Kyron Horman Plea: 'Missing Endangered' Billboard Campaign

PORTLAND, Ore., June 16, 2010— -- Investigators renewed their call for the public's help in their search for missing boy Kyron Horman, the 7-year-old who disappeared from his elementary school on June 4.

Thirty large billboards with Kyron's smiling, bespectacled face, the words "Endangered Missing," and a phone number to call have started popping up throughout the region, written in English, Spanish and Russian.

The billboards were donated by Clear Channel "to help get the message out to bring Kyron home," according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.

"We're still waiting for that one tip. That one tip that will bring Kyron home," Multnomah County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lt. Mary Lindstrand said.

Lindstrand characterized the investigation as "moving forward" but declined to provide further details. Tips from the public continue to come in on "a consistent basis" she said, but didn't provide an exact number.

One tip arrived in the mail written on a postcard, Lindstrand said.

Police said dive teams continued searching bodies of water near where Kyron disappeared. Investigators including members of the sheriff's major crimes team and the FBI are canvassing a four mile radius around Kyron's school and re-interviewing parents, students and school employees.

Lindstrand said sheriff's officials are in regular contact with Kyron's parents, who have declined interviews.

"They said, 'We don't want our faces out there. We want Kyron's face out there,'" she said.

Police declared the case a criminal investigation Sunday and since Monday have refused to grant any interviews or provide regular updates.

Lindstrand held a brief press conference today outside a sheriff's building because she said investigators want to keep the public interested in the case.

Lindstrand also said the television show "America's Most Wanted" is currently preparing a story on Kyron's case.

Kyron disappeared on the morning of June 4, after he and his stepmother Terri Horman attended a school science fair where Kyron had displayed a project on red tree frogs. His stepmother said she last saw Kyron walking down a hallway toward his classroom.

When Kyron didn't come home on the bus that Friday afternoon, his parents called the school, which in turn called 911, launching what Gates said could be the largest search operation in Oregon history.

Approximately 1,300 searchers in the field were joined by 213 additional investigators from 42 different agencies from California, Oregon and Washington. A National Guard helicopter also joined in the search.

Many of the search teams have packed up and headed home, although a small number of local teams will be on call in case there are any new leads or developments.

Kyron's family has only appeared twice in public since he disappeared. On Friday, his stepfather made an emotional plea for his return.

"You mean everything to us," said his stepfather Tony Young. "And until you come home this family's not complete. Please Kyron, keep up the hope."

For many people here, the distinction between a missing persons case and a criminal one is irrelevant since Kyron is still nowhere to be found.

"It has not changed our focus," family friend Becky Owens said. "Our focus has been and will continue to be finding Kyron. So it doesn't change what we're doing, getting his face out to as many people as possible."