HOLLISTER, Calif.- "We suffered unspeakable trauma in a nightmare that we will never forget," said Grady Carroll, the husband of 25-year-old Hollister mom Heather Carroll.
On Friday night, missing person's fliers were burned by her friends and family as Grady spoke out against police, claiming officers could have saved his wife. We went to the family's home in Hollister, after Grady said he was ready to speak for the first time since they learned of Heather's tragic death. But we were surprised by the message, when we arrived.
"We searched for days, for nothing," Grady said.
A group of more than fifty people said when Heather went missing last week, police didn't act quickly enough to find her alive. 30-year-old David Quiroz, a close family friend, is charged with her murder. Family and friends said Quiroz started acting strange when she went missing.
"We told them we knew what happened and no one listened," Grady said.
Hollister police said investigators started looking for Heather the day she was reported missing and formed search parties to bring her home safely. But on Friday night Grady said police were told about Quiroz's strange behavior including text messages he sent to Heather that day. Her body was found inside Quiroz's home after a tense standoff with police, more than 24 hours after her disappearance. An autopsy report found Heather was beaten and choked to death.
In a statement police said "the departments stands by the investigation, all leads were acted upon in a timely manner and the department wants to extend its deepest condolences to the family." Friends and family said they need closure. So they decided to burn a whole stack of missing person's papers with Heather Carroll's picture on it.
"I am asking now that as a community we make sure that our children, mothers, wives and daughters are safe," Grady said.
Grady told us he wants to thank everyone who helped search for Heather in the days she was missing. The family plans to have a private memorial for her soon.
