Luetellie Pinesette, 82, [BODY FOUND] Missing Since 11/16/08, La Marque, TX

[Faith]

Police expand search for missing preacher

By T.J. Aulds
The Daily News

Published November 19, 2008
LA MARQUE — Police on Tuesday expanded the search for an elderly preacher who has been missing since Sunday.

The search for the Rev. Luetellie Pinesette, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, now includes police from La Marque and Texas City with the assistance of the Houston Police Department’s helicopter patrol.

Pinesette was last seen Sunday when he left his daughter’s La Marque apartment in the 300 block of Duroux about 8:30 p.m. The 93-year-old was reportedly headed to a convenience store at the corner of FM 1765 and Vauthier Road with his grandson, La Marque Capt. Donald Head said.

Pinesette, who lives in west Texas City, was staying with his daughter while his wife was out of town. In addition to searching the area near the store, police also checked on Pinesette’s home in Plover, but didn’t find the man.

La Marque and Texas City officers returned to the area Tuesday afternoon to conduct a more extensive search, which included air support from the Houston Police Department, as well as officers on horseback.

Head said investigators were hoping to use a thermal imaging camera mounted on a Houston police chopper to aid in their search Tuesday night.

Donna Pinesette, who said she is the missing man’s wife, said she returned home Monday evening unaware her husband had been missing for more than a day.

Police said they had not talked with the woman because the family didn’t have an accurate number to reach her and their focus was on finding the missing man. Pinesette is a well-known west Texas City preacher.

Donna Pinesette also insisted that the age given of the missing man was incorrect because of inaccurate information on his driver’s license. He is 82-years-old, she said.

Police said they had been unable to confirm that information.

In an incident police said was not directly linked to Pinesette’s disappearance, the grandson was arrested Sunday night. Head said the man got into an argument with his mother when he returned to the apartment without his grandfather.

The argument escalated, and police were called to the apartment. Lionel Pinesette was charged with assaulting his mother, assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. He was in the Galveston County jail on bonds totaling $35,000.

Head said there is no evidence leading police to believe the grandson had anything to do with the elder Pinesette’s disappearance.

Luetellie Pinesette is 5-feet, 10-inches tall, weighs 155 to 165 pounds, is balding and normally wears glasses. He was wearing a green shirt, blue khaki pants and a blue La Marque Cougars jacket

Anyone with information about the missing man’s whereabouts should call La Marque police at 409-938-9269.

http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=0ea9f3315e126fd3

[Faith]

Police expand search for missing pastor

09:46 AM CST on Wednesday, November 19, 2008

LA MARQUE — Police on Tuesday expanded the search for an elderly preacher who has been missing since Sunday.

The search for the Rev. Luetellie Pinesette, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, now includes police from La Marque and Texas City with the assistance of the Houston Police Department’s helicopter patrol.

Pinesette was last seen Sunday when he left his daughter’s La Marque apartment in the 300 block of Duroux about 8:30 p.m. The 93-year-old was reportedly headed to a convenience store at the corner of FM 1765 and Vauthier Road with his grandson, La Marque Capt. Donald Head said.

Pinesette, who lives in west Texas City, was staying with his daughter while his wife was out of town. In addition to searching the area near the store, police also checked on Pinesette’s home in Plover, but didn’t find the man.

La Marque and Texas City officers returned to the area Tuesday afternoon to conduct a more extensive search, which included air support from the Houston Police Department, as well as officers on horseback.

Head said investigators were hoping to use a thermal imaging camera mounted on a Houston police chopper to aid in their search Tuesday night.

Donna Pinesette, who said she is the missing man’s wife, said she returned home Monday evening unaware her husband had been missing for more than a day.

Police said they had not talked with the woman because the family didn’t have an accurate number to reach her and their focus was on finding the missing man. Pinesette is a well-known west Texas City preacher.

Donna Pinesette also insisted that the age given of the missing man was incorrect because of inaccurate information on his driver’s license. He is 82-years-old, she said.

Police said they had been unable to confirm that information.

In an incident police said was not directly linked to Pinesette’s disappearance, the grandson was arrested Sunday night. Head said the man got into an argument with his mother when he returned to the apartment without his grandfather.

The argument escalated, and police were called to the apartment. Lionel Pinesette was charged with assaulting his mother, assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. He was in the Galveston County jail on bonds totaling $35,000.

Head said there is no evidence leading police to believe the grandson had anything to do with the elder Pinesette’s disappearance.

Luetellie Pinesette is 5-feet, 10-inches tall, weighs 155 to 165 pounds, is balding and normally wears glasses. He was wearing a green shirt, blue khaki pants and a blue La Marque Cougars jacket

Anyone with information about the missing man’s whereabouts should call La Marque police at 409-938-9269.

This story is available through KHOU, Ch. 11's partnership with The Galveston County Daily News.

http://www.khou.com/news/local/galveston/stories/khou081119_tnt_missing-preacher.1c9eeaa5c.html

[Faith]

EquuSearch joins search for missing preacher

By T.J. Aulds
The Daily News

Published November 22, 2008
LA MARQUE — Texas EquuSearch has joined in the search for an elderly preacher who has been missing since Sunday.

The Rev. Luetellie Pinesette, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, was last seen when he left his daughter’s La Marque apartment with his grandson to go to a convenience store at the corner of FM 1765 and Vauthier Road. While the grandson returned home, Pinesette did not.

La Marque and Texas City police have conducted three extensive searches on horseback and with all-terrain vehicles, but are no closer to finding the missing man, La Marque police Capt. Donald Head said.

Dickinson-based EquuSearch joined in the search Friday and plans to return to the area today. The focus of the search will be on the west Texas City area, where Pinesette lived and preached.

Pinesette was staying with his daughter in La Marque while his wife was out of town in Beaumont. Police initially thought the preacher might have attempted to return to his home on Plover in west Texas City after leaving his daughter’s home.

Meanwhile, community activist Quanell X has also been in touch with the missing preacher’s family offering guidance. He said he plans to meet with the missing man’s grandson.

Police said they do not consider the man to be a suspect in the preacher’s disappearance, but Lionel Pinesette, remains in the Galveston County jail on unrelated charges of assaulting his mother the night his grandfather went missing. He is being held on bonds totaling $35,000.

Luetellie Pinesette is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighs 155 to 165 pounds, is balding and normally wears glasses. He was wearing a green shirt, blue khaki pants and a blue La Marque Cougars jacket.

There is a question of his actual age. His driver’s license indicates he is 93 years old.

But his wife said that was incorrect and she has his birth certificate that has his age at 82.

Anyone with information about the missing man’s whereabouts should call La Marque police at 409-938-9269.

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=c6633fb5e59ec315

[Faith]

November 21st Search

There is a search today, November 21 at 11 am for La Marque Texas man Luetellie Pinesette 82 year old man. Command center location is the TES Office 4013 FM 517, Suite B Dickinson, Texas. Coordinator contact is Tim Miller and Frank Black. Command center number is 281.309.9500

http://www.texasequusearch.org/

[grammybears]

This does not sound good at all. I hope that they will be able to find him. What a worry for his family.

[foxfarmboxers]

Thoughts and prayers for this family~!

[sarahhod]

Search Team Offers Hope to Worried Families

http://www.kbtx.com/local/headlines/34904179.html


Posted: 5:50 PM Nov 21, 2008
Last Updated: 6:45 PM Nov 21, 2008
Reporter: Kristen Ross
Email Address: ross@kbtx.com


t's a group that strives to reconnect missing loved ones with their family.

Texas EquuSearch has helped in national searches for Natalie Holloway in Aruba and Caylee Anthony in Florida.

But the group also has successes right here in the Brazos Valley.

Waiting, hoping, and searching are all things Texas EquuSearch Founder Tim Miller has become very familiar with over the years.

"Unfortunately this is 950 times that we've done it, and we've had a lot of success," Tim Miller said. "We can talk about our record, but we're only as good as our next search."

For eight years, Miller and his EquuSearch team have traveled around the country helping families search for their missing loved ones.

Just this week, Miller helped bring closure to a mother looking for her son, Brandon Rosales, who had been missing for days.

Just a couple of hours into the team's search, Rosales body was found.

"The family can get some closure and somehow manage to put their lives back together," Miller said.

It's a concept Miller knows is tough, because he's lived it first hand. In 1984, his 16-year-old daughter Laura went missing near Houston. Seventeen months later, her body was found at an abandoned oil field. Three other girls bodies were also found at the site.

"Let these families know they're not alone, and also the resources we bring into this at no charge, just trying to bring some closure," Miller said.

So Miller dedicated his time, money, and services for missing person's cases both far away and those closer to home.

"There's one thing worse then having a murdered child, and that's probably knowing they're out there somewhere and not be able to say goodbye," Miller said.

Out of the roughly 950 searches Texas EquuSearch has conducted, the group has brought about 300 missing persons home alive to family.They have also helped to recover nearly 90 other deceased victims, to help bring closure to their loved ones.

Texas EquuSearch is a non-profit organization, and offers its services free to families. If you're interested in finding out how you can help volunteer your time, or donate to the cause click on the link below:

[annalyzer]

Did it say if the man who has been arrested told where he last saw his grandfather, why he left him alone, etc?

[Faith]

Prayers for Mr. Pinesette's safe return :1222423:

[foxfarmboxers]

Luetellie Pinesette had been missing more than a week
By BILL MURPHY Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Nov. 24, 2008, 2:50PMShare Print Email Del.icio.usDiggTechnoratiYahoo! BuzzThe body of an elderly man last seen eight days ago was found in a bayou near Interstate 45 in Hitchcock today, the director of Texas EquuSearch said.

Complete Story At: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6130001.html

[Faith]

Missing preacher found dead

Monday, November 24, 2008 | 5:01 PM

LA MARQUE, TX (KTRK) -- Reverend Luetellie Pinesette had been missing for more than a week. What appears to be his body was found in a bayou in Galveston County Monday.

Pinesette was last seen with his grandson, heading to a convenience store. That grandson is now in jail.

Around noon, a driver crossing a bridge spotted a body in the Highland Bayou. Officials pulled the body out and sent it to the Galveston County Medical Examiner. While there has not yet been official confirmation on the identity, authorities tell Eyewitness News the body was wearing clothing consistent with Reverend Pinesette.

Pinesette, who suffers from Alzheimer's, had been missing since last Sunday, November 15. That's when he reportedly left his daughter's La Marque apartment with his grandson to go to a convenience store on FM 1765. The grandson returned, but Pinesette did not.

Police have conducted three extensive searches in the area, even enlisting the help of Texas Equusearch, which had volunteers out over the weekend.

Pinesette's grandson, Lionel Pinesette, is in jail stemming from a fight he had with his mother the day his grandfather went missing. Police say they have not named him a suspect in the disappearance, but the case is still under investigation.

The body was taken to the medical examiner's office where they will work on making a positive identification and determining the cause of death.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6523290

[Faith]

:1222423::1222423::1222423:

[packy]

:1222423:

[Nut44x4]

The Houston Chronicle

November 25, 2008 Tuesday
Body found; answers missing;
Police question family in man's disappearance

At first glance, Luetellie Pinesette's disappearance earlier this month didn't seem all that unusual. The 93-year-old retiree had Alzheimer's, and he appeared to have wandered off on the way home from a La Marque convenience store.

But a number of events led investigators to question whether Pinesette's disappearance Nov. 16 was as straightforward as it seemed.

Pinesette had been with his 23-year-old grandson, Lionel Pinesette of La Marque, before he disappeared.

Police say the grandson argued with his mother and assaulted her, leaving her bloodied, shortly after he returned home without his grandfather that night.

Detectives now know they have a death on their hands. Luetellie Pinesette's body was recovered Monday in Highland Bayou in Hitchcock.

They are hoping autopsy results will reveal whether Luetellie Pinesette, who preached part time at St. John's Missionary Baptist Church in Texas City, was intentionally or accidentally killed, La Marque Police Chief Richard Price said.

A man driving on Fairwood in Hitchcock spotted a body in Highland Bayou about 12:45 p.m. Monday.

The body had become tangled in trees and branches knocked down during Hurricane Ike, Price said.

The body looked like it had been in the water for several days, but it was still clad in the blue-and-gold La Marque High School jacket that Luetellie Pinesette was wearing Nov. 16, Price said.

Grandson charged

Luetellie Pinesette had been visiting his daughter, Dorothy Pinesette, and his grandson at their La Marque apartment that night.

The Texas City man and his grandson walked to the T&T Food Mart at FM 1765 and Vauthier Road about 8 p.m., bought something and started walking back to the apartment, Price said.

Lionel Pinesette told police that his grandfather - a retired railroad worker and janitor at the Shriners Burn Institute in Galveston - "wandered off," the chief said. "The last thing he saw was his grandfather walking from him toward (La Marque) high school."

If he had stayed on that road, he would have reached the bayou - evidence that the death may have been an accident, Price said.

Dorothy Pinesette, Price said, lambasted her son when he returned home and said he had let his grandfather - her father - wander away.

Her son was charged with assaulting a family member, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. Officers said he appeared to be high on a drug, Price said.

He had not made bail and was being held in Galveston County Jail on Monday.

Police continue to try to verify the whereabouts of Luetellie Pinesette's wife, Donna, 48, on the night of his disappearance, Price said.

Donna Pinesette couldn't be reached.

Luetellie Pinesette's granddaughter, Sheronda Allen, said Donna Pinesette told detectives that she was in Beaumont visiting her hospitalized father Nov. 16, but detectives have not verified her story.

Price said he did not know the details of Donna Pinesette's interviews with his detectives but confirmed that officers continue to look into her whereabouts on Nov. 16.

Wife questioned

Many family members handed out missing-person fliers in the La Marque-Texas City area in the past eight days, but Donna Pinesette didn't participate in these activities, Allen said.

"We don't think he wandered off from the home," Allen said. "We don't think my cousin (Lionel Pinesette) had anything to do with (his disappearance)."

She said she would remember her grandfather as a kind man who enjoyed working with church members.

"He was always focused on God. He was a good preacher," Allen said. "When people needed him, he was there to pray with them."
http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100020825&docId=l:889878428&start=14

[foxfarmboxers]

Thanks Nut...for updating this, ( I apologize that I missed it today)
My thoughts and prayers go out to this family.

[Nut44x4]

The Houston Chronicle

November 27, 2008 Thursday

Autopsy turns up no foul play in death of man found in bayou;
Grandson says the preacher, 93, wandered off on the way home

The death of a 93-year-old man found in a bayou in Hitchcock on Monday does not appear to have been intentional, the La Marque police chief said Wednesday.

An autopsy performed on Luetellie Pinesette on Tuesday at the Galveston County Medical Examiner's office found no signs that he had been assaulted, Chief Richard Price said.

"It didn't appear there was any apparent foul play," he said. "There were no signs that anybody did anything physical to him."

The conclusions were preliminary findings, and the autopsy report will not be completed until toxicology tests come back in several months, Price said.

Pinesette didn't appear to have drowned, and the cause of death has not been determined yet, a spokesman for the Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office said.

The preacher and retired railroad worker walked to a convenience store with his grandson, Lionel Pinesette, 23, of La Marque, Nov. 16.

Lionel Pinesette told police that his grandfather, who had a mild case of Alzheimer's, wandered off on the way home.

The grandfather's body was found in Highland Bayou about three miles from the convenience store Monday, clad in the same clothes that he was wearing the night he disappeared, Price said. Nothing appeared to have been taken from him.

Police investigated Pinesette's disappearance as a possible crime because Lionel Pinesette argued and fought with his mother when he returned home without his grandfather.

Lionel Pinesette was charged with assaulting a family member, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

Luetellie Pinesette's wife, Donna, 48, told police that she was in Beaumont attending a church revival the weekend of her husband's disappearance, Price said.

Detectives verified her story, learning that she had stayed at a Beaumont hotel, the chief said.
http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100020825&docId=l:891148689&start=11

[grammybears]

How very sad. I sure hope they will be able to find the cod. It really scares me when I hear of older people who go missing when they have alzheimers or dementia.

jmoo

[annalyzer]

The Houston Chronicle

November 27, 2008 Thursday

Autopsy turns up no foul play in death of man found in bayou;
Grandson says the preacher, 93, wandered off on the way home

The death of a 93-year-old man found in a bayou in Hitchcock on Monday does not appear to have been intentional, the La Marque police chief said Wednesday.

An autopsy performed on Luetellie Pinesette on Tuesday at the Galveston County Medical Examiner's office found no signs that he had been assaulted, Chief Richard Price said.

"It didn't appear there was any apparent foul play," he said. "There were no signs that anybody did anything physical to him."

The conclusions were preliminary findings, and the autopsy report will not be completed until toxicology tests come back in several months, Price said.

Pinesette didn't appear to have drowned, and the cause of death has not been determined yet, a spokesman for the Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office said.

The preacher and retired railroad worker walked to a convenience store with his grandson, Lionel Pinesette, 23, of La Marque, Nov. 16.

Lionel Pinesette told police that his grandfather, who had a mild case of Alzheimer's, wandered off on the way home.

The grandfather's body was found in Highland Bayou about three miles from the convenience store Monday, clad in the same clothes that he was wearing the night he disappeared, Price said. Nothing appeared to have been taken from him.

Police investigated Pinesette's disappearance as a possible crime because Lionel Pinesette argued and fought with his mother when he returned home without his grandfather.

Lionel Pinesette was charged with assaulting a family member, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

Luetellie Pinesette's wife, Donna, 48, told police that she was in Beaumont attending a church revival the weekend of her husband's disappearance, Price said.

Detectives verified her story, learning that she had stayed at a Beaumont hotel, the chief said.
http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100020825&docId=l:891148689&start=11


The 93 year old man's wife is 48 years old? He supposedly wandered away from his grandson on the way home? I'm sorry but something just stinks here.

[Faith]

Autopsy turns up no foul play in death of man found in bayou
Grandson says the preacher, 93, wandered off on the way home

Nov. 27, 2008, 12:14AM

The death of a 93-year-old man found in a bayou in Hitchcock on Monday does not appear to have been intentional, the La Marque police chief said Wednesday.

An autopsy performed on Luetellie Pinesette on Tuesday at the Galveston County Medical Examiner's office found no signs that he had been assaulted, Chief Richard Price said.

"It didn't appear there was any apparent foul play," he said. "There were no signs that anybody did anything physical to him."

The conclusions were preliminary findings, and the autopsy report will not be completed until toxicology tests come back in several months, Price said.

Pinesette didn't appear to have drowned, and the cause of death has not been determined yet, a spokesman for the Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office said.

The preacher and retired railroad worker walked to a convenience store with his grandson, Lionel Pinesette, 23, of La Marque, Nov. 16.

Lionel Pinesette told police that his grandfather, who had a mild case of Alzheimer's, wandered off on the way home.

The grandfather's body was found in Highland Bayou about three miles from the convenience store Monday, clad in the same clothes that he was wearing the night he disappeared, Price said. Nothing appeared to have been taken from him.

Police investigated Pinesette's disappearance as a possible crime because Lionel Pinesette argued and fought with his mother when he returned home without his grandfather.

Lionel Pinesette was charged with assaulting a family member, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

Luetellie Pinesette's wife, Donna, 48, told police that she was in Beaumont attending a church revival the weekend of her husband's disappearance, Price said.

Detectives verified her story, learning that she had stayed at a Beaumont hotel, the chief said.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6134881.html