WINDERMERE, Fla. — The Windermere Police Department has identified and contacted seven women whom investigators were concerned about, authorities said Wednesday.
Police said they were concerned about the well-being of nine women in photographs released Tuesday.
Seven of them were found alive, but police are still searching for the remaining women in the photographs.
Windermere police said the images were taken from videos.
"Our investigator has followed all of his leads. We've followed up on everything we possibly could, and at this point we haven't been able to identify anybody and we need to do that," Windermere Police Chief David Ogden said. "We are concerned for their safety and well-being."
Ogden said that since the agency released the photos on Tuesday, the department has already gotten a number of tips.
The photos have been shared hundreds of times on WFTV’s Facebook page, leading to tips for police from across the country.
An Oklahoma couple told Channel 9 they contacted Windermere police after recognizing one of the women by her tattoo. Another person emailed Channel 9, saying one of the women is a former coworker.
Police are not saying much about the circumstances surrounding their investigation, but they said the images were likely recorded between 2008 and 2013.
“After a lot of serious investigation and trying to unravel all the angles that we could, we just couldn’t go any further so we are asking for people’s help,” Ogden said.
Pictures released last year might be tied to a possible rape investigation involving Windermere resident Darryl Patterson. But police won't say whether the new photographs are tied to last year's photographs.
"The possibilities are these people could not be alive," Ogden said. "We're not sure. We certainly don't believe that they're safe, so we just want to make sure. We want to check on that."
Police said that investigation is ongoing and Patterson has not been arrested or charged.
A detective told Channel 9 police have received so many tips that he expects to have the remaining women identified within a month.
Cox Media Group
