CBS website publicizes 1965 missing-child case

The 50th anniversary of her disappearance is drawing closer, but it doesn't matter to the ones who love her how long and hard the search is. They just want to find their Beth, and any exposure her story can get to an audience, big or small, they'll take it.

That's why a new article, posted to a national news network's special crime website, is important to Martha Hamilton. Her younger sister, Elizabeth Ann Gill, disappeared from the yard of their Cape Girardeau home on the afternoon of June 13, 1965, when she was just 2 years old. Police believe the girl may have been taken by people passing through the area. Her family has been looking for her since.

The article, titled "Real Life 'Gone Girl?' Search Continues in 1965 Missing Case" went live Friday morning on a CBS news website, 48 Hours Crimesider. Hamilton was interviewed, along with Cape Girardeau Police detective Jim Smith, who reopened the case in 2003, for the story that details Elizabeth's disappearance and the investigation to date.

Hamilton said she doesn't mind the network used a reference to the unrelated box office hit movie filmed in Cape Girardeau last year, which follows the story of a marriage gone bad, a missing wife and suspect husband.

"That's fine if it brings attention," Hamilton said. "I did think it was rather ironic that they were making a movie named 'Gone Girl' here, anyway."

One age-progressed image of what Elizabeth Ann Gill might look like today. (Submitted)

CBS contacted Hamilton for the article through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The agency keeps a file on Elizabeth Gill and has produced an age-progression photo for use in the search.

At first Hamilton said she wasn't sure her sister's story would be selected for coverage by CBS.

"Someone from the National Center had emailed me and said they were submitting several names [for article consideration] and asked us if they could share information, and we said 'sure.' A couple days later, [CBS] called and did an interview, but I know things don't always happen like that. Then this morning, it was out."

National exposure for the case, Hamilton said, is especially important, because the family and investigators believe Elizabeth was taken out of the area, possibly by a traveling couple performing door-to-door sales.

"The persons of interest were thought to be all over the country, and this could jar someone's memory, or help them come forward with something they wished they would have," Hamilton said.

In recent years, the family of Elizabeth Gill has had help from a private investigator and Smith remains on the case, but no solid leads have surfaced. The FBI also reclassified the case from a missing person to a kidnapping in 2010.

To date, DNA tests on 12 women legally adopted or otherwise separated from original family members who believed they could be Elizabeth have come back with no matches.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3632