After 7 years, Mary Lands still missing

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) - Not a day goes by Anita and Cliff Marshall don't think about March 12, 2004. That's the day their daughter, Mary Lands, disappeared.

"Every moment of the day. And I've woken up in the middle of the night crying a few times," said Cliff Marshall, Mary's father.

Seven years later, the Marshalls have decided it's time to put what they've known in their hearts on the record.

They've petitioned the court to declare Mary legally dead, and will be in probate court on April 13, 2011.

For Anita, it was a practical conclusion.

"We knew we wanted the kids to get on with their lives. And so we felt that we'd ease their pain a little bit once we declared her deceased and they could move on."

But it was a tougher decision for Cliff.

"I really didn't want to do it, because I didn't know if I could take it. That's pretty rough."

Mary Lands' story has been told a number of times over the years. Her boyfriend at the time, Chris Pratt, reported her missing. They'd argued the night before.

There is still suspicion surrounding Pratt, who's now serving time for beating up another girlfriend.

But despite the efforts of police, a private eye who volunteered to help the family and an entire community that wants to see justice, they've never been able to gather enough evidence to charge Pratt.

And they've never found Mary's body.

Her family's convinced she's buried in a nearby swamp.

"Everyday we get up hoping that we'll get the knock on the door," Cliff said.

Marshall police aren't giving up hope that they will someday have some answers.

"I can tell you I think about the case every day and every night," said Marshall Police Lt. Scott McDonald. "The case is not forgotten. People out there have information about what happened. I don't know if sands of time will wear on them to the point of coming forward. But I do believe something will break on this."

Until the family gets that knock on the door, they'll invite friends and members of that concerned community to the Dexter Lake Church of God in Battle Creek on March 12 for a 1 p.m. memorial service. They hope to keep other women safe.

"Hopefully some woman is involved in domestic violence and she can hear Mary's story, read Mary's story and get out of the situation she might be in," said Anita.