Photos of Elizabeth Collins and Lyric Cook-Morrisey.
Police say they have no reason to believe a recent double murder in Indiana is connected to the killings of two young girls several years ago in northeast Iowa.
Police in Evansdale and Delphi, Indiana have compared notes and while the cases are similar, they’re calling it a coincidence.
Ten-year-old Lyric Cook and 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins went missing while riding bicycles in Evansdale in July, 2012. Their bodies were discovered nearly five months later in a wooded area, 24 miles away, in rural Bremer County. Police have not made any arrests. After hearing that the cases are not likely connected, Drew Collins, Elizabeth Collins’ father, spoke with KCRG-TV.
“If this person isn’t involved in our case, then that’s that…but, it actually makes it even scarier that there are two people out there capable of doing this who are on the loose,” Collins said. Indiana Police say two girls, ages 13 and 14, went missing on February 13. Their bodies were found the next day, in a wooded area outside of their hometown. Collins told KCRG he finds no comfort in the ties between the two double murders.
“We’ve been up and down on this for almost five years, so I really don’t get super excited,” Collins said. “I mean, obviously, I hope that our case gets solved and I really hope their case gets solved too. But, it takes a while for these things to happen.” Police in Indiana found a picture and audio of a man on one of the victim’s cellphones. They believe he may be connected to the homicides. Collins said he’s hoping an arrest comes soon.
“I feel a connection to anybody who has lost a kid in any way, whether it be cancer, a car accident, or murder,” Collins told KCRG. “I know how hard it is…it goes through a family and it’s just devastating.”