Unexpected Twist In Case Of Missing N.Y. Teen Jaliek Rainwalker

Since New York teen Jaliek Rainwalker disappeared on November 1, 2007, his adoptive grandmother, Barbara Reeley, has been endlessly searching for her missing grandson.

With the help of Tim Miller -- the founder of missing persons search group Texas Equusearch -- a full fleet of boats, airplanes and dedicated volunteers were dispatched to look for him.

But after months of searching, with no promising leads as to his whereabouts or any word from Jaliek, cops in Upstate New York say Barbara went beyond the bounds of the law to find him.

On July 10, 2008, authorities tell AMW that Jaliek's grandmother broke into her daughter's house, the residence where Jaliek had lived with his adoptive family. 

What she found has shaken the missing persons case to its core: she discovered the yellow pullover which Jaliek had been wearing on the day he went missing.

When the Cambridge-Greenwich (N.Y.) Police got word of the break-in, they were surprised that Barbara had gone into her own daughter's home to look for evidence.

Authorities say they were excited about the discovery, but were forced to charge Barbara with Third Degree Burglary for the home invasion. She was later released on her own recognizance.

Authorities say the evidence has breathed life into the investigation, and they are now performing an exhaustive search of the home in hopes of finding more clues to Jaliek's whereabouts.

His adoptive parents have declined to give police a statement regarding the clothing, but friends and family members are hoping that this is the clue that breaks the baffling, heartbreaking case wide open.

If you know anything about Jaliek Rainwalker's disappearance, call the AMW Hotline at 1-800-CRIME-TV right now. You can remain anonymous.

--By Shelaney Campbell, AMW Staff