We congratulate T.C. on this this merit award presented by the Va. State Police and his long term service to his state. Catherine accompanied Jennifer, shared in the moment and took these pictures. From the news article. (Hover your mouse over the picture above and you can cycle through the photos). From a story on Facebook:"
"Five Virginia State Police troopers and three special agents were honored May 24, 2011 in Richmond by the Superintendent, Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, in recognition of their valiant, meritorious and dedicated acts of service to the Commonwealth. Special Agent Terence P. “T.C.” Collins & Special Agent James R. “Doc” Lyons (VSP Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Richmond Field Office) – The persistence, investigative expertise, and determination to bring closure to a murder victim’s family 15 years later earns Collins and Lyons this meritorious recognition of excellence. When assigned as the case agent in 2005, Lyons began revisiting every element of the 1995 disappearance and death of Lisa Gaudenzi of Caroline County. With the assistance of Collins, the two re-interviewed witnesses and gained enough new information to get Ms. Gaudenzi’s husband taken to trial in 2008 for her murder. Days into the trial the husband pleaded guilty despite her body never being found. But, the case was not closed for either investigator who had put in over 1,500 hours into the case. Lyons kept in touch with the husband and was finally able to persuade him to lead them to Lisa’s body. In 2010, Collins and Lyons were directed to a remote location in Spotsylvania County. After hours of sifting through the dirt on their hands and knees, Collins was able to find the only piece of her remains still in existence so many years later – Lisa’s porcelain dental bridge. Lyons and Collins immediately drove to New Jersey to alert Lisa’s daughter and elderly parents that they had finally found their loved one and allowed them to put her to rest."