Missing Kids Mysteries: Kevin McClam

(Goose Creek) May 18, 2005 - Sgt. Jerry Merrithew says sometimes police work can become very personal, "In a way you kind of form a relationship with a person you never met just by the information you gather."

Merrithew with the Goose Creek Police Department is talking about the closeness he feels to Kevin McClam. The teenager disappeared back in 1997. Merrithew was one of the original investigators in the case, "I have kids myself and knowing what the family must be going through, it bothers me."

McClam was last seen at his home at the Naval Weapons Station the night before Easter. His parents say they last saw him playing video games. The next morning they went to wake him and he was gone.

Special Agent Stan Garland is with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, "There was no forced entry into the residence. There was nothing uncommon. Everything just seemed in place."

The NCIS took over the case, because the incident happened on a military base.

Garland says the only physical evidence they have to work with was found less than a mile from Kevin's home the day after he disappeared, "His clothes were separated about 5 to 10 feet apart along this road. Someone could have tossed them out of window while driving a vehicle or they just could have been walking along and tossed them. We really don't know at this time."

He says there was no evidence of a struggle or a crime.

A massive ground exploration of the area was launched, but it didn't uncover anything. Garland says divers also spent days searching dozens of waterways and alligator infested swamps, but nothing surfaced, "It's like Kevin just totally dropped off the face of the earth."

Sightings of the missing teen have taken investigators to Florida, across to California and recently to a small town in the midwest. Garland says all trips turned up nothing, but the hunt is far from over, "You know, we just celebrated Mother's Day and you know for 8 years Kevin's mom has been without an answer and I think its important that we continue to investigate this case to give his mom closure."

Meanwhile, back at police headquarters in Goose Creek, Merrithew also struggles to answer the question if Kevin is out there, "I have some personal feelings on that. I'm not sure if he's dead or alive. I don't know."

The police sergeant says the case has taken its toll, "You hug your kids a lot more, because this highlights the fact your only given day by day and you never know when it's your turn." He keeps even more hope in his heart that someday, somewhere, someone will find Kevin McClam, "I feel like we will get it solved one day. And again it may not be by me, but we're gonna get it solved and when it's solved, if I'm still here, it'll definitely be a celebration."

The two investigators have stayed in contact with Kevin's parents over the years. News 10 talked to Kevin's mom Tracy by phone. She said she couldn't do an interview because she wasn't ready to go down that painful road again.

By Angie Goff
Posted 7:33pm by BrettWitt