Story last updated at 11:25 PM on Aug. 3, 2004


 Kathryn Anne Grant

Suspicious disappearance of woman raises alerts
Last seen on Saturday

By Joe Johnson
joe.johnson@onlineathens.com


Although there are no indications foul play is involved, friends and family members of Kathryn Anne Grant are extremely concerned about the welfare of the 29-year-old University of Georgia employee who has not been seen or heard from since Saturday.

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The woman's father, Randy Grant, traveled Tuesday from his home in Columbia, S.C., to Athens to file a missing persons report.

Lt. Gregory Paul of the Criminal Investigations Division said the circumstances surrounding Grant's disappearance are suspicious.

"It's unlike her not to show up for work or for other obligations," Paul said.

In addition to not reporting for work Sunday and Monday at UGA's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Grant failed to show up to interview for a job she had been very excited about, Randy Grant said.

According to the missing woman's father, Kate - as she is known to friends and family - was supposed to interview at UGA for a job as a veterinary technologist as part of a new federally funded program in southern Georgia.

Paul said Grant's name has been entered into a national missing persons database.

Grant is an avid kayaker who frequently went down the Broad River between Elbert and Madison counties, and the state Department of Natural Resources - which monitors the river - is among the agencies alerted to Grant's disappearance, according to Paul.

Randy Grant said his daughter would usually kayak with friends, but whenever she went alone would tell others on which river she planned to kayak, and where she planned to launch and land. He said his daughter made no mention about going kayaking the day of her disappearance, and that when she would kayak, she would start out in the morning.

Grant drove a dark blue 1997 Ford F-150 pickup truck with a wood rack over the rear bed, on which her kayak was mounted, Randy Grant said. The truck bears Georgia tag 440 RDF.

The last person to speak with Grant was Megan Murphy, who shared an apartment with Grant on Barnett Shoals Road. Murphy said she said good-bye to Grant as Murphy was leaving the apartment at about 3 p.m. Saturday. Grant was last seen by a co-worker at about 5:30 p.m. at the Wal-Mart on Lexington Road, but no words were exchanged, Randy Grant said.

Grant's father said he inspected his daughter's apartment, and found no indications she had packed up to go anywhere.

"There was every sign she didn't pack up," he said. "Her pocketbook was there, and it seems the only things she took with her were her wallet and truck keys."

Grant is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall, with brown hair and eyes, and weighing about 140 pounds.

Anyone with knowledge about Grant's disappearance or who may have seen her since Saturday should call Athens-Clarke police at (706) 613-3330.


Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Wednesday, August 4, 2004