On Wednesday, May 6 the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office began a missing person’s investigation on a 61 year old woman at 158 SW Leonard Terrace in unincorporated Columbia County.
Deputies were called to the home at 3:07 pm after Sam Robertson reported his wife, Mary Robertson, who suffers from dementia, missing. Mr. Robertson reported he discovered Mary missing around noon as he was getting her for lunch. He said he looked for her and enlisted the help of some neighbors and then called when she could not be found.
Patrol units arrived and conducted a search of the home and surrounding areas. Additional units and detectives were requested. Two Sheriff’s Office K9 teams and three K9 teams from DOC were called out and attempted to track Mrs. Robertson.
An initial 1 mile perimeter was identified and deputies and detectives began a door to door neighborhood canvas to locate Mrs. Robertson. FWC officers on ATVs and the Alachua County SO helicopter joined the search checking the wooded areas within the perimeter.
At midnight the search was suspended with the exception of mobile patrol units checking the streets.
At daybreak on Thursday, the search resumed with CCSO and DOC K9 teams, FWC officers on ATVs, FHP checking the roads and FHP aircraft conducting another aerial search. Civilian volunteers organized by CCSO joined the search checking the areas on foot which lasted till dark on the second day. On Friday, CCSO along with FWC and volunteers continued searching as detectives continued following up on tips and possible sightings. At 3:30 pm specialized Search and Rescue dogs from Jacksonville Fire Rescue were brought in and continued searching until dark on the third day when searches were again suspended.
On Saturday, two SAR dog teams continued searching while CCSO deputies and volunteers checked other areas. At 2 pm Sheriff Mark Hunter made the decision to scale back the operation and discontinue the mass searches at this time. In the four days of searches over 4 square miles have been covered by foot, some in dense woods along with hundreds of residences and adjoining property being checked.
“Although we had hoped to reunite Mary with her family by this time, we are not giving up.” Sheriff Hunter said, “Our detectives and deputies will still be working to this end as we cease operations in the field.” “I want to personally thank all the first responders and their agencies along with the civilian volunteers who worked so hard in this operation.”
We request the community continue to be on the lookout for Mary and to notify CCSO with any information. The dedicated tip line is 386-984-2871,dispatch at 386-719-2005 or Crime Stoppers of Columbia County at 386-754-7099.
The investigation continues.
Mary Robertson, 61, 5’4 96 lbs
