Massive search for missing woman planned
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
PENDLETON – Umatilla County Search and Rescue and the Oregon State Police are coordinating a multi-agency search near Meacham for Deborah Hendricks, 56, of Ada County Idaho this weekend. She was reported missing in January. The search will begin at about 8 a.m. Saturday and continue through Sunday, depending on the results. The search area will concentrate on the area surrounding the eastbound side of Interstate 84 near milepost 238, where her abandoned vehicle was found after she was reported missing.
The robust search effort will include 90 personnel. There could be as many as 10 K9 teams, four drones, and 35 ground searchers. The exact number of participants will not be known until check-in time Saturday.
The search areas include portions of Kamela Highway, Hancock Road, the I-84 interchange bridge and road toward Meacham, the railroad and bridge, the road into Meacham Lake, area creeks, bodies of water, and wooded land. The objective is the search is to locate any possible items Hendrichs may have had on her person or her remains.
ODOT personnel and the Union Pacific Railroad have liaisons to ensure the safety of the search personnel since the area includes both interstate and railroad lines. ODOT is also providing the location for a command post with power and portable bathrooms. In addition, the railroad, Cunningham Sheep Company, and Hancock Timber Resource Group are cooperating with searchers since a large portion of the area is owned by those businesses.
The organizers are asking the general public to remain out of the area unless they are residents. Hunters with spring turkey or bear tags are asked to choose an alternate hunt location during those days. People who live in the area should also be aware that drones will be flying overhead. The drones are not invading homeowner privacy. They are concentrating on areas away from occupied buildings and bodies of water.
Searchers on the ground will also be staying away from occupied homes and curtilage, however if a home appears to have been vacant throughout the winter or looks to have been broken into, they will notify the landowner in an attempt to eliminate any possibility that the missing woman may have entered an unoccupied residence or structure seeking assistance. A website has been developed for information on this mission. There is also a separate email address for anyone with questions prior to and during the search. Any updates on the search will be posted on the website at https://sterrinward.wixsite.com/website. The email address is debhendrichs.search@gmail.com.
