ALFRED – A major search was launched Saturday for a 30-year-old nursing student whose disappearance 10 days ago police have characterized as suspicious.

Dozens of trained searchers and dogs began the search for Kelly Gorham at her Alfred apartment and planned to fan outward up to 20 miles in all directions, said Lt. Pat Dorian of the Maine Warden Service.

As Gorham’s family appealed to the public for help, detectives said the investigation had narrowed considerably.

“We are extremely confident that there is a specific individual that has information about Kelly Gorham’s exact location, and we desperately need their help,” Maine State Police Lt. Brian McDonough told reporters.

State police have conducted about 75 interviews and processed several cars in connection with the case, he said.

“There has been a short list of persons of interest that we’ve done a number of follow-up interviews with and it’s really beginning to bring it into focus for us,” McDonough said.

Gorham, a student at Southern Maine Community College, last was seen the night of Aug. 7 at her apartment and was reported missing when she failed to show up for work at Maine Medical Center in Portland the next afternoon.

Her car was found at her apartment and her four dogs were inside, police said.

Pauline Gorham, the missing woman’s mother, asked that anyone with information to come forward.

“This is a bad, bad nightmare that we need to wake up from,” Gorham said. “Kelly always thought that everyone, down deep, has goodness. All of you people, please, dig down deep to that goodness and if you know anything, pick up the phone. Help us find our Kelly. If you know Kelly, how can you not help find her?”