February 14, 2008

February 21 — Prayer service planned for missing woman

With family members of the missing Jean Viken expecting the worst, a prayer service is planned for the 38-year-old mother of four who has been missing since January 30.
The service will be held Saturday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Medford, with Pastor Dennis Grovier officating.
The Taylor County Sheriff’s Department is suspecting foul play as Jean Viken’s van was found at 9 p.m. on February 6 on Lake Road and Forest Road 163 near the border with Sawyer County. Viken has been missing since January 30 from her Town of Holway home in Taylor County.
In addition to the prayer service, the family and friends of Jean Viken have set up accounts at People’s Choice Credit Union and Taylor Credit Union to accept funds to help her family cover the costs associated with her suspected homicide and on going search.
The Jean Viken Fund will go toward the search, getting information out to the public such as flyers and posters, grief counseling, hiring a lawyer to become guardians of Jean's estate and paying Jean's ongoing personal bills.
Authorities continue to request the assistance of the public in locating Viken. They ask that anyone who believes they may have seen either her or her van after her reported disappearance to contact the Taylor County Sheriff’s Department at 715-748-2200 Ext. 1 or the confidential tipster line at 1-866-892-7463.

Febuary 14 — Foul play suspected in Jean Viken disappearance

Jean Viken’s van has been found in a remote portion of Ashland County, but the 38-year-old mother of four is still missing and those searching are fearing the worst.
The Taylor County Sheriff’s Department is suspecting foul play as Jean Viken’s van was found at 9 p.m. on February 6 on Lake Road and Forest Road 163 near the border with Sawyer County. Viken has been missing since January 30 from her Town of Holway home in Taylor County.
According to a report in the Ashland Daily Press, the van was found on a logging road in a thickly wooded area of the Chequamegon National Forest in the Town of Chippewa in Ashland County. That location borders the Spring Brook semi-primitive non-motorized area and is one of the most remote areas in Ashland County.
“It’s a real wilderness area,” Ashland County Sheriff John Kovach is quoted as saying. A search of the area turned up no sign of Viken.
The Chevrolet van has been delivered to the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory in Wausau for forensic analysis. Taylor and Ashland County along with other law enforcement entities are working together in regard to this matter.
According to the newspaper report, Kovach said a trapper operating in the area discovered the Chevrolet van, became suspicious after seeing the vehicle parked there for several days, and reported it to Sawyer County authorities. However, it was determined that the van had actually been parked in Ashland County, and the Ashland County Sheriff’s Department was notified.
Kovach told the reporter he was notified at 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning, and deputies and the department’s investigator responded to the scene and initiated a preliminary search of the area, he said. However, Kovach said there was no sign of the woman anywhere near the van and no sign that she had walked into or had been taken into the woods. Kovach said the snow was about a foot deep in the woods and would have shown clear indications of travel if someone had left the road in the area.
“The snow was undisturbed, nothing to really indicate that a person had walked in or was dragged in there,” Kovach said. The U.S. Forest Service has been involved in the case.
Authorities continue to request the assistance of the public in locating Viken. They ask that anyone who believes they may have seen either her or her van after her reported disappearance to contact the Taylor County Sheriff’s Department at 715-748-2200 Ext. 1 or the confidential tipster line at 1-866-892-7463.

February 7 — Missing woman's van found near Ashland County line, foul play suspected

On February 6, 2008 at around 9 p.m. the Taylor County Sheriff's Department received notification from the Sawyer County Sheriff's Department that they had located a 2004 Chevrolet van associated with the disappearance of 38 year old Jean A. Viken from Taylor County.
Sawyer County reported that the vehicle had been located in the Chequamegon National Forest near the Sawyer and Ashland County line. Investigation later revealed the van was actually in Ashland County.
Viken was reported as missing on January 30, 2008 from her Town of Holway home in Taylor County. Her whereabouts are still unknown and at this time foul play is suspected.
The Chevrolet van has been delivered to the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory in Wausau for forensic analysis. Taylor and Ashland County along with other law enforcement entities are working together in regard to this matter.
Authorities continue to request the assistance of the public in locating Viken. They request that anyone who believes they may have seen either her or her van during the last week contact the Taylor County Sheriff's Department at 715-748-2200 Ext. 1 or the confidential tipster line at 1-866-892-7463.