Major Case Squad activated after Jackson missing persons report

The Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County Major Case Squad was activated Thursday to search for a missing 39-year-old woman last seen in Jackson.

Jacque Sue Waller was last seen after 5 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Woodland Drive and North Neal Street in Jackson, according to Jackson Police Department Lt. Rodney Barnes.

Barnes said while it's uncommon to activate the case squad for a missing persons case, authorities are concerned because disappearing is out of character for the woman. She has three children, who are not missing.

Jacque Sue Waller (photo submitted by Jackson Police Department)

"We just feel we have to do everything we can to find her," he said.

Barnes wouldn't say if the department suspects foul play, only that there are circumstances that concern the case squad.

Waller's vehicle, a blue Honda Pilot, was found abandoned on Interstate 55 at the 105 mile marker in the Fruitland area. She has been living in Ste. Genevieve, Mo., for a while, Barnes said, but has ties to the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area. He didn't know when she lived in the area last.

"We just want to find out what has happened to this lady," Barnes said.

According to Waller's Facebook page, she is employed at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and graduated from Farmington Senior High School and Southeast Missouri State University. Her page also said she lived in Cape Girardeau. Several people living in the area Waller was last seen told the Southeast Missourian late Wednesday they did not know the missing woman.

Dolly Hutson, who lives in a home on the corner of Woodland Drive and North Neal Street, said she didn't recall seeing anything out of the ordinary when returning to her residence from dinner around 7 p.m. Wednesday.

"It depends on the circumstances and why they'd be missing, but yes, I'm concerned," she said.

Several homes from Hutson on Woodland Drive, Tina Brugger said she didn't recognize Waller after being shown a photo of the woman. Brugger said her children often play with other children in the neighborhood and she comes in contact with many other mothers.

Brugger also said she hadn't seen anything suspicious in the area, although she'd seen deputies searching a location in the neighborhood Thursday afternoon.

Amy King, a longtime friend and former co-worker of Waller's, said Thursday she was worried for her friend. King agreed with authorities that her disappearance was out of character for Waller.

"I know she would never leave her kids. Ever. They were her life, they were her reason for living," she said. "They were the reason for staying in that marriage for so long."

King added that Waller had left her husband, Clay, a few weeks ago. They had shared a home in Jackson, she said.

The major case squad is also searching for an aluminum 14-foot, V-bottom boat with an eight-horsepower outboard motor. A Jackson Police Department news release said the search for Waller and the search for the boat are related.

The boat would be on a black trailer with Missouri license 81D5AU. Barnes wouldn't say why the two investigations are connected.

"We are just interested in finding that boat; hopefully someone will know something about it and give us a call," he said.

The case squad was formed to assist local law enforcement with investigating serious crimes, giving them additional resources during the crucial early hours of a homicide or other criminal investigation.

Anyone with information should call Jackson police at 243-3151.

ehevern@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

Jackson, MO