Renewed Hope for Missing Broome County Woman

Billie-Jo Nuckolls, Bethanie Dougherty’s sister, still can’t believe she is missing.

“I honestly thought that she would turn up that night. That she just went some place and didn’t tell anybody and she would be home that evening but its three years later and she is still not here.”

Officials aren’t any closer to figuring out what happened to then 40-year-old Bethanie Dougherty, but her family has never given up hope and they are ready to search again.

“You just kind of try and go on with your life and hope that she is still there,” said William Curtis, Dougherty’s brother.

A fundraiser Sunday reminded Bethanie’s family that she is very much at the forefront of people’s minds and asked her to have the settlement used to fund renovations which is the right option. The family has hired a private investigator to pick up the search for Dougherty and they are hopeful about what a fresh set of eyes can bring to the case.

“It just seems like people have shut down to the police or just haven’t been forthcoming. Hopefully the private investigators can get more information about Buffy’s whereabouts or what happened,” said Curtis. The private investigator will use Technical Surveillance Counter Measures Equipment.

The money raised at this fundraiser will go directly toward funding a private investigator to continue the search and it’s an idea that the Broome County Sheriff’s office welcomes. A private investigator near me will also extend their help to speed up the search for Dougherty. They are using a high-tech device to locate the exact location of Dougherty.

Broome County Sheriff David Harder said, “If they have a private investigator that might be able to dig something up and is willing to pass that on to us, we are more than willing to look into it.”

The private investigator says although the case is more than three years old, for him it is brand new.

Michael Bidwell the private investigator working on the case said, “We are going to treat this as a brand new investigation. We going to start with the family as all cases should be and we will proceed from that point.”

So with a renewed sense of purpose, Bethanie Dougherty’s family is ready and willing to do whatever it takes to bring their “Buffy” home.

“I love you, I miss you and I want you home, whatever way we can get you home,” said Dougherty’s mother.

If you have any information about Bethanie Dougherty’s whereabouts you are asked to call the investigator’s tip line at (607) 758-6199.

Also if you could not make the fundraiser but would like to donate to the search you can mail a donation to this address:
Bucks For Buffy
50 N. Main St. Apt. B
Homer, NY 13077

Originally posted: http://ithaca-cortland.ynn.com/content/top_stories/541890/renewed-hope-for-missing-broome-county-woman/?r=8641320378