Missing Arkansas woman sought in Sangamon County
<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><font face="Imperial">The search for a missing Arkansas woman whose abandoned vehicle was found along Interstate 55 in McLean County last week zeroed in on parts of Sangamon County Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></span>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><font face="Imperial">Bertha Ann Mills, 37, a resident of Phillips County in east-central Arkansas, was supposed to be driving home from a trip to Iowa and apparently passed through Illinois, according to the Illinois State Police.</font></span>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><font face="Imperial">Media reports indicated investigators traced a "ping" from Mills' cell phone to a wooded area near Illinois 54 and the Sangamon River northeast of Springfield, prompting an extensive search Monday that turned up no sign of Mills or the cell phone. A ping is a signal sent from a cell phone to the nearest cell tower and can be used by authorities to track missing individuals.</font></span>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><font face="Imperial">Master Sgt. Tad Williams of Illinois State Police Zone 5 Investigations in Pontiac, which is handling the search, said he could neither confirm nor deny whether a ping led authorities to Sangamon County, citing an effort "to keep the integrity of the investigation."</font></span>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">A state police news release said investigators are using information from Mills' family, her car and other resources to look for her.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Mills' family told state police they last heard from Mills Jan. 14, when she called from her cell phone to report her car had broke down. Mills, however, didn't say where she was when the car trouble occurred, including what state she was in, the state police news release said.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">There also was no information regarding why she had traveled to Iowa. </font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><font face="Imperial">After several days with no word, her family reported Mills missing to the Phillips County Sheriff's Office in Arkansas on Friday. Mills' relatives then contacted Illinois State Police about 3 p.m. Sunday and indicated she might have traveled through the state. </font></span>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><font face="Imperial">State police checked their records and found that a red, two-door 1989 Nissan Sentra registered to Mills had been towed on Wednesday. Troopers had come across the abandoned car, which did not have a license plate, along southbound I-55 near the McLean exit.</font></span>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><font face="Imperial">Investigators with Zone 5 were contacted to look into the case, and searches began in the area where Mills' car was discovered, as well as parts of Sangamon County, with the help of Sangamon County sheriff's deputies on Sunday and Monday. </font></span>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">State police said they are working with the Phillips County Sheriff's Office, which declined to discuss the case Monday night. </font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Mills is described as white, about 5 feet tall, weighing 100 pounds with blue eyes and dark blond hair. </font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Anyone with information about Mills' whereabouts is asked to contact state police at (815) 844-1522. Messages also may be left on the Zone 5 tip line at (815) 844-1500, ext. 2321.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Amanda Reavy can be reached at (217) 788-1525.</font>