A private investigator who spearheaded volunteer searches for missing 2-year-old Jahi Turner in April and May is again seeking clues to the boy's disappearance.
This time, Bill Garcia is using his own detective agency. He said he was retained by Jahi's relatives in Maryland and is working for almost no fee.
"We're going to get them some answers," Garcia said. "We're going to pursue an investigation from scratch and try to find out what really happened."
Jahi was reported missing April 25 by his stepfather, Tieray Jones, at a small playground at 28th and Cedar streets. Jones told police he brought the toddler to the park from their Golden Hill apartment about a mile away, left him for 15 minutes and returned to find him gone.
Hundreds of volunteers scoured area streets, canyons and neighborhoods in weeks of fruitless searching. San Diego police launched a massive and unprecedented search at the city's Miramar landfill, sifting through 5,000 tons of trash. Nothing substantial was found in either effort.
Jahi's mother, Tameka Jones, an 18-year-old Navy seaman, was deployed on a ship when her son was reported missing. She and Tieray Jones declined comment yesterday.
Absent other new leads, San Diego police are considering a landfill search at Otay Mesa. A decision is expected to be made by next week, said investigations Capt. Mike McCulloch.
"It's still an open investigation," McCulloch said. "We're still following up on some leads, but as with any case, the more time that goes on, it slows down a little bit."
Garcia said he is not seeking volunteer help in the private investigation, which was launched at the request of Jahi's biological father, Tramane Sampson of Frederick, Md. Sampson could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Garcia said he and his staff will be handing out brochures and fliers describing Jahi and circumstances of his disappearance. The aim will be to find someone who can shed some light on the case.
"Sometimes people are hesitant to talk to police," Garcia said at a midday news conference. "What we're hoping is that the person or persons who know something about this will come forward and we can get it resolved."
Anyone with information is asked to call San Diego police at (619) 531-2000 or (619) 531-TIPS, or Bill Garcia Investigative Services at (619) 293-3620. Garcia's agency also can be reached by e-mail at surveil@pacbell.net
"I feel pretty confident that the child is not in the area (where he was reported missing), at least not in the canyons or anything like that," Garcia said. "We hope the child is still alive. My gut instinct tells me he is."
Chet Barfield: (619) 542-4572; chet.barfield@uniontrib.com
