Barron to light 'tree of hope' for Jayme Closs

Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald
Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald spoke on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, during a news conference about 13-year-old Jayme Closs, who has been missing since her parents were found dead in their home near Barron, Wis.
Evan Frost | MPR News

Barron, Wis., residents will light a "tree of hope" Wednesday night for the safe return of Jayme Closs, the 13-year-old missing since mid-October when her parents were found shot to death in their northwestern Wisconsin home.

The ceremony to light the 16-foot tree will be at Riverview Middle School, where Jayme is a student.

Authorities have investigated hundreds of tips and conducted extensive ground searches with help from volunteers but say they haven't turned up anything of value to find the girl.

A 2008-2014 red-orange Dodge Challenger
A 2008-2014 red-orange Dodge Challenger is one of the vehicles of interest in the search for missing Wisconsin teen, Jayme Closs. Courtesy Barron County Sheriff's Department
Courtesy Barron County Sheriff's Department

Investigators in October announced they were seeking two "vehicles of interest" in her disappearance: a 2008 to 2014 red/orange Dodge Challenger and either a 2006 to 2010 black Ford Edge or a 2004 to 2010 black Acura MDX.

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The case remains the top priority for state and county investigators, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald wrote in a Facebook post Monday.

Fitzgerald will be present at the Wednesday night event to deliver messages of hope to the community.

Others who will join the ceremony include Diane Tremblay, district administrator for the Barron public schools, Ron Mathews, pastor at Barron's First Lutheran Church, and Jim Snee, CEO of Hormel Foods, parent company of Jennie-O Turkey Store, where Closs' parents worked.

Jayme is described as 5 feet tall and 100 pounds with strawberry-blond hair and green eyes. The sheriff's tip line is open to anyone with information at 1-855-744-3879.