WEST JORDAN Utah (ABC 4 News) - A former FBI agent says the murder of a 6-year old girl doesn't have the markings of a sex offender.
Tuesday, Sierra Newbold was taken from her home, sexually assaulted and her body was dumped in a nearby canal according to West Jordan police.
On Friday, police continued their investigation but offered no information about a suspect.
"The timing doesn't fit well for someone to be prowling," says Lou Bertram a former FBI agent.
Newbold was taken from her home sometime after 7 a.m. according to police.
"That hour bothers me a little bit," Bertram says.
Police have been going door to door since they began their investigation. Bertram says one group of people investigators focus on are convicted sex offenders who live in the area.
ABC 4 News learned there were a dozen sex offenders on Utah's Sex Offender registry that live within a mile of the Newbold family.
Police would not say if there were any obvious signs of a break-in at the home. But they do say her father had left the house to go to work leaving behind the mother and her children.
Bertram says police will investigate the family to rule them out as suspects.
"You have to step on toes and rule them out as quickly as possible," he says.
Police say there were others living in the household including brothers and sisters. ABC 4 News checked family records and learned the oldest was a 17-year old boy.
Bertram says police will also expand their circle from the family to acquaintances and maintaince people and neighbors.
"Look at the (Eliabeth) Smart case," Bertram says. "It was an early hour abduction and police missed that it was a maintaince worker. He (Brian MItchell) had access to the house."
Bertram says West Jordan police need to tap into available resources in the valley.
"They need to be agressively investigating from the get go," he says. "They have to call in resources. The first 48-hours are the most critical."
In fact, the FBI was brought in to analyze the surveillance video taken by surveillance cameras at the Newbold home.
"It could be circumstantial but it could lead to a suspect in the abduction of the child," Bertram says.
