Investigators Hope Water Searches Uncover In Cases

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Divers Suspend Search For Body

LIVINGSTON, Tenn. - A Federal Bureau of Investigation dive team suspended its search for a body in Overton County Monday.

Divers and crews searched inside Standing Stone State Park. Cadaver dogs indicated that they sniffed something in the water. According to Overton County Sheriff's investigators, sonar readings indicated a body may have been in the water.

Six FBI divers from Virginia didn't find any human remains in the state park, which covers nearly 11,000 acres on the Cumberland Plateau in north-central Tennessee.

"You know, you're looking for one person and you end up having to use the dogs and of course, you speculate that possibly it could be something and that's the only person that I know of that we have missing in Overton County," said Overton County Sheriff's detective Gary Ledbetter about John Matthew Thrasher.

The 21-year-old vanished from the Putnam County fair in 2004. It remains an unsolved case.

Divers Monday searched the same area were two weeks ago murder victim Jennifer Cornell first went missing. Her body was not found either in the water.

"Any leads we get we try to track down. We were not necessarily hoping to find a body today, but we were hoping to get some closure if was John actually there," Ledbetter said.

Thrasher's mother said she is hopeful for an unexpected outcome, but realistic about the prospect that her son won't be found alive.

The dam inside the state park was the site of a search two weekends ago for Cornell.

"There may be some things in the future we may try just to make absolutely sure that there's not somebody out there," Ledbetter said.

He more water searches are a very real possibility. He doesn't regret summoning FBI divers from Virginia on a hunch based on two cadaver dogs.

If anyone has information on John Thrasher's whereabouts, call the Livingston City Police at 931-823-6496. Investigators said callers can remain anonymous.