It’s been one week since Kristi Cornwell was snatched while walking along a rural road near her family’s home, and still no sign of her. The 38 year old often took walks alone, after all …  Blairsville, Georgia is a small community where people don’t bother to lock doors. Kristi’s brother, Richard Cornwell, came by our LIVE  shot location this morning, and was so emotional, he had a hard time answering our questions. He brought us a homemade DVD with video of his sister during happier times. His hope is that providing more than still photographs will bring someone forward with new information. The family also set up a fund in Kristi’s name to establish a reward, and help with search costs for those who want to help.

The FBI has joined state and local officers in the investigation. FBI resources include a criminal profiler, forensics experts and facilities, and aerial surveillance. The profiler will now come up with characteristics of the person who might have taken Kristi. I spoke to her ex mother-in-law earlier who is also her son’s grandmother. She said Kristi had no enemies, not even in her past when she was a probation officer. None that they can think of anyway. Investigators continue to go through old case files anyway. The hardest part of covering a “story” like this is trying to report the facts without getting too emotionally attached. That is difficult for me.
The first time I came to Blairsville, it was to cover the story of a hiker who was missing near Vogel State Park in January of 2008. Meredith Emerson was a beautiful, highly intelligent woman who had dreams. She also had a huge group of good friends who would not give up hope.

I spent three days with these wonderful, determined people who were Meredith’s friends. She was found murdered, and her killer, Gary Hilton, sits in prison. I still think about the day state agents told us she wouldn’t be found alive. Nothing can describe watching others go through the pain of hearing that someone they love was never coming back. We are journalists, and report the facts, but we are human.

I hope the Cornwell family gets Kristi back. I hope her teenage son gets to hug his mother again. And I hope that something we send out over people’s tv sets, some small tidbit of information helps and brings someone forward with a tip that brings Kristi Cornwell home.