Jeremy Peck search update: Volunteers plan what’s next

About 15 people gathered at West Seattle’s Chelan Café to plot the next steps in the search for 24-year-old Jeremy Peck, last seen in the early-morning hours of December 24th. Among them, in the next photo L to R, a longtime friend of Jeremy’s, Ben Doty, who graduated West Seattle High School with him in 2005, and Jeremy’s birth father Stephan Peck:

Though Jeremy was raised by his uncle John Peck, Stephan came to West Seattle more than a week ago to help search for him; tomorrow he has to go home to Wenatchee.

“I am trying to think positive about this. But, sometimes, I … I’d just like him to come home. Or just show up anywhere.”

And Jeremy could be anywhere at this point. Parks have been checked, it was noted at the meeting, like Schmitz Park and Me-Kwa-Mooks, but volunteers acknowledge they could use more coordination. WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz, covering the meeting, reports that they say only one or two people were covering each of these areas; they feel as if they need to search all of them again with many more people scouring the brush and hillsides. “We’re not professionally trained and the areas are so vast, and some are steep hills … We need somebody to coordinate those search efforts,” Doty said.

If you can help with that, look for signup sheets at this Sunday’s vigil (starting at 4:30 outside Admiral Pub, where Jeremy was reported to have last been seen).

Also in the works, an account (at Wells Fargo) where money can be donated for the search efforts, which have now grown into an operation with its own checklists – flyers, banners, posters, a lawyer (to get cell-phone records made public), search dogs, private detective, psychic. And they’re working to set up a website where information will be available as well as a PayPal account for donations, in addition to the “Find Jeremy Peck” Facebook page.

If you’ve missed the original coverage or need a reminder: Jeremy is 6’2″, about 177 pounds, has medium brown hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing blue jeans, tennis shoes, and a black waist length coat over a gray hoodie sweatshirt.

An anonymous tip line has been created for anyone with information: 206-478-4905.

ADDED MIDDAY WEDNESDAY: The group has sent an official news release about Sunday’s vigil – after the jump:

This Sunday evening from 4:30 P.M to 6:30 P.M., family, friends and neighbors of Jeremy Peck will gather for an awareness and action vigil. The event will take place in front of the Admiral Pub (2306 California Avenue Southwest Seattle, WA 98116-2403) and will transition over the Hiawatha Playfield (2700 California Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116-2451) in the event that we have an over-flow issue. We estimate between 100 and 250 attendees (reasons for estimates are below in the Current Support section), depending on weather primarily.

At the vigil attendees will have an opportunity to get involved by making a donation, or by signing up on a volunteer list to do one of the following: distribute/post flyers and leaflets, plan fundraising events, do physical searches or anything else that may be useful in our search for Jeremy.

We will have a memory board of pictures of Jeremy over the years that everyone can view. Attendees are welcome to bring copies of their pictures of Jeremy to add.

Guests are encouraged to dress warm and bring their own candles. Some candles will be made available by organizers.

Jeremy was last seen at the Admiral Pub in West Seattle, WA at 1:00 am the night before Christmas Eve. He was wearing blue jeans, a black waist-length coat over a gray hooded sweatshirt. Jeremy is 24, has brown hair and brown eyes. He’s 6’1”, 177 pounds.

If anyone has any information we urge them to Call: 911, the anonymous tip-line: (206)478-4905 OR John Peck (Jeremy’s Uncle): (206)371-6451

There is currently a $1500 reward for any information that leads to a resolution in this matter. If anyone would like to pledge additional funds for the reward they can contact John Peck at (206)371-6451.

Current Support:

The Facebook event page for the Vigil (which was created only four days ago) already has 64 people that confirmed they are coming, plus 26 that said maybe. Link to our event FB page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php/event.php?eid=192478740762325

The “FIND JEREMY PECK” Facebook page (active for less than two weeks) already has 268 likes and a lot of interaction with over 2000 daily post views. Link to our “FIND JEREMY PECK” FB page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php/pages/Find-Jeremy-Peck/170680416307894

We also anticipate many people that are not an intricate part of the online community. We’ve made an effort to contact these people, however due to the urgency of the situation we’ve had to rely on word of mouth.

About “FIND JEREMY PECK” People

We’re a group of family and close friends of Jeremy Peck that are working towards finding Jeremy. The group has been growing each day. We went from five of us at our planning meeting this past Saturday to close to 20 at the meeting last night. The group unites under one common goal, finding Jeremy.

MsEvelyn January 19, 2011 (11:29 am)

This situation is just so sad! Made all the more sad by the fact that SOMEBODY out there knows something about this case and is not coming forward with the information! My heart (& prayers!) continue for John, Steve and friends. They deserve to know what happened…

Noelle January 19, 2011 (12:35 pm)

Where are the police in all of this? Are the SPD working to find him?

JD January 19, 2011 (12:55 pm)

Was all for donating until the mention of a Psychic

bsmomma January 19, 2011 (1:05 pm)

As far as a psychic….. I’d do it if it was my kid missing. I’d do ANYTHING. Maybe they should contact that famous lady, for the life of me cannot think of her name right now, that has written books about stuff in Seattle! Anne Rice?……..Nope, it’s Sylvia Brown.

Deanie Schwarz January 19, 2011 (1:15 pm)

Yes, the SPD is involved.
The use of a psychic was only one of the many ideas being explored for feasibility, beyond the SPD’s work. Potential other avenues include search dogs, a private detective and lawyer, fliers and more, all of which will require funds the group has not yet acquired.

kg January 19, 2011 (1:26 pm)

Don’t know if this has been covered before or not, but has his credit card/debit cards shown any activity? Cell phone activity? Has his social networking sites show any activity from the user? Have his emails been opened? I am sure that is why the lawyer has come in on the team, but I thought I’d broach the subject anyway.

EWS206 January 19, 2011 (1:32 pm)

I am hoping that the body washed found on Bianbridge Island is someone else.

WSB January 19, 2011 (1:42 pm)

Thanks for the flag on that. Checking with police. (update) SPD media was not aware of this but is contacting detectives – who would be working out of central police HQ, not SW Precinct.

bsmomma January 19, 2011 (1:41 pm)

I just read the same article…….

onceachef January 19, 2011 (1:43 pm)

What was his state of mind when all of this happened…was he distraught over something, involved in something? Someone must have had contact with him at the Admiral Pub…was he okay…intoxicated? Did he talk about “disappearing” ever? Does he have a car? If foul play is suspected (kind of sure it is) are there any suspects?

Tony S January 19, 2011 (2:20 pm)

Thanks WSB; I’ve been wondering if the police were involved also; it’s just there hasn’t been any mention of them. I’d be living in agony if someone close to me went missing like this.

WSB January 19, 2011 (2:32 pm)

It’s very difficult with missing-persons cases, I can tell you from my TV years. Unless there is hard and fast evidence of foul play OR something urgently happening now – a kidnapping – police take the case, but there’s not much active investigation that can or does get done – it’s heartbreaking and sad for the families and friends – we would get word in newsrooms of desperate families of chronic runaways who wanted police to look and in reality, there’s not a huge missing-persons unit, etc. I have no specific knowledge in this case of leads uninvestigated or investigated, though. Our focus in this coverage has been on getting the word out about what the family and friends have been doing and how the community can help – TR

MsEvelyn January 19, 2011 (7:14 pm)

My heart goes out to his Uncle John and father Steve. The not knowing must be unbearable…

Noelle January 19, 2011 (10:14 pm)

Thank you for keeping everyone in the loop WBS!

D January 20, 2011 (2:55 am)

@JD- Contacting a psychic would definitely not be my first choice.. but if you had an immediate family member missing with no results and every other resource had been used… wouldn’t you do the same?

To everyone who’s helping with this.. thank you! Let’s bring Jeremy home!

t January 20, 2011 (8:58 am)

Q 13 news this morning said a body was found in puget sound.

WSB January 20, 2011 (9:11 am)

See our coverage from yesterday afternoon and last night.
https://westseattleblog.com/2011/01/bainbridge-body-no-seattle-police-comment-so-far

nola January 20, 2011 (11:48 am)

My heart goes out to Jeremy’s family. I am praying for the best and thinking good thoughts. I will be there Sunday

cheryl January 20, 2011 (12:21 pm)

The initial two searches were done by two and three people at a time not one, as the statement in the article indicates. All parks between West Seattle and south park have been checked and not just Meek-kwa-mooks and Schmitz, but there are a lot of hillsides and steep terrain that is difficult to get to so we’ll have to coordinate more efforts to search in those areas.

Lori Barth (Patterson) January 20, 2011 (5:35 pm)

John – Haven’t seen you in so long. I’m so sorry to hear about you and your loss this way. We had a lot of fun at Schmitz, Hiawatha and later at the pubs. I’m sorry your nephew will no longer be around to share those good times with you. My sincere condolences. — Lori Barth (previously Patterson/O’Connell).

Doris Nelson January 24, 2011 (11:01 am)

I did contact Sylvia Browne’s people and they said if our law enforcement will contact them, she would do it pro bono. Why would anyone be against anything that could lead to the answers needed to give this young man and his family peace and justice?

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