Updated: 11/15/2009 12:35:18 AM
One by one, Lisa Maxwell lit candles in a Newport parking lot Saturday night and counted the days since her daughter Megan disappeared.
"Today is 195 days," said Lisa. "If anyone thinks they might remember anything that can help us find her, please report it. It does not matter how small the detail."
Megan Maxwell was last seen alive on April 26. Police in Newport found the 19-year-old's car burned and abandoned on a roadside. But after several months of searching, authorities have still been unable to locate Megan and treat the case as a homicide.
Governor Phil Bredesen has authorized a $10,000 reward for information that locates Maxwell and convicts those responsible for any wrongdoing in Megan's disappearance.
"I dread the holidays. I dread them. There is going to be an empty chair at the table," said Lisa. "Megan absolutely loved Christmas. I don't know how I'm going to do it. But I have another 16-year-old daughter who I love so much and she deserves happiness this Christmas, so I will find a way pull through."
Jeffrey Lee Stock is the top suspect in Megan's disappearance. Authorities have not charged Stock with any crimes in the Maxwell case. However, the investigation led to the discovery that Stock was convicted of a sexual offense in Indiana and failed to register as a sex offender when he moved to Tennessee.
Stock pleaded guilty on September 21 to violating the Sex Offender Registration Act. He is currently being held in a Georgia prison until his sentencing hearing in February 2010. Stock faces up to 10 years in prison for the conviction.
"It's an open investigation," said Newport Chief of Police Maurice Shults. "As late as last week we had people in the woods searching. Investigators from the Sheriff's office and our investigators continue to work. Any call that comes in, we follow it up."
Saturday night more than 100 people in the community held a candlelight vigil to keep the search for Megan burning bright.
"Lisa has said she knows finding Megan alive is not very likely," said Shults. "Our hope and prayer is to bring Megan back safely. If not, we want to make sure we bring her home and back to her family so they can give her a proper burial and continue the investigation. Vigils like tonight help keep her name in the public eye."
Lisa Maxwell wore a t-shirt Saturday with the words "Justice For Megan" on the back along with a large photograph of Megan on the front. Yet, a large collection of photos of Megan inside a circle of candles was too much for Lisa to endure.
"Megan's grandmother put that together. It is still too hard for me to look at that." Lisa added, "I can do the pictures when she's older like my shirt. But the all of the baby pictures in that collage, I can't deal with that yet."
While she does not look forward to the holidays, Lisa Maxwell gives thanks for the support of the community. Longtime friends and complete strangers attended the vigil Saturday. One approached Lisa and said, "You don't know me, but I'm a mother and my heart goes out to you." Another said he was compelled to attend the vigil after joining the Facebook group Help Find Missing Megan Maxwell- Newport TN. As of this writing, the Facebook group currently has 950 members.
"It is awesome. I just know how proud it would make Megan to know that there were so many people that cared about her," Lisa said.
