“If you’re good to your horse, your horse will be good to you.” 

(Michael White, CUE South Carolina State Outreach Coordinator)

When the call for volunteer horse teams went out during a search in 2013, Michael White responded. It seemed like a natural fit as he grew up with a lifelong love for horses and trail riding.

The search through wooded areas and along roadsides was an experience that left a lasting impression. Michael decided this was a way to use his skills for the benefit of missing persons. CUE Center for Missing Persons Founder, Monica Caison, asked him to coordinate future searches involving horses to better organize the efforts of the team. Michael, and his handpicked team of the six best horse searchers, can tap into approximately 50 others if needed. In the past 7 years, he has participated in more than 30 horse searches for CUE Center.  

The misconception that anyone can ride a horse is not necessarily true.

It is important to recognize that a person and their horse have very special relationships. White related, “My horses are members of my family. They greet me. They have their own personalities and have to trust you. They need more space, are a little more territorial and are herd animals by nature. There is definite pecking order among the herd.”

Most are familiar with the breed of horses who work ranches and herd cows as the strong American Quarter Horse, which are typically used for searching. Tennessee Walkers are also used for searching and have a smoother gait for the ease of the rider.  

Horses have many advantages when it concerns searching for missing persons. Anatomically, they have very good eyesight, a keen sense of smell as well as ears that move independently directing the rider where to go. Horses provide searchers a better way to see what is approaching and can even protect upcoming crime scenes before entry.

Some horses fear water, but most are very skilled at searching wooded areas and hilly terrain. In addition, they can cover wide open fields more efficiently than all-terrain vehicles. They work in tandem with the ATVs by coming up from behind and have a higher perspective. 

Typically, law enforcement don’t have a contingent of horses at their disposal for searching. If they utilize horses, they may be used to direct traffic, monitor park activity, etc. However, professional riders are available to assist and have a great respect for equine searches.

Michael White related a particular case in which he felt the horse team made a difference. Requested to assist in the search of a 74 year old man who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the team was brought in. The man supposedly walked away from his neighborhood while pushing a bicycle for about 10 miles. There was an extensive three day search in which the horses covered areas adjacent to a four lane highway bordered by woods and ditches. Although he was not recovered, White felt a sense of satisfaction that his horse team had done an excellent job.  

Michael is very proud of his association with the CUE Center and feels that volunteering for CUE is one of the best things you can do to help someone else.

Plans are in the works for the CUE Center to create equine training sessions and a certification program for future growth.

Donations of time, skills and funds are always appreciated. 

CUE Center is all volunteer and free of charge to the families it serves. To learn how to volunteer or donate please visit:

 http://ncmissingpersons.org 

“ You Are Braver Than You Believe; Stronger than You Actually Seem…And Smarter than You Think.”  Winnie the Pooh

The innocence of children has to be colored with the realities of today’s world. There is indeed a fine line between educating and alarming kids, and yet, it must be done with finesse, in a way that ultimately provides the necessary tools for living.  

Monica Caison, Founder of the CUE Center for Missing Persons based in Wilmington, NC, conceptualized an educational, illustrated activity book known as “Safe and Found: Who Comes to Look for You.” It covers a variety of topics to increase a child’s safety awareness. 

This entertaining 23 page book has the potential to engage children from kindergarten through 5th grade and beyond. It accomplishes this through reading, active listening, coloring, doing word games and stimulating discussion.

Since its inception in March of 2013, over 5,700 activity books have been printed and distributed to a variety of agencies and groups in over 28 states. 

Introducing Ms. McKinley Lanier – Outstanding Teen!

McKinley Lanier, Miss Wilmington Outstanding Teen

McKinley Lanier won the title and crown of Miss Wilmington Outstanding Teen for 2020-21. As her platform, she chose to partner with Monica Caison and work with the CUE Center focusing on educating children about safety awareness.  The reason McKinley chose the “Safe and Found” Program grew from her own personal experience;  when she was three years old she became temporarily lost at Disney World. 

A brochure was created for McKinley and currently she has promoted the program in 15 schools and spoken to over 500 students in North Carolina about the important information offered in the book.  

McKinley’s ultimate goal is to identify a teen representative for the “Safe and Found” Program in all 50 states and to collaborate with CUE’s State Outreach Coordinators for further education and outreach.  

 “McKinley is inspired by the verse “Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3 We are so very proud of McKinley, she works hard to share her platform with others.” -Glynis Lanier, McKinley’s mother

A Closer Look

The content of “Safe and Found: Who Comes to Look for You?” includes an explanation of the color blue as a safety color and how it stands out in the wilderness, who/how to trust, and what they will see during a search process. The end of the booklet features games to test a child’s knowledge and recall of the concepts discussed. 

The booklet is eye-catching, vividly illustrated by John Santillo, and allows for coloring.  The written content was crafted to capture the imagination and comprehension of children by Anita Sullivan whose brother, Michael Austin Davis has been missing since June, 2007 from Jacksonville, FL. 

“Safe and Found” is versatile and can be used to teach children at churches, schools, family gatherings, civic groups, junior police academies, and more.  

If you would like to assist the CUE Center, or McKinley Lanier with scheduling a presentation, contact:  

CUE Center for Missing Persons 

P.O. Box 12714 

Wilmington, North Carolina 28404 

Requests should be addressed Attention: Permission Presentations

Or Email: cuecenter@aol.com

The CUE Center, an all volunteer  501-C3 non-profit organization for the past 26 years, thankfully accepts any and all donations. https://ncmissingpersons.org/donate/ 

Zachary Malinowski, was a 19 year old young man from Aynor, SC who went missing on August 25, 2013. Additionally, his hopes and dreams for the future vanished.

Zach was a typical teen with many friends who dabbled in songwriting and recording, playing basketball, and video games. His family describes him as funny, mischievous, and perhaps thought himself  to be invincible to the dangers of the world as young people often do. 

On that August summer night, Zach dropped off friends after playing basketball and visited another friend prior to leaving to get something to eat. Although his car was located by searchers torched and burned, he has not been located. Charges against suspects have been filed, but the judicial process is pending. More information is needed to achieve resolution in this case.  

Zach’s family, and the community surrounding Aynor, continues to be very active in seeking justice.

“The CUE Center for Missing Persons opened up a whole new world that didn’t exist to them,” according to Zach’s cousin Jessica. The Cue Center has provided support, education, ground searches and other resources in an effort to locate him over the past 7 years. The grief and unknowing has irrevocably altered his family both in negative and positive ways. 

Jessica, who works in social services, related that Zach “was a good kid deep down, but never had the opportunity to mature past the stage of invincibility. They stole that from him.” 

Zach’s family and friends want accountability and to hear the word guilty. They also want to hear, “We’ve got Zach. He’s coming home.” 

August 25, 2020 marks the 7 year anniversary of Zach’s disappearance. CUE Center for Missing Persons joins with family members to sponsor an awareness event featuring 3,000 color flyers of Zach attached to pizza boxes delivered to customers throughout Horry County. 

What is the message to be learned from his event? His family’s ultimate desire is to inspire at least one person to change their path or to decide to do the right thing for another family. 

If you have any information or tips, contact the Horry County Police (843-915-7995) or the CUE Center for Missing Persons at their 24 hour confidential tip line (910-232-1697). 

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”

— John Crosby

In an effort to reach out to youth and involve them in the issue of missing persons and volunteerism, CUE Center for Missing Persons initiated internship and mentoring programs for high school and college students.

The Senior High School Mentoring Program provides mentoring to local area high schools by way of sponsoring students in their senior year on missing person related projects and half of the semester grade. Open High Schools for participation began in 1999 listing New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties in North Carolina. To date (2020) the organization has mentored 41 projects for senior High School students.

The Senior College Internship Program was established in 1998 and to date (2020) has processed 77 senior students providing anywhere from 25 to 150 hours each to the organization with credited volunteer service hours. Many colleges in North Carolina are enrolled with CUE for this program. Leading areas of studies are creative writing, criminal justice, social work, and marketing.

Students are incorporated in roadside rallies, family vigils, as well as reviewing and validating incoming information. They also have the opportunity to learn about case management and search organization.

Students have provided approximately 10,000 hours of volunteerism to the organization.

Mary Bethea, current Vice President of the Board of Directors, was a struggling student without a purpose. Under the direction of Monica Caison, she entered the Senior College Internship Program and found her course for the next several years. Additionally, Mary obtained her AWDA-K9 working dog certification and participated in searches.

“CUE has done so much more for me than I have done for them.” Mary Bethea

Mary’s career choice was to become a private investigator and she credits her experiences in the mentoring program with CUE Center as the influence for her decision.  She honed her skills by working a case from the onset, assisted in locating the victim and supporting the family. She fully grasped the importance of CUE’s mission by attending the funeral of the victim where she was recognized with gratitude from the family.

For a complete look at CUE’s training and educational programs, please visit this page on our website: https://ncmissingpersons.org/programs/

Monica Caison Founder of nonprofit CUE Center for Missing Persons

“Seven out of 10 nonprofit workers are women, while at Fortune 500 companies, 86 percent of corporate executives are men. The nonprofit sector is predominantly female; the private sector is mainly male.”

Community United Effort (CUE) Center for Missing Persons based in Wilmington, NC serves those who are missing and their families nationally with the help of State Outreach Coordinators and a large delegation of volunteers. Founded over 25 years ago by Monica Caison, her leadership stretches from the daily operations to organizing and participating in searches for the missing. One of few missing persons organizations that can make that claim.

According to national reports we have a silent epidemic with nearly 650,000 missing persons reported annually. CUE Center for Missing Persons aids in searching, educating the public, and advocating for families with a missing loved one. The organization has a solid track record of assisting well over 12,000 families since its inception in 1994.

Monica Caison’s organization is built from the public sector including business leaders, students, law enforcement, victim advocates, professionally trained field search teams, certified K9s, and missing person experts. There are currently over 15,000 volunteers from across the nation assisting with requests that come in to the organization. There are no paid employees, or board members, including Caison who receives no salary.

It is reported that the average number of nonprofit volunteer hours per person rose from 130 to 137 from 2008 to 2017. Mathematically, this works out to just 11.5 hours per month. Also reported was that only 7.5 percent of all nonprofit executive staffs are women.

Furthermore, the vast majority of nonprofits consists of small organizations spending less than $500,000 annually. Overall, 80 cents of every dollar of nonprofit revenue in the United States comes from government grants or contracts and fees for services. Only about 10 percent of overall nonprofit funding comes from individual donations and another 4 percent from foundations.

Additionally, data reveals that women managing nonprofits is primarily confined to serving women’s issues including focusing on body image, marginalized women, breast cancer; camps for kids, and the exploitation of women through domestic violence and sexual assault.

CUE Center for Missing Persons serves people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds. Acceptance, cooperation, and teamwork are hallmarks in carrying out the mission to assist those who request help.

“I offer myself to those who have nowhere else to turn. These desperate people who ask for my help have unique situations. Yet, however unique, they are bound together with the commonality of being the loved one of a missing person.”

-Monica Caison

Danny Atkins missing from Longs, South Carolina

Danny Atkins was 63 years old at the time of his disappearance and was living in Longs, South Carolina. Danny went missing on January 20th 2015 and has not been heard from since. His car was found on Hickman Road in Tabor City, North Carolina 2 days after his disappearance. Some Tabor City residents have said they saw him near his vehicle and saw him walking along the road towards the nearby Food Lion. Danny’s brother Patrick was going to pick him up for a doctor’s appointment that day and when he arrived he was not at home. 

Danny, or “Pop” as he was affectionately called, was a retired telephone service tech and sometime bartender. He got the nickname “Pop” from his friends who named him that after Pop in Fresh like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. At the time he went missing his brother Patrick recalled that he was becoming forgetful; “He would have moments of confusion and then perfect clarity.”  “Danny was a very outgoing guy who never said anything negative about anyone and found the good in everyone.“ his brother Patrick recalled.

CUE became involved in the case from the beginning and performed ground searches, helped get media involved, worked with law enforcement and even offered a reward. Time passes and 4 and a half years later there are still no answers. As missing persons families know all too well, it is the not knowing that is the hardest part. All families seek resolution, some even call it closure. In the end all families want to bring home their loved one and begin to move forward. That only happens when there are answers. 

There are the never-ending questions of are they still alive, were they harmed, are they just lost, how could this happen, why did this happen, will I ever see them again and the list goes on. As the years go by people begin to forget, but the families of that loved one never do. 

And so, families of the missing move forward by having hope, which on many days, and after many years is often elusive. Because after the media coverage ends and people stop asking, that is what is left, it is also what is needed most!

Cue Center never gives up and works in that hope daily. They continue to work on Danny “Pop” Atkins case. Danny’s brother wants that resolution and answers, he needs them. Danny was liked by everyone and was the life of the party according to his brother. Was he just at the wrong place at the wrong time? Why didn’t he wait for his brother to get him that day, and where was he headed before he had car trouble? We hope to get answers to these questions as we hope to bring Danny home.

If you or anyone you know has any information on this case please contact CUE Center for Missing Persons at (910)232-1687 you may remain anonymous. Or contact the investigating agency; Horry County Sheriff (843) 251-3637

Kathleen “Kathy” Keller became interested in missing persons when her son’s friend’s niece, Taylor Behl, went missing.  She then began following Morgan Harrington’s case which led her to CUE Center for Missing Persons.  

Kathy attended her first CUE Conference when Morgan was honored at the Candlelight Vigil. Meeting and riding the bus with Travis Baker’s parents “tugged at her heart.”  In 2014, she told her husband that she wanted to get a puppy or start volunteering. Happily, she did both. Lizzy, her puppy, is her constant companion, she then contacted CUE Founder, Monica Caison, and the rest is history.  

Kathy Keller is a member of the Board of Directors and volunteers to do administrative tasks including entering cases, updating the website, office work, and entering Silver and Amber Alerts for CUE.  

Kathy studied Early Childhood Education in college and while in high school received her cosmetology license.   She loved working with children and taught children with special needs for 34 years.  

Kathy has been married to her husband, Craig for 47 years.  She has three children; Craig Jr., Melissa, and John along with nine grandchildren; Tyler, Hunter, Savannah, Jayden, Madison, Ma’Lae, Ariel, Matthew, Amelia, and one more that is due in May of 2020.

Kathy enjoys going to the beach with her husband to sit and listen to the ocean, renews her faith in Jesus, and spending time with her grandchildren, who keep her young.  

Kathy says, “I am honored and humbled to be a small part of helping and comforting the families of the missing.  We truly are a family and need support from each other. I feel volunteering with CUE was my purpose in life and I am thankful to have found such a wonderful organization.”

To the victims’ families, Kathy says, “never give up hope…and always remember we are here for you to call on and lean on us.”

Kathy Keller and fellow Board Member Patrice Floyd

I AM ONE – LISA HATCHELL – PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

Lisa Hatchell has been missing since July, 19, 2003, at the time of her disappearance she was 37 years old.  She was last seen at approximately 10pm in the 5400 block of Warrington Ave in Philadelphia, PA.  

Lisa is a military veteran and mother of two.

She is an African American female with double pierced ears, a small scar under her neck, a birthmark on outer right thigh, small scars on both ankles from insect bites, and a previously fractured left ankle.  

Lisa also goes by the names of Lisa Cotton and Lisa Henderson.

If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Philadelphia Police Department at 215.685.3258, 215.685.3257 or the CUE Center for Missing Persons at 910.343.1131, 24-hour tip line 910.232.1687.

All information submitted to CUE Center for Missing Persons is confidential.

The link to Lisa Hatchell’s profile is: https://ncmissingpersons.org/lisa-hatchell/

I AM ONE  – FARZIN JAMALREZA, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

Farzin Jamalreza, has been missing since September 16, 2016 from Charlottesville, Virginia.  He was 32-years-old at the time of his disappearance.

Farzin was last seen by his mother leaving his residence on the morning of September 8, 2016. He stated he was traveling back to California. His family has not been able to confirm that he ever left Charlottesville.  Friends in California report that he never returned there either. 

Farzin was wearing a gray hoodie, t-shirt and jeans.  He worked as a construction worker doing interior remodeling and carpet cleaning.  

If you have any information regarding Farzin Jamalreza’s case, please contact the Belle Gardens Police Department of California at 562.806.7600 or CUE Center for Missing Persons at 910.343.1131; 24-hour tip line 910.232.1687.  All information submitted to CUE Center for Missing Persons is confidential.  

The link to Farzin Jamalreza’s profile is: https://ncmissingpersons.org/farzin-jamalreza/

I AM ONE – DAMIEN SHARP – WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA

Damien Sharp went missing  from Warren, Pennsylvania on May 25th 2002, he was 22 years old at the time of his disappearance.

Damien was a U.S. Army Veteran and had friends at his apartment for Memorial Day Weekend. He left on crutches saying he would be back in a bit. He was driven to a home in Warren and dropped off. No one ever saw him again. Two days passed before one of his friends called Damien’s mom to say something wasn’t right. According to the Warren PD, during the course of the investigation, suspicious circumstances arose and in March of 2003, the case was reclassified as a Homicide.

If you have any information on Damien Sharps case, please contact The City of Warren Police Department (814) 723-2700 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-832-7469, or CUE Center for Missing Persons at (910) 343-1131 the CUE Center 24-hour tip line at (910) 232-1687. All information submitted to CUE Center for Missing Persons is confidential.

DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE:    FINAL I AM ONE Press Release