Family vanishes in South, has ties to Cape

Missouri relatives of a Mississippi family who disappeared over the weekend are praying for their safe return.

The Hargon family -- Michael, 27, Rebecca, 29, and their 4-year-old son, Patrick Hargon -- have been missing from their rural Yazoo County house since Saturday.

Blood found outside the house is being tested by the Mississippi crime lab, and shell casings were found inside the house, authorities said.

Rebecca, a Missouri native and one of four children, is the daughter of Bill and Linda Hirtz of Poplar Bluff, Mo. She is the niece of David Fuemmeler, superintendent of Nell Holcomb School in Cape Girardeau County.

Fuemmeler went to Mississippi Monday after learning of his niece's disappearance and returned Wednesday. "We're just all very concerned," he said. "... It looks like foul play was involved."

Michael Hargon works for an excavation company, his wife is a physical therapist's assistant at a hospital. Fuemmeler said there seemed to have been little disturbed in the house.

"There didn't seem to be a forced point of entry," he said.

Keys and a wallet were on a table, and Patrick's asthma medicine was not taken, Fuemmeler said.

The house was the scene of a crime 10 years ago when it was a convenience store. Michael Hargon's father was killed in an armed robbery. Three people were sentenced to prison for the crime. One of those involved had a parole hearing a week ago, Fuemmeler said.

The Hargon family had written letters opposing the parole and disappeared a few days after the hearing, Fuemmeler said. "There's some speculation about a connection, but no threat was made."

Parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in Poplar Bluff started daily prayer vigils to support the family and a fund was set up at First Missouri State Bank.

Rebecca's aunt, Trudy Duncan, 52, said her brother, Bill, and his wife called her from the road as they headed to Mississippi Saturday morning with only unanswered questions about what happened to the family.

She said since then, efforts have begun in Missouri to help find the missing family.

"Everyone's just so helpless, and there's nothing we can do," she said. "Please pray. Keep those prayers coming."

The sheriff's department and Mississippi Highway Patrol were handling the investigation.

The highway patrol rejected Yazoo County Sheriff James Williams' request for a nationwide Amber Alert to help find James Patrick.

The situation "did not meet the criteria," said patrol spokesman Warren Strain. "First, we don't know if there has been an abduction. Secondly, we don't know if there was a nonfamily abduction. Most importantly we don't have enough information that would make an Amber Alert of any value."

All three of the couple's vehicles still were at the home when relatives arrived Saturday.

Nothing was missing from the modest, one-story brick home in this rural community, which is about 20 miles north of Canton.

Relatives are offering $25,000 for their safe return and have passed out about 400 reward fliers covered with a recent picture of the Hargons. Mississippi Crime Stoppers offered a $1,000 reward for information about the Hargons.

Managing editor Sam Blackwell contributed to this report