An Entire Community Coming Together

In an amazing gesture of solitude and kindness, an anonymous donor gave an incredible $5,000 to add to the $2,000 reward that the Block family came up with. They were hopeful that maybe the money would get someone to come forward and talk. But 29 days from the time Jaz went missing would come and go, and still, there was no sign of her.

Earl Melchert

Then, on September 5, almost one month from the time that Jaz had gone missing, Earl Melchert, a 65-year old retired farmer, saw what he thought was a deer in the distance. Melchert was an avid hunter, so he noticed animals running through the fields, so as he drove by the field, his eyes immediately went to the moving object. But what he had originally assumed to be a deer was actually a young girl. According to Earl, “I would have been there (at home) about a minute. But I happened to look out and I saw a speck. Eventually she got close to me and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s a woman.’ Then pretty soon I said, ‘No, it’s a young girl’.”