Investigators acknowledge foul play could be involved in case of missing woman
Mar 7, 2018, 5:50 PM | Updated: 9:59 pm
AMERICAN FORK — Foul play is emerging as a likely explanation in the disappearance of a 24-year-old woman, according to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office which is hopeful a $5,000 reward will lead to clues.
Wednesday marks 17 days since Jerika Binks was last seen near 300 North and North County Boulevard in American Fork.
Jerika Binks
“We look at all the things that might seem logical for her to do and not getting answers there, and the only answer that leaves out there for us is something suspicious has happened,” said Sgt. Spencer Cannon.
So far, the investigation has found nothing to suggest Binks left on her own on Sunday, Feb. 18, leaving police to push for more help from the public.
Binks told roommates, at the residential treatment center, she was going for a run on the Murdock Canal Trail. She did take her cell phone, but left behind money and pay checks. Her bank accounts have shown no activity since she disappeared.
Binks told roommates at the residential treatment center she was going for a run on the Murdock Canal Trail.
“While she has a history of substance abuse, she was in treatment and her residents in the sober house with here, she was doing very well, did not have any trauma in her life, had not had a relapse,” Cannon added.
“There’s been no information on her and we are hoping for something to turn up,” said Jed Alvey, who is a brother to Binks.
Alvey said a volunteer search effort last Saturday at Art Dye park and along the Murdock Canal Trail did not result in any clues. He said the family grows more concerned as time goes by.
“It’s a family member who is out there, and we don’t know where she is at, and we want to make sure she is safe and comes home. We miss her,” Alvey added.
At this point, the public’s help is critical to their investigation, according to Cannon.
“Sometimes cases like this can be solved on the tiniest little tidbit of information, and so we want people to call us, and we are not going to criticize anyone for any information that give us in an effort to find her.”
The $5,000 reward is being offered by the Fast Gas convenience stores. The owners have a family connection to Binks.
Contact the Utah County Sheriff’s Office at 801-794-3940, if you have any leads.
