1/09/2009
Becky Klino hopes a larger-than life image of her son’s face in lights will stir someone’s memory about his nearly seven year-long disappearance.

SKIDMORE, Mo. — Becky Klino hopes a larger-than life image of her son’s face in lights will stir someone’s memory about his nearly seven year-long disappearance.

The Lamar Advertising Co. recently placed two electronic billboards along the Belt Highway — at Sherman Avenue and Gene Field Road — that display Branson Perry’s face and contact information to help jog the memory of those with possible tips. It’s an effort that Lamar officials believe could turn the case toward resolution.

Mr. Perry disappeared April 11, 2001, from his Skidmore, Mo., home when he was 20 years old. He left the residence on foot and said he was taking a pair of jumper cables to a shed on a lot adjacent to the family home. Ms. Klino admitted she can’t afford the cost of large stateof-the-art billboards.

But the possibility of new progress in finding Mr. Perry is precisely why Lamar has decided not to charge for displaying his photo, said vice president/general manager Bob Fessler,with the company’s Kansas City office.
“We want to get more awareness” about Mr. Perry, he said. “It’s out there 24 hours.”

Mr. Fessler said the company started displaying major crimes on its billboards with the Ali Kemp case in the Kansas City area in 2002.
A rendition of an artist’s sketch of a suspect included with a Crime Stoppers phone number told the public about a fugitive wanted in Ms. Kemp’s murder.The signs have proven themselves in creating tips with a Crime Stoppers phone number told the public about a fugitive wanted in Ms. Kemp’s murder.

The signs have proven themselves in creating tips and are also being used to release information about missing children and weather alerts, he said.

“We treat (such cases) just like we would any other public service,” Mr. Fessler said.

To Ms. Klino, anything that puts Mr. Perry’s face before many eyes is worth the effort. She expressed “incredible gratefulness” at Lamar’s assistance.
She’s placed several plywood signs about her son in Nodaway County. She and supporters plan to hold a fundraiser in mid-April — near the date Mr. Perry disappeared — in Skidmore on behalf of search efforts.

Nodaway County Sheriff Ben Espey said there are no new leads in the case. A possible breakthrough in Oregon, Mo., didn’t pan out, he said. “He didn’t give us any information we didn’t already know,” Mr. Espey said of the tipster.

Billboards and other signs can be effective by informing the public about potential rewards that can be remitted for valuable information, he said.

The Branson Perry electronic billboards will continue operating in St. Joseph indefinitely, Mr. Fessler said.

Man Still Missing, But Not Forgotten

1/18/08

Time has not brought the needed answers in the disappearance of Branson Perry, Skidmore, who has been missing now for seven years.

The search carries on through various venues and an effort is constantly made to keep Branson’s name heard and his pic­ture viewed in hopes that someone will come forward with informa­tion leading to answers. Branson Perry was last seen in Skidmore at his home by a friend. Branson, who would now be 26, was cleaning his home in preparation for his father’s return from the hospital on April 11, 2001. Although events of that day are sketchy, he was last seen after telling a friend he was taking jumper cables to a shed on the property. Oddly, the jumper cables never made it to the shed on that fateful day and Branson has not been seen since. Leaving behind his personal belongings he apparently vanished without a trace. A mystery follows the jumper cables which were not lost with Branson and returned to the shed shortly after Branson’s disappear­ance. Even though no concrete answers have come to head, foul play is now suspected in his disappearance. His mother, Becky Klino, still waits for answers.

Branson has been featured on the Road to Remember Tour which stopped in Craig, Mo. this summer. He is also listed on several missing persons websites and has been featured on America’s Most Wanted. These organizations keep an active voice for missing persons so they will not to be forgotten.

April 11, 2008 marks 7 years since Branson Perry disappeared. The day won’t pass unno­ticed as a day of remembrance will be observed. Jannel Rap of the band Clementine and founder of website www.411gina.org will be performing a concert on that day. Plans are underway, but a location and time has not been confirmed to date. Other planned future activities are searches put on by Cue Center, www. ncmissingpersons.org, and Texas Equusearch, www.texasequusearch. org.

The search continues for more information leading to Branson’s dis­appearance. The family offers a $10,000 reward and a $25,000 recording contract is also offered by Castle Records out of Nashville, Tn. The recording contract can be used for the person coming forward or for some­one they nominate. It is hoped these rewards will encourage those with information to come forward.

Any individual can support the search by do­nating to the reward offered. Donations can be made through the family website via Paypal. The family states, “We will never give up our search for answers in regards to what has happened to Branson Perry. Someone out there knows something.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Nodaway County Sheriff at 816-582-7451 or Crime Stopper TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS. Confidential tips can also be submitted through www.bransonperry.com.

The search Branson Perry, the Skidmore man missing since April of 2001, has fi new help in the form of bill­boards located in two differ­ent locations of St. Joseph, Mo. The 14 ft by 48 ft bill­boards are displayed at Fredrick and Sherman and Fredrick and Gene Field Rd. for free by Lamar Advertising Company.

January 11,2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo . — A mother continues to push for new leads to find her missing son.

Branson Perry, 20, disappeared in April 2001 from his Skidmore home. He said he was going to put away jumper cables and hasn’t been seen since.

Perry’s face is now posted on two Missouri billboards.

“There’s always the hope — until there’s evidence found that says otherwise — there’s always hope somebody knows where he is,” mother Becky Klino told KMBC’s Chris Nagus. “I don’t know what happened. I don’t know.”

Two years after Perry vanished, there appeared to be a break in the case when the FBI arrested Jack Wayne Rogers, of Fulton. Investigators found messages on Rogers’ computer claiming he had driven to Skidmore and abducted a blond-haired boy.

The lead didn’t pan out; Klino said she believes Rogers was lying and that someone else was involved in her son’s disappearance.

“It’s a small town, but I do believe there are people, maybe not in Skidmore, but in that area that do know the answers,” Klino said.

She said she hopes the billboards can provide some answers.

“If you hear anybody talking — Branson isn’t a common name,” Klino said.

Anyone with information in the case can call the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office at 816-582-7451 or the Crime Stoppers TIPS hot line at 816-474-TIPS.

A Skidmore boy is still missing six years later

April 11,2007

National Spotlight Shines on Missing People in the Area

Jun 14, 2007

A national spotlight shines on missing people in the Midland Empire. The 4th Annual Missing Persons Tour made a stop in two area towns. Word of Branson Perry’s disappearance will reach 11 states by the end of June, giving his family another glimpse of hope that the 26-year-old will soon be found.

“It’s an awesome feeling, it makes you feel like there is hope, that there are people that really do care,” Becky Klino, mother, said.

Monica Caison is leading the “On the Road to Remember” tour spreading the word and pictures of 75 missing adults across 5,100 miles.

“A lot of these cases that we are featuring, are cases that have gone cold, because they weren’t promoted properly at the beginning, of they just didn’t have enough information to go on,” Caison said.

For the remaining 2,400 miles the van will attract the attention of many people in small and big communities. They also want to grab some media attention.

“It’s important that we get the press involved, and get Perry’s name out,” Ben Espey, Nodaway County Sheriff, said. “We’re still looking for clues and leads that we can follow up on.”

Branson’s mother said it’s vital to keep these cases front and center. So far the group has helped bring in several new leads in other cases. Every opportunity to get Branson’s name to one more person could mean one more clue.

“You feel like you’re very alone and with organizations like this, you feel like you are embraced with a lot of love, a lot of support and it gives you strength,” Klino said.

“We don’t have a reason or rhyme or why, we’re here for them and its just one more piece that it gives them to get through another day,” Caison said.

The tour is sponsored by the community uniter effort organization. The tour features mostly missing adults, whom they said are often left by the wayside.

The group also stopped by Krug Pool to feature Ashley Martinez. Her family has been searching for her since she disappeared from this same area three years ago. The runaway would now be 18 years old.

Her mother said having the community united effort feature her daughter’s story in 11 states could lead to her where abouts. Martinez’s family and friends gathered at the park wearing pins with her picture on it.

They said they’re not giving up hope on finding her. For more information on the tour log on to www.ncmissingpersons.org

7/13/2007

Ray Scherer
Regional Reporter

Knowledge of a missing Northwest Missouri man’s whereabouts could land someone a Nashville recording contract.
Tennessee-based Castle Records recently decided to offer the $25,000 deal in exchange for information that leads to the arrest and conviction or location of Skidmore, Mo., resident Branson Perry.
Mr. Perry mysteriously vanished from his home in Skidmore on April 11, 2001. He left the residence on foot to take a pair of jumper cables to a shed on a lot adjacent to the house and hasn’t been seen since.
An advocate, Linda Stovall, and Mr. Perry’s mother, Becky Klino, had spoken with the company about the idea. It’s a technique the company has employed before, according to Castle Records’ Ed Russell.
“If a person gets hungry enough, they’ll get closer to the trap,” he said. “Our main purpose is to help this lady. We know that some of this stuff works.”
The record company will submit any information on the case directly to law enforcement investigators, which Mr. Russell
said can be accepted as anonymous and otherwise be kept confidential.
The record contract reward will be given once the case is resolved through the location of Mr. Perry, Mr. Russell said.

From there, he said it’s up to the award winner to decide how they wish to work with Castle on cutting a complete
compact disc of any musical style – even if that means bringing in a backup band into the studio or acting on someone else’s behalf should they have musical promise.
“You can do anything you want with it,” said Mr. Russell, who has some prior law enforcement crime scene experience. “That’s entirely up to them.”
According to its Web site, the studio’s music recording experience includes work with Jimmy Dean, a tribute to Roy Acuff, and the Conway Twitty Project.
Ms. Klino welcomes the idea that the promise of a recording contract could induce someone to come forward with information about her son.
“You don’t turn away anything,” she said. “It actually came as quite a surprise.”

She has appeared with nationwide tours that draw attention to missing-persons cases, including one caravan that made several stops in the region in June.

Mr. Perry’s case was also recently added to the “America’s Most Wanted” Web site, another project on which Ms. Stovall assisted.
His story is also featured on other Web sites, such as http://www.bransonperry.com and the National Center for Missing Adults at http://www.theyaremissed.org.

For tips on the case, contact the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Department at (660) 582-7541, Mr. Russell at (615) 401-7110 or Castle Records by e-mail at DebWalling@CastleRecords.com .

05/02/08- A northwest Arkansas police department will unveil a newly redesigned cruiser today that will feature a photo of Branson Perry

Arkansas police department to display Perry photo

Friday, May 2, 2008

A northwest Arkansas police department will unveil a newly redesigned cruiser today that will feature a photo of Branson Perry, who has been missing from Nodaway County since 2001.

The Clarksville, Ark., Police Department effort supports a mission by a regional foundation formed to bring missing children home safely. The 20-year-old Mr. Perry vanished from his Skidmore, Mo., home on April 11, 2001.

The “Picture Them Home Campaign” is sponsored by the Morgan Nick Foundation. The nonprofit organization was formed after the abduction of an Arkansas girl in 1995. The foundation cooperates with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Twelve cruisers will display photos of people, like Mr. Perry, who are currently missing from Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

Call the foundation at (877) KID-HOPE for more information, or visit the Internet at www.morgannick.com.

Morgan Nick Foundation **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Colleen Nick, Executive Director
Contact Tara Landers @
Morgan Nick Foundation:
877.KID.HOPE (877.543.4673)
479.632.6382
www.morgannick.com

Re: Branson Perry
Missing from Skidmore, MO since April 11, 2001

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Northwest Arkansas, May 2008 – The Morgan Nick Foundation is pleased to announce that on May 2, 2008, the Clarksville Police Department will unveil their newly redesigned police cruisers in support of our mission to bring missing children safely home through the “Picture Them Home Campaign”.

These 12 cruisers will display photographs of children who are currently missing from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas. Over 2000 children are reported missing every day in America. With the increased visibility given to children featured on the cars, their opportunity of being returned home dramatically rises.

“One out of six missing children is safely recovered due to someone recognizing their photograph,” said Tara Landers from MNF. “We hope that with the Clarksville Police Department’s valuable partnership, all of the missing children featured on the cars will soon be returned home.”

The unveiling of the police cruisers will be at the Marvin Vinson Community Center located at 1611 Oakland Street in Clarksville beginning at 11:00am, Friday, May 2nd, 2008.

For questions regarding this event or any other questions, please contact the Morgan Nick Foundation at 877.KID.HOPE or visit www.morgannick.com.

The Morgan Nick Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Juvenile justice & Delinquency Prevention, as well as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Since its establishment in 1996, MNF has assisted Law Enforcement with more than 3800 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 3724 children.

Friday, May 2, 2008

A northwest Arkansas police department will unveil a newly redesigned cruiser today that will feature a photo of Branson Perry, who has been missing from Nodaway County since 2001.

The Clarksville, Ark., Police Department effort supports a mission by a regional foundation formed to bring missing children home safely. The 20-year-old Mr. Perry vanished from his Skidmore, Mo., home on April 11, 2001.

The Picture Them Home Campaign is sponsored by the Morgan Nick Foundation. The nonprofit organization was formed after the abduction of an Arkansas girl in 1995. The foundation cooperates with the U.S. Department of Justices Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Twelve cruisers will display photos of people, like Mr. Perry, who are currently missing from Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

Call the foundation at (877) KID-HOPE for more information, or visit the Internet at www.morgannick.com.

May 16, 2008
CLARKSVILLE- On May 2, the Clarksville Police Department posted on a police cruiser a photograph of smiling, redhaired Dixie Rogers, who ran away from her Conway home.

Before the clock struck midnight, Rogers, 16, resurfaced. The adult she was staying with in south Arkansas heard that police were looking for the girl, panicked and had her call home.

On Thursday, parents of 24 other missing children prayed that the Police Department new program leads to their safe return as well.

While photographs of missing children have long been posted on fliers, billboards and grocery store bulletin boards, Clarksville Police Department is the first in the nation to post such pictures on its vehicles, said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Its a simple yet inspired idea that the Virginia-based nonprofit plans to ask more law enforcement agencies to consider.

Nationally, one in six missing children featured in a photograph campaign is located, Allen said.

I can imagine a better place to put these pictures than on a police cruiser because, believe me, people pay attention to police cars, he said. The power of these images is really extraordinary  The 15-officer department in Johnson County has affixed names, telephone numbers and photographs of missing children from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri to the rear windshields of Clarksvilles police cruisers.

Clarksville Police Chief Greg Donaldson got the idea while watching television and seeing a photograph of a missing child on the side of a cement truck.

Donaldson contacted the nonprofit Morgan Nick Foundation, which had placed the photograph on the cement truck through its Picture Them Home campaign. The Alma-based foundation has helped law enforcement agencies find 3, 721 missing children since its founding in 1996.

Today, Clarksville cruisers each sport photographs of two missing children on their rear windshields. Each police officer also carries a set of fliers in the cruiser with biographical information about the missing children.

On Thursday, Donaldson and Morgan Nick Foundation founder Colleen Nick wept as they pasted a red Recovered sticker over Rogers photograph on the cruiser.

Nick’s daughter, Morgan Nick, was abducted in 1995 while attending a little league baseball game in Alma. She was 6.

She hasnt been heard from since.

Morgan was one of about 800, 000 children who vanish across the United States each year, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

More than half of these children are believed to be runaways. Many others are abducted by family members. Only a fraction are taken by strangers who intend to kill them, keep them permanently or demand a ransom.

It hard to say exactly how many children are missing in Arkansas, said Robin Sanford, an analyst with the center.

All law enforcement agencies are required to report missing children to a Federal Bureau of Investigation National Crime Information Center database. But its hard to break out numbers for missing children because many are lumped into a category that includes missing adults.

However, the database shows there were at least 3, 812 new reports of Arkansas children who ran away from home in 2007  more than 300 per month.

Branson Perry, who disappeared from his home north of Kansas City, Mo., on April 11, 2001, is among those featured on the Clarksville Police Departments cruisers.

Mother Becky Klino said her 20-year-old son was at the family home with a friend before he disappeared.

Perry went outside to put some jumper cables in a shed. He never came back.

He had never run away before or run afoul of the law. Klino is sure he was abducted.

But shes equally sure that hes still alive, despite no word from Perry in seven years.

She has to believe that to make it through the day.

You have to keep believing. You have to keep looking until there’s no hope left. Until theres evidence, you don’t give up,she said. If you have children, then you surely understand why you just cant give up. Perry’s photograph on a Clarksville cruiser gives Klino just a little more hope that she’ll be reunited with her son one day.

Donaldson challenged every law enforcement agency in the nation to follow his departments lead.

While it costs $150 per cruiser to affix the photographs, its money well spent, he said.

Theres no way that it can get any better than doing what we did this morning: putting a recovered sticker on a child’s picture, he said of Rogers, who was missing for 17 days.

I know every chief and every sheriff wants to do the same thing.More information about the Picture Them Home campaign can be found at www.morgannick.com

Police Program Brings Missing Conway Child Home