A search warrant revealed that police dogs detected the smell of human remains on cars belonging to the father and stepmother of Zahra Clare Baker. Hours earlier Monday, the police chief said investigators were having trouble finding anyone outside the household who had seen the girl alive in the last few weeks and cast doubt on what the couple had told them. A police news conference was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday
"There were warning signs along the way, but you never want to think the worst," said former neighbor Kayla Rotenberry, who said Zahra's stepmother, Elisa Baker, had a short temper.
The couple had told police they discovered the girl was missing Saturday. The stepmother said she last saw Zahra sleeping in her room hours earlier. Yet Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins said investigators don't know the last time anyone saw her. "We're having a difficult time establishing a true timeline," he said.
When the search warrant was filed hours later, police declined to comment further.
Zahra's father, Adam Baker, said during a morning TV interview that it was possible his wife could be involved in the disappearance, which was reported after a fire in the home's yard. Elisa Baker was arrested Sunday on about a dozen charges unrelated to the girl's disappearance.
Adkins, the police chief in a city of 40,000 residents about 50 miles northwest of Charlotte, said the father was cooperating with police, but Elisa Baker wasn't.
A reporter saw what appeared to be remnants of clothes among burned branches from the fire at the house.
Zahra had two hearing aids, which were left at the house, and a prosthetic left leg from the knee down, police said. She was being home-schooled, but had attended public schools in the past.
Police responded to the fire early Saturday and found what appeared to be a ransom note addressed to Adam Baker's boss on the windshield of Baker's car, the search warrant said. Police went to that man's house, and found him and his daughter to be fine.
"Mr. Coffey, you like being in control now who is in control we have your daughter," the warrant quoted the ransom note as saying. It asked for $1 million dollars and said "no cops."
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