Updated by: SCOTT HARRISON
s.harrison@krdo.com
COLORADO SPRINGS - The Elshani family continued their search a fifth day Saturday for 22-year-old Beckime, exactly a week after she was last seen alive. Relatives have been looking for Beckime, also known as Becky, since authorities officially listed her as missing Tuesday. Her live-in boyfriend, Daniel Dererre, committed suicide Monday night at their apartment.
A friend of the family tells NEWSCHANNEL 13 that an informal group search is looking around areas where Elshani and Dereere, enjoyed camping. On Saurday, about 60 people searched the mountain areas of Gold Camp Road in El Paso/Teller Counties, and Teller County Road 5. Another campsite is reportedly near Gold Camp Road, west of Monument and Woodland Park. Family and friends planned to resume searching Sunday, helped by other relatives who have arrived from out of town.
Colorado Springs Police say they have reason to believe Elshani may have been harmed after undisclosed evidence surfaced inside Dereere's vehicle. Police say went they went to her apartment last Monday where Dereere shot and killed himself. Police say a subsequent search of Dereere's Toyota 4Runner uncovered new evidence.
"While we can't get into specifics, the processing of the vehicle suggests that foul play may be involved," says Colorado Springs Police Lt. Skip Arms.
Police are asking Teller County residents for help. They say they believe Dereere drove his 4Runner to Woodland Park/Teller County on March 29th, just hours after Elshani was last seen alive.
"We're asking for anybody who may have seen him up in the Woodland Park area, specifically on Saturday to contact us so we can try to lock down maybe where he was exactly and what his activities were," says Arms.
"All they have is a boyfriend who left no clue," says Teller County resident Vickie Davis.
Davis says she doesn't recognize the SUV, but that many of her neighbors are aware of who comes and goes in the rural parts of Teller County.
"You have to be aware of what's going on in your neighborhood," says Davis. "[Criminals] dump bodies up here in the rural back roads."
The Teller County Sheriff's Office has helped in the search for Elshani. On Thursday, deputies drove along Gold Camp road looking for tire tracks.
"You can drive down Gold Camp with the snow and with the animals, it's going to be a shot in the dark to find something if she's off the road," says Davis.
Police say about a dozen tips were called in on Thursday, half as many on Friday.
"Our fear is that at some point and time, information may dry up," says Arms. "As long as we can keep this case in the forefront and maybe generate more information, we're devoting resources to follow up on it."
Elshani's family says they're continuing their own search.
If you have seen Becky Elshani or the Toyota 4Runner in Teller County on Saturday, March 29, call CSPD at 444-7000.
