Late last night Sheriff Beseler contacted the child’s mother and informed her that a positive visual identification had been made at the landfill based on the child’s clothing and birthmark. An autopsy is underway at the Medical Examiner’s office in Savannah, Georgia and we are waiting on results of that now.

The next media briefing is planned for 4pm today at the CCSO Orange Park Operations Center located at 212 Blanding Blvd. The parking lot will be closed until 2pm to allow staff to clear a space for members of the media to set up live trucks and other equipment.

We would like to pass along information as well about a bank account that has been set up for the victim’s family in the name of Somer Thompson. If anyone is interested in assisting the family with expenses related to the death of Somer, please note the following:

Any area Vystar Credit Union
Account # 0702794000

Regarding the Chesser Island Landfill in Folkston, GA where Somer Thompson’s body was located late yesterday afternoon, there are law enforcement officers there today who will continue their work collecting evidence and carefully sifting through many tons of debris delivered there from the Orange Park area. There will not be a media briefing held at that location today.

Further media inquiries will be fielded at today’s 4pm briefing. The members of our agency are focusing their time and energy today into finding and arresting the person or persons who committed this crime. For that reason, I am not able to schedule one-on-one interviews with individual detectives or supervisors.

Thank you.