By BRIANA O’HARA
The Leader-Herald
NORTHAMPTON — Saratoga Springs police and state police began to excavate property in Northampton on Route 30, up the road from the Northampton Diner on Tuesday and Wednesday, but have since stopped.
Police were able to get a search warrant on Tuesday after getting new leads to a missing girl who disappeared from Saratoga Springs 31 years ago.
Lt. Bob Jillson of Saratoga Springs Police Department said Tammie McCormick was reported missing by her mom in April 1986.
McCormick left her home in Saratoga Springs and never returned.
“Her whereabouts were not found,” Jillson said.
Jillson said McCormick frequently ran away from home.
“It would happen every now and then,” he added. “Recently, in the past couple months, we developed information to vet.”
He said it was enough information to get a search warrant to excavate the Northampton property.
“Over time people change,” Jillson said, referring to who came forth with the new information that wasn’t given out to police in 1986 or in 2011 when the case was reopened.
Jillson would not say what that information was and who gave the information, but it led police to the property in Northampton.
The Northampton property on Route 30 was the property of relatives of Arthur Mason Slaybaugh II, who was the person of interest. The Mt. McGregor Correctional officer was suspected of possibly killing McCormick when the case reopened in 2011.
“Unfortunately by the time the case reopened, he had passed away in 2001 of a heart attack,” Jillson said.
Police have yet to find anything while excavating the property.
“The case will remain open regardless,” Jillson said.
When it comes to the possibility of McCormick being alive, Jillson said “we like to keep an open mind.”
“Unless we figure out what happened to Tammie McCormick, the case will remain open,” Jillson said.
