Hundreds of Kotzebue residents gathered Thursday night in a candelight vigil for 10-year-old Ashley Johnson-Barr. But it's not just Kotzebue offering prayers in support of a family caught between hope and grief as they wait for word of the little girl with the sweet smile who's been missing for more than a week. By Friday, people in dozens of villages and cities across Alaska were holding walks or prayer sessions or wearing purple — the girl's favorite color — in support of the people of Kotzebue and Ashley's parents, Walter "Scotty" Barr and Josie Johnson. Their daughter disappeared Sept. 6. She was last seen at the Rainbow Park playground at 5:30 or 6 p.m., headed home. She never got there. Her cell phone, found in the street near the NANA Regional Corp. building, is the only physical evidence that's turned up, authorities said. As of Friday morning, walks had occurred or were planned in more than 40 Alaska communities, from Chevak and Chugiak to Wales and Wasilla, according to a list Kotzebue resident Maija Lukin put together. "Don't let anyone tell you Alaska isn't a small town. We stick together. We take care of our own," Lukin wrote. "Our whole state feels the hurt that Kotzebue feels. We are one." Scotty Barr said in a text message Friday that his daughter was a "very happy person" who "always had a smile no matter what." Ashley liked playing basketball and went to church every week, Barr wrote. She loved to use her allowance to buy things for her friends, he said. She loved her niece and was "willing to do anything for her." (Asuaq Too video) The family has repeatedly thanked searchers and community members for the support they're receiving. Upward of 300 people came to the candlelight vigil Thursday night in Kotzebue, organizer Kookie Ito said. They saw a cloud in the shape of an angel appear in the sky. "I'm OVERWHELMED the positive support we have," Ito wrote in a message Friday. Residents held a walk Wednesday night attended by about 150 people, some holding signs saying things like "Bring Ashley Home" and "One Missing Child is One Too Many." Since the weekend, people have stopped what they're doing every evening to pray at 5:30 p.m. That's not just in Kotzebue, Lukin says, but in neighboring villages, in other states, even other countries. People hug each other at the store, Lukin said. "There's a real sense of closeness that I've seen. People stop you on the street and ask you how are you doing? In times of tragedy, this place really becomes your entire family." Alaska State Troopers announced Thursday that the massive search effort that began days ago was shifting in focus to an investigation into what happened — and whether Johnson-Barr's disappearance involved a criminal act. A total of 26 law enforcement officers were working the case in Kotzebue on Friday, Alaska Department of Public Safety spokesman Jonathon Taylor said — 11 troopers, 12 FBI agents, three Kotzebue police officers, and one Village Public Safety Officer. Five other FBI agents that had traveled to Kotzebue had left the city for other assignments, Taylor said. Taylor said there had been discussions about cycling staff into the city, and putting new teams in place, in order to maintain a "robust level of law enforcement." Friday morning, the usual corps of 35 to 50 volunteers turned up at the Northwest Arctic Borough building for the 10 a.m. briefing. They were sent to neighborhoods still being canvassed to follow up on leads, and paired up with law enforcement, Taylor said. Other searchers went toward fish camps outside the city, Taylor said. A local tip line set up yesterday has brought in leads that officers are pursuing, Taylor said. The girl's Samsung smart phone is in Anchorage, where troopers are working with a forensic analyst and cell phone service provider to "try and pull some call details to see if any phone calls were received, text messages were received," he said. Kotzebue mayor Gayle Ralston said "somebody probably knows something" but isn't coming forward. "Especially knowing that in her case she lives on the north end of town. And her phone was found on the south end of town," Ralston said. He said the community appreciates all the support from Alaska and other states, and continues to hope for the best. "Hopefully it will be a good outcome on this but you know if it isn't, we're still going to support them, show them our love," the mayor said, of Johnson and Barr. "I'm very proud to be a resident of this community, the city of Kotzebue."<doc-sep>She was first reported missing on Sept. 6 after she failed to return home from a local playground, the Daily News reported. Johnson-Barr's father, Walter "Scotty" Barr said in a text message to the Daily News that his daughter was a "very happy person" who "always had a smile no matter what." Troopers said the investigation is continuing, KTUU reported.<doc-sep>Her phone was found a half-mile from the park where she was last seen — but in the opposite direction 10-Year-Old Alaska Girl Missing for More Than a Week as Police Investigate Possible Crime Authorities in Alaska are searching for a fifth-grader last seen at a local park more than a week ago — and the case is now considered a criminal investigation, PEOPLE confirms. Alaska State Troopers said in a statement that Ashley Johnson-Barr, 10, was last seen at about 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 6 at Rainbow Park playground in Kotzebue in northwest Alaska. Get push notifications with news, features and more. Her family reported her missing when she failed to return home, the post says. She was last seen wearing a pink sweater and jeans. Ashley’s cell phone was found in the street about a half-mile from the park but in the opposite direction from her home, according to a statement from Kotzebue Police Chief Thomas Milliette, the Anchorage Daily News reports. According to the outlet, Troopers’ Lt. Dave Hanson issued a statement Thursday saying, “Given the length of time that Ashley has been missing and the exhaustive efforts that have yet to result in her being found and reunited with family, as of this morning, we are shifting our focus towards the ongoing law enforcement investigation, including whether criminal activity may have been involved in her disappearance.” Authorities have searched the park and surrounding areas. Earlier this week, authorities expanded their search to the coastline of the Kotzebue Sound, local station KTVA reports. Ashley_Johnson_Barr_MissingPoster Ashley Johnson-Barr | Credit: Kotzebue Police Department • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Ashley is close to her family, responsible and not someone who would run away or hide, her father, Walter “Scotty” Barr, told local station KTUU. When Barr realized that Ashley had gone missing, “Our hearts were really racing,” he told KTVA. “Our minds were very clear. Our main focus was to look at the main places that she does go.” With her 8:30 p.m. curfew, Barr said he grew worried when she failed to come home before nightfall, KTUU reports. He said he called her cell phone about “20 times” before someone answered saying it had been found near the NANA Regional Corp. building, in the opposite direction from the park to their home.<doc-sep>
Federal investigators said Friday evening they have made an arrest in connection with the disappearance of Ashley Johnson-Barr, whose body was found east of Kotzebue earlier in the day after she'd been missing more than a week. Peter Wilson of Kotzebue, 41, has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of the 10-year-old girl, and faces charges of making false statements to a federal agent, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said. "He's being transferred to Anchorage to face these charges," the agency said in a written statement. [Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Anchorage Daily News here.] Agents are working to "process the scene" where the body was found, said Staci Feger-Pellessier, an FBI spokesperson, late Friday. She did not refer to the location of the body's discovery as a crime scene. "All I can tell you is the investigation continues," she said. The missing Kotzebue girl was found dead on Friday afternoon, Alaska State Troopers said. "After eight days, the search for Ashley has come to an unfortunate end," troopers said in a written statement. "Late this afternoon, Ashley was located deceased by law enforcement and volunteer canvas teams in an area east of the City of Kotzebue. Alaska State Troopers, the FBI, Kotzebue Police Department, and the Northwest Arctic Borough extend our sincerest condolences to Ashley's family, friends, and community." Johnson-Barr went missing on Sept. 6. She had been seen at Rainbow Park playground at 5:30 or 6 p.m.. She was reported missing after she failed to return home. In the search that followed, dozens of law enforcement officials traveled to Kotzebue, including 17 FBI agents. Across Alaska, communities from Chevak and Chugiak to Wales and Wasilla planned walks in support of Johnson-Barr and her family. In Kotzebue, hundreds attended a candle light vigil on Thursday evening. Johnson-Barr's father, Walter "Scotty" Barr said in a text message earlier Friday that his daughter was a "very happy person" who "always had a smile no matter what." Ashley liked playing basketball and went to church every week, Barr wrote. She loved to use her allowance to buy things for her friends, he said. She loved her niece and was "willing to do anything for her."