Victim's home site of search Authorities digging for clues, new leads in disappearance By Mike Donoghue Free Press Staff Writer JERICHO - State and federal authorities descended Monday on the former home of a Jericho woman and her 5-year-old daughter, looking for new clues in their years ago. mysterious The case of Grace disappearance M. Reapp, 18 POLICE 32, and her daughter, Gracie Noel Reapp, is being treated as an "open homicide" investigation, Vermont State Police said. Police would not comment on any suspects or specific investigative efforts. Michael Reapp, husband and father respectively of the two missing people, reported they had disappeared June 11, 1978. Reapp, then 32, said they were gone as an air traffic controller at when he came home from work COMMAND Burlington International Airport. The couple's two sons, Brian, 11, and Patrick, 8, were at Jericho Elementary School the day of the disappearance. Five days later Reapp filed for divorce on grounds of "desertion" and "intolerable severity." Vermont law defines the latter Workers from Engelberth term as a threat to life, limb or State Police believe might the health of a spouse. mysteriously disappeared Neither Grace Reapp nor body-detecting police dogs, anyone representing her appeared at the divorce hearings. Burling- relationship. ton lawyer Louis Lisman, who In the divorce order, represented Michael Reapp, Reapp was given custody maintained in Superior Court pa- two sons. He agreed pers "that due diligence has been Grace Reapp to have used to find her by inquiry of her their daughter, records relatives and of other persons Reapps were married who might know where she is, 1965, in Stonington, Conn. but with no results." On Nov. 26, 1979, The final divorce decree, efmarried Donna Roussin, fective July 10, 1979, was based who had been a family on the couple having lived apart sitter. The couple lived for six months with no likelihood of resumption of a marital See SEARCH, back POLICE COMMAND POST photos by ADAM PIKE RIESNER, Free Press Construction toss debris into a dumpster outside a Jericho residence which Vermont hold clues about Grace M. Reapp and her 5-year-old daughter Gracie who 18 years ago. TOP: A state trooper checks his cruiser while investigators, including comb the property. Saw Mill Jericho investigation 128 Road Police spent Monday Essex Center Hanley Road 8 at a Jericho home, searching for clues 15 to the suspected Jericho killing 18 years ago Essex Junction of Grace Reapp, 32, Location and her daughter of house Gracie, 5. N Michael of his to allow custody of show. The Aug. 14, Reapp then 26, baby in the page Free Press