BOLIVAR — As the list of people presumed missing from Hurricane Ike’s devastation dwindles, officials are devising a plan to begin searching again for bodies believed buried on Bolivar Peninsula.
The Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office lists 15 county residents who died directly or indirectly from the storm and has yet to identify three people found on Goat Island or one woman recovered on Pelican Island.
One Gilchrist resident was found dead near a debris pile in Chambers County, County Judge Jimmy Sylvia said, but searchers found six others alive after the storm.
John Florence, a spokesman for the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office, said dental records could confirm the identity of the woman found on Pelican Island, who is believed to be Paula Sue Mercer.
The medical examiner will rely on DNA samples to confirm the identities of two men and a woman found on Goat Island, Florence said.
“That may be the only way left to identify some of them,” Florence said, after attempts to obtain dental records failed.
“We’ll send off bone samples to the University of North Texas,” Florence said.
Officials there have a statewide database for DNA.
The medical examiner could begin collecting the samples this week, Florence said.
List Of Missing
Texas Task Force 1 stopped search and recovery efforts on the peninsula Sept. 28.
The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office continues, however, to work with the Laura Recovery Center of Friendswood, which has a list of 114 people reported missing since the storm made landfall Sept. 13.
Bob Walcutt, the center’s director, said he’s narrowed the list compiled by friends and family of the missing down from 600.
“We’ve still got a number of people missing from Gilchrist, but we also get a lot of reports from people who haven’t seen their relatives in four years,” Walcutt said. “Some probably report people missing and once they show up, they don’t bother to call to let us know.”
How many of the 114 evacuated before the storm or braved its surge is unknown.
Cadaver dogs last used Sept. 28 led officials to believe bodies remain on Goat Island.
Goat Island was connected to the peninsula until the Intracoastal Waterway was built.
The island, which is actually three bodies of land separated by water and marshes, extends from Port Bolivar east toward Gilchrist, the area inundated by Ike’s storm surge.
Colin Rizzo of the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management said the area was uninhabited before the storm.
“But there are complete, intact structures that moved all the way over from the peninsula to Goat Island,” Rizzo said.
Search To Resume But When?
Rizzo said he’s formulating a plan for the second phase of the search.
Rizzo said judging from the missing list, 15 to 20 people from Bolivar Peninsula could remain unaccounted for.
Officials must investigate sites that interested the dogs and sort through some debris piles on Goat Island, Rizzo said.
“There are two areas there that are points of interest.”
When the search resumes depends on how soon Rizzo can obtain manpower, equipment, dogs and supplies.
Officials plan to search other areas of the peninsula, Rizzo said.
“The areas are somewhat secluded. Some you can’t get to with all-terrain vehicles. We’ll have to come up with marsh buggies or track vehicles.”
Sylvia said the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office would resume searching Monday, using one cadaver dog from Port Arthur.
“We’ve got massive debris piles from the peninsula,” Sylvia said.
“Some searchers are telling me one debris pile is 30 feet high, 30 feet wide and a mile long.”
Sylvia is calling for federal assistance searching through hazardous debris, such as propane or other canisters washed up from the surge.
Spirits Lifted
Meanwhile, one future resident and longtime vacationer on Crystal Beach said she was elated to find her soon-to-be neighbor after the storm.
Vicky Courtney of Lufkin listed one man as missing on a Gilchrist Community Association Web site.
Courtney left her telephone number there, and someone called to give her the good news.
Dozens of people trapped on the peninsula by the rising water were lifted to safety by helicopters before and after the storm.
Some told stories of the storm surge sweeping them from their homes and of floating for hours until the water subsided.
Courtney was afraid her friend was among those trapped, but a woman saw her number and told her friend was safe.
“It lifted my spirits,” Courtney said. “After hearing of all the missing people, it relieved my fears.”
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Ike Victims
Here is a list of Galveston County residents who died in the county from effects of the storm:
• Martha Ferguson, 69, of Galveston died Sept. 13, no electricity for breathing machine
• Charles Lively, 79, of League City died Sept. 15 of pre-existing health condition
• George Helmond, 72, of Galveston drowned Sept. 14, found in his submerged truck
• Yong Seng Teo, 49, of Galveston died Sept. 14 of pre-existing health condition, couldn’t reach hospital in time
• Carolyn Williams, 64, of League City died Sept. 15 of pre-existing health condition, lack of dialysis
• John Manley, 66, of League City died Sept. 15 pre-existing health condition lack of dialysis
• Jim Devine, 76, of San Leon drowned, listed date of death Sept. 16
• Robert Dort, 76, of Galveston died Sept. 20 of pre-existing health condition
• Eddie Bailey, 64, of League City found dead Sept. 23, pre-existing health condition
• Ruben Ramos, 60, of Galveston found dead Sept. 23, pre-existing health condition
• Herman Moseley, 48, of Galveston, drowned, found on Goat Island
• Gail Ettenger, 58, of Gilchrist found Sept. 23 near Chambers County debris field
• Unidentified woman, drowned on Pelican Island, possibly Paula Sue Mercer
• Unidentified man found Oct. 6 on Goat Island north of Port Bolivar, cause of death not determined
• Unidentified woman found Oct. 6 on Goat Island north of Port Bolivar, cause of death not determined
• Unidentified man found Oct. 6 on Goat Island north of Port Bolivar, cause of death not determined
Source: Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office and Chambers County Judge Jim Sylvia
