The Search for Brandon Swanson

May 12-15, 2011 Searches:

2011-05-19T10:52:00.001-05:00

The plan for the May 12-14 searches was to detail - search by HRD canine as many fields as possible in the area surrounding Mud Creek. This involves walking furrows in 15-20 foot increments which is quite energy intensive and time-consuming. Unfortunately, the rain in the area received the week prior to the search made the creek's water level high and the fields very muddy. Some progress was made, but not as much as hoped for.

2011-05-19T10:40:00.003-05:00

November 12 - 14, 2010 Searches:

It became clear from previous searches that in order to effectively detail - search the creek bed, both the water and vegetation must be gone. To this end, we planned on damming up Mud Creek for a short distance to draw down the water and allow the dogs to search the creek bed. Permits were obtained and plans made.

On the weekend of November 12 -14, 29 people met to carry out the plan. Unfortunately, the water level was much higher than anticipated and it took approximately 2,200 sandbags to effectively dam up the creek. Water was pumped around the dam to control the water level. While this proved to be an effective strategy and the dogs were able to work the stream bed some, there was still too much water in the creek to locate the source of the scent.

I cooperation with the landowners and the Department of Natural Resources, we developed a plan to definitively kill off the vegetation, come back in late summer when the water is lowest, and again dam up the creek. Hopefully, this will allow us to find the source of the scent or definitvely rule out this troublesome portion of the creek.

Follow - up Searchs in November of 2010
Several follow up searches were conducted in November of 2010 by two HRD (human remains detection) canine teams. In spite of frozen conditions, the dogs displayed behavior consistent with interest in human remains in several areas although no remains were found.

2011-05-19T10:38:00.001-05:00

October 16-17, 2010 Searches:

A team of 27 people and five HRD canines met to search the Mud Creek area over the weekend of October 16-17, 2010. Three ground teams were formed to cut down the dense vegetation in the creek so that the dogs could work more effectively (with a permit from the DNR). This proved to be very physically demanding work, but the teams rallied and they cleared nearly ½ mile of creek. The dogs again displayed behavior consistent with interest in the odor of human remains in Mud Creek, but no physical remains were found.

The HRD canine teams also conducted some detailed searching of nearby fields. It is possible that remains are scattered in nearby fields and the interest in the creek is from scent draining into it. The dogs displayed some interest in the fields but no remains were found.

FALL 2010 Search Summaries

2011-05-19T10:35:00.001-05:00

September 11, 2010 Searches:

A team of two HRD canines conducted follow-up searches of a stock pond that had previously been an area of interest. The canines gave alerts in the pond but no remains were found. The pond may be a scent pool. Further follow-up searches will be conducted at a later time.

Tentative

2011-05-02T08:43:00.004-05:00

There is a tentative ground search scheduled for the weekend of May 14 & 15th, 2011....weather permitting and availablity of search dogs & team members.

Spring 2011

2011-03-10T21:21:00.004-06:00

Plans are underway to begin searching as soon as the weather allows.

Many people were able to watch the Nancy Grace episode 50 people in 50 days that featured Brandon. If you were not able to watch the following is a link to the CNN website that will link you into a portion of the show.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2011/03/08/ng.americas.missing.swanson.hln?hpt=Mid

(You may need to copy and paste the link into your web browser.)

AUGUST 7 - 8 SEARCHES:

2010-08-13T09:42:00.003-05:00

A team of ten people and three HRD canines from six organizations met to search the weekend of August 7 - 8, 2010. We again focused on the portion of Mud Creek in question. As is typical in this case, we had a couple of things working in our favor and a couple of things working against us. The water level in Mud Creek was very low as we had hoped for, which eliminated scent movement by water transport. There was also little wind over the two days of the search, which minimized scent movement by air. However, the extreme heat and the very tall vegetation in the creek made searching very difficult. In spite of those difficulties, we were again able to obtain canine results that strongly suggest that Brandon's remains are in a portion of Mud Creek.

With the heavy vegetation in the creek (the cattails are over eight feet tall), it is nearly impossible to spot disarticulated remains visually. The HRD dog still remain the most effective and efficient resource for completeing this search. However, to effectively utilize them, we need to knock down the vegetation to below head - level on a dog. We hope to return to the area in early October with a fairly large team to cut the vegetation in the creek so that the dogs can pinpoint the source of the scent.

SUMMER UPDATE- The 2010 Search for Brandon

2010-07-07T08:09:00.004-05:00

May 1-2 Searches:

A team of thirteen people and four HRD canines searched on the weekend of May 1 - 2, 2010. We detail-searched one field and about 80 acres of CRP grassland. The dogs again had very strong interest in portions of Mud Creek and the surrounding grassland.

May 15 - 16

A team of eighteen people and seven HRD canines searched on the weekend of May 15 - 16, 2010. We principally focused our efforts on the area near Mud Creek that has shown so much promise. Again, we had areas of very strong interest in the area, but could not locate remains. The water was fairly high and there was quite a bit of vegetation in the creek, so it was difficult to locate remains underwater. At least four of the dogs gave formal final responses (indications) in the area, which is the strongest signal that a trained dog can give that there are remains in the area.

June 12 - 13

A team of eleven people and one HRD canine searched on the weekend of June 12 - 13, 2010. We focused exclusively on the portion of Mud Creek in question. We had hoped that the water would be significantly lower than the previous search so that we could narrow the search area. However, with the heavy rains the area received for a few days prior to the search, the water was over a foot higher than the previous search. While the dog did obtain some strong results, the high water allowed the scent to spread out and hampered our ability to narrow the search. Considerable effort was expended by the team searching in the creek itself but again, the heavy grasses and reeds are hindering us.

We plan to watch the creek water level and come back when the water level is significantly lower. We are hoping that the combined effects of ageing remains producing less scent and low water levels and high grass inhibiting scent movement will allow to finally narrow in on Brandon's remains.

2010-05-01T08:41:00.002-05:00

The 2010 Search for Brandon

March 20-21 Searches:

The search for Brandon’s remains resumed the weekend of March 20-21, 2010 with fourteen individuals from eight different organizations involved. Four Human Remains Detection (HRD) dogs were used as the principal search sensors. We continued to follow up on the canine clues developed on prior searches. After 22 months, we expected that there would be less scent available for the dogs to pick up. Therefore, if the dogs displayed behavior consistent with interest in human remains, we should have been closer to the source than in previous searches.

We were not disappointed. The dogs again reliably picked up the scent of human remains to the northwest of Porter. We systematically eliminated several fields, even though they were wet and difficult to search. While there was still snow on the ground in some areas, search conditions were generally good.

March 27-28 Searches:

The teams met again on March 27-28, 2010. Involved were ten people from six organizations and four HRD dogs. Again, the dogs displayed behavior that suggests human remains are located to the northwest of Porter.

April 17-18 Searches:

A team of nine people and three HRD canines searched on the weekend of April 17-18, 2010. We again obtained significant findings in Mud Creek. This suggests that spring runoff is moving scent into the creek from the scent source. This further reinforces our belief that Brandon’s remains are located somewhere in the Mud Creek Watershed.

Some General Thoughts:

This has been an exceptionally difficult and frustrating search. While there have been consistent and reliable indications that human remains are present in the area, we have yet to pinpoint the source (Brandon’s remains). There are several possible explanations for this.

One of the main reasons why this is such a difficult search lies in the fact that the region receives nearly constant winds which can come from any direction. These winds move scent from the source and deposit it into “scent pools” such as wind breaks around farmsteads, tall grass in CRP land, and along ditches and creeks. When the dogs alert on an area of “hot” scent, it is often very difficult to differentiate whether we are near the remains or searching yet another scent pool.

We also may be facing the difficulty of locating remains that have been moved and/or scattered over a wide area. It is possible that predators such as coyotes, raccoons, and the like have scattered the remains. It is also possible that they have been inadvertently scattered or moved by human activity such as farmers tilling their fields or baling hay or cornstalks.

We also have some access issues. We can’t search everywhere we would like to search. We are very careful to protect landowner’s property and have generally avoided searching fields with crops in them even though there is a fair chance that Brandon ended up in a field. This leaves spring and fall available to us to search the many fields in the area. With the wet weather we had last fall and our early start this spring, we ended up searching very wet fields. This is miserable work. To effectively search a single 160-acre field, the team must walk in excess of ten miles in difficult footing.

In addition, we haven’t been able to search many pastures because of the cows. Even though the dogs are well trained to be around other animals, we avoid working around cows, especially during calving season. This leaves gaps in our search coverage and makes it difficult to eliminate an area from further consideration.

It is also possible that Brandon attempted to seek shelter from the wind near the end of his journey and crawled into an outbuilding or under old machinery and perished there. Because we are trying to avoid disrupting landowner’s lives as little as possible, we have only searched a few farmsteads.

These are only a few of the issues that make this a very difficult search.

We need help from local landowners. We respectfully request that landowners within a corridor between Porter and Canby keep their eyes open for anything unusual on their property. While Brandon’s remains are now fully skeletonized, there is still a decent chance that keen eyes would spot them. Brandon’s tennis shoes and hat especially should still be readily identifiable. We also ask that anyone who feeds hay or uses cornstalk bedding from this area keep an eye out for human remains baled into the bales. If you find anything that might be related to this case, please contact your local Sheriff’s Office. If you have any questions, you can contact us at the number below.

Regarding Searching on Your Property:

We make every effort to contact each property owner and obtain permission prior to searching. This is sometimes a challenge, as the Plat book might not reflect who actually controls the land. If we have inadvertently trespassed on your property, please contact us at 612-708-2996 or 612-827-7141 so that we may offer our apology and resolve the issue. We will, of course, respect your wishes.

Jeff Hasse

Search Manager

A note about future search efforts:

2010-01-10T08:59:00.001-06:00

The established search and rescue (SAR) community calls this type of search a limited, continuous search. They are generally only successful when there is a good search plan in place. Last winter, the management team conducted an exhaustive deconstruction and reconstruction of previous search efforts and came up with a comprehensive search plan (requiring several hundred hours of work). The plan was outlined in the public meeting held March 20,2008 and described in a previous posting. This search plan is still in place and is consistently producing results each search. After each search, we conduct a debrief to review the results and explore every conceivable theory to explain them. The next weekend’s search plan evolves from this critique process. While we are all frustrated at how slowly this search has evolved, there has never been a time where we did not know what to do next. This is the strength of a good search plan.

We are confident that we will eventually find Brandon’s remains. We cannot predict when this will be, as searches seem to evolve on their own time schedule. However, with each search we narrow the search area some. Eventually we will be able to bring Brandon home.

We will be back as soon as the majority of snow is out of the fields, hopefully in March of 2010.

Jeff Hasse

Search Manager

December 12-13 Search:

2010-01-10T08:57:00.001-06:00

The detailed search of the fields in question has proven very time-consuming and exhausting work. In an effort to extend the effective search time of the teams, we put out a request prior to this weekend for the use of side-by-side ATVs to shuttle teams about. We received three: two from the Swanson’s family and friends, and one from D & M Implement of Marshall. They proved to be quite useful. Thank you to those who generously loaned us the vehicles.

A team of nine people and three HRD canines searched on the weekend of December 12-13, 2009. Unfortunately, the area received a significant snowfall the week before and search conditions were not ideal. However, we were able to detail-search about ¾ of a square mile of fields and grassland. Several additional fields were eliminated from further consideration. Again, multiple areas of very strong canine interest were developed but no remains were found.

The management team also wanted to extend a thank you to the Porter Fire Department for their continued patience with us “invading” their Fire Hall each search. Without this important resource, we would have a very difficult time resolving this case.

November 28 - 29 Search:

2010-01-10T08:56:00.001-06:00

This weekend’s team consisted of eight persons and two HRD canines. In addition, four members of Research and Recovery Experts (RARE) of Minnesota, a metal detecting club, joined the search to lend us their unique skills.

We continued to detail-search fields and follow up on previous clues. We were able to rule out a couple of additional fields and came up with several areas of moderate to strong canine interest.

The RARE team searched a corner of a field where the boots were contaminated the previous weekend. While they did not find any items which were related to Brandon’s disappearance, they were able to find quite a few small metallic items in the field, demonstrating that this is a useful search technique for small areas. They were confident that Brandon’s remains were not in the portion of the field they searched.

November 14 - 15 Search:

2010-01-10T08:55:00.001-06:00

A team of ten persons and three HRD canines met for the weekend of November 14-15^th. Another square mile of fields and pasture was detail-searched. Again, the dogs displayed strong interest in a number of areas. Additionally, we had two unusual incidents occur during this weekend that further our belief that we are closing in on the location of Brandon’s remains.

In the first case, the scent of human remains was transferred to a searcher’s boots. All three dogs later showed interest in the boots during a “scent line-up.” After considerable follow-up, we theorize that the scent was blown into the area and concentrated in the water that the searcher walked through. The fact that this is the first time we have seen this happen in this case is suggestive that the scent source is relatively close.

Secondly, two of the dogs gave a final response on a field cultivator that was parked alongside a field that we were searching, strongly indicating that the scent of human remains was present on it. There are a number of possible mechanisms for how the scent got there, most of which suggest that the source is relatively close by.

October 31 - November 1 Search:

2010-01-10T08:52:00.003-06:00

On the weekend of October 31^st to November 1^st, a team of twenty persons and four HRD canines resumed the search for Brandon. We focused on systematically searching each tilled field in the 7.5-square-mile high-probability area to the northwest of Porter.

This type of detailed searching is quite physically demanding on the search teams. For each 160 acres of field, the teams may have to walk 20 miles to cover the area to a sufficiently high Probability of Detection (POD). In wet tilled fields, this is slow and exhausting work.

During the weekend, the teams detail-searched approximately one square mile and effectively eliminated several fields. Less detailed searches were conducted over about another square mile. Areas of strong canine interest were found. As is typical for this search, most areas of interest appeared to be scent blown-in from elsewhere.

Accompanying the search teams was a documentary film crew led by Christina Fontana. Christina and her team are working on a documentary about the plight of missing adults in the United States and efforts to promote model legislation throughout the country designed to improve report taking and the investigation of missing adults. More information about this project can be found at http://www.voiceforthemissing.com

SEARCH NOTES - October 26, 2009

2009-10-31T12:19:00.001-05:00

With the crops coming out of the fields and the cooler temperatures, the scent conditions have improved significantly for the search dogs. Therefore, the search for Brandon’s remains will resume this weekend. Search teams will focus on the fields in our high-priority area that we have not been able to get into thus far. We are attempting to contact each affected landowner this week. We appreciate your cooperation with this difficult search. As always, we hope to successfully conclude it soon.

June 27-28 Search:

2009-07-20T08:45:00.004-05:00

Thus far in the search, the teams have not been searching in cultivated fields for several reasons, princaipally because we wanted to avoid damaging crops and we felt there was a lower probability that Brandon was located in a field. However, while reviewing the results of the search developed so far, it was clear that there was little left to search in our high - priority area other than the fields. We could no longer ignore the fact that it is possible that Brandon's body was located in a field, especially if he wandered into a field that had already been planted.

The management team attempted to contact every landowner in the area in question to ask several pertinent questions and secure permission to search their fields.

We want to thank all the landowners who allowed us on their property. We understand your concerns.

We first searched along the permimeter, we did not search ay further. This was the case on the majority of search missions. We ended up detail-searching only a few corn fields. Again, multiple areas of interest but no remains were found.

Unfortunately, several factors were working against us at this time in the search. We were unable to contact a few landowners and were therefore unable to search a few high-priority areas. Both the dogs and human team members tire quickly in the summer heat, so we had to start our search efforts very early in the morning. The constant winds make it difficult to pinpoint the source of the scent. And finally, the vegetation has grown to a point where it is over the dogs' (and sometimes the handlers') heads and this makes the team considerably less effective.

For these reasons, we have decided to temporarily suspend the search. We will resume again after the crops are out of the fields and the scent conditions improve.

Thank you again for your help and patience during this very difficult search.

June 13-14th Search Notes

2009-07-20T08:38:00.003-05:00

Four HRD canine teams participated in this weekend's search efforts. We searched areas just northwest and west of Porter. Now that we believe we have finally narrowed the search area to under ten square miles, we are beginning to systematically detail -search these areas. Shelter-belts around farmsteads, creeks, ditches, and CRP land were all throroughly searched. We are now attempting to search areas in question throughly enough that we can eleminate them from further consideration. The canines again showed multiple areas of strong interest in the area.

It is clear that the constant strong winds in the region are blowing scent around and continuing to make it difficult to quickly narrow the search area. We will continue to systematically detail -search the area in question.

June 6th Search:

2009-06-11T22:48:00.002-05:00

We had a single HRD canine team come down on Saturday for a search. The team followed up on the previous weekend's results. While it rained throughout the day, the team had a productive search and came up with additional areas of interest. These results support the belief that we are in the right area.

2009-05-29T12:58:00.006-05:00

Search Report for May 30th & 31st

We had another strong search effort this weekend. 7 HRD canines and 28 people were involved in the search. The search plan included three areas: 1) The region to the north and east of the Last Know Position (his car) (Region B). The area had received very little searching to date. While we don't have any clues leading to this area, we searched it at the request of the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff to exclude it from further consideration. 2) Several sections along the norther border of Lincoln County to follow up on clues established May 16 - 18. 3) A detailed search of the area around Mud Creek where the canines showed so much interest previously.

Our results: Approximately 11 square miles of Region B was searched. There were no areas of significant interest in the region. There were no areas of interest in Lincoln County. We were able to effectively rule out the possibility that Brandon is located in Mud Creek in the area of question north of Porter. However, we obtained multiple areas of strong interest to the west and south of Mud Creek.

The search conditions were good on Saturday. On Sunday, the strong south winds made interpreting the canines' results challenging. We believe we are narrowing down the search area.

A note from the Search Manager

2009-05-29T12:20:00.003-05:00

In most searches, especially large ones such as this, searchers need to physically search private property. We couldn't complete the search without doing so, since most of the land in the region is private property. While we operate under the jurisdiction of the local Sheriff, we have no more right to trespass on private property than the average citizen. We depend on the goodwill of local landowners to do our job.

Most of the time, the Sheriff's Office assists us in notifying landowners and obtaining their permission prior to each search effort. However, that is not always possible to do ahead of time because search plans can change due to a number of variables such as resources available, weather conditions, and clueds developed. In these cases, the search teams are instructed to obtain permission just prior to their search mission. Sometimes this is difficult, because it is not always easy to find out who owns the land we want to search. But we try our best.

I want to reassure the landowners in Lincoln, Lyon and Yellow Medicine Counties that we have been and will continue to do our best to obtain permission prior to searching and to protect their property. We use experienced teams that have been trained to protect property. They know to leave gates as they are found, how to cross fence lines without damaging them, and to avoid walking in planted fields. (If they absolutely must cross a short section of field, they know not to step on the plants.) While the dogs are usually worked off leash, they are always under the control of the handler, especially around livestock. The teams are also reminded of these practices at each morning briefing.

We will continue these practices throughout the duration of the search. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at 612-708-2996 or your local Sheriff's Office.

Jeff Hasse
Search Manager

SCHWANS Truck Fundraiser

2009-05-25T20:50:00.006-05:00

The Schwans Truck Sale Fundraiser is approaching this Saturday, May 30th.

Schwans' will have a truck in the Marshall MN Walmart parking lot and the Balaton MN Public School Parking lot from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. All you do is stop by the truck and purchase items directly from the sales / driver. But, if you can't make it to the truck you can call Schwan's directly and purchase gift certificates to be used at a later date or even sent as a gift. To order a gift certificate call 1-888-413-0003 and select option 2 up to May 30th. Inform the Schwan's representative you would like to support the Brandon Swanson Fundraiser. Give them the Campaign ID of either 20863 or 20864. Gift Certificates are available in denominations of $5, $10 and $25. Girft Certificates will be mailed to the address of your choice with a message thanking you for supporting Brandon's search.

SEARCH NOTES - May 16 - 18

2009-05-25T20:42:00.007-05:00

We had a strong showing of canine teams this weekend. 25 people and 8 HRD canines participated in the search efforts, including four canine teams from Florida. The teams covered parts of 31 square miles during the weekend, so a lot of area was excluded. The canines displayed some interest in areas west of Porter, which appeared to be scent borne in on the wind. The strongest area of interest was north of Porter, which appears to be water borne scent.

We were also able to establish a band of area around the area of previous canine clues where no

canine interest was present. The area of negative interest is an important development. Previously, every time we expanded the search, we came up with additional areas of interest. This made it difficult to determine the boundaries of scent (and consequently, the limits of our search area). We hope that this development will help us narrow our search efforts.

2009-04-30T22:18:00.004-05:00

Search Reports:

April 25th Search:

A single canine team (four people) conducted several search missions on April 25th. The search plan was to cut for scent north and east of the previous areas of interest. The canine showed mild interest in a couple locations, but no remains were found. Rain prevented a search on April 26th.

April 4th Search:

18 searchers from six SAR organizations met on the weekend of April 4th for another search. Three HRD canines were involved in the search. The teams conducted searches in areas north of Porter. Multiple areas of canine interest were found in the area, principally along Mud Creek. Two ground teams visually searched along Mud Creek. No remains were found. The teams were forced to go home on Saturday evening due to the snowstorm that moved into the area Saturday evening.

2009-04-30T22:03:00.007-05:00

A NOTE FROM THE SEARCH MANAGER:

When a search goes on as long as the search for Brandon has, many people experience considerable frustration that he hasn't been found yet. This is natural. We all want this search to be concluded. I believe that part of this frustration lies in how search efforts are often reported in the media. We often see or hear; "A search was conducted today by.... and nothing was found." This is an extremely misleading conclusion. Trained searchers think of our efforts differently.

The statistical boundary for this search gives us a search area of nearly 100 square miles. This is a lot of terrain to cover. There is a standard set of methods we use to establish a list of search priorities (which I explained in detail at the community meeting in March). Once established, we systematically search those areas. Each time we search with canines, we either come up with areas of canine interest or we do not. In fact, on this search, we have always had some results from the canines. These are important clues and they continually guide the next search efforts. And when a canine doesn't show any interest, this is also an important clue, because it helps establish where Brandon is not. In every search, we obtain important data. This understanding keeps us from becoming too frustrated. I hope it helps you too.

Jeff Hasse, Search Manager

Frequent Flyer Miles

2009-04-15T10:24:00.004-05:00

To donate frequent flyer miles towards the search effort please visit
http://www.nwa.com/worldperks/buymiles.shtml The program allows WorldPerks members to transfer their miles. Please visit the site for details regarding the procedures and guidelines. The site will prompt you to enter the WorldPerks account number and name of the individual you wish to transfer to.

Northwest WorldPerks Account Number 100509138402

Account Name: Brian Victor Swanson

Air Transportation will solely be used for Search Efforts in the transportation of search team members and/or search dogs.

April 4th & 5th

2009-04-08T09:20:00.004-05:00

The search notes for April 4th & 5th will be posted soon.

Our thoughts are with the family of Daniel Zamlen who has been missing since early April.

March 21 & 22nd Search Notes

2009-03-24T12:37:00.009-05:00

*The search was conducted under the direction of Jeff Hasse as Search Manager.
Major Paul Pieper of the Civil Air Patrol was the Deputy Search Manager.

*19 trained searchers participated in the search on Saturday, 15 on Sunday.
5 Human Remains Detection teams searched Saturday, 4 teams on Sunday.

*The search plan was based on the reconstruction and analysis conducted during the winter months and focused on following up on previous canine clues, Search missions were conducted in approximately 12 square miles between Porter and Canby.

* Search conditions were very good throughout most of the weekend other than muddy footing.

The search was discontinued at about 5 p.m. on Sunday due to high winds and rain.

*The canines showed significant interest in several areas. These areas are consistent with previous canine clues. However, the teams were not yet able to pinpoint Brandon's location.

*The search will continue at a date not yet established.

Meeting Notes from March 20th

2009-03-24T12:25:00.007-05:00

About 25 people attended the Informational Meeting on Friday, March 20th. The Search Manager, Jeff Hasse led the presentation. He is the current Vice-President of Search, Rescue and Recovery Services of Minnesota (SRRM). He is also President of Midwest Technical Rescue Training Associates, and a Director of The Jon Francis Foundation, all which provide SAR services. The SRRRMN teams work together and act as a single team. These teams work for the Sheriff Departments (primarily Sheriffs Vizecky and Flaten). The also work very closely with Brandon's family.

No one is being paid for his or her help. The hundreds of hours provided by the search and management teams are all volunteer time. Over 300 hours alone were spent on the reconstruction and analysis of the search.

While the team services are free of charge, lengthy searches such as this become costly to searchers.

For this reason, Brandon's family is raising funds to help defray the searchers direct expenses, (gas, food, lodging). have put many hours into compiling all of the data available from the previous searches.

INFORMATION AT THE MEETING

The team of SRRMN members spent the winter months reconstructing and analyzing the previous search efforts which Jeff Hasse presented. He explained that there are only two reasons why Brandon hasn't been found yet:

1. He isn't in any of the areas that have been searched.

2. Or, he was in the search area but missed.

Both are common problems in many searches and are dealt with in modern search theories. Mr. Hasse then explained the well established methods of determining the overall search area, which is nearly 100 square miles. He also went over the process by which the search was reconstructed and analyzed by a team which resulted in a list of initial search priorities.

While the success of the a search is dependent on many variables, balancing efficiency with effectiveness is critical. All Search Managers have to answer two fundamental questions on every search: Where do we search? Meaning, we have to establish a relative priority for each search segment called its Probability of area. And, how do we search? Or, how do we maximize our ability to find the subject - in other words, improve our Probability of Detection for each search segment? Finally, Mr. Hasse reassured the audience that this is still a search that can be resolved successfully and the searchers are optimistic that we will get this done sooner rather than later.

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING MARCH 20th, 2009 @ 7 p.m.

2009-03-14T11:13:00.008-05:00

You are invited to an informational session.

Many of you have shown tremendous dedication to Brandon's family and the search. We know this has been a frustrating process providing more questions than answers. You are invited to attend an informational session:

Friday, March 20th at 7:00 p.m.

Wesley United Methodist Church (basement level) 202 N. 4th Street Marshall MN

Jeff Hasse will provide information on search, rescue and recovery, some specifics about Brandon's case and answer your questions. Please join us.

The search for Brandon resumes!

The first spring search is tentatively scheduled for March 21-22 under the direction of Sheriff Jack Vizecky and Search Manager Jeff Hasse. The Civil Air Patrol will hold a ground search training mission with classroom training on Saturday and ground search on Sunday. Several dog teams will also be deployed to help with the search.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2009

2009-02-20T22:16:00.004-06:00

On February 16th family met with search manager Jeff Hasse and Major Pieper from Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Jeff provided an update on the status of the search reconstruction and search plans. The reconstruction phase is nearing completion. A planning meeting has been scheduled for February 25th with SAR personnel during which high priority search areas will be identified and prioritized. This step will help finalize the search plan which will then be presented to Sheriff Vizecky for his approval.

Major Pieper updated the family on CAP's plan to hold a ground search training mission during the first spring search. The family welcomes CAP's involvement and interest in searching for Brandon. In addition to providing a valuable resource to the search, this will provide an opportunity for CAP members to develop and hone their skills for future search missions.

Hundreds of hours have gone into reconstructing the search in preparation for the continuation of our quest to bring Brandon home. The family is grateful to Jeff Haase, Major Pieper and Sheriff Vizecky for their commitment and dedication.

NEWS UPDATE

2009-01-13T12:47:00.005-06:00

The family has engaged a new search manager. Jeff Hasse of Minneapolis has graciously agreed to serve in this capacity. Jeff brings more than 15 years of experience in the search rescue and recovery field, along with the skills, knowledge, access to resources and leadership that is required when serving as a search manager. Jeff is also vice - president of Search, Rescue and Recovery Resources of Minnesota www.srrrmn.org.

Although physically searching during the winter months is not possible, there is a lot of work going into the search. Jeff has invested a considerable amount of time into reconstructing the search efforts to date. A vital step as we make plans for the search to resume in the spring.

The family is grateful for Lincoln County Sheriff Jack Vizecky's continued involvement and support of the search efforts to bring Brandon home. Jeff and Brandon's family will continue to work closely with Sheriff Jack during the reconstruction and planning processes.

Search Dogs - Dec. 13th & 14th 2008

2008-12-18T09:27:00.004-06:00

Family met with Jeff Hasse and Ken Anderson who are with an organization called Search and Rescue Recovery Resources of Minnesota (SRRR/MN) www.srrrmn.org. on Friday night to review past searches, discuss how SRRR/MN approaches a search and the technology and resources they can bring to a search, develop a profile of Brandon and discuss their objectives for the weekend search.
The team will be reviewing all of the information this winter to help determine the direction in which we will take this spring.

On Saturday the team consisted of 6 canines and 15 trained search and recovery personnel. Their search concentrated on areas that are located to the west northwest of Porter.

The family continues to work very closely with Lincoln County Sheriff Jack Vizecky and will continue to do so as past searches and clues are analyzed during the winter months. There is much work to be done and the family looks forward to working with the many qualified individuals who volunteer their time to conduct search, rescue and recovery of missing persons. We will need help pay the volunteer expenses.

SEARCH CONTINUES...............

2008-12-05T11:04:00.004-06:00

WE CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR BRANDON AS WEATHER PERMITS.

Any significant snowfall will inhibit searching so until that point we will continue searching areas that are accessible.

Volunteer searchers please contact Brian at 507-531-0130 or at 507-532-9115.

Law Enforcement will be reviewing the data and clues found since Brandon's disappearance.

Keep Brandon's family in your prayers.............

Search Notes for Nov. 23rd & 24th, 2008

2008-12-05T10:56:00.003-06:00

Nov. 23rd & 24th several Search Dogs Teams combed some areas near Porter & Taunton that were areas of less suspect than the primary areas focused on during the Search of Nov. 1st & 2nd. Several other areas were also covered that law enforcement felt warranted a second look.

Nov 1 & 2nd, 2008

2008-11-03T13:09:00.004-06:00

There were many volunteers who came on Saturday & Sunday (Nov. 1st & 2nd) and gave of their time. It was good to see so many people who were drawn to come out and help search for Brandon. While no answers were found at this time ,we do hope the local people in the area continue to keep Brandon in their thoughts while they work the fields and hunt in the area. We ask that you continue to pray for the fullfillment of our quest.... to bring Brandon home.

http://www.keloland.com/_video/_videoplayer_embed.cfm?type=video&videoFile=103108swanson

Search Notes for Oct. 18 & 19th

2008-10-20T15:59:00.003-05:00

This past weekend was spent making preparations and recruiting volunteers for the search scheduled on Nov. 1 & 2nd.
If you would like information on how you can help please contact Brian Swanson 507-5329115 or 507-531-0130.

2008-10-07T14:33:00.003-05:00

Brandon's information has recently been added to the National Center for Missing Adults Website. Please see the link at the bottom of this webpage.

Lincoln County Search

2008-10-07T14:10:00.006-05:00

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office will be conducting an official search on Novemeber 1st & 2nd using 9 K-9 units WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!
The NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS IS AS FOLLOWS: We will need approximately 2 - 4 ATV's with operators to assist in the transport of searchers, 9 volunteers will be assigned to work with the K-9 units and about 15 people to help clear areas of interest as indicated by the K-9 units during the course of the day.

We ask that area hunters be aware of searchers thru the coming weeks as well as keep alert to any potential clues they may find. ANY information should be reported to Lincoln County Sheriff Jack Vizecky at 507-694-1664 or by calling 911.

If you would like to volunteer to help the search effort contact Brian at 507-532-9115 or on his cell at 507-531-0130.

Search continues........

2008-10-06T20:23:00.005-05:00

Oct. 11th & 12th a small group searched the collapsed cut out area under a fallen tree that was previously listed as an area of suspect.

The search this past weekend Oct. 4th & 5th consisted of work in a specific area that we attempted to drain a sectioned off area of the river where the cut out had collapsed and the dogs showed interest. However nothing was uncovered.

The following message is from Brandon's family.....

We would like to give a heartfelt thank you to each and every person who has, in someway, helped us in our search for Brandon since he went missing in the early morning hours of May 14th. Whether it was searching for Brandon, a contribution to the search fund, prayers, keeping us in your thoughts, feeding us or our searchers, or just stopping to ask how we are doing - each and every kind act and word has meant the world to us, uplifted us and helped us through each hour, day, week, month.

We are often asked if the search for Brandon continues. The answer is "absolutely." Searches take place almost every weekend - whether it's a small handful or our most dedicated searchers or a larger group effort including Lincoln County sheriff department and cadaver dogs - we are out there because we believe Brandon is... and our goal is and has been from the beginning "to bring Brandon home."

So although "thank you" seems so inadequate, we say it and mean it with every ounce of our being. Please keep Brandon in your prayers, along with all of his family and friends. We continue to pray for answers and hope that one day they will be provided to us.

Brian, Anette & Jamine Swanson

Marshall MN

Search Notes Sept 28 & 29th 2008

2008-09-30T09:04:00.005-05:00

A small group of 4 searchers continued to cover the area the K-9 Unit indicated as suspect this past weekend. Nothing was found on either day.

Keep checking this site for information regarding the upcoming search that will be conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.

Search Report for Sept. 19, 20 & 21st

2008-09-22T13:44:00.004-05:00

A small group of 6 searchers combed an area of the river that was recommended by cainine resources which indicated higher levels of interest than in the other suspected areas. Searchers used metal detection equiment as well as visual search methods. The K-9 handler who has been working the area the last few weekends relayed that his dog's reaction indicated more interest in this area. This being the case our next search will continue to focus on this area along the Yellow Medicne River by Taunton.

Brandon is dearly missed by his family....please continue to pray that we can bring him home soon.

Search Notes for Sept. 13th & 14th

2008-09-15T08:30:00.008-05:00

The search this weekend did not go very well do to the weather. We did meet both Sat. and Sun. to search. Both days we stayed at the Taunton Fire Dept. until about noon. Hoping that the rain would stop, but unfortunately it did not.

Sunday we were planning to have two cadaver K-9s to help search the river bottom of Yellow Medicine North, but the K-9s were unable to help do to other responsibilities. Lincoln County Sheriff Jack Vizecky did say that Dave Curry, K-9 Handler, would do the river bottom search during this coming week of Sept. 15th.

We are also planning to search other areas of the Yellow Medicine River on Sat. Sept. 20th and Sun. Sept. 21st, if nothing is discovered during this week with the dog search. We will meet at the firehall in Taunton MN at 8:30 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
If you are interested in helping with the search any of these days, please contact Brian Swanson.
Home Telephone # 507-532-9115 or Cell # 507-531 0130.
You can also email him at swansonb79@yahoo.com
Thank You.

http://www.thesearchforbrandon.blogspot.com/
Bring Brandon Home, Missing since May 14th.
ALWAYS IN OUR THOUGHTS!

Search Notes for Sept 6th & 7th, 2008

2008-09-08T09:13:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, Sept. 6th a branch section of the Yellow Medicine river bed was searched on foot by several searchers. The search started at 9 am and went until approximately 5 p.m.
Searchers used a metal detector as well as visual spot checks of the bank cutaways that were obscured by grass and debris.

On Sunday, Sept. 7th Dave Curry and his cadaver dog from the Rochester, MN joined two designated searchers to comb another area the Yellow Medicine. Although the dog did find an area that was suspect nothing specific was found. The handler did indicate that we should cover these areas more throughly due to the number of cut outs and amount of debris piles in the area.

If you are able or would like to help in the search please check back to this site for updates on the next scheduled search.

We have been informed that the official searches conducted by Lincoln County law enforcement will resume again after the crops have been harvested. The crops impede the scent dog search and makes it difficult for the foot searches. The focus of the current searches are specifically the river beds. The majority are currently quite dry and allow us access to areas we couldn't get to before.

Keep Brandon's family in your prayers!

2008-08-26T21:04:00.005-05:00

NEXT SCHEDULED ORGANIZED SEARCH DATE IS SEPT. 6th & 7th, 2008

MEET AT THE FIREHALL IN TAUNTON MN AT 8:30 A.M. on both days!

Now that the river has gone down considerably as mention earlier we are eager to access some of the areas of the river that we could not reach before!

WE NEED SEARCH VOLUNTEERS! If you can search for even part of the day please join us.

We plan to work the dry river beds with search dogs. Now that the river bed is dry there is a better chance for them to pick up scent. We are also hoping to get an aqua view which would enable us to take a look into areas that we still can't get to.

If you are able to search, have access to equipment that could help or have questions. Please email search coordinator Gary Peterson at gary657@centurytel.net

The family does ask that you take this Labor Day weekend and spend it with family and friends to enjoy the official "last days of summer".

Search Notes for August 16 & 17th and August 23 & 24th 2008

2008-08-26T20:51:00.002-05:00

Search Notes for August 16 & 17th and August 23 & 24th 2008

The last couple of weekends the search focus has been small group efforts in designated areas.

To recap this past weekend the Mud Creek area was searched in an area to the East of the Lincoln / Lyon County Road just inside of Yellow Medicine County. Together with the steep river embankment area and the last phone conversation with Brandon it was determined that this area is suspect.

We were also fortunate to have an area volunteer who brought his top grade metal detector to the search as joined with the other several foot searchers as well. The river has gone down considerably and that now gives us some access to the collapsed embankments as well as the various log jams.

Remember to keep Brandon in your prayers and the family close to your heart... these are difficult times. The search continues to bring Brandon home.....

Search Notes for August 9th & 10th, 2008

2008-08-13T09:18:00.016-05:00

On August 9th & 10th, 2008

Search efforts concentrated on
specific areas with a very small group.

CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS!
HELP SEARCH UNDER SEARCH COORDINATOR
GARY PETERSON...
If you can help for even a part of the day please report to the FIRE HALL in Taunton starting at 8:30 a.m. on saturday and sunday (August 16 & 17th).
Questions? Contact Gary Peterson at the following email address:

gary657@centurytel.net

Search Notes for August 2nd & 3rd, 2008

2008-08-04T11:07:00.002-05:00

This past weekend searches were done on a couple of river and stream sections hoping to find some evidence of Brandon's direction of travel from his car. It's with heavy heart that I tell you that we found nothing that tells us anything for sure.

We do not plan a search for this coming weekend. However we will be conducting a group search on the weekend of August 16th & 17th. Search Director Gary Peterson and Sheriff Jack Vizecky will be coordinating and have asked that searchers meet at the Taunton Fire Hall at 8:30 a.m.
We will be searching the ditches, rivers and stream areas that are of high interest. The more volunteers the better. Please come prepared to walk through tall grass & marsh areas as well as river/stream sections.

There will also be a Search and Recovery K-9 Unit out of Anoka County. Their search will begin on Friday the 15th through Sunday. They will be searching areas of interest as well as sending a cadaver dog in a boat to expand the river search father east on the Yellow Medicine River.

Weekend Search Notes for July 26 & 27th

2008-07-29T08:53:00.004-05:00

Three different areas were the focus on Saturday, July 26th. The first area was west of Porter. This area met the characteristics we've been focusing on which are high banks, rocks and areas that large amounts of water ran through the during the time we lost contact with Brandon. The second area is southwest of the Porter Reservoir with the same characteristics as the first area. The third area covered was north / northeast of Taunton. No sign of Brandon was found. The second and third areas need to be searched again because there are areas that could not be thoroughly searched without the proper equipment and the impediment of the tall grass and terrain. Also the inclement weather on Sunday created conditions that kept us out of the field.
We plan to search again this coming Saturday and Sunday. We will meet at 8:30 at the Taunton Fire Hall. We need searchers to help us look for Brandon! Please if you can help us contact
Gary Peterson our search coordinator via his email at gary657@centurytel.net.

Contact change

2008-07-28T13:27:00.002-05:00

Contact Search Coordinator Gary Peterson to volunteer at gary657@centurytel.net

2008-07-25T09:28:00.000-05:00

RAFFLE on Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Thank you to all of you who supported this fundraiser whether it be by purchasing a raffle ticket or donating to the prizes. The area businesses and very special individuals have made this fundraiser happen. It truly would not have been possible without each and everyone of you! Thanks again
The Fundraiser Committee

July 19 & 20th Search Effort

2008-07-21T08:41:00.005-05:00

Eleven volunteers and seven search dogs focused on select water areas in Lincoln County this weekend. Nothing new was found during this weekend's search for Brandon.
Since May 14th, Volunteers, emergency personnel and law enforcement have used walkers, boats, horseback, all-terrain vehicles to search areas of Lincoln, Lyon and Yellow Medicine Counties and bodies of water including the Yellow Medicine River.
Gary Peterson, Search Coordinator stated, there is no evidence searchers are doing anything wrong or that something happened to Swanson other than he fell in or near the river, or a field, and died. Given what searchers and law enforcement know, the search approach and process is correct, Peterson said. But, it's still frustrating, he said.
After this weekend it is time to evaluate and determine the next step, Peterson said.
"I don't see this as the end of the search," Peterson said. "The search continues."
But the search will be different in the future, Peterson said.
"We will expand the search, but will we narrow it down at the same time," Peterson said.

HOG ROAST BENEFIT

2008-07-14T20:52:00.005-05:00

The Hog Roast Benefit went well on Sunday. The weather was perfect and we had a nice turnout. Our estimates are that we served over 300 people. It was an emotional day for the family, search volunteers, and the fundraiser committee. We have replenished some resources to continue to search for Brandon!

We are truly blessed to be surrounded by such loving and caring people. Many of whom have gotten to know Brandon just thru the search.

Thank you to all who attended the benefit and showed your support. Thanks to all of the volunteers who helped at the Benefit and a very special thank you to the area business's who contributed to the benefit and ultimately made it possible!

Last but not least to the area business's and individuals who have been showing support and keeping the searchers fed and watered in the past weeks.

We did our best to recognize some of the business' at the event and inadvertently left of County Fair! I am sure it must be disappointing to have offered SO much support in so many ways and then to not be acknowledged. We do have to offer a sincerely thank you to County Fair for everything they have done in addition to an apology as well.

We also have a lot of anonymous people who have contributed through out this whole ordeal - Please send up a prayer for blessings for those people as God certainly knows who they are!

Search Continues......July 19

2008-07-10T14:05:00.003-05:00

We are working back to the search mode on July 19th! The plan thus far is to meet at the Taunton Fire Hall on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. We are in need of foot searchers, cadaver dogs, canoe and ATV's. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SEARCHING CONTACT GARY PETERSON, SEARCH COORDINATOR AT 507-259-5785

There are 2 areas the search coordinator wants to revisit from previous searches. We will be trying to refine the search method to narrow down the clues.

The Lincoln County Sherrif has continued to search in Section 2 on a regular basis. Firemen from the Yellow Medicine County will be doing a ground search in a designated area on Thursday, July 10th. We have had several individual groups who have traveled farther down the river and revisited some of the river areas with the use of the fish cam which has been working quite well, giving us the ability to view under banks, logjams and bridges.

Letter from the Swanson Family, July 2nd, 2008

2008-07-02T09:20:00.002-05:00

We will be taking a break from searching the next two weekends to allow our volunteers time with family and friends, time for themselves, and time to rest and relax. Our family will be doing the same as we take time to celebrate our independence and Jamine's graduation from high school.

Our searchers have covered a lot of ground and water, and as of yet still no sign of Brandon. There is much ground and water still to cover and we know our dedicated family of searchers will continue to push on. We know the search is never far from your minds, if it ever leaves your minds. But we know how important it is that you take time to enjoy your family and relax. So please do this - Brandon would want you to. Family has always been very important to him and he would not want you to forsake them for him.

Thank you to each and every one of you. Through this terrible tragedy we have been embraced by much love, support, caring and selflessness.

Peace be with you - Brian, Annette & Jamine

Texas Search Organization joins the search effort for Brandon

2008-06-24T21:24:00.003-05:00

A world wide Search and Recovery organization from Dickinson, Texas is being called in to help solve the disappearance of 19 year old Brandon Swanson 5 weeks ago. TexasEquuSearch has been requested to come to Minnesota by the Sheriff Jack Vizecky of Lincoln County to assist in the search. At the present time, Gary Peterson, who is a member of the group, is in Minnesota assessing the past efforts and working with the local authorities in determining what resources need to be brought in. At the current time, drone aircraft and underwater sonar detection devices will be arriving in the Taunton, MN area to begin search efforts later this week.

Thursday, Tim Miller (Founder of TexasEquuSearch) will be coming to Minnesota to confer with Peterson and the Lincoln County Sheriff. There is no cost to Lincoln County for the services.

Search teams led by Peterson and family members have spent 5 weekends and countless nights searching the area north of Taunton, MN where Brandon's car was found stuck in a ditch. He was returning from Canby after visiting school friends and was talking to his Father on the cell phone for 47 minutes as he walked gravel roads thinking he was south of Marshall when in reality he was Northwest of Marshall.

For further details and interview possibilities call: Gary Peterson 507-259-5785

Search Update June 21st & 22nd

2008-06-24T18:50:00.011-05:00

The search for any clues in the disappearance of Brandon continued this past weekend. The search was concentrated in two efforts; one being a search near Porter with K-9 Units from Minneapolis and another from Brookings, SD which worked the area just west of Taunton along highway 68 and to the North. This will be the area we will explore in greater length when we begin another search next weekend. Over 40 volunteers were there this weekend to put in maximum effort into finding Brandon. We are hopeful that we will find some trace of Brandon in everyone's efforts.

Search Photos from the Weekend of June 8th

2008-06-08T17:23:00.004-05:00

Many thanks to the volunteers who came and helped us search for Brandon.

2008-06-05T13:59:00.002-05:00

Keep searching, keep hoping, keep praying . . .
to bring Brandon home.

Search Update June 9, 2008

2008-06-05T13:50:00.004-05:00

Family and Friends of Brandon Swanson Continue Search.

The parents of Brandon Swanson, Annette and Brian Swanson of Marshall, Minnesota, continue to search for their 19 year old son. The Swanson’s, their friends and family are organizing volunteers and seeking contributions to continue the search for Brandon, who has been missing since May 14, 2008.

Over 130 volunteers gathered at the Fire Station in Taunton, Minnesota on Saturday morning June 7th and went out in search for Brandon Swanson. The local volunteers were joined by experienced and certified search and rescue (SAR) personnel and search dogs provided through the Jon Francis Foundation of Stillwater, Minnesota. Several additional clues were accumulated. Unfortunately, however, Brandon was not found.

A wide area of Lyon County was searched by air using five people flying powered parachutes. Five Certified HRD (human remains detection) dogs from Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa searched for 2 days. Horse back riders from the Washington, Carver & Lyon Counties Mounted Posses searched in the tall grassy areas. Amateur radio operators from Minnesota and South Dakota provided communications between the search teams and headquarters and Jeff Hasse and Ken Anderson of Search, Rescue and Recovery Resources of Minnesota planned, coordinated and documented the complex activities.

Since Brandon’s disappearance, The Swanson family, friends and volunteers have repeatedly searched the area where Brandon had been walking in the early morning of May 14 and have searched the nearby Yellow Medicine River by foot and in boats. The privately funded search will be coordinated by the Jon Francis Foundation in cooperation with local authorities.
The Swanson family will be aided in future search efforts by a professionally trained search manager, Gary Peterson, of Spring Valley, Minnesota.

The family wishes to express their deep appreciation to the many people who have generously responded to the search for Brandon: local law enforcement officers, fire departments, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and their friends, neighbors and the community.

HELP US BRING HIM HOME

2008-06-01T08:18:00.009-05:00

MISSING SINCE MAY 14, 2008

BRANDON SWANSON

Age: 19

Height: 5’5’’

Weight: 120-130 pounds

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Blue

Last Seen Wearing:
Baggy Blue Jeans- Blue Striped Polo Shirt - Black Hooded Zip Front - Sweatshirt w/Emblem on Back, White MN Twins Baseball Cap - Glasses - Sterling Silver Chain

Carrying:
Black Motorola SLVR Cell Phone, Wallet/Identification, Keys

Brandon was last seen in Canby, MN. His car was found near Taunton, MN.

The search is currently being funded by the family & volunteers. If you would like to contribute to help the Search for Brandon a fund has been set up at:

BANK OF THE WEST

P.O. BOX 519

1410 E. COLLEGE DRIVE

MARSHALL MN 56258

C/O "BRANDON SWANSON SEARCH"

YOUR DONATION WILL HELP DEFRAY EXPENSES

WATCH FOR DONATION COLLECTIONS AT YOUR LOCAL AREA BUSINESSES

PLEASE PRAY FOR BRANDON AND HIS FAMILY!

PRAYERS ARE GIVING THEM THE STRENGTH TO FACE EACH NEW DAY.

VOLUNTEERS SEARCHERS SHOULD CONTACT:
Official Search Coordinator, Gary Peterson at 507-259-5785

Search May 31st Update

2008-06-01T07:49:00.002-05:00

During the weekend search of May 31st and June 1st over 40 volunteers on foot, horseback and ATVs searched on the ground and along the shores of the Yellow Medicine River in Lincoln, Lyon and Yellow Medicine Counties. On Sunday three HRD certified (Human Remains Detection) dogs searched the Yellow Medicine River. Wendy Deane and her K-9 Kyra and Sherolyn Sievert and her K-9 Gus, from Northstar Search and Rescue Dog Association searched the waters of the Yellow Medicine River from the spillway near Porter, Minnesota to County Road 1 in Lyon County. Kathy Newman from MinnSarda and her K-9 Bandit, along with Sheriff Jack Vizecky, searched along the shore of the river in Lincoln County from Lyon/Lincoln Road up to 400th Street. The search dogs showed no interest.