In Loving Memory of Cayle R. Bywater, 1978 - 2007

Toxicology results negative

2008-03-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

As some of you may have already seen in the media recently, the toxicology tests done on Cayle's blood by the GBI were negative, meaning that drugs or alcohol were not a contributing factor in her drowning. Cayle's mother said, "For me, this just compounds my questions, and it may be that we never have any answers, only speculation."

Police have been unable to find any evidence that would explain how and why Cayle went into the pond at Memorial Park. The case has been ruled as an accidental drowning and is officially closed.

Please stay tuned to this website for upcoming information about a memorial dedication to be held for Cayle at Memorial Park in Athens.

Services for Cayle

2008-01-22T09:09:00.000-08:00

Dozens of people braved terrible weather conditions and attended Cayle's outdoor memorial service at Memorial Park in Athens on Saturday; the Athens Banner-Herald carried a story about the service:

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/012008/news_20080120048.shtml

Even more people crowded the chapel at the Crowell Brothers Funeral Home in Norcross for the funeral service that was held on Sunday, where friends and family recalled Cayle's wry humor, her love of dogs, and her love of music. A short burial service followed in the adjacent Peacthree Memorial Park, where Cayle was laid to rest alongside her father, Kenneth Bywater.

Thanks to all who came to pay their respects in Athens and Norcross.

Services

2008-01-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

For the Saturday Memorial Service the family has decided to go forth with the informal Memorial Service at the park. Cayle loved the snow, so it seems fitting to the family to proceed, However, we understand if others feel that the conditions are to risky to attend we would want everyone to be safe. For those that are in Athens please keep us posted as to the weather conditions in Athens to help us make the safest decision Thank You

Saturday, January 19th at 2pm there will be an informal Memorial Service held at;
Athens Memorial Park (Rain or Shine)
293 Gran Ellen Drive
Athens, Georgia 30606
at the covered pavilion by the lake.
Everyone is invited, and we encourage all to bring their friendly dogs (on leashes).

Sunday January 20th at 2pm there will be a Service at:
Crowell Brothers Peachtree Chapel
5051 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
Norcross, Georgia 30091
770-448-5757

Update and Memorial Fund

2008-01-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

At this time the coroner reports that preliminary findings do not indicate foul play, although it still may take several months for all the test results to return.

Cayle's family is in the process of making arrangements for a Memorial Service in Athens for Saturday, 1/19, and services in Atlanta next Sunday,1/20. Once the details/times have been finalized they will be posted here.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Cayle Bywater Memorial Fund using the PayPal button in the right column of this page - or, you can visit any SunTrust Bank to make a donation to the Cayle Bywater Memorial Fund. This tragedy has placed enormous financial burdens on the family , and your support for them at this time of need would be deeply appreciated.

Again, please continue to check back at this website for details regarding the planned services in Athens and Atlanta.

And Ask Ye Why...

2008-01-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

And ask ye why these sad tears stream?
Why these wan eyes are dim with weeping?
I had a dream–a lovely dream,
Of her that in the grave is sleeping.

I saw her as ’twas yesterday,
The bloom upon her cheek still glowing;
And round her play’d a golden ray,
And on her brows were gay flowers blowing.

With angel-hand she swept a lyre,
A garland red with roses bound it;
Its strings were wreath’d with lambent fire
And amaranth was woven round it.

I saw her mid the realms of light,
In everlasting radiance gleaming;
Co-equal with the seraphs bright,
Mid thousand thousand angels beaming.

I strove to reach her, when, behold,
Those fairy forms of bliss Elysian,
And all that rich scene wrapt in gold,
Faded in air–a lovely vision!

And I awoke, but oh! to me
That waking hour was doubly weary;
And yet I could not envy thee,
Although so blest, and I so dreary.

- Lord Alfred Tennyson

We Thank You

2008-01-11T16:08:00.000-08:00

We are grateful for the ACCPD & the GBI for finding Cayle. While the search is over there are still questions to be answered. We will continue to post here as new information is available.

The family wants to express their most sincere gratitude for the outpouring of concern, support & resources that friends and the Athens / Atlanta community have so generously volunteered.

This support has been pivotal in the family's coping during the time of uncertainty.

We would also like to thank the media who respectfully met our request for assistance in locating Cayle and we know that it is with this same kindness that they will respect our family's privacy during our time of mourning.

Sincerely
Cayle's Family

Georgia Bureau of Investigation is Now Involved with the Case

2008-01-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department has joined forces with the GBI to help locate Cayle Bywater who has been missing from Athens, GA since 12/29/07. The tentative search efforts scheduled for this Saturday, 1/12/08 have been postponed until a later date as we are in the process of coordinating resources.

Please stay tuned for updated information and thank you to everyone for your continued efforts and support!

UPDATE: WSB-TV in Atlanta has a report (in both text and video) on these latest developments in Cayle's case:

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/15023677/detail.html

Eye Glasses Found at Park Confirmed to be Cayle's

2008-01-09T17:39:00.000-08:00

It has been confirmed that the eye glasses located at Athens, GA National Park belong to Cayle Bywater. The glasses were located under a bush in close proximity to a trash receptical and restrooms. The evidence has been submitted to the local athorities for examination.

We hope this new evidence will help with the investigation as well as engage the GBI and help us locate Cayle.

Another search being planned; possible new evidence found

2008-01-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS: Another organized search for Cayle is being planned at this time; the tentative date/time is the morning of Saturday, Jan. 12th, at Memorial Park in Athens. Please check back at this website over the next two days for exact details; we will need all the volunteer searchers we can get.

In the meantime, what could possibly be an important piece of new evidence was discovered today - read all about it here: Eyeglasses found that may belong to missing woman.

Thank You So Much !!!

2008-01-07T19:52:00.000-08:00

We want to express our heart felt gratitude and thanks to Mary Ann, Debbie, and most of all Dianne Wilson for their efforts to elevate the media coverage regarding Cayle's disappearance. As a result, we had TV interviews on Atlanta channel's 2, 5, 11, and 46 which should be aired at 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm as well as contact with CNN. Their determination and support have been overwhelming and most instrumental in locating Cayle.

Sincerely and with our deepest gratitude, Cayle's family

Can you help put up fliers for Cayle?

2008-01-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

Today Cayle's friend Jeff made the following kind offer:

I made some new fliers with Cayle's photo and all the pertinent information, including the findcayle.org website address. I'm going to put them up around the Atlanta area over the next several days. Feel free to put a notice on the website that I will be happy to send anyone a batch of fliers free of charge to put up around their communities. They can email me at jeff@stompandstammer.com. I'll send them however many they'd like.

Thank you, Jeff! With this kind of support coming in from all over, we are more confident than ever that WE WILL find Cayle and bring her home.

Photo taken just before Cayle's disappearance

2008-01-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

In a remarkable stroke of luck, Athens police have discovered a photograph taken in Memorial Park on the day of her disappearance that accidentally captured Cayle with her dog Oliver. We have enlarged and cropped the image to focus in on Cayle (the original photograph can be seen in a story posted this afternoon on the Athens Banner-Herald website, Police release picture of missing woman in park).

We now know what Cayle was wearing at the time she went missing - hopefully this will be the first crucial step in bringing her home!

A link to the Meredith Emerson case?

2008-01-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

In today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Athens police are talking to the GBI about a possible connection with Cayle's case:

Suspect in hiker's disappearance may be linked to 3 other cases

UPDATE - the Bywaters were notified by law enforcement officials today that there are no links between Cayle's case and Meredith Emerson's. Which, frankly, is very good news. Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Meredith's family; we can imagine all too well the pain they are suffering at this time.

Update, Jan. 6

2008-01-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately we have nothing new to report today, but our blogger friend jennygirl noted the need for the news media to provide more coverage of Cayle's case:

I'm sure that hundreds of people go missing each year, and the media become obsessed with one or two of them. We can make it our job to make sure they pay attention to both these Georgia women. Perhaps you can write a quick email to your news channel, even if it's just to direct them to http://findcayle.blogspot.com/ They'll find all the news articles and links there.Below I've created a quick list to get you started. Won't you take a minute to do this? Thanks.

1. Here is an article on the 11Alive website. You can post a comment to ask them to cover the story more prominently. (I just wrote a comment--writing it took one minute!)

2. Here's the Fox 5 Atlanta article. Same ol', same ol'. Here's their contact form--why not ask them to feature it on the news and not just on the webpage?

3. Write The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and ask that they make the story a feature. Their contact address is: newstips@ajc.com Be sure to send them the link to the blog with all the news articles! (http://findcayle.blogspot.com/)

Good ideas, let's all make the effort!

Here is the link for CNN. I hope this will help regarding additional media coverage.

http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5c.html?24

Blogs and Forums sharing Cayle's story

2008-01-05T22:06:00.000-08:00

We'd like to say a big THANK YOU to the following sites for spreading the word about Cayle - please keep it up, guys! (List updated 01/09/08):

Topix.com

Porchlight International

Jannygirl

Colton Levi Clark

Bonnie's Blog of Crime

Scared Monkeys Forum

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Crime and Justice

In Session Message Boards

Trendite.com

Athens Music Journal

AthensStuff.com

Spacey Gracey Review

ScanAthens.com

Cold Case Investigations

Jinx Protocol

A historic moment in the life...

The Day Jobs

The A Lazar Soiree Blog

Athens World

News media coverage about Cayle

2008-01-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

We will update this list regularly (LAST UPDATE - 01/09/08):

Athens Banner-Herald, 01/08/08: Family thinks Athens woman was abducted

WXIA-TV, 01/08/08 (report with video): Search Continues for Athens Woman

WXIA-TV, 01/08/08 (report with video): Photo Shows Missing Woman in Park

Fox 5 TV, 01/07/08 (report with video): Athens Police Continues to Seek Public's Help in Locating Missing Woman

Red & Black (UGA student newspaper), 01/07/08: Search awaits evidence

WNEG-TV, 01/07/08: Family of Missing Woman Asks Public for Help

Red & Black (UGA student newspaper), 01/07/08: Student reported missing

WSB-TV, Joyce Oscar report (video), 01/04/08: Police Search For Missing UGA Student

Athens Banner-Herald, 01/03/08: Search of park, UGA fields comes up empty

The Sunday Paper, 01/03/08: UPDATE ON MISSING ATHENS WOMAN

WSB Radio, 01/03/08: Athens Woman Still Missing

Blogger News Network, 01/03/08: Cayle Bywater Missing From Home

Athens 101 (WPPP Radio, 101.7 FM), 01/02/08: Search Thursday Morning for Missing Athens Woman

Fox 5 TV, 01/02/08: Police Seek Help Locating Missing Athens, Ga. Woman

Athens Banner-Herald, 01/02/08: Police still seek missing woman

WSB-TV, 01/02/08: UGA Grad Student Missing

WNEG-TV, 01/02/08: Athens Woman Vanishes

Athens Banner-Herald, 01/02/08: Police seek public help to find woman

WSB Radio, 01/01/08: Athens Woman Missing

WSB-TV, 01/01/08: Athens Police Search For Missing Woman

WXIA-TV, 01/01/08: Woman Missing from Athens

Update Regarding Search for Cayle Bywater

2008-01-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted by Garry on 01/04/07

Someone here asked for updates and so here's what I know after having spent part of the afternoon with the family today (I've known Cayle for about 4 yrs since I'm a close friend of one of her best friends). Athens FD worked hard all day today dragging the pond at Memorial Park near her duplex, but nothing was found. ACC police say the next step will be a door-to-door canvass of nearby homes (I gather that this was not done earlier because so many homes and apartments around there were empty due to the UGA winter break).Cayle's mom Valery did an interview today with WSB-TV news and she did a great job, holding up bravely during the interview, even as firemen in an inflatable boat were dragging the pond just behind her (video at http://www.wsbtv.com/video/14981872/index.htm... ).Valery and her family are overwhelmed with the support being given to them by Cayle's friends. Please continue to support them in any way you can, as it is much appreciated. I and others have been meeting at Cayle's duplex in Athens the last couple of days to pick up and distribute Missing Person flyers all around town, we expect to have a good many more copies available on Saturday and Sunday - so if you are free this weekend please come by (2004 S. Milledge Ave, Athens) and take some up to help us distribute them. We want to get her face all over the entire county - someone, somewhere, has to know something. Again, thank you and God bless.

Please!!! We Need Your Help to Find Cayle Bywater

2008-01-05T18:32:00.001-08:00

Cayle Bywater
DOB 09/21/78
29 Years Old
5’-3” Tall, 120 lbs, Red Curly Hair, Blue Eyes

Cayle was last seen on Saturday, 12/29/07 outside her home on South Milledge Avenue (Athens, GA), and spoke to a family member by phone about the same time. On Monday, neighbors noticed Bywater's dog (Ollie a Vizsla) running loose outside, and her back door was wide open. Inside the home were her keys, wallet, and cell phone, and her vehicle was parked at the residence as well.

Anyone with information should call:
* The Athens-Clarke County Police Department at 706-613-3330,
* Central Communications at 706-613-3345, or
* Detective Dustin Smith at 706-613-3888, extension 795