Autumn Pasquale

Autumn Pasquale was a resident of a small town in Southern New Jersey. She was twelve when she disappeared on Saturday, October 20, 2012. The last time she was ever seen was Saturday afternoon, about 12:30. She was last seen riding her white BMX bike.

Autumn claimed she was going out to meet some friends, possibly to ride bikes on a trail through the park after soccer practice. When she wasn't home by her eight o'clock curfew, her parents called local police at about 9:30.

Quickly the news spread of the missing girl. Local police, state troopers, the FBI, and many other outside authorities, along with members of the town, began a search for Autumn on Sunday that continued to Monday. Local areas were swept, in the air and on the ground, for the girl, while residents handed out flyers with information concerning her disappearance. In the media, the same information was given out through places such as Twitter, Facebook, radio stations, and news outlets.

When Monday came around, search parties were still out looking, with no new leads being uncovered. Many skipped school to join the effort of finding the missing girl, and a $10,000 reward was put in place for anyone with any knowledge of Autumn's whereabouts.

Then tragic news stuck the night of October 22.

At eight o'clock her parents were having a vigil in her memory. About an hour later or so, a tip came in notifying police her body was hidden in a trash bin not too far from her home. At about ten o'clock that evening, the body was recovered.

Autumn had been stuffed in a recycling can, which was placed outside an abandoned home. Police searched the neighboring house and found her BMX bike and other evidence linking to her death. Two brothers that lived in the house, ages 15 and 17, were the ones to end her life.

The youngest brother, apparently someone who fixes bikes often, lured her to his house with promises of parts for her BMX bike. He actually wanted the bike for himself.

Along with his older brother, they killed Autumn with blunt force trauma and strangling.

Police have had problems with the house before due to claims of stolen bikes. The boys' mother was the one to turn them in, after seeing Facebook posts made by the youngest brother.

The two have been charged with first degree murder, conspiracy to murder, tampering with evidence, theft, and the youngest was charged with luring.

The prosecutor is not sure if the two will be charged as adults, though they more than likely will. The medical examiner says there seemed to be no sign of sexual assault. No details could be released on whether or not Autumn struggled during her death.

This is so heartbreaking. As someone who lives in the same community as Autumn and her killers, I'm shocked, upset, and scared, to say the least. Autumn was in seventh grade, I've never seen her around before, but I know many that have. I've seen her killers around school, even joked with one of them last year.

What hurts me the most is knowing I did nothing to help find her. She was being killed and her body hidden while I sat inside on my computer, not even helping looking for her.

It's so sad to know what happened to her, and why. She didn't deserve this, no one ever does.

Please remember this is an ongoing investigation. Most information here was obtained through the news conference held today on the matter.

A Facebook page in her memory has been created, with over 66,000 likes already, and counting.

Please keep Autumn, and her family, in your hearts.