November 08, 2024
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Presque Isle police, game wardens seek help to find missing woman

PRESQUE ISLE – Police are seeking leads in the disappearance of a local woman who did not return home after a weekend party.

Tela Hart, 42, was last seen on Sunday morning between 3 and 4 a.m. when she left a party on Lenfest Street in Presque Isle and headed home, intoxicated, on foot, Sgt. Mark Barnes of the Presque Isle Police Department said Tuesday.

Hart’s sister reported her missing on Monday evening, Barnes said.

Police immediately conducted a track Monday night with their bloodhound, Hunter, tracing Hart’s steps from Lenfest Street to the Presque Isle Stream, which is just a block away.

With the bloodhound unable to track past the stream, police are not sure if Hart turned around and headed in a different direction, attempted to cross the stream or proceeded elsewhere, Barnes said.

Police called upon the Maine Warden Service as soon as a search of the stream became part of the investigation. A warden service plane was in the air Tuesday searching the woods along the stream. Barnes said officials expected to add a boat to the search by Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. Game wardens will use the boat to check the waterway from the dam near State Street to the Aroostook River.

While the warden service handles the search over water, Barnes said police would continue watching for Hart and checking with friends and family. Sgt. Joey Seeley responded to the initial complaint and Barnes, Officer Craig Holder and Presque Isle Police Chief Naldo Gagnon were working on the case Tuesday.

Police described Hart as 5 feet 6 inches tall, and 180 pounds with blond hair and hazel eyes. She last was seen wearing bluejeans, a white T-shirt and white sneakers.

Police are asking that anyone who has seen Hart, or knows where she is, contact the Presque Isle Police Department at 764-4476.


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