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Investigators continued Saturday to spot a new area outside Kotzebue after a girl's body was found Friday in the tundra after an eight-day search, officials said.
New details also began to appear regarding the arrested man in connection with the disappearance of 10-year-old Ashley Johnson-Barr, who disappeared on September 6 after playing in a playground in the city of northwestern Alaska.
Walter "Scotty" Barr, the girl's father, said Saturday by SMS that he was happy, at least, that his daughter had been found.
"I love your dimples," he posted on Facebook, over a photo of his daughter with a smile, in purple.
Ashley Johnson-Barr, 10, did not return home after playing outdoors on September 6th. (Photo courtesy of Walter "Scotty" Barr)
"My daughter is at home and we are happy to have her," Barr said.
Elizabeth "Kookie" Ito, who organized night vigils in Kotzebue on the playground where Johnson-Barr was allegedly seen, said that about 300 people had gathered Thursday night while the search was continuing. .
People gathered Friday night as a souvenir and to show their support for the Johnson-Barr family after the announcement of the sad news. People prayed and sang songs, including "Jesus loves little children".
Ito recalls seeing Johnson-Barr at sporting events with his family, "smiling all the time".
"Such a beautiful little girl," said Ito.
Peter Wilson of Kotzebue, 41, was arrested and faces charges related to the case – for making false statements to the FBI. According to Staci Feger-Pellessier, spokesman for the FBI, charges could be laid against Wilson.
Wilson has not been charged with his death or disappearance, nor any other additional charges.
The inhabitants of Kotzebue described Wilson as being silent, coming from a large and close family. They say that he often kept to himself, apart from most social circles, even though he seemed polite.
Walter "Scotty" Barr said Saturday in writing that he did not know much Wilson, an opinion that others also expressed.
Clement Richards Sr., mayor of the northwestern Arctic borough, said that he was "shocked" to hear that Wilson had been arrested.
"He had problems with the law, I know it, but to say why he did what he did, or if he did what he did, I did not know what he was doing. have no idea, "said Richards.
Peter V. Wilson, 41, pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary charges in the Kotzebue Superior Court in 1995 and 1996, according to official documents. State records also show a history of minor charges, the latest in 2010, when Wilson pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor.
About five years ago, Richards lived near a house that Wilson once frequented, after the neighbor had somehow taken it.
Ashley Johnson-Barr, 10, did not return home after going out to play Thursday afternoon, said the mayor of Kotzebue commune. (Photo courtesy of Kotzebue Police Department)
"He grew up fighting like everyone else, with very limited work resources here," said Richards, who said he would see Wilson by the way but that he was not socializing with him.
Wilson's immediate family members could not be contacted on Saturday.
Richards said Wilson was born in Kiana, about 60 miles from Kotzebue. But he grew up in Kotzebue, a town of about 3,200 inhabitants.
Ito said Wilson had lived on his brother's property.
Ms. Wilson had recently shown interest in cleaning up the property, removing old items that needed cleaning, she said.
"It seemed useful," she said.
Some people in town are angry at him, she said.
Jonathon Taylor, a spokesman for the Department of Public Security, said more than 25 investigators were directly involved in the case by several agencies, including 17 FBI people.
Johnson-Barr's body was found about a mile from the town on the tundra, Taylor said.
It was about a kilometer from Devil's Lake, the city's water source, perhaps about 1,000 meters from the Loop Road, said Richards.
On Saturday, experts detailed the scene where Johnson-Barr's body was found and searched for clues in the tundra. His body will be sent to the coroner's office for examination, Taylor said.
One question the investigators are asking is the length of Johnson-Barr's body, he said.
Dozens of researchers traveled the city and its surroundings for days, from planes, four-wheelers, boats and boats. Teams with search dogs had arrived from other communities in Alaska.
According to a statement from Kotzebue Police Chief Thomas Milliette, Johnson-Barr's cell phone was found "on the street" about a kilometer from the park.
Taylor would not explain what led to the discovery of Johnson-Barr's body.
But the evidence related to the investigation provided a break that helped to find it, he said.
"Based on evidence and the investigation, they conducted additional canvases, and that's when his body was found," Taylor said.
The discovery was a blow to the community after the long emotional search, residents said.
"The whole city is exhausted, in mourning," said Richards. "But they are also relieved that they found it, with bitter sweetness, they try to move forward and be there for the family."
Hundreds of people in Kotzebue participated in a candlelight vigil for Ashley Johnson-Barr, the 10-year-old girl who has been missing for more than a week on Thursday, September 13, 2018. (Photo by Kookie Ito)
A fund was created for the Johnson-Barr family on the GoFundMe website, said Nasruk Carl Weisner, chairman of the borough's assembly. On Saturday evening, nearly $ 17,000 had been raised in five days.
"There are many people who want to contribute, who are out of town and who are aware of the tragedy, so it's an opportunity for them to provide help to the family," Weisner said.
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