Woman still missing after K-9 search

A thin layer of fog covered the open acreage of a farm on North Walnut Street on Wednesday morning. The cold air suppressed the smoldering scent allowing it to disperse at ground level. This would help the dogs — if they had any chance of smelling a body.

Just before the road lies a creek, and there is a small turnout leading to a clearing. It was here where Bloomington Police Department and Argus Canine Search and Rescue joined to find a missing woman at 8 a.m.

“We’re looking for Crystal Grubb. She went missing four days ago,” said BPD Lt. Faron Lake in a debriefing, standing where three male friends of Crystal last saw her, “Everyone take a profile of her and a map of the area.”

Two officers light up cigarettes and another lights a cigarillo. A blue-eyed Border Collie and a Belgian Malinois are let out of separate vehicles while two teams are formed, each to head in separate directions.

Sun beams break through the clouds and light up the forest. The air remains cool.
Lt. Lake stays back with the squad cars. He is the commanding officer of the search and rescue. Also left behind is Sgt. John Kovach.

He broke his foot off-duty and can only do minimal police work. He mostly waits and lights a cigarillo, puts it out, waits, lights it up again, puts it out and so on.

Meanwhile, search teams are travelling up a hill and are not having luck except for a cell phone and a cigarette case, but it could be anyone’s. This area is notorious for people with no shelter and for people who cook methamphetamine.

As the teams come back, Gatorades are handed out. Lt. David Drake searches westward down the creek. He finally returns at 10:30 a.m. looking defeated.
“That’s a lot harder than I remember,” Drake said.

“I was going to think we’d have to send someone out for you,” BPD officer Lloyd Hawkins said.

The search and rescue team gets together again and plans their next and final attempt through the forest when a vehicle pulls into the lot.

Three get out and hold each other’s hand while they walk in a line to the police. On the left is Susan Grubb, 27 and Crystal’s sister. In the middle is their aunt, Clarissa Jackson. She holds the hand of a small boy.

“Think positive. Think positive. You gotta think positive,” Jackson said, walking hand-in-hand with Susan and the boy.  Susan talks to the police and they leave.

The team breaks up into two again, and they disappear in the forest. Dog barking is heard through the trees.

Hawkins swipes a cigarette from another officer’s pack. His wife thinks he quit four years ago, but he’s trying, saying he only brought six for today.

It’s nearly 12:30 p.m., clouds are cast over the clearing, and it looks gray, bringing a light rain. The forest is thick and dim-lit. Hawkins puts on his officer’s cap and sits on a chair in the rain.

The rain slows and then stops. A strong wind blows and it slowly rains upon the few officers in the clearing.