Leisha Hurst, 30 Msg 01/22/09, Barstow CA (Jeami Chiapulis convicted for her murder)

[sarahhod]

Police search for missing woman

Police are investigating the disappearance of a woman who has not been seen or heard from since Thursday.
Leisha Hurst was reported missing to the Police Department after the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department discovered her orange/rust colored Honda Element abandoned in the area of Olive Street and Second Street in Hesperia, according to a Police Department news release.
The vehicle was found with the windows down and the key in the ignition. Hurst was scheduled and is believed to have attended a class at the University of La Verne satellite campus at Victor Valley College on Thursday evening, the release said. Her cell phone records show it was last used 10:54 p.m. Thursday night near the area of a cell tower at 11500 Mariposa Road in Hesperia. Hurst has not been seen or heard from since, the release said.
Barstow Police are asking anyone who may have information regarding the whereabouts of Hurst to contact Det. Keith Libby at (760) 256-2211 or the WeTip hot line at (800) 78-CRIME.

[Grande]

Missing Barstow woman's car found in Hesperia
January 26, 2009 - 11:31 AM
BY BEAU YARBROUGH
STAFF WRITER

A missing Barstow woman's car has been found in Hesperia.

Leisha Ann Hurst, 30, has been missing since Thursday, January 22. Hurst was last seen after dropping off her children at school prior to heading to a doctor's appointment in Loma Linda.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department found her orange and rust-colored Honda Element abandoned in Hesperia, near the intersection of Olive and Second Streets with the windows down and key in the ignition.

According to the Barstow Police, her cell phone was used shortly before 11 p.m. in Hesperia near 11500 Mariposa Road in Hesperia.

Hurst is a white female adult, 30 years old, and described at 5'6", 130 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information about Hurst's whereabouts is asked to called Barstow Police Department Detective Keith Libby at 256-2211 or call the anonymous WE-TIP hotline at (800) 78-CRIME.

Beau Yarbrough can be reached at 956-7108 or at beau@hesperiastar.com.

http://www.hesperiastar.com/news/hesperia_2433___article.html/barstow_hurst.html

[sarahhod]

http://images.onset.freedom.com/hesperiastar/medium/ke3fl1-webbarstowwoman.jpg

http://www.hesperiastar.com/news/hesperia_2433___article.html/barstow_hurst.html

[sarahhod]

Local single mother reported missing

[/URL] Police find her car abandoned in Hesperia


January 26, 2009 - 4:12 PM
By CHARLES NGUYEN, staff writer



BARSTOW • A 30-year-old single Barstow mom was reported missing on Friday after San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies discovered her orange Honda Element abandoned in Hesperia.
Leisa Ann Hurst had a class scheduled at the University of Laverne satellite campus at Victor Valley College on Thursday evening, according to a police report. Police are still investigating whether Hurst attended her Thursday class.
The last sign of Hurst before she was reported missing was Thursday at about 11 p.m., according to a police report, when her cell phone was used in Hesperia. Detectives were able to locate its signal in the vicinity of a cell tower on Mariposa Road. Investigators have no further details on that call, Libby said.
Hurst’s car was found in the area of Olive Street and Second Street in Hesperia with no signs of damage or forced entry, according to Barstow Police Det. Keith Libby. The car’s windows were down and its key was still in the ignition, according to a police report.
Debra Walsh, Hurst’s mother, who lives in Arizona, said Hurst was studying to become an elementary school teacher. Hurst, a single mother, has a 12-year-old and 8-year-old daughter. Walsh said she and other relatives are currently in Barstow caring for the children.
“This is completely unusual,” Libby said of Hurst’s disappearance. “She hasn't left her kids for any extended periods of time.”
Walsh said she spoke regularly by telephone with Hurst, who lived in an apartment complex on Muriel Drive. Their last conversation happened last week and Hurst was talking about getting over a flu, Walsh said.
Hurst is described as 5 feet 6 inches and 130 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.
Police believe that they know someone who may have some connection to the case, according to Libby, but could not provide further details because the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone who may have information regarding this case is asked to contact Det. Keith Libby at 760-256-2211. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or leave information on the WE-TIP Web site at www.wetip.com (http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/single_5292___article.html/barstow_local.html#slComments).


[url]http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/single_5292___article.html/barstow_local.html

[sarahhod]

Police find missing woman's car in Hesperia

Jan. 27--BARSTOW

--A 30-year-old single Barstow mom was reported missing on Friday after San Bernardino County Sheriff 's deputies discovered her orange Honda Element abandoned in Hesperia.

Leisha Ann Hurst had a class scheduled at the University of La Verne satellite campus at Victor Valley College on Thursday evening, according to a police report.

Police are still investigating whether Hurst attended her Thursday class.

The last sign of Hurst before she was reported missing was Thursday at about 11 p.m., according to a police report, when her cell phone was used in Hesperia. Detectives were able to locate its signal in the vicinity of a cell tower on Mariposa Road. Investigators have no further details on that call, said Barstow Police Det. Keith Libby

"This is completely unusual," Libby said of Hurst's disappearance. "She hasn't left her kids for any extended periods of time."

Walsh said she spoke regularly by telephone with Hurst, who lived in an apartment complex on Muriel Drive. Their last conversation happened last week and Hurst was talking about getting over a flu, Walsh said.

Hurst is described as 5 feet 6 inches and 130 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

Police believe they know someone who may have some connection to the case, according to Libby, but could not provide further details because the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone who may have information regarding this case is asked to contact Libby at 760-256-2211. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the WE-TIP hotline at 1(800)78-CRIME or leave information on the WE -TIP Web site at www.wetip.com (http://www.wetip.com).

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2009/01/27/3942831.htm

[sarahhod]

Police seek info on man in case of missing Barstow mother

Helendale man checked himself into psych ward after police searches


January 27, 2009 - 5:11 PM

http://images.onset.freedom.com/desertdispatch/medium/ke5pz8-0128chiapulisweb.jpg (http://www.desertdispatch.com/sections/article/gallery?pic=1&id=5303&db=desertdispatch)
Jeami Chiapulis


BARSTOW • A Helendale man who checked himself into psychiatric care Monday was romantically involved with a missing Barstow woman and may have more knowledge or be involved in her disappearance last week, police say.

Barstow Police believe Jeami Chiapulis, 36, is connected to Leisa Ann Hurst, 30, who was reported missing after her orange Honda Element was found abandoned in Hesperia, said Barstow Police Det. Keith Libby.
Hurst, a Barstow single mother with two daughters, had visited Chiapulis’ home in the Silver Lakes neighborhood of Helendale several times in the past, according to Libby.
Police conducted two searches of Chiapulis’ home, once on Sunday with his consent and again on Monday with a search warrant. During the searches, investigators found several pieces of evidence that led them to believe that Chiapulis had more knowledge about Hurst’s disappearance, according to Libby.
On Monday, Chiapulis checked himself into the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital, said Libby. He has since been uncooperative with investigators, Libby said, so detectives are searching for information on Chiapulis’ whereabouts from Hurst’s Thursday disappearance until Monday, Libby said.
Chiapulis is married and his wife is employed outside of California, Libby said. Police have found at least two other women that were romantically involved with Chiapulis, Libby said.
Hurst’s car was found in the area of Olive Street and Second Street in Hesperia with its windows down and key still in the ignition.
The last sign of Hurst before she disappeared was Thursday at about 11 p.m., according to a police report, when her cell phone was used in Hesperia. Detectives located its signal near a cell tower on Mariposa Road but investigators could not provide details on that call, Libby said. She has not been seen or heard from since.
“Given the nature of [Hurst’s] life and how much she cared for her two daughters we have strong indication that she is the victim of foul play,” Libby said.
Anyone who may have information regarding Chiapulis’ activities from Jan. 22 to Jan. 26 or this case is asked to contact Det. Keith Libby at 760-256-2211. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or leave information on the WE-TIP Web site at www.wetip.com (http://www.wetip.com/).

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/barstow_5303___article.html/police_seek.html

[TigressPen]

Local single mother reported missing

Police find her car abandoned in Hesperia

January 26, 2009 - 4:12 PM
By CHARLES NGUYEN, staff writer

BARSTOW • A 30-year-old single Barstow mom was reported missing on Friday after San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies discovered her orange Honda Element abandoned in Hesperia.

Leisa Ann Hurst had a class scheduled at the University of Laverne satellite campus at Victor Valley College on Thursday evening, according to a police report. Police are still investigating whether Hurst attended her Thursday class.

The last sign of Hurst before she was reported missing was Thursday at about 11 p.m., according to a police report, when her cell phone was used in Hesperia. Detectives were able to locate its signal in the vicinity of a cell tower on Mariposa Road. Investigators have no further details on that call, Libby said.

Hurst’s car was found in the area of Olive Street and Second Street in Hesperia with no signs of damage or forced entry, according to Barstow Police Det. Keith Libby. The car’s windows were down and its key was still in the ignition, according to a police report.

Debra Walsh, Hurst’s mother, who lives in Arizona, said Hurst was studying to become an elementary school teacher. Hurst, a single mother, has a 12-year-old and 8-year-old daughter. Walsh said she and other relatives are currently in Barstow caring for the children.

“This is completely unusual,” Libby said of Hurst’s disappearance. “She hasn't left her kids for any extended periods of time.”

Walsh said she spoke regularly by telephone with Hurst, who lived in an apartment complex on Muriel Drive. Their last conversation happened last week and Hurst was talking about getting over a flu, Walsh said.

Hurst is described as 5 feet 6 inches and 130 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

Police believe that they know someone who may have some connection to the case, according to Libby, but could not provide further details because the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone who may have information regarding this case is asked to contact Det. Keith Libby at 760-256-2211. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or leave information on the WE-TIP Web site at www.wetip.com.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or
cnguyen@desertdispatch.com


http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/single_5292___article.html/barstow_local.html#slComments

Pic of Leisha at site

[sarahhod]

Mother of missing woman organizing weekend search party

Group to search Oro Grande parks, riverbed for clues


February 4, 2009 - 3:51 PM
By CHARLES NGUYEN, staff writer (cnguyen@desertdispatch.com)


BARSTOW • The mother of a Barstow woman who has been missing for two weeks is assembling a volunteer search party on Saturday to comb areas in Oro Grande for clues to the case.
Debra Walsh said she had an impromptu idea to open the search to community, having already enlisted friends and family in the effort to locate Leisa Hurst, 30, a mother of two girls who went missing on Jan. 22.
Walsh asked that volunteers meet at a park at 1920 First Street in Oro Grande at 10 a.m. on Saturday to begin the search. She said that she did not know the park’s name specifically, but added that it was off of Route 66 across from the town’s railroad tracks.
“We're searching because the investigation is still going and hope this will break something,” said Walsh, an Arizona resident who is in Barstow caring for Hurst’s children. “There seems to be a lot of people that want to help out there and we wanted to give them the chance to do that.”
Walsh said police told her that the community of Oro Grande would be the best location to search, but said she could not specify why because it could endanger the ongoing investigation. The search party will focus on the town’s parks and nearby riverbed, according to Walsh.
Barstow Police Det. Keith Libby could not be reached Wednesday for comment. Libby said on Monday that local authorities tried to organize a horse-led search party during the weekend but called it off after they could not narrow down an area small enough for the search.
After her disappearance, Hurst’s car was discovered in Hesperia abandoned in the area of Olive Street and Second Street. The orange Honda Element had its windows down and its key was still in the ignition. Police believe Hurst’s cell phone was last used Jan. 22 at 11 p.m. in Hesperia after locating its signal near a cell tower on Mariposa Road.
Libby said on Monday that the invesgation was moving “slow but steady.” Since Hurst’s disappearance, police have focused their attention on Jeami Chiapulis, a Helendale man investigators say had a romantic relationship with Hurst and may have further connection to her disappearance.
Chiapulis checked himself into the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital on Jan. 26. As of Monday, Chiapulis was still a patient at the hospital, Libby said.
“We are gaining more evidence every day that indicates that he has involvement in her going missing, but so far he's not saying anything,” Libby said on Monday.
Detectives found evidence they said strongly linked Chiapulis to Hurst’s dissapearance after searching his home twice, Libby said, but the man has not been named as a suspect.
Anyone who may have information regarding the case is asked to contact Det. Keith Libby at 760-256-2211. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or leave information on the WE-TIP Web site at www.wetip.com (http://www.wetip.com).

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or
cnguyen@desertdispatch.com
How to Help
Search party for Leisa Hurst
Saturday, 10 a.m.
1920 First Street, Oro Grande
Please bring: Water bottles, walking shoes


http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/search_5362___article.html/barstow_weekend.html

[sarahhod]

Search party for missing Barstow mother rained out

Family planning another search in two weeks


February 9, 2009 - 4:19 PM
By CHARLES NGUYEN, staff writer (cnguyen@desertdispatch.com)

The crowd of volunteers that gathered in Helendale on Saturday to search for missing Barstow resident Leisa Hurst struggled with the rain, forcing Hurst’s family to postpone a full search for the single mother who went missing on Jan. 22.
About 175 people showed up for the search, trudging through mud and rain while searching areas around the Silver Lakes neighborhood for nearly four hours, said Debra Walsh, Hurst’s mother. The family called off the search at about 3 p.m. after heavier rains made it impossible, she said. Volunteers were not able to locate any evidence related to the case.
“A few people without four-wheel drive got stuck in puddles of water,” Walsh said. “We decided it was getting unsafe for people.”
A search and rescue team from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is continuing to search the area and surrounding locations this week, according to Barstow Police Det. Keith Libby.
Horses, ATVs and handheld radios were just some of the pieces of equipment and transportation that volunteers brought for the search, Libby said. Off-duty dispatchers from the BPD worked with volunteers to set up a makeshift “command post” in a motor home that they used to coordinate search efforts. Other off-duty BPD officers also were on hand during the search to offer assistance.
“Putting together the search this time will make it easier, safer and more efficient next time,” Libby said. “I was really impressed with the things the community brought and how we all were able to put together a system to utilize them. There’s nothing more valuable than manpower and that’s what we got from the community.”
Walsh said she plans to hold another search on Feb. 21 in the same area of Helendale Road at 8 a.m.
Volunteers came from a variety of areas, some as far as Nevada and Arizona, Walsh said.
“It felt wonderful to see so many concerned people come out from so many places,” Walsh said. “Some people didn’t know us or Leisa personally, but were concerned enough to come out. That was really touching.”
There have been no new developments in Hurst’s case, Libby said. Police still believe that Jeami Chiapulis, a 36-year-old Helendale resident who was romantically involved with Hurst, has further involvement with her disappearance.
“[Chiapulis] has exhibited suspicious characteristics and we don’t believe he has been truthful to investigators,” Libby said.
Chiapulis checked himself into the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital on Jan. 26 and remains a patient there, Libby said. Investigators have not named him a suspect.
Anyone who may have information regarding the case is asked to contact Det. Keith Libby at 760-256-2211. Anyone inquiring about the community search party is asked to contact Debra Walsh at 760-252-9006. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or leave information on the WE-TIP Web site at www.wetip.com (http://www.wetip.com/).

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/hurst_5400___article.html/barstow_missing.html

[annalyzer]

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/search_5441___article.html/recovery_organization.html

Group comes on board in search for Barstow mother

Trinity Search and Rescue will head second search party

February 15, 2009 - 9:16 AM

A search and recovery organization is taking over the Feb. 21 volunteer search for Leisa Hurst, a Barstow single mother who has been missing since January.

Trinity Search and Recovery will offer specialized equipment to the search party and also manage it through an on-site command post, founder and President Mike Melson said. The search will take place in the same Helendale area as the search held on Feb. 7.

The volunteer organization and Debra Walsh, Hurst’s mother, were connected through the Kristen Foundation, a North Carolina-based group that focuses on providing aid to families of missing people, Melson said.

“The missing persons community is a small network,” he said. “We get to know each other quickly, no matter how far we are.”

The organization was founded in 2005 by Melson and his wife Bridget and has since helped about a dozen families throughout California, according to Melson.

Melson said he hopes to bring specialized equipment to the next search, which includes aerial drones for a bird’s-eye view of the area and side-scan sonar, which maps underwater terrain for boats.

Rain cut the four-hour search short on Feb. 7, which turned up no pieces of evidence related to Hurst’s disappearance. However, the 175 volunteers that showed up managed to assemble a makeshift command post complete with dispatchers and call signs, Walsh said. Volunteers also used search vehicles and animals to comb areas muddied by rainfall.

“The weather put a damper on it but we were so grateful for the things the community was able to do and bring,” Walsh said.

Melson said he will try a similar setup for the Feb. 21 search. Volunteers will be organized into groups and briefed before they are sent out to search, where they will be able to radio into a communications station if anything is found, Melson said.

“They had a fantastic turnout for the first search and we already have 40 folks registered for the next one,” he said. “The most frustrating thing is when we can’t stir up enough interest, but so many generous people have responded to this.”

There have been no recent developments in Hurst’s case. Police still believe Jeami Chipaulis was somehow involved in her Jan. 22 disappearance but have not named him as a suspect. Chiapulis, a Helendale man, checked himself into the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital days after Hurst was reported missing and remains a patient there, according to Barstow Police Det. Keith Libby.

Anyone who may have information regarding the case is asked to contact Det. Keith Libby at 760-256-2211. Anyone inquiring about the community search party is asked to leave information with Trinity Search and Rescue at www.trinitysearch.org. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or leave information on the WE-TIP Web site at www.wetip.com.

[annalyzer]

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/barstow_5450___article.html/murder_arrested.html

Man arrested, faces murder charges over missing Barstow woman

February 16, 2009 - 1:04 PM
By CHARLES NGUYEN, staff writer

BARSTOW • The man Barstow Police thought was involved in the disappearance of a local single mother since she went missing in January was arrested in Redlands and faces murder charges in the case.

Leisa Hurst went missing on Jan. 22, when her car was discovered in Hesperia with its windows down and key still in the ignition. She is still missing.

Jeami R. Chiapulis was arrested by Barstow Police detectives at a Starlite Motel in Redlands at about 6:30 p.m. on Friday, according to a San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department report. Police believe that the married 36-year-old Helendale resident carried on a romantic relationship with Hurst, 30, and several other women at the same time.

Chiapulis will be arraigned in Barstow on Wednesday for suspicion of murder. He is being held at West Valley Detention Center with no bail.
Barstow Police Det. Keith Libby could not be reached Monday for comment.

Two searches of Chiapulis’ home by Barstow Police after Hurst went missing led investigators to believe that he was somehow connected to her disappearance, but they were unable to find enough evidence to name him as a suspect, Det. Keith Libby said at the time.

Chiapulis checked himself the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital on Jan. 26. Libby said last week that Chiapulis was still a patient there.

Hurst’s family organized a community search party on Feb. 7 where about 175 volunteers, including friends, volunteers from missing persons organizations and off-duty police officers. Barstow Police recommended that searchers comb areas in Helendale close to the Silver Lakes neighborhood, where Chiapulis lives. Heavy rainfall forced them to cut the event short and volunteers were unable to find any pieces of evidence. Trinity Search and Rescue will manage the next search party, to be held on Feb. 21.

Libby said investigators determined that Hurst’s disappearance involved foul play very early in the case, and that they believed Chiapulis was further involved also early in the case.

“A large chunk of our missing persons cases are juveniles running away or someone fleeing something like a warrant or legal trouble,” said Libby. “We knew there was something awry from the start because [Hurst] never had a history of doing something like that, her car was left in a very suspicious way and she has kids at home.”

Hurst has a 12-year-old and 8-year-old daughter.

[sarahhod]

Arrest made in disappearance of local woman

February 16, 2009 - 2:45 PM
CHARLES NGUYEN Staff Writer (cnguyen@desertdispatch.com)

BARSTOW • A Helendale man was arrested for the murder of a woman who disappeared in January, officials said.

Jeami R. Chiapulis, 36, was arrested by Barstow Police Department detectives at the Starlite Motel in Redlands around 6:30 p.m. Friday, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s-Coroner’s Department.

Officials said they believe that the married man carried on a romantic relationship with the victim, Leisa Hurst (http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/search_10755___article.html/barstow_daughter.html), 30, and several other women at the same time.

Chiapulis is in jail and will be arraigned in Barstow on Wednesday for suspicion of murder, officials said.

Hurst went missing on Jan. 22, when her car was discovered in Hesperia with its windows down and the key in the ignition. She is still officially declared as a missing person.

Investigators determined early on that Hurst’s disappearance involved foul play and that Chiapulis was somehow involved, officials said.

Two searches of Chiapulis’ home by Barstow police led investigators to believe he was somehow connected to her disappearance, but they were unable to name him as a suspect, officials said.

Chiapulis had checked himself into the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital on Jan. 26., officials said.

During an organized search for Hurst on that same day, Barstow police recommended that searchers comb areas in Helendale, specifically Silver Lakes, where Chiapulis lives. Heavy rainfall forced searchers to cut the event short and volunteers were unable to find any pieces of evidence.

Another search is expected to be conducted Feb. 21.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/woman_10928___article.html/arrest_barstow.html

[annalyzer]

http://www.hesperiastar.com/news/police_2490___article.html/murder_old.html

Suspect charged with murder of woman last seen in Hesperia

Leisa Hurst went missing in Hesperia on Jan. 22

February 17, 2009 - 5:22 PM

The man Barstow Police thought was involved in the January disappearance of a local single mother was arrested in Redlands and faces murder charges in the case, even though the woman has yet to be found.

Jeami R. Chiapulis was arrested by Barstow Police detectives at a Starlite Motel in Redlands at about 6:30 p.m. on Friday, according to a San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department report. Police believe that the married 36-year-old Helendale resident carried on a romantic relationship with Hurst, 30, and several other women over the same time.

Leisa Hurst went missing on Jan. 22, when her car was discovered in Hesperia with its windows down and key still in the ignition. She is still missing. Hurst has a 12-year-old and 8-year-old daughter.

Police can still charge a suspect with murder if the victim’s body is not found, according to Barstow Police Sgt. Mike Hunter.

“It’s not a requirement to have the body if enough compelling evidence outside of the body is found that links the suspect to that murder,” said Hunter. “Charging murder without a body doesn’t happen often but can be done if the circumstances are right.”

Two searches of Chiapulis’ home by Barstow Police after Hurst went missing led investigators to believe that he was somehow connected to her disappearance, but they were unable to find enough evidence to name him as a suspect then, Det. Keith Libby said at the time.

Chiapulis had checked himself the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital on Jan. 26. Libby had said that Chiapulis was still a patient there last week.

Hurst’s family organized a community search party on Feb. 7 in Helendale where about 175 volunteers, including friends, volunteers from missing persons organizations and off-duty police officers. Heavy rainfall forced them to cut the event short and volunteers were unable to find any evidence. Trinity Search and Recovery will manage the next search party, to be held on Saturday.

Chiapulis is being held at West Valley Detention Center without bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Barstow on Wednesday for suspicion of murder.

[annalyzer]

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/pleads_5469___article.html/barstow_woman.html

Man pleads not guilty in murder case of still-missing woman

February 18, 2009 - 3:19 PM
By CHARLES NGUYEN, staff writer

BARSTOW • Jeami Chiapulis, accused of murdering his girlfriend, Barstow resident Leisa Hurst, pleaded not guilty in a Barstow courthouse on Wednesday in front of a crowd of Hurst’s family, friends and neighbors.

Thorough discussions with the Barstow Police Department led to the District Attorney’s Office decision to file the murder charge against Chiapulis, according to Deputy District Attorney Sean Daugherty, even though Hurst’s body has not been found since she was reported missing on Jan. 22.
Daugherty declined to comment on the case’s specifics.

Chiapulis was arrested at a Redlands motel by Barstow Police on Friday after he was released from a local hospital psychiatric ward, according to Det. Keith Libby. The arrest was made after consultation with the district attorney’s office, Libby said.

“Detectives conferred with the district attorney’s office and determined that, while Hurst’s body has not yet been recovered, enough probable cause exists to arrest Chiapulis for her murder,” he stated via e-mail. “As this is an ongoing investigation, and the search continues for Leisa, no further information should be released at this time.”

Hurst, a single mother with two daughters, remains missing as the family prepares for another community-led search for her body. The first event drew a crowd of more than 175 volunteers that searched areas in Helendale. Trinity Search and Recovery, an organization specializing in searches for missing persons, is managing the Saturday event, which will take place at an elementary school in Oro Grande.

At his arraignment, Chiapulis requested a court-appointed lawyer. Judge Steve Mapes set bail at $1 million.

“I’m just glad that he’s not out on the streets anymore,” Hurst’s next-door neighbor Donna Mass said at the arraignment.
Even with Chiapulis’ arrest, the fact that Hurst’s body still has not been recovered makes closure difficult, said Richard McClain, one of Hurst’s neighbors.

“There’s still a lot of unanswered questions,” he said.

Anyone with information in reference this incident is asked to contact Detective Keith Libby at 760-256-2211. People wishing to remain anonymous can call WE-TIP at 1-800-78-CRIME or www.wetip.com.

[sarahhod]

February 21, 2009

Desert search for missing woman resumes

http://www.inlandnewstoday.com/images/photo/p6788.jpg BARSTOW--An estimated 120 people will scour the desert this weekend to look for the body of a Barstow woman who was reported missing nearly a month ago.

Family members, friends, church groups and other organizations from Orange County are heading to Helendale to find answers in the mysterious disappearance of Leisa Ann Hurst, 30, a single mother of two who was reported missing January 22nd.

Volunteers, with the help of the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, will survey miles of desert on foot or via ATVs and motorcycles looking for evidence.

A similar search was conducted earlier this month by 175 people armed with handheld radios, but heavy rains cut their efforts short.

Hurst was reported missing after her car was found abandoned in Hesperia with the windows down and the keys in the ignition, said Barstow police.

Hurst was studying to be an elementary school teacher. (Source: Orange County Register)


http://www.inlandnewstoday.com/story.php?s=6788

[annalyzer]

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/hurst_5537___article.html/normalcy_barstow.html

Normalcy key for missing Barstow woman's mother, daughters

Mother: Before disappearance, daughter and suspect shared warm relationship

March 1, 2009 - 9:58 AM
By CHARLES NGUYEN, staff writer

On Feb. 15, Leisa Hurst turned 31. The family tried to treat it like any other birthday: Hurst’s mother, Deborah Welch, took her two granddaughters out for sushi, Hurst’s favorite cuisine.

“We cope by living as normal as possible,” said Welch, whose daughter has been missing since Jan. 22. That normalcy rubs off on 9-year-old Tyler and 12-year-old Ashlyn, who Welch said are continuing their habit of scoring A’s and B’s in school while Welch, from Arizona, is staying at Hurst’s Barstow home to care for them.

But life outside of the home has been anything but normal. Daylong searches for pieces of evidence have stoked uncertainty about Hurst’s still-missing body while the arrest of Hurst’s alleged boyfriend has thrown what Welch thought was her daughter’s happy relationship into doubt.

Helendale resident Jeami Chiapulis is in custody awaiting trial and charged with Hurst’s murder. Hurst met Chiapulis at Barstow Community College about two and a half years ago when she began courses to become certified as a teacher, said Welch, who described the couple’s relationship as warm.

According to Welch, who said she spoke to her daughter weekly, Hurst had planned to move into Chiapulis’ Helendale home with her two daughters the weekend she went missing. Welch said she planned to come to Barstow herself that weekend to help with the move.

“In the years they were together, I’d hear ‘Jeami this’ and ‘Jeami that,’” Welch said. “She’d text him all the time. If they had a fight it was usually for a short time.”

Welch said she met Chiapulis twice. He even got along well with Leisa’s young daughters, she said.

“He seemed nice and polite,” Welch said. “He was a likable guy as far as I knew.”

But police believe Chiapulis led other lives that were masked by his relationship with Hurst. According to Det. Keith Libby, the case’s lead investigator, Chiapulis is married and carried on several relationships with other women while with Hurst.

Welch said she and Leisa were completely unaware of Chiapulis’ wife, who does not live in the state, or his other relationships.

Days after Leisa went missing, police began searching Chiapulis’ home. During the first search, Chiapulis agreed to allow detectives into his Helendale home in the Silver Lakes neighborhood. After they found pieces of evidence linking Chiapulis to Hurst’s case, investigators returned the next day with a warrant to search the house again.

By then, Chiapulis had stopped cooperating with police, Libby said, and checked himself into the psychiatric ward of a hospital where he stayed for nearly three weeks.

Chiapulis had been released from the hospital and was at a Redlands motel when he was arrested Feb. 13.

Welch called the community response “very touching.” About 170 people showed up to the first volunteer search party in Helendale. That crowd swelled to over 250 for the second search in Oro Grande, which covered about 17 square miles of area along a 10-mile stretch on both sides of the Mojave River, according to Loren Brewster, Hurst’s uncle.

“Missing persons searches are a process of eliminating areas and we now have eliminated many areas where we know Leisa is not,” Brewster stated via e-mail. Welch said there is no date set for the next search.

Volunteers brought more than just themselves, using horses and ATVs on loan from other volunteers, and even an aerial drone brought by Trinity Search and Recovery, an organization specializing in missing persons cases. The drone provided high-resolution photos of the terrain in the hope that a birds-eye shot would reveal evidence related to the case or the body’s location.

Even without Hurst’s body, prosecutors and detectives said they felt confident enough with other evidence to charge Chiapulis with her murder.

“These kind of prosecutions are not frequent but they have happened,” said Deputy District Attorney Sean Daugherty, who declined to comment on specifics. “The courts have consistently held that in these types of cases you can prove murder through circumstantial evidence. We felt we had enough to pursue a charge.”

Chiapulis’ next scheduled court date is a preliminary deposition on March 24, said Daugherty, who is handling the case.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Det. Keith Libby at 760-256-2211. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or visit its Web site at www.wetip.com.

[sarahhod]

Another search for missing mother planned for Saturday

Organizers focusing on east side of Mojave River in Adelanto


March 23, 2009 - 3:04 PM
By CHARLES NGUYEN, staff writer

Volunteers are narrowing the search area they believe is the location of a missing single mother and will host another large-scale search on Saturday in the hopes of recovering her body.
The search party will concentrate on an area in Adelanto split by the Mojave River, after organizers eliminated previously searched areas and used cell phone data to narrow the search grid, according to Loren Brewster, uncle of Leisa Hurst, a Barstow resident who was reported missing in January and is presumed dead.
“We have been having small searches almost every weekend to help prepare for the large ones,” Brewster stated via e-mail.
Data obtained from cell phone carriers and Barstow Police detectives have helped organizers narrow the area they believe were where Hurst placed her last calls before she disappeared, according to Mike Melson, founder of Trinity Search and Recovery, which is hosting the large-scale search.
Investigators initially reported a call placed in Hesperia from Hurst’s cell phone the night of her disappearance in January but did not provide further details on that call. Barstow Police Det. Keith Libby could not be reached for comment Monday.
A Feb. 21 search on the east side of the river attracted more than 200 attendees but turned up nothing, so volunteers will spend Saturday searching the river’s west side, according to Melson.
“We get to zero in on where Leisa could be with every search even if we don’t find anything,” he said.
The case is also garnering attention from television outlets. A film crew from “The First 48” will be attending the Saturday search to record material for the crime procedural reality show on A&E, according to Brewster.
Hurst, a 30-year-old mother of two girls, was reported missing on Jan. 22. In February, detectives arrested her alleged boyfriend, Jeami Chiapulis, 36, and charged him with her murder. He pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.
Those interested in participating in the search are asked to register online at trinitysearch.org. The meeting location will be announced later this week, Melson said.

Search for Leisa Hurst
Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Area: Adelanto
Meet at: Command Post (Location TBD)
Needs: ATVs, horses, foot searchers


http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/search_5706___article.html/missing_area.html

[sarahhod]

Desert search for missing woman resumes

Story Date: March 26, 2009

BARSTOW--An estimated 120 people will scour the desert this weekend to look for the body of a Barstow woman who was reported missing nearly a month ago.

Family members, friends, church groups and other organizations from Orange County are heading to Helendale to find answers in the mysterious disappearance of Leisa Ann Hurst, 30, a single mother of two who was reported missing January 22nd.

Volunteers, with the help of the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, will survey miles of desert on foot or via ATVs and motorcycles looking for evidence.

A similar search was conducted earlier this month by 175 people armed with handheld radios, but heavy rains cut their efforts short.

Hurst was reported missing after her car was found abandoned in Hesperia with the windows down and the keys in the ignition, said Barstow police.

Hurst was studying to be an elementary school teacher. (Source: Orange County Register)

http://www.inlandnewstoday.com/story.php?s=6788

[Faith]

Man to stand trial for killing of missing woman

http://images.onset.freedom.com/desertdispatch/medium/kkqq91-0128chiapulisweb.jpg
Comments 2 | Recommend 0
Hurst's remains still yet to be found
June 4, 2009 - 5:48 PM
By DAVID HELDRETH, staff writer

BARSTOW • Judge Cheryl Kersey ruled Thursday that Silver Lakes resident Jeami Chiapulis, 37, will stand trial for the murder of an apparent girlfriend, Barstow resident Leisa Hurst.

Although Hurst’s body hasn’t been found, police arrested Chiapulis on Feb. 13. Chiapulis is charged with first-degree murder and faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

Hurst, 30, was reported missing January 22. Her family and friends organized searches in the Helendale and Oro Grande areas during the last five months.

During Thursday’s hearing, Barstow Police Department Det. Keith Libby testified that Joyce Fransson, a friend and another apparent sexual partner of Chiapulis’ — who is married — told him that Chiapulis met her at California State University of San Bernardino the night of January 22. Libby said that Fransson had told him that Chiapulis was driving an orange sport utility vehicle that didn’t belong to him.

Libby further testified that Fransson said that Chiapulis asked her where a high crime area was to dump the vehicle because he claimed a friend wanted to fake a vehicle theft. Libby said that Chiapulis then followed Fransson to Olive Street in Hesperia where they left the orange SUV before going to Chiapulis’ house. Hurst’s orange Honda Element was later discovered on Olive Street.

Libby testified that what police believe to be blood was located on the carpet and walls of Chiapulis’ home. BlueStar, a chemical police use to test for blood, was used and tested positive. The carpet sample is currently undergoing analysis at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department crime lab.

Libby’s testimony also covered a series of purchases Chiapulis made at Home Depot around January 22. Libby testified receipts he obtained from Home Depot revealed that Chiapulis purchased a trash can, gloves, bleach, duct tape, a shovel, and a pick ax.
The final witness of the day was Ryan McKenna. He was Chiapulis’ cell mate at the West Valley Detention Center, serving time for assault with a deadly weapon.

McKenna testified that during a conversation Chiapulis confessed to Hurst’s killing in March. McKenna said that Chiapulis told him that Hurst asked him to choke her while they had intercourse in the jacuzzi at Chiapulis’ home. McKenna testified that Chiapulis said he went too far and Hurst fell unconscious and died.

McKenna also said that Chiapulis told him that he used the trash can, bleach and gloves to clean the house before burying Hurst in the desert.

Chiapulis will now be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. on June 17 at the Barstow Courthouse.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or dheldreth@desertdispatch.com

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/woman-6233-barstow-killing.html

[sarahhod]

Accused killer leads police to body of Barstow woman

October 09, 2009 5:09 PM

DAVID HELDRETH Staff Writer (dheldreth@desertdispatch.com)

BARSTOW • A 37-year-old Silver Lakes man accused of killing his apparent 30-year-old Barstow girlfriend led authorities to her body buried in the desert near Newberry Springs.

Jeami Chiapulis entered into an agreement with the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office during a pretrial hearing Thursday. Under the deal, Chiapulis will receive 15 years to life in prison for second-degree murder in exchange for revealing the location of Leisa Hurst’s body, according to deputy district attorney Sean Daugherty. Daugherty said the agreement was dependent on the remains being identifiable as Hurst’s.
Daugherty was unable to discuss further details of the agreement or the case.

Chiapulis was released into the custody of Barstow Police Department detectives following the Thursday hearing, according to a Barstow Police Department report. Chiapulis, accompanied by his attorney Paul Henderson, directed the district attorney and detectives to an area near Newberry Springs, where human remains were found.

The remains were turned over to the San Bernardino County Coroner, who positively identified the body as that of Hurst on Friday afternoon, according to Barstow police.

Hurst was reported missing Jan. 22. Chiapulis checked himself into the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital on Jan. 26. Police said Chiapulis had a romantic relationship with Hurst, and searched his home twice shortly after Hurst’s disappearance. He was arrested at a Redland’s motel on February 13 just after being released from the hospital. Chiapulis was scheduled to start trial for Hurst’s killing at the end of November. Hurst’s family and friends organized searches in the Helendale and Oro Grande areas during the past eight months in an attempt to find her remains.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/barstow-14964-police-accused.html

[Nut44x4]

Boyfriend leads detectives to suspected remains of missing Barstow mother

Created: 10/09/2009 05:16:27 PM PDT

The suspected remains of a missing Barstow mother were uncovered in the desert Thursday after the woman's boyfriend led detectives to a shallow grave near Newberry Springs.
Leisa Ann Hurst, 30, was reported missing Jan. 22 by her two children. Authorities found her Honda Element abandoned in Hesperia with the windows down and the key in the ignition.

Four days after Hurst went missing, 36-year-old Jeami Chiapulis checked himself into a psychiatric ward. Hurst's family told police the two were engaged. Chiapulis claimed they were just friends.

Chiapulis was arrested at a Redlands hotel after checking himself out of the psychiatric ward, officials said.

He accepted a plea bargain in Barstow Superior Court on Thursday, reducing the murder charge to second-degree murder. Part of Chiapulis' deal was uncovering Hurst's remains so her family could properly bury her.

Chiapulis trudged through the desert north of Barstow and pointed out a makeshift grave where he said he buried Hurst. Coroner's officials collected the remains Friday but have not positively identified them.

A motive for the slaying is unknown, though Barstow police Detective Keith Libby has said Chiapulis was married but appeared to have several girlfriends.

Hurst's family could not be reached for comment Friday.

The family has maintained a blog detailing the search for Hurst's remains and Chiapulis' court appearances. The recovery of Hurst's remains was posted Friday.

Hundreds of volunteers have scoured large swaths of open desert along the Mojave River, Silver Lake and Oro Grande over the months in hopes of finding Hurst's remains.
Dozens of friends posted joyous comments on the family's blog, grateful that Hurst has been found but heartbroken that it has taken so long.

Hurst was studying to be an elementary school teacher. She was supposed to attend a class at the University of La Verne satellite campus the day she disappeared.

She was also a single mother of two daughters, ages 9 and 12.

One of Hurst's daughters wrote on the blog that her mother "taught me about fashion, about manners and about responsibility. She was a good mom and she taught me a lot. I will always love her and I will always miss her but I know she's watching me from the heaven doors."

Chiapulis faces 15 years in prison for the slaying. ??????????? 15!! Is that all!!!
http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_13527702?source=most_viewed#

[CSAFD]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/Maverick1862/murder%20victims/LeisaHurst.jpg

Leisa Hurst (30) was missing for around nine months before her boyfriend led police to her body

Date: Jan 22, 2009
Cause of Death: Murder
Location: Barstow, CA

Judge Steven Mapes formally sentenced a 37-year-old Silver Lakes man to 15 years to life Friday in connection with the killing of his apparent 30-year-old Barstow girlfriend.

Jeami Chiapulis pleaded guilty to the second degree murder of Leisa Hurst during a hearing on Nov. 6. The guilty plea was part of a deal he reached with the district attorney's office to avoid a trial and first degree murder conviction. Chiapulis revealed the location of Hurst's body and agreed to serve 15 years to life as part of the deal.

Deputy District Attorney Sean Daugherty said that Chiapulis' will serve a minimum of 15 years before his case can even be reviewed by a parole board and could possibly spend his entire life in prison.

"I'm pleased that (the family) can finally give her a proper burial and move on now that the sentencing is over," Daugherty said.

Hurst's family and friends filled the courtroom on Friday and took the opportunity to talk to the court during the victim impact statements. Chiapulis sat still watching each person as they spoke.

Hurst's daughters, a 9-year-old and a 13-year-old, walked toward the front of the courtroom together and took turns speaking.

"It will never be the same," The 13-year-old said between sobs. "I'm never going to get a text from mom telling me to have a good day and that she loves me. I can't ask her for anything anymore. She always gave the best advice."

Loren Brewster, Hurst's uncle, spoke to the court about her recent funeral.

"As part of a plea deal Leisa's body was recovered by the authorities and she was released to the family by the San Bernardino County Coroner," Brewster said. "We were able to bury her at Sunset Hills (Memorial Park) and this time she was surrounded by family and members of her adopted family."

Brewster finished his statement by saying that although the family has Hurst back, there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

"There are so many questions," Brewster said. "How anyone could do this to another human being? How could someone just kill a person and leave them in the desert like trash?"

Mapes asked Paul Henderson, Chiapulis' public defender, if Chiapulis would like to make a statement. Mapes also said that he believed the family would appreciate a comment from Chiapulis, but he could not order him to talk. Henderson told Mapes that he had talked to Chiapulis and that he didn't wish to give a statement.

Hurst was reported missing January 22. Chiapulis checked himself into the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital on Jan. 26. Police said Chiapulis had a romantic relationship with Hurst, and searched his home twice shortly after Hurst's disappearance. He was arrested at a Redland's motel on February 13 just after being released from the hospital.

http://www.mydeathspace.com/article/2009/11/23/Leisa_Hurst_(30)_was_missing_for_around_nine_month s_before_her_boyfriend_led_police_to_her_body