Tracy Ocasio missing in Orlando/ Only suspect in the case, James Hataway, to face trial for the false imprisonment, robbery and battery of another woman, Rachel Clarke. Found Guilty!

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Award Offered In Missing Woman Case
Police Say Tracy Ocasio Left Bar With James Hataway
POSTED: 3:07 am EDT June 2, 2009
UPDATED: 5:30 pm EDT June 3, 2009


Other Links:

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Suspect In Missing Woman Case May Be Tied To 5 Others

Posted: 5:12 pm EDT June 3, 2009
Updated: 5:34 pm EDT June 3, 2009

Kesse's Parents See Link To Ocasio Case
Missing Women Frequented Same Areas, Bar

POSTED: 2:24 pm EDT June 4, 2009
UPDATED: 2:35 pm EDT June 4, 2009


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Video of Hataway & Tracy leaving bar.Also Hataway ex roomate.

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More video from the bar.Also shows a man leaving after Hattaway & Tracy (the man looks similar to Hattaway)

I may have been mistaken about another man leaving the bar after Hattaway & Tracy.
I think it showed Hattaway twice.

PRIME SUSPECT IN DISAPPEARANCE OF OCOEE WOMAN TRACY OCASIO JAMES HATAWAY LINKED TO JENNIFER KESSE

Posted by Blink | James Hataway, Jennifer Kesse, Kidnapping, Missing Persons, Onda Chris George, Tracy Ocasio, Tyler Watters | Friday 5 June 2009 8:23 am

Ocoee, FL-In the latest development in the case of missing 27 year old Ocoee woman Tracy Ocasio, Orlando Police want to talk to James Hataway about what he may know about the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse.

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This is so sad for her family. My hope is that the Person of Interest IS the same guy that kidnapped jennifer K, maybe he will tell the truth and where her body is as part of a plea deal. It would help her parents to finally have closure.

That is a wonderful thing. I have to wonder why Tim seems to be drawn to the Florida missing so much. But I am def NOT complaining!

Texas EquuSearch plans search for missing Ocoee woman on Saturday

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there are probably few people who specialize in high profile missing persons, and Tim Miller is one of them.

Blnk on Crime:
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Excellent letter writings campaigns have worked in the past. I listed all the state officials on a HaLeigh Cummings Attention Thread.

Reward in Tracy Ocasio case raised to $20,000
The dentist of Tracy Ocasio's father put up $10,000.

The reward for information on a missing Ocoee woman's whereabouts was doubled Wednesday to $20,000.

It's the second time this week that the reward doubled.

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A boot was found in the woods during a routine police exercise. Reports are stating that Tracy owned a pair similar to the one found. I pray that this leads to her precious body and good, solid evidence against the monster who did this.

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Mayhem, thanks for this article. I completely agree with you. This case needs to come to and end and the monster arrested. I also hope this leads to some clues on Jennifer Kesse's disappearance.

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Updated: 11:45 am EDT August 27, 2009

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A boot could be a new lead in the case of an Ocoee woman missing for three months. Wednesday night, investigators told Eyewitness News they found one boot in some woods in Ocoee two days ago that they believe belongs to Tracy Ocasio (see the boot).

Ocasio went missing three months ago. Police say the last person to see her was James Hataway. He is still being held in jail on unrelated charges.

SEE THE BOOT: Large Image Of Boot Found
IMAGES: Search In Area Where Boot Was Found
VIDEO REPORT: Boot Found In Woods May Be Ocasio's
RAW VIDEO: Hataway Bond Hearing
READ: Hataway's Booking History
"We have recently found a boot. The boot was found in the wood line after a recent search," said Sgt. Mike Bryant, Ocoee Police Department.

Orange County deputies on horseback were conducting routine training near Highway 50 and Bluford Avenue (see map) in Orange County when they stumbled across the boot.

"The boot was shown to the Ocasio family, who distributed [pictures] to her friends, asking, 'hey, did Tracy ever have a boot like this?,' and one of the friends said, 'yes.'" explained Sgt. Bryant.

Beginning Thursday, Florida Department of Law Enforcement laboratory investigators will spend a couple of days analyzing the boot found in the woods. They plan on testing the boot for DNA evidence that could link it to Ocasio.

On Wednesday night, police received a Crimeline tip that a body might be inside a freezer on an abandoned property off Avalon Road in west Orange County. However, when investigators searched it, all they found were animal bones in some bags (read report). The abandoned property was an animal farm where people would drop off their dying pets but it has not been in business for two years.

omg :( !!

So sad.

There is a new thread in Tracey's section that said they had recovered a boot but had not formally ID'd it yet.

OMG, this is so heartbreaking!!! I hope they bring this Gallagher dude down!! He may be also connected to Jennifer Kesse's disappearance.

i am so sorry, this is a double thread, my fault. I didn't realize Tracey had a TOPIC HEADING.

S O R R Y!

Good morning all!

Looks as though they're reporting that there was insufficient DNA on the boot to test whether or not it belonged to Tracy. UGH!! The link to the story is below. I was so hoping that this could bring some answers to her parents. And
potentially Jennifer's too.

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mayhem wrote:Good morning all!

Looks as though they're reporting that there was insufficient DNA on the boot to test whether or not it belonged to Tracy. UGH!! The link to the story is below. I was so hoping that this could bring some answers to her parents. And
potentially Jennifer's too.

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Ugh!! is correct! I thought that the parents ID'd the boot as Tracy's.

Thanks for the article.

I thought that some of her friends ID'd the boot as Tracy's boot? This is such a sad case, for both sets of parents, hers and Jennifer's.

Yes, you guys heard right. Apparently, there was a friend that did identify the boot as one similar to what Tracy would wear. I also remember reading (from the parents' website) that a friend that was with her part of the evening that night said she WAS wearing these boots the evening she went missing.

So sad that there wasn't enough DNA to positively link and say that it was hers. I'm sure they'll keep the boot, though. And hopefully they'll find its match and other evidence that will make the connection.

I believe they've searched this area since to no avail. Makes you wonder if this area really holds anything else of interest, or if this monster randomly discarded her belongings over a large area in Orlando after the fact.

Here's a link to the family's website and the father's comments about the hellish journey their on. Breaks my heart.

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Thanks for the link, Mayhem.

You're welcome, Critter!

Here's a link to Hattaway's appearance in court this week on an unrelated charge. Looks as though he's been working out in prison and has that scary, smug look on his face.

He waived his right to a speedy trial for the assault charge on another woman last summer. Tracy's mom was in the courtroom, as she vowed she'll keep doing.

I hope they can link this creep to Tracy's disappearance soon. At least he's in prison and cannot harm another soul for now, but for how long?

Tracy's mom mentions in the article that she's starting to clean out her daughter's vanity items, coming to terms that she may not come home alive. She hasn't brought herself to go through the clothes, yet, though. How heartwrenching!

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An Orange County judge set a trial date in the state's criminal mischief case against James Hataway.

Hataway, 29, has made headlines this year because authorities consider him a person of interest in the disappearance of 27-year-old Tracy Ocasio. He was the last person seen with the Ocoee woman before she vanished on May 27.

Ocasio's mother, Liz Ocasio, attended the court hearing this morning. Orange County Judge Steve Jewett set the trial for Jan. 12 – that is if officials transport Hataway from the Seminole County jail where he's being held on unrelated charges, the judge said.

The Orange County charge dates back to April when Hataway was accused of punching a van on A.D. Mims Road and causing more than $700 in damages.



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Many think he also abducted Jennifer Kessee.

James Hataway walked into an Orange County Courtroom Tuesday with a smirk on his face. For the first time we heard Hataway talk and he spoke quite a bit. Hataway is the lone suspect in the disappearance of missing Ocoee, Tracy Ocasio. But he wasn’t on trial for anything to do with Tracy’s disappearance. Today he was fighting Criminal Mischief charges.

Police say he put a fist sized dent in a woman’s car on April 19th. The car’s owner says she was driving her fan when she approached a crowd of people leaving a party. And, as she slowed down to pass through, she told police a bald headed white main wearing a “wife beater” tank top punched her van. In court, Hataway denied the allegations. He even got sassy with prosecutors. “Did you notice any other bald white male who looked like you wearing, same clothes you were wearing?” asked the assistant state attorney trying prosecuting the case. “There were a lot of people there. But I wasn’t in the business of looking for people that resembled,” Hataway answered.

The defense had Hataway disrobe, questioning why the witnesses didn’t use any one of 8 tattoos marking Hataway’s upper body as a description. Hataway hummed a song as he put his shirt back on. His behavior disgusted Tracy Ocasio’s mother. “He’s been cocky through out everything,” said Liz Ocasio. One of her daughter’s best friends sat behind her. “I got chills up my spine. He caught my eye contact with me it was like he saw a ghost,” said Tiffani Rodriguez.

To their disappointment in the end, the jury found Hataway not guilty Suspicious Activity charge. Hataway smirked and did a little dance as he was taken out of the courtroom in handcuffs. He’ll be extradited to Seminole County where he’s facing charges for severely beating a young woman.

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A trial date is expected to be set Wednesday for the man who's a person of interest in Tracy Ocasio's disappearance.

James Hataway may find out this afternoon when he'll face trial for the false imprisonment, robbery and battery of Rachel Clarke.
Tracy Ocasio's mom, Liz Ocasio, says she'd like to see a conviction.
"If he gets a lot of jail time, I'll be somewhat satisfied because every day that he spends in jail just gives us more time to find Tracy and then to go after him for what he did to her as well," said the elder Ocasio.
She says she's also still hopeful that professional searchers will find her daughter.
"We have been waiting for what just happened, for all the vegetation to die down, it makes their job easier."
Tracy Ocasio hasn't been seen since she left a bar with Hataway last May.

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Many speculate Hataway killed Jennifer Kesse as well.

This guy is a jerk personified!!!

I got an email from a friend in Florida and she talked about this young woman. She said a big search was planned for this week. Anybody know anything about it?

Nada. Let me look around.

By Anthony Colarossi, Orlando Sentinel
5:11 p.m. EDT, May 7, 2010
Search Team: New Tracy Ocasio search set for Saturday

May cannot be an easy month in the Ocasio home. Mother's Day comes Sunday and later this month will mark the one-year anniversary of Tracy Ocasio's disappearance.

But on Saturday, Ocasio's parents hope a new search, conducted by a group of 40 or so volunteers, will turn up still undiscovered clues in their missing daughter's case. The young woman's mother, Elizabeth Ocasio, described her feelings as "hopeful" on the eve of the search.

"The not knowing is the hardest part," she said Friday. "I know we're looking for a shallow grave of some sort."

The positive identification of remains — Tracy's bones — would at least confirm for her parents that she is gone. Then, Elizabeth Ocasio said, "We can lay her to rest."

"Finding her is one part and punishing the person that did this to her, that phase would begin," she said.

The searchers on Saturday hope to cover ground that was not thoroughly scoured in earlier search efforts.

"We're going to be looking at areas we have not previously been in," said Kathy Johnston with Search and Rescue of Central Florida.

Tracy Ocasio, then 27, vanished May 27 after she was seen at the Florida Tap Room in MetroWest. Many suspect that James Virgil Hataway was involved in her disappearance, including her father Joe Ocasio. Security video shows her leaving the bar with Hataway.

Hataway is awaiting trial on a charge of attempted murder in connection with a 2008 attack on a woman in Seminole County. Last month, that trial was delayed until June at the earliest.

Johnston said that areas around Ocoee-Apopka Road and near where Tracy Ocasio's car was found not far from Hataway's home have been searched. However, undeveloped and wooded areas between the Tap Room where the car was found have not been the focus of searches, and Johnston said that's where volunteers intend to concentrate their efforts Saturday.

The certified searchers will be joined by police dogs and their handlers. It is set to start at 7 a.m. The five or six teams doing the searching already have been selected.

"We're doing only certified searchers as opposed to the general public," Johnston said.

She did encourage anyone with information about seeing Ocasio late last May or recollections of the days immediately after she went missing to contact authorities, such as Ocoee police or Crimeline.

"Somebody may have heard something in the days after," Johnston said. "It's just hard to believe an entire person could disappear off the face of the earth and nobody see anything. There's somebody out there that definitely knows what happened to Tracy Ocasio."

Joe and Elizabeth Ocasio will not take part in the searching, but they will meet with searchers at a command post during the day. Part of the effort will include a search for Tracy Ocasio's keys with metal detectors. Boats with special scanning equipment also are expected to be used.

"I don't know if you can really prepare yourself for what they may find," Elizabeth Ocasio said.

And if they find nothing?

"If they don't, it's like we're going to just keep on trying," she said. "We're not giving up."

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Father: New tip in Tracy Ocasio case

By Mark Schlueb, ORLANDO SENTINEL
9:40 p.m. EDT, August 8, 2010

A new tip in the year-old disappearance of Tracy Ocasio could lead to another search for her remains, according to her father.

Joe Ocasio said today that detectives from the Ocoee Police Department had received a tip about his daughter's disappearance during their investigation of an unrelated case.

The 27-year-old Ocasio vanished after watching an Orlando Magic game at the Taproom bar on Raleigh Street in Orlando's MetroWest neighborhood on May 27, 2009.

Witnesses saw her leave with James Hataway, 29, who is jailed on attempted-murder charges in an unrelated case. He has not been charged with anything related to Ocasio.

Joe Ocasio said Ocoee police told him they plan to search an area of West Ocoee the week of Aug. 23, perhaps with help from search dogs. He didn't know any details of the tip, and Ocoee police could not be reached this evening.

There have been repeated searches for Ocasio since her disappearance, but police have turned up little information. Just two months ago, divers searched Ocoee's Lake Bennett but came up empty.

On Tuesday, Joe and Liz Ocasio will mark their daughter's birthday without her.

"I thought that by now time would have helped heal but unfortunately it still feels like it happened yesterday. Not knowing what happened to her, if she suffered or not and not being able to find her body to at least have some type of closure has been a living nightmare," Joe Ocasio said.

"We continue to hope and pray that one day sooner than later one of these tips will lead us to a break in her case that would help us find her and get justice."

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Joe Ocasio said Ocoee police told him they plan to search an area of West Ocoee the week of Aug. 23, perhaps with help from search dogs. He didn't know any details of the tip, and Ocoee police could not be reached this evening.

Why are they waiting for 6 more weeks to search if they have a tip now? Can't be reached for comment? They are the police. Unreal, but great article!

A new tip will take detectives to an area in West Ocoee to search for missing woman Tracy Ocasio, according to her father, Joe.
Detectives are expected to comb the area this week because of a new tip.
Oscasio was last seen leaving a bar in Metro West in Orlando in May of 2009.
The 29-year-old left the bar with James Hataway, according to investigators in Orange County.
Hataway is currently in jail on attempted murder charges in a separate case.

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Volunteers Search For Missing Ocoee Woman Tracy Ocasio
Posted: 10:50 am EST November 20, 2010
Updated: 11:43 am EST November 20, 2010

OCOEE, Fla. -- New information in the case of missing Ocoee woman Tracy Ocasio led volunteers to start another search Saturday morning.

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OCOEE --
The search resumes this weekend for missing Ocoee woman Tracy Ocasio.

The 29-year-old hasn't been seen since May 2009 when she was seen leaving a MetroWest bar.

The lone suspect in the case, James Hataway, was seen on surveillance video leaving the bar with Ocasio.

However, he has not been charged with her disappearance.

Hataway is in Seminole County Jail, accused of attacking another woman.

There have been numerous searches for Ocasio, but none have turned up any major clues in the case.

The search was prompted by the drug arrest of an associate of Hataway who told police where to look for bodies.

A second potential victim is thought to be Chris George, who also knew Hataway.

"From the area where Chris was last seen to area where we are searching is not that far,” said Joe Ocasio, Tracey’s father. “And it’s an area where Hataway was known to hang out."

"I feel like Joe does. These two cases are connected and advances in one lead to advances in the other," said Rachael George, Chris’ mother.

The command center for today's search is at Vingetti Park on Adair Street in Ocoee.

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Dec 15, 2010
A status conference on the case against James Hataway was cancelled Wednesday after his lawyer told Circuit Judge Donna L. McIntosh that some discovery issues had, for the most part, been resolved.

Jeff Leukel, attorney for Hataway, the man suspected in the Tracy Ocasio missing-persons case in Ocoee, told McIntosh that he had six more witnesses to dispose. Hataway did not appear before the judge.

Hataway is a suspect in Ocasio's disappearance last year but has not been charged. He is in jail in Seminole County, though, for a similar crime: attempted murder.

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Family updates here
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Did I see her case on one of the latest 'Disappeared'? I somehow missed this case from the beginning but I do think I saw it on some show.

Lindamarie, thanks for posting these updates & pictures! I somehow missed this thread, and just caught up on it.

Tracy looks like a beautiful young woman (inside & out), and it is so sad to think that her life may have been snuffed out by this creep! As I read the articles about him, I saw an ongoing theme of his violence towards women. (I would be interested in his upbringing & his relationship with his mother.) Seeing that he was the one last seen with Tracy, he most likely murdered her. It is all so very tragic & my heart goes out to her family & friends. I truly hope that this is the year that Tracy will be found, and this creep will be locked away for a long, long time!!

I just found this info about Hataway's upbringing & his mother:

OCOEE, Fla. -- Eyewitness News learned that one more person has come forward Wednesday, claiming James Hataway attacked her.

Ocoee police arrested James Hataway (read booking history) late Monday night, who they say was the last person to see missing 27-year-old Tracy Ocasio on May 27 after a Magic game. He has been named the prime suspect in her disappearance.

Ocoee police have linked a total of six possible victims to James Hataway, including Ocasio.

The sixth alleged victim came forward Wednesday and told investigators she had been roughed up by him.

"This Jimmy has a preponderance to do violence, he snaps, he gets angry, it's always a woman, ride home, end up alone," said Sgt. Mike Bryant, Ocoee Police Department.

A Casselberry woman told Eyewitness News Tuesday that Hataway tried to kill her last August. Ocoee wants Seminole County investigators to increase the charges in that case from battery to at least aggravated battery or attempted murder.

"We're hoping Seminole County will step up their charges to keep Jimmy in jail while we continue to look for Tracey," said Sgt. Bryant.

As days go by and more of James Hataway's past comes out, Ocasio's parents are in disbelief that he was ever on the streets.

"Incredible that he's involved in so many suspicious disappearances," said Joe Ocasio, Tracy's Father.

Ocoee police say they are getting dozens of leads and looking for more possible victims. They do know Hataway worked clearing shore lines and dumping debris illegally.

"He's very familiar with going out into open land at night and not getting caught dumping land debris and waste, that's a concern oh yeah," said Bryant.

Eyewitness News learned more about James Hataway. The 28-year-old lived with his father in Ocoee. He also worked with his father dredging ponds. From 1993 to 1998, Hataway was in and out of juvenile hall. He has an extensive record of drugs, DUI and traffic violations.

Crime line has put up a $5,000 reward for information that leads to Tracy Ocasio's whereabouts. Police have Ocasio's car and they are going through it, looking for clues. At a hearing Tuesday, Judge Heather Higbee revoked Hataway's bond on an earlier case of criminal mischief and he is being held on no Bond. However, a bond of $500 was granted on a current misdemeanor charge, but Hataway remains in the Orange County jail.


SUSPECT'S MOTHER TALKS TO WFTV

Donna Hataway is James' mother. She told Eyewitness News Wednesday that she's lost touch with her son over the years. Donna says she spent a lot of time with him in juvenile court, but hoped that he would turn his life around.

Donna said James was soft spoken. Donna, who is hearing impaired, says she heard about her son James' most recent trouble on the news.

For a while, Donna says she was living on the streets and just moved back to town about two years ago.

"Do you think he's capable of hurting, possibly murdering people?" asked WFTV reporter Kathi Belich.

"No I don't think so, because I tried to bring him up the right way," she replied.

Donna says she's worried and admits he was a troubled child with a serious juvenile criminal record, which sent him to a boot camp program.

"He improved, he improved and started to get straightened up and thought about what he did," she said.

Donna said he dropped out of high school, but did get his G.E.D. and said he does construction work and also worked at Perkins and Starbucks.

Donna blames his problems on drugs and says even though she hasn't seen him for years; she'd like to visit him in jail.

"I would say that, 'I love you no matter what good or bad. You'll always be my son,'" said Donna.

POLICE BELIEVE SUSPECT IS TIED TO MAN'S DISAPPEARANCE

As more people hear about the case, it's becoming an eerie game of six degrees of separation and James Hataway is in the middle.

Eyewitness News learned that Hataway was one of two people, who last saw a missing Apopka man.

Wednesday night, Apopka police picked up Tyler Watters. Watters is a friend of Hataway and someone who they believe may have information about the disappearance of the Apopka man.

In February, Chris George's car was found abandoned in a wooded area in Apopka. Initially, family and friends did not take it seriously. They looked for George, who also goes by the name George Onda, and didn't find him, but assumed he did not want to be found.

They thought the 29-year-old took off and went on a drug-induced binge. It was not uncommon for him to disappear for two to three weeks and then come home.

Jams Hathaway helped with the search for his friend. He was one of the last people to see George and told police that George may have been on hallucinogens.

Apopka police initially closed out the case, but now that James Hataway maybe involved in Tracy Ocasio's disappearance, detectives have reopened the case.

Authorities are in the process of re-interviewing all of George's friends, but they are still trying to locate one friend who is considered a person of interest.

Investigators say Hataway and that person of interest were the last people to see George before he disappeared.

Apopka police investigators say they did not consider George an endangered missing person based on what friends and family members told authorities at the time.

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It sounds like Hataway has had a rough life, and the drugs didn't help him any! His mother sounds like she cares about him, but had problems of her own (probably also into the drug scene) and wasn't very involved with him growing up. This doesn't excuse his behaviour, but it helps me to understand how someone like him becomes this way.

I agree, Rainbow. And, thanks for that report. WOW!! It really put's the light on how Hattaway was raised. I doubt he ever had a solid upbringing and I also think his rage against other women definitely goes back to his mother. Why was she living on the streets? What happened to that family to cause their son to become such a monster.

I genuinely feel for all the victim's and their families that have loved ones missing or have been in contact with Hattaway.