Web site aids search for
missing attorney
By Heather Mangold
City
Editor
A Web site designed to help friends and family
of John W. Barce, a Benton County attorney, has already received over
1,000 hits since Friday.
Barce's family set up a Web site last week at www.findjohnbarce.com,
which includes photos and information about the missing man. A reward
of $50,000 has also been designated to anyone who can provide information
about his whereabouts.
Barce, 73, of Fowler, Indiana was abducted from
the Radisson Inn Lafayette on Aug. 1. He was scheduled to meet with
a man calling himself Martin Price at 9 a.m., who said he needed Barce's
legal assistance with a business deal, according to the web-site.
Police have not identified Price.
The family of the missing man received a telephone
call on the afternoon of Aug. 1. The caller was demanding ransom. Money
was sent to the location that the caller stated, but no one ever came
to claim it.
The family has not heard from the caller since.
Over 100 police officers were involved in an effort
to find Barce on the first night of the case. State police and the FBI
are still working to find him.
"We've pooled our resources," said Kennedy. "The
Tippecanoe County and Lafayette police department have been helping
also."
Jim Casey, supervisory special agent for the FBI
Indianapolis, said the bureau is doing everything it can to help.
According to Indiana State Police, no new information
has been recovered since the disappearance of Barce.
Barce was the former prosecutor for Benton County.
He is active in his family law firm and is a husband and father of two
prosecuting attorneys from Benton and Newton Counties.
Police have considered that a person in Barce's
position could gain enemies as a prosecutor. However, this theory has
not been stated as the reason for Barce's kidnapping, said Kennedy.
"Everything that you can think of is being explored,"
said Kennedy.
Local citizens are doing everything they can as
well.
Kinko's in Lafayette donated missing posters and
76 volunteers came to distribute them. Kennedy said one of the volunteers
was a retired attorney who often did not see eye to eye with Barce.
"I think this showed a lot about the character
of the missing person, that this elderly gentleman would come out in
this heat to help," said Kennedy.
The health condition of Barce is another concern
for police.
Barce was under physician's care taking the drug
Tiazac for his problems with high blood pressure, said pharmacist Chad
Shedron of West Lafayette's Family Pharmacare. Shedron said that without
his medication, Barce's blood pressure could elevate.
According to Shedron, Tiazac takes 25 to 35 hours
to leave the body's system. Depending on how fast Barce's blood pressure
elevates without the drug, complications could occur.
"If blood pressure goes up quickly, you have risk
for a stroke or heart attack, depending on the stress level of the individual,"
said Shedron.
Barce is 6'1" and 210 pounds. He has white thinning
hair and dark eyebrows. He was last seen wearing a light colored shirt
and a pastel green suit.
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