BENTONVILLE — Police hope the forensic examination of a pickup that sat for weeks outside a Missouri strip club will offer clues to the whereabouts of two Bentonville women.
Louise Bishop, 81, and her daughter, Christina Bishop, 40, have been missing for more than two months. The family's last contact with them was June 18 in their secluded home on the corner of J Street and Southeast 28th Street.
The 1997 Toyota Tacoma pickup belonging to the pair was delivered to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock on Monday, said Lt. Jon Simpson, a Bentonville detective.
The discovery of the truck hasn't yet changed the investigation, Simpson said. It was in the same condition as when it was reported missing, and so far no one has admitted to having any knowledge of who left it in the parking lot of Club Hots near Pineville, Mo., he said. Pineville is on U.S. 71 about 10 miles north of the state line.
The discovery of the truck wasn't enough to bring in the FBI, Simpson said. He said two Bentonville detectives are working on the case and should have some results from the Crime Lab in a few days.
Simpson said detectives haven't ruled out anyone as a suspect but still have a lot of information to process.
"The probability of foul play is remarkably high in this case," hesaid. "What does that mean? That remains to be seen."
The truck evidently was parked next to a trash bin in the gravel parking lot of the club for weeks before it was towed, Simpson said. Employees of the establishment declined to comment about the abandoned truck, which they said wasn't the first to have an extended stay at the club.
Club owner Tony Catroppa said he didn't know anything about the truck.
The company that towed the truck held it for two weeks before attempting to contact its owner, Simpson said. Towing company employees finally contacted George Skupien, a nephew of Louise Bishop, who informed the company the truck was wanted by police.
It was Skupien who reported the pair missing after finding the house empty on June 20. He said he was worried when he found the front door of the two-story home open, the alarm off and a Pomeranian cowering in a corner. He reported the women missing the following day.
The house sits on a circle drive, surrounded by trees and hidden from view. Skupien, a retired suburban Chicago police detective, said he often urged his aunt to move to a subdivision where she would have neighbors to keep an eye on her.
Police have said surveillance video shows the two women checking out of Sam's Club in Bentonville about 5:36 p.m. June 18.
Skupien said he last spoke witheach of the Bishops between 8 and 9 p.m. June 18. He spoke to Christina Bishop on her cell phone while she was out to get gasoline, he said. He also spoke to Louise Bishop, who was at home.
Skupien said Louise Bishop always set the alarm at 9 p.m. even when they were in the house, and if Christina was out, she would have to call her mom to turn off the alarm.
Louise Bishop had a doctor's appointment June 19, so Skupien assumed she was busy and he didn't become concerned about not hearing from her until June 20. He went to the house and found groceries sitting on the counter and all of their medications, he said.
The discovery of the truck brings with it the hope that the family will learn what happened, but family members doubt the possibility of a happy ending, Skupien said.
The family's $5,000 reward is still valid but will expire at some point.
People of all ages disappear, but it's not common for a mother and daughter to disappear at the same time, said Amy Smith, executive director of Let's Bring them Home, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the lost.
"I was glad to see they found a vehicle. That gets them closer to finding out where they are," Smith said. "I'm not sure their discovery is going to be pleasant, but it will at least give the family some answers and they'll be able to bring them home."
Arkansas, Pages 15 on 08/26/2009