Dear Editor:

In the very early morning hours of Jan. 3, 2023, a man in my neighborhood went missing under suspicious circumstances. Later that morning, I discovered that my garage and car had been extensively vandalized.

I reported the vandalism to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy who came out was dismissive, unfriendly and unprofessional. He never even looked inside the garage. He didn’t take any photos of the damage, or of the inhaler that was left behind at the scene. He didn’t make a written report, or take any notes. He was dismissive about the incident. Basically, he blew it off and disrespected my concerns.

I photographed the vandalism myself, had two copies made, and took one set along with the inhaler and dropped it off at the LCSO. That was the last I heard anything from them until two years later when I received a call from an LCSO detective asking for permission to come and take photographs of the tools in my garage, most notably, a shovel. The detective offered no explanation, nor has he followed up with any information following his visit.

I have to wonder if this missing person might have been found if the LCSO hadn’t blown off a garage vandalism involving tools in very close proximity to a crime scene on the same night?

Why would a trained law enforcement officer not put those two pieces of the puzzle together? Why would he not even look in the garage or take photos, or even take fingerprints? Is the case officially closed, or is it still open? Why have our local “investigative reporters” not followed up on this story?

What really happened and why has this story been buried?

Juanita Kristoff

Boothbay