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Search for Missing Woman Expands to Tioga County

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP — The search for a missing woman connected to last week’s home invasion near Montoursville now spans three counties. The search st...

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP -- The search for a missing woman connected to last week's home invasion near Montoursville now spans three counties.

The search started in Lycoming County, moved to Bradford County, and has now moved into Tioga County.

State police began searching an area near Blossburg around 9 a.m. Monday, but they still have not found Michelle Inch.

Led by state police, a group of about 80 people searched for Inch from the sky, on ATVs, and on foot.

Inch was last seen on Tuesday, several hour before her boyfriend Michael Houseweart and another man allegedly broke into her parent's home, tied them up with duct tape, and set their home on fire.

State police tell us they were able to trace both Inch's phone and Houseweart's phone to an area near Blossburg. That cell phone activity was sometime Tuesday night after Inch was last seen in Canton.

Troopers have shifted their focus to a 10-mile radius between Canton and Hamilton Township.

Emergency crews, state police, and firefighters from three counties walked through the heavily wooded area for hours, but so far there is still no sign of Inch.

Heavy police presence was a surprise for locals.

"We seen the helicopters, plenty of four wheelers, UTVs, police vehicles, game warden. They are all up here. It's been a very, very busy day on the mountain," said Jennifer Hibbert of Canton.

State police tell us they finished up the search for Monday and do not plan to come back to that area on Tuesday.

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