SAN ANTONIO — A new clue has surfaced in the search for a woman at the center of a murder investigation.
Freda Michelle Thomas is considered the prime suspect in the death of 88-year-old Robert Isaacks.
His dead body was found wrapped in a tarp near Ozona two days after both were seen entering his home November 15.
Thomas left alone. Isaacks' family says they've never seen her before.
Both Thomas and Isaacks' jeep have yet to be found.
While working to solve her grandfather's murder case, Stephanie Holan uncovered a clue. She also recognized a great need for families in a similar situation -- and decided to do something about it.
"Today marks 15 days since my grandfather passed away."
At the same time Stephanie Holan learned her grandfather, Robert Isaacks, was murdered, she discovered more disturbing information.
"I ended up coming across case after case after case in Bandera especially, but the surrounding areas, and seeing that there are so many missing people who have yet to be found or recovered," Holan explained.
Holan is an attorney in criminal law and family law.
She realized the way she's updating the public on her grandfather's case, not every family has the same resources or legal knowledge.
"There's no book on how to handle the loss of a person in a murder situation -- especially if somebody is missing or you have a loved one that's just missing and you don't know either way," Holan said.
Holan decided she'd put her whole heart into every missing persons case she finds. She says it's what her grandparents would have wanted.
"In the middle of all of this horrible, here's a positive. I started the Robert & Joan Isaacks Foundation."
The non-profit launched three days ago with three goals:
- Serve the Texas public with the intention of going national
- Raise reward funds to find missing people or suspected criminals
- Work on legislation to make public safety alerts the same in all 50 states
"There's this whole group of individuals that are completely missed by the alert system," Holan explained. "A silver alert can only be issued if they're 65 or older and they have an active diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's. My grandfather is 88, but he didn't have dementia or Alzheimer's."
"The next alert is called a clear alert, and that's for people who are the ages of 18 to 64," she added. "You have this group of people who are losing loved ones and need help with people just looking out for them. They don't qualify for any of the alerts, which is from personal experience very unfortunate. A harsh place to find yourself in."
Anyone who supports making changes to public safety alerts, Holan says, can fill out this form.
"There are so many people who have hit that point where they feel like they hit a dead end or it just fell off the radar for law enforcement. They don't really either know where to go or have anywhere else to go," Holan explained. "I promise anybody who's listening, there are people who care."
As authorities continue the manhunt for Freda Michelle Thomas, Holan uncovered a clue: a tattoo on the suspect's left arm.
"Her tattoo says, we are all made of stars. It's a quote from Carl Sagan," said Holan.
During Holan's sleuthing over the last 15 days, she says she learned more information about Thomas' family.
"I found out the family of the suspect in my grandfather's murder had a sister who died of breast cancer in the last few years. As a parent myself, I can't imagine losing one child that way and then finding out that my child was wanted for something else -- my remaining child. That puts you in mourning and grief yourself," Holan explained. "There's struggle and grief in her family. And so I wish nothing ill on her family."
Holan said she just has one question for the suspect, although she recognizes no answer would be satisfactory.
She wants to know why.
"Why couldn't you just leave him? Why did you take him and dispose of his body two hours away?" Holan asked. "It's a really hard thing to process when you're sitting there imagining what these last moments were."
A Facebook page launched for the Robert & Joan Isaacks Foundation. There, you'll be able to communicate directly with Holan. Soon, Holan will create video segments on missing persons and share them on social media.
For families who wish to start a profile on their missing loved one as part of the Robert & Joan Isaacks Foundation, fill out this Google form.
Holan says anyone who donates to the foundation will be eligible for a tax write-off.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Freda Michelle Thomas or the missing jeep, call police.