By Chuck Hustmyre
April 11, 2007
SUMMERDALE, Ala. (Crime Library) — With authorities facing many more questions than clues about the March disappearance of Mary Byrne Smith, the 30-year-old mother of two and the wife of a Baptist preacher, her father held a brief press conference Tuesday and announced a $10,000 reward for information that leads to his daughter's return.
Mary, whom everyone calls Beth, disappeared about 11:00 a.m. on March 24 from the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City, La. She and a friend, Jenny Gipson, were in the last hour of a women's religious conference they were attending when Beth left to go to the bathroom. She never returned.
|
Century Tel Center |
After the conference, her friend waited in the parking lot for two hours before contacting police.
Beth's overnight was still in Gipson's car. Police say there has been no activity on Beth's cell phone or credit cards since she disappeared.
|
Mary Byrne Smith |
"Our prayer continues to be that Beth is OK, that she'll call home, and we'll go get her," the Mobile Press-Register quoted Beth's father, Donnie Byrne, as saying.
Beth's husband, the Rev. Jason Lee Smith, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Summerdale, stood beside his father-in-law as Byrne announced the reward. According to the Press-Register, Smith didn't speak during the press conference nor did Byrne answer any questions.
Next Page
Police, Family Plead for Contact from Mary Byrne Smith
Mary Byrne Smith: Still Missing After More Than A Week
For more daily crime news