Herman investigation continues

December 31, 2009|By Kim Hynes | KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

Adam Herrman

(BUTLER COUNTY, Kan.) — No one has seen him in more than a decade, but it's only been a year since authorities have known about the disappearance of Adam Herrman.

Herrman was eleven years old when he was last seen in 1999. Last December, his sister contacted SRS concerned that she couldn't find her brother. That's when authorities started searching the areas where Herrman once lived with his adoptive parents. They put out his picture all over the country and interviewed dozens of potential witnesses.

Although the case is no longer making daily headlines, those involved say work is constantly being done to find out what happened to Herrman. Butler County Attorney Jan Satterfield says it's taking awhile, but in a case like this time is on their side.

"As each year and each day passes, I think that makes for a stronger case to argue to a jury that Adam Hermann is dead," Satterfield said. She says the fact that this is a decade old cold case and there's no body, makes it the most complex case she's ever worked. She's collected more than a dozen binders of information on Herrman's life. Satterfield says it will continue to be a priority to answer the question, what happened to Adam Herrman.

"It's very difficult not to get emotionally involved. Especially since Adam and I would have been around the same age," said intern Sara Freeman. She's one of many working to piece together what happened to the young boy. Her work at the Butler County Attorney's office is why she's applying for law school. "It's been such an awesome experience. If and when this case goes to trial, it will be a rewarding experience that I had something to do with it," Freeman said.

Satterfield says her goal is to have the case to a grand jury by this time next year. Since this is such a complex case, she'd like jurors to help determine whether there's enough evidence to charge Herrman's adoptive parents. A grand jury would be used instead of a preliminary hearing, when a judge determines whether a case should go to trial. Satterfield says a grand jury needs to be approved by a judge in order to happen. If a grand jury makes an indictment, the case would go directly to trial.

Satterfield says Herrman's adoptive parents are the only persons of interest in the case. They never reported he was missing and cashed SRS checks until 2005. She says they've moved out of the area but authorities are keeping track of them. She says two other big cases, the Emily Sander and Carol Mould murder trials have also slowed down the Herrman investigation.

|

|

|