Leads surface following TV special on missing Welch girls' case
BY SHEILA STOGSDILL World Correspondent
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
WELCH — Two leads surfaced after the broadcast of a television show detailing the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of two missing Craig County teenage girls, according to Lorene Bible, mother of one of the missing teens.
Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman, 16-year-old best friends, disappeared Dec. 30, 1999. They had spent the night at the Freemans’ mobile home to celebrate Ashley’s 16th birthday.
Their story was told Monday through the program called “Out of the Ashes,” which aired on the Investigation Discovery network.
Both leads were turned over to Craig County Sheriff Jimmie Sooter.
“We are tracking down the names and investigating the leads,” Sooter said.
Investigators in the case have tracked down hundreds of leads, crisscrossing the country, since the girls’ disappearance.
Ashley's parents, Danny and Kathy Freeman were fatally shot and their bodies were found in the ashes of the home. Authorities think the killer or killers set the fire to cover up the slayings. Lauria’s car was found at the Freeman home with the keys inside and her purse was found in the fire rubble.
