FBI joins search for missing girl

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

The Reno Police Department announced yesterday it has joined forces with the FBI in the search for Brianna Denison, a Santa Barbara City College Student who officials say disappeared from a friend’s home in Reno on Sunday morning.
Denison, a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in psychology, was last seen by a friend at 4 a.m. Also missing was a brown teddy bear that Denison had been using as an extra pillow. Police said her cell phone, purse and clothing were left behind.

Denison is described as a white female who is 5-feet tall, 98 pounds with long dark brown hair and blue eyes.
Police said she was last seen wearing pink sweatpants and a white tank top.
A police statement says search efforts have included canvassing nearby neighborhoods and a thorough search of a park that required the use of helicopters and police K-9 units.
As of last night, authorities were still looking for a man who dropped off a friend of Denison’s at the residence on the morning of her disappearance.
Police said the driver is a 45-year-old white male and was driving a beige or light brown Chevrolet or GMC SUV. Officials said the man is not a suspect, but is rather a person of interest who may have information that could assist with the investigation.
On Monday, the Reno Police Department established a 24-hour tip line to assist with the investigation.
Denison’s family asked anyone with information about their daughter’s disappearance to call the tip line at 775-745-3521 or the Secret Witness Program at 775-322-4900.
Police said they are still waiting for the results of tests conducted on a small spot left on a pillow Denison was using that could be blood.
Detectives said yesterday that Denison’s’ disappearance does not appear to be connected to two assaults on female college students near the University of Nevada Reno campus late last year. The home where Denison was staying is located near the campus.
Joan Galvan, a spokeswoman for City College, said the school’s fall semester ended on Dec. 15 and spring semester is scheduled to begin on Jan. 28.
“We really send our heartfelt sympathies to the Denison family,” Galvan said. “We all hope for Brianna’s safe return home.”