HOLMES BEACH – Citing his wife’s status as a missing person and a fire that claimed part of Haley’s Motel shortly after her disappearance, motel owner Thomas Buehler has requested relief from foreclosure in Manatee County Circuit Court.

BankUnited sued Buehler, his missing wife, Sabine Musil-Buehler, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, nominee for Countrywide Home Loans, and two unknown tenants for foreclosure, claiming the Buehlers owe $574,293 on non-motel property at 512 72nd St. in Holmes Beach.

In court documents filed by his attorney, Michael Wyckoff, Buehler claims that the bank is not the mortgage holder, BankUnited FSB, which has closed. BankUnited has not shown proper documentation that it took over the loan from the closed bank, according to the documents.

He also claims the bank refused to work with him on a modification of the loan that he requested due to the hardship caused by his wife’s disappearance and a subsequent fire in a building on the motel grounds that was used primarily as an office and for storage. While admitting that he is in default on the loan, Buehler denies that it is due, claiming that the bank illegally inflated the amount of the loan.

He also claims that his wife’s ownership of the motel is unclear due to her missing status.

Buehler reported his wife missing on Nov. 6, 2008, two days after she was last seen by her boyfriend, William Cumber, who told investigators they had an argument on Nov. 4. The latest search of the beach near the motel concluded last month with no results.

ANNA MARIA – The front-end loaders have been pulled off the beach and the search for clues in the disappearance of motel owner Sabine Musil-Buehler will go in a new direction, according to investigators.

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Investigator John Kenney brought the front end loaders to the beach several weeks ago the beach between Palm Avenue and Magnolia Avenue next to Gulf Boulevard. The beach at that location is within two blocks of where Musil-Buehler lived with her boyfriend, William Cumber, whom she had befriended while he was in prison for an arson conviction.

“We haven’t stopped investigating the case,” Kenney said. “We’re going to look at some other evidence.”

Kenney said he would not rule out looking for her body elsewhere on the beach.

The mystery began when Musil-Buehler’s estranged husband, Tom Buehler, reported her missing two days after police pulled over a man driving her white Pontiac Sunbird convertible in Bradenton. The man, Robert Corona, first told detectives that he had partied with her the night before, but he later said that he stole the car when he found the keys in the ignition. He is now serving a four-year prison sentence for the theft.

Cumber told investigators that Musil-Buehler left their apartment Nov. 4 after they had gotten into an argument. Her car was later seen parked overnight a block away on Gulf Boulevard and a deputy issued a parking ticket. Cumber is serving a 13-year prison term for his conviction on charges of violating his probation, after serving time for setting fire to a house.

Kenney searched the beach last year using cadaver dogs and later using radar. No clues were found.

ANNA MARIA – After a week of digging on the beachatMagnolia Avenue, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office homicide investigators and crime scene specialists are no closer to solving the mystery of Sabine Musil Buehler’s disappearance.

The department brought out two front-end loaders to dig 3 to 4 feet deep in the sand from the Magnolia Avenue entrance to the beach north 200 feet. The only thing they found was a pair of flip-flops buried about a foot down. Homicide Detective John Kenney said they are looking for a possible link to the missing motel owner who disappeared Nov. 4, 2008. He would not say whether they feel she might have been wearing flip flops when she disappeared.

This week, the search changed location to the beach south of Magnolia, along Gulf Boulevard, a one-block-long street from Magnolia to Palm Avenue. The digging will become slower because of rock groins that run out from the beach to the water. The groins were exposed until they were buried by a renourishment project a few years ago.

Kenney said they would have to dig with shovels, since a front-end loader would not be able to take out the rocks due to their weight.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is treating Musil-Buehler’s disappearance as a possible homicide and that if she was killed, her body might have been buried in that portion of the beach, which is about a block from where she shared an apartment with her boyfriend, William Cumber. Authorities have named Cumber as a person of interest in the case.

The mystery began when Musil-Buehler’s estranged husband and business partner, Tom Buehler, reported her missing two days later after police pulled over a man driving her white Pontiac Sunbird convertible in Bradenton. The man, Robert Corona, first told detectives that he had partied with her the night before, but he later said that he stole the car when he found the keys in the ignition. He is now serving a four-year prison sentence for the theft.

Cumber told investigators that Musil-Buehler left their apartment Nov. 4 after they had gotten into an argument. Her car was later seen parked overnight a block away on Gulf Boulevard and a deputy issued a parking ticket. Cumber is serving a 13-year prison term for his conviction on charges of violating his parole, after serving time for setting fire to a house.

Meanwhile, the detectives and investigators continue to look for clues or her body where they used cadaver dogs and radar recently to try to find her body.

“The Sheriff’s Office is doing all it can to find her,” Kenney said. “She’s been missing for more than a year, but we haven’t given up.”

A judge has denied a motion to throw out Thomas Buehler’s request to have his estranged wife declared dead.

Circuit Judge Edward Nicholas ruled Tuesday against Great American Life Insurance’s request, agreeing with Buehler’s attorney’s assertion that law enforcement authorities are treating Sabine Musil-Buehler’s disappearance as a homicide.

Buehler is trying to speed the procedure to have her declared dead so he can collect on a $300,000 life insurance policy in her name.

American Life attorney Kathy Massing told Nicholas that state law requires a person to be missing five years before being declared dead, but Buehler’s attorney, William Meeks, Jr., pointed out that the law allows a presumptive death certificate if there is evidence that the person was exposed to a specific peril of death.

Because of Nicholas’ ruling, there will be another hearing to have her declared dead at an unspecified date in the future.

Musil-Buehler, who owns Haley’s Motel in Holmes Beach with Buehler, disappeared Nov. 4, 2008, when her boyfriend, William Cumber III, told authorities she left the Anna Maria apartment they shared after an argument over his smoking. Buehler reported her missing two days later after police pulled over a man driving her white Pontiac Sunbird convertible in Bradenton. The man, Robert Corona, first told detectives that he had partied with her the night before, but he later recanted and said that he stole the car when he found the keys in the ignition. He is now serving a four-year prison sentence for the theft.

Police have said that they consider Cumber the prime suspect in Musil-Buehler’s disappearance. Following her disappearance, a building at Haley’s Motel was destroyed in a fire that authorities say was arson. Cumber, who was convicted of setting fire to a former girlfriend’s house, claims the fire was a setup to frame him. Cumber is currently serving 13 years in prison for violating his probation.

Police have scoured a portion of the beach along Gulf Boulevard where they feel Musil-Buehler was buried. They used cadaver dogs the first time and a portable radar unit the second, but come up with nothing.

ANNA MARIA – With the Gulf on one side and the chalet-style homes along Gulf Boulevard on the other, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office investigators teamed with two Sarasota County counterparts to use ground-penetrating technology in search of the body of Sabine Musil-Buehler, who has been missing for more than a year.

The search for the missing motel owner was unsuccessful Tuesday morning, Dec. 1, but investigators for the sheriff’s office special homicide team, led by Sgt. Pete Ramone, are undaunted.

One of those investigators is Det. John Kenney who retired earlier this year as a sergeant and head of the sheriff’s office team that patrols the city of Anna Maria. He was asked to join the homicide team when the sheriff’s office expanded its staff to investigate the rising number of murders in the county over the past year.

“The sheriff’s office is doing all it can to find Sabine,” he said. “It’s been more than a year and we haven’t given up.”

The search, using the MALA X3M integrated radar control unit mounted to a four-wheel frame that resembles a large lawnmower, was complicated because of the water table, which is about 3 ½ feet below the surface of the sand. Water tends to reflect the radar and it is impossible to search below that point, according to Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Skip Wood. Sarasota crime scene technician Maxine Miller operated the radar unit, walking slowly up and down the beach, as if she was mowing a lawn. Whenever the radar detected a mass, one of the Manatee County investigators would put a red flag mounted on a plastic mast into the sand there.

When more than one flag was planted in an area, Manatee crime scene technicians Amanda Pettit, Harley Smith and Adrianne Walls would start digging, removing the top layer gingerly. As they went deeper, they would analyze the sand, looking for any disturbance that might indicate somebody had been digging, even as long ago as a year.

Kenney said that when they found out the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office had the ground-penetrating radar technology, they asked if they could use it to find out if Musil-Buehler was buried on the beach, which they had suspected all along.

“We’re trying new ideas because we want to find out where her body is located,” Kenney said. “We will not give up until we find out what happened.” Musil-Buehler disappeared Nov. 4, 2008, a couple of days after she and her estranged husband, Tom Buehler, hosted a Halloween party at Haley’s Motel, which they owned.

At the time, she was living with her boyfriend, William Cumber, who told police they had gotten into an argument and she had left the apartment. She was never seen again, according to investigators.

Her car was seen at the Gator Lounge in Bradenton that night and police stopped Robert Corona while he was driving the car and arrested him for grand theft auto. He initially told police that he had partied with her the night before, but finally admitted he stole the Pontiac Sunbird convertible when he saw it parked with the keys in the ignition. He was convicted of the theft and is serving a four-year sentence.

Cumber is serving a 13-year sentence for violating his probation. He has not spoken about her disappearance with authorities since going to prison.

ANNA MARIA - More than 25 people gathered at the beach behind the Sandbar restaurant Wednesday evening to commemorate the first anniversary of the disappearance of Sabine Musil-Buehler, co-owner of Haley’s Motel.

Tina Rudek, who used to walk the beach with Musil-Buehler, said she still feels the missing woman’s presence at the beach.

“This is a place she enjoyed and she’s still here,” Rudek said.

The crowd formed a circle and sang “My Way” to a recording by Frank Sinatra. The song was indicative of the way the popular German-born woman lived her life.

After they finished the song, her estranged husband, Tom Buehler, took a wreath of flowers to the Gulf and threw it into the water. As the flowers washed back to shore, members of the crowd embraced each other and some of them shed tears over the missing woman, who officials believe was murdered.

Musil-Buehler has been missing since Nov. 4, 2008, when she reportedly argued with her boyfriend, William Cumber, and left their home at 208 B Magnolia Ave.

Buehler reported her missing two days later after police informed him that Robert Corona had been arrested with her stolen car. Investigators later identified blood discovered in the car as hers.

Corona is serving four years in prison for auto theft, and Cumber is serving 13.5 years, less 3.5 years already served, for violating probation on a 2006 felony arson conviction. A fire burned part of Haley’s Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive, 12 days after he and Musil-Buehler argued. No one has been charged in that fire. His sentence is on appeal.

The case remains under investigation. To report information on Musil-Buehler’s disappearance or the Haley’s fire, call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011 or the West Manatee Fire Rescue District at 741-3900.

HOLMES BEACH – One year ago on Nov. 4, 2008, Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler had an argument with her boyfriend, William Cumber, not about the election, but about his cigarette smoking, and left their home.

That’s what Cumber told police when they came knocking on his door at 208 B Magnolia Ave. after she was reported missing by her husband, Tom Buehler, two days later.

Buehler made the report after police informed him that her car had been found in the possession of Bradenton resident Robert Corona, who told police he had been partying with Musil-Buehler, then recanted his story, saying he never met her.

Investigators identified blood discovered in the car as Musil-Buehler’s, but determined that Corona’s involvement in the case is not related to her disappearance, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Dave Bristow said, adding, “We haven’t said that about Cumber.”

A year later, both Cumber and Corona are in jail, neither of them charged with any crime against her.

She remains missing.

“We have somebody in jail, but there’s been no evidence, no clues, nothing new,” said Musil-Buehler’s friend, Debbie Hall, who has organized a candlelight vigil for her on Nov. 4 at sunset on the beach behind the Sandbar restaurant.

A private service was held by Buehler at the Holmes Beach butterfly garden on Halloween, one of his wife’s favorite holidays.

“This is still a murder investigation,” said Hall, who hired a psychic and distributed flyers shortly after her friend’s disappearance to help find her.

“The case is still under investigation, as it will remain, but there are no active leads,” Bristow said.

Island business owner Nancy House reported seeing a woman resembling Musil-Buehler at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport a week after she went missing, but the lead fizzled when investigators found no evidence of her on airport tapes.

As time goes on, the chances of solving the case grow slimmer, Bristow said.

“There’s nothing more frustrating for an investigator than to have a case hanging,” Bristow said. “We need to find the body.”

Meanwhile, Corona is serving four years in prison for stealing the missing woman’s car. He told Manatee Circuit Judge Gilbert Smith that he had nothing to do with her disappearance.

Cumber, who also denies involvement, is the last person to have reported seeing her. He is serving 13.5 years in jail, less 3.5 years already served, for violating probation on a 2006 felony arson conviction by leaving Manatee County without his probation officer’s consent after a fire burned part of Haley’s Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive, 12 days after they argued. His sentence is on appeal.

Buehler is seeking to have his wife declared legally dead, saying that evidence exists that she could have been abducted and killed. A declaration of death would allow Buehler to collect on a life insurance policy and settle his ownership of Haley’s Motel without waiting the normal five years required in a missing persons case. Buehler’s attorney, Bill Meeks, did not return telephone calls seeking comment on the status of the case.

To report information on Musil-Buehler’s disappearance or the Haley’s fire, call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011 or the West Manatee Fire Rescue District at 741-3900.

Rewards have been established by the Sabine Buehler Benefit Fund at Whitney Bank, 5324 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, and the Manatee County Gold Star Club.

BRADENTON – Robert Corona was sentenced to four years in prison on Friday for stealing a car belonging to missing Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler.

Corona, 38, pled no contest to grand theft of a motor vehicle, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanor charges of resisting, obstructing or opposing an officer without violence and no valid driver license.

His defense attorney, John Pangallo, requested the minimum sentence of 36.9 months, saying that Corona was being treated harshly by the State Attorney’s Office due to the unsolved disappearance of the owner of the car, which was reported on Nov. 6, 2008, by her husband after he learned of Corona’s arrest.

Investigators identified blood discovered in the car as Musil-Buehler’s a few days later.

Assistant State Attorney Tony Casoria said he had made a plea offer of five years in jail based on Corona’s eight previous felony convictions and 23 misdemeanor convictions.

Corona told Manatee Circuit Judge Gilbert Smith that he had nothing to do with the missing woman’s disappearance.

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Dep. William Waldron testified at the sentencing hearing that Corona said he took the car for a joyride after finding it parked at the Gator Lounge in Bradenton with the window rolled down and keys inside.

Musil-Buehler’s boyfriend, William Cumber, the last person to report seeing her, told investigators that the last time he saw her was when she left the home they shared at 208 B Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, on Nov. 4 after an argument.

When questioned about her disappearance and the apparent arson on Nov. 16 of a building at Haley’s Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive, he denied any involvement.

Cumber, 39, is serving an unrelated 13.5-year sentence for violation of probation on a 2006 arson conviction for setting fire to a Bradenton house.

HOLMES BEACH – Robert Corona pled no contest on Monday to grand theft of a blood-stained Pontiac Sunfire convertible belonging to missing Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler.

Besides the third-degree felony charge, Corona, 38, also pled no contest to misdemeanor charges of resisting, obstructing or opposing an officer without violence and no valid driver license.

The maximum sentence for the offenses is six years and 60 days; a sentencing hearing had not yet been scheduled as of press time.

The Bradenton man was arrested Nov. 6, 2008, two days after Musil-Buehler’s boyfriend, William Cumber, reported last seeing her, according to Manatee County Sheriff’s Office reports.

Investigators identified the blood in the car as Musil-Buehler’s.

Corona told Manatee Circuit Judge Gilbert Smith in Court on Monday that he had nothing to do with her disappearance.

According to Assistant State Attorney Tony Casoria, Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies stopped Corona for driving the vehicle without headlights. Corona fled and was discovered hiding under a truck by K-9 officers. He later told authorities that he took the parked car after seeing that the window was open and the keys were inside.

Musil-Buehler’s boyfriend, Cumber, 39, was questioned about her Nov. 4, 2008, disappearance and the apparent arson 12 days later of a building at Haley’s Motel in Holmes Beach. He told investigators that she left the home they shared at 208 B Magnolia Ave. after they argued over his smoking.

Cumber is serving a 13.5-year sentence for violation of probation on a 2006 arson conviction for setting fire to a Bradenton house. He was not charged in Musil-Buehler’s disappearance, which remains unsolved.

HOLMES BEACH – William Cumber, the last person who reported seeing missing Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler alive last November, was sentenced on Thursday to 13.5 years in jail for violating probation on a 2006 felony arson conviction.

Cumber, 39, had previously admitted violating his probation by leaving Manatee County without his probation officer’s consent. He was arrested for driving with a suspended license in Marion County on Dec. 22, 2008, three months after completing a 3.5-year prison sentence for setting fire to the home of a Manatee County woman whom he felt had scorned him, according to the arrest warrant.

"I was running because I had no future. Bradenton was dead to me," Cumber told Manatee Circuit Court Judge Gilbert Smith during his sentencing hearing, which was attended by several law enforcement officers. "I made better choices in my time. That wasn’t one of them."

Cumber, who was shackled in chains, criticized police and the media for drawing attention to his arson conviction after a duplex at Haley’s Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive, burned 12 days after Musil-Buehler’s Nov. 4, 2008 disappearance.

The pressure caused him to be shunned, to lose his new woodcrafting business and apartment on Anna Maria Island and to suffer stress-induced physical and emotional problems, he said.

Recounting the last time he saw Musil-Buehler last election day, Cumber said that she left the home they shared at 208 B Magnolia Ave. after they argued over him starting to smoke after giving it up for her birthday.

Tom Buehler, Musil-Buehler’s husband and business partner, reported her missing two days later after another man, Robert Corona, 38, was arrested for stealing her car, in which blood matching Musil-Buehler’s blood type was later discovered. Corona is awaiting a jury trial.

"Who do they want to decapitate over it? Me," said Cumber, who has not been charged in either the missing woman’s disappearance or the motel fire. The cases are still under investigation.

Sentencing factors

Cumber has 10 prior criminal convictions, four of them felonies, including battery, Assistant State Attorney Tony Casoria told the court, adding that fleeing the jurisdiction is an aggravating factor in the probation violation.

"The defendant describes himself as a victim of the media and a victim of the system, but there are many victims," Casoria said, adding that the state originally was lenient when it recommended 3.5 years in jail for the arson, for which he said 15 years would have been a just sentence.

"The defendant does not deserve leniency any longer," he told the judge.

Cumber’s attorney, Thomas Ostrander, asked the court to consider placing Cumber back on probation, considering his efforts to improve himself in prison and his attempt to start a business, and saying that the prosecutor’s 15-year sentence recommendation did not fit driving with a suspended license and leaving the county.

"Giving 15 years for these types of violations would be wrong and counterproductive," Ostrander told the court.

"The court is not finding you were absconding, but that’s what the evidence tends to show," Gilbert told Cumber just before announcing his 13.5-year sentence. Cumber showed little reaction.

The sentence will be reduced by the 3.5 years Cumber already spent in prison for the arson, resulting in a 10-year sentence, possibly less with the four months he spent in jail for violating his probation plus gain time for good behavior, Ostrander said. The probation violation could have resulted in a 30-year sentence.

"I just don’t think the violation supports the severity of the sentence that he gave him," Ostrander said, adding that he will prepare the necessary documents in case an appellate public defender decides to appeal the sentence.

High emotions

Friends of Musil-Buehler experienced a range of emotions on learning of Cumber’s sentence.

"I’m ecstatic," friend Debbie Hall said. "But I’m still a little frustrated. I’m glad he’s in jail. I just hope one day we find out what happened (to Musil-Buehler)."

"People that believed that he did it will feel like there is some justice," said friend Nancy House. "But I feel like proof is proof and they could never prove it."

House reported that she thought she saw the missing woman at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Nov. 13, but investigators said she could not be identified on airport tapes.

"It’s still so sad. It’s a sadness in my heart," House said. "She was a great lady."

Buehler did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

To report information on Musil-Buehler’s disappearance or the fire, call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011 or the West Manatee Fire Rescue District at 741-3900.

Rewards have been established by the Sabine Buehler Benefit Fund at Whitney Bank, 5324 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach and the Manatee County Gold Star Club.

HOLMES BEACH – William Cumber, the last person who reported seeing missing Haley's Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler alive last November, was sentenced on Thursday to 13.5 years in jail for violating probation on a 2006 arson conviction.

Cumber, 39, had previously admitted violating probation by leaving Manatee County without his probation officer's consent. He was arrested for driving with a suspended license in Marion County on Dec. 22, 2008, three months after completing a 3.5-year prison sentence for setting fire to the home of a Manatee County woman whom he felt had scorned him, according to the arrest warrant.

"I was running because I had no future. Bradenton was dead to me," Cumber told Manatee Circuit Court Judge Gilbert Smith during his sentencing hearing, which was attended by several law enforcement officers. "I made better choices in my time. That wasn't one of them."

Cumber, who was shackled in chains, criticized police and the media for drawing attention to his arson conviction after a duplex at Haley's Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive, burned 12 days after Musil-Buehler's Nov. 4, 2008 disappearance.

The pressure caused him to be shunned, to lose his new woodcrafting business and apartment on Anna Maria Island, and to suffer stress-induced physical and emotional problems, he said.

Recounting the last time he saw Musil-Buehler last election day, Cumber said that she left the home they shared at 208 B Magnolia Ave. after they argued over him starting to smoke after giving it up for her birthday.

Tom Buehler, Musil-Buehler's husband and business partner, reported her missing two days later after another man, Robert Corona, 38, was arrested for stealing her car, in which blood matching Musil-Buehler's blood type was later discovered. Corona is awaiting a jury trial.

"Who do they want to decapitate over it? Me," said Cumber, who has not been charged in either the missing woman's disappearance or the motel fire. The cases are still under investigation.

Sentencing factors

Cumber has 10 prior criminal convictions, four of them felonies, including battery, Assistant State Attorney Tony Casoria told the court, adding that fleeing the jurisdiction is an aggravating factor in the probation violation.

"The defendant describes himself as a victim of the media and a victim of the system, but there are many victims," Casoria said, adding that the state originally was lenient when it recommended 3.5 years in jail for the arson, for which he said 15 years would have been a "just" sentence.

"The defendant does not deserve leniency any longer," he told the judge.

Cumber's attorney, Thomas Ostrander, asked the court to consider placing Cumber back on probation, considering his efforts to improve himself in prison and his attempt to start a business, and saying that the prosecutor's 15-year sentence recommendation did not fit driving with a suspended license and leaving the county.

"Giving 15 years for these types of violations would be wrong and counterproductive," Ostrander told the court.

"The court is not finding you were absconding, but that's what the evidence tends to show," Gilbert told Cumber just before announcing his 13.5-year sentence. Cumber showed little reaction.

The sentence will be reduced by the 3.5 years Cumber already spent in prison for the arson, resulting in a 10-year sentence, possibly less with gain time for good behavior, Ostrander said. The probation violation could have resulted in a 30-year sentence.

"I just don't think the violation supports the severity of the sentence that he gave him," Ostrander said later, adding that a public defender may appeal the sentence.

High emotions

Friends of Musil-Buehler experienced a range of emotions on learning of Cumber's sentence.

"I'm ecstatic," friend Debbie Hall said. "But I'm still a little frustrated. I'm glad he's in jail. I just hope one day we find out what happened (to Musil-Buehler)."

"People that believed that he did it will feel like there is some justice," said friend Nancy House. "But I feel like proof is proof and they could never prove it."

House reported that she thought she saw the missing woman at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Nov. 13, but investigators said she could not be identified on airport tapes.

"It's still so sad. It's a sadness in my heart," House said. "She was a great lady."

Buehler did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

To report information on Musil-Buehler's disappearance or the fire, call the Manatee County Sheriff's Office at 747-3011 or the West Manatee Fire Rescue District at 741-3900.

Rewards have been established by the Sabine Buehler Benefit Fund at Whitney Bank, 5324 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach and the Manatee County Gold Star Club.

HOLMES BEACH – It’s been six months this week since Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler was last seen or heard from by family and friends.

Her Nov. 4, 2008, disappearance and a Nov. 16 fire at Haley’s are still being actively investigated, according to spokesmen for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

But the mystery persists.

"Six months; it’s more of nothing," said Tom Buehler, the missing woman’s husband and co-owner of Haley’s. "Nothing’s changed for forever."

Musil-Buehler’s friend, Nancy House, is glad at least that no body has been discovered.

"Because nothing has happened, that’s what makes me still have hope," said House, who owns Fat Cat Carpet Cleaning on Anna Maria Island.

House and her friend, Janean Martin, say they saw a woman who looked and sounded like the vivacious, German-accented 49-year-old at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport last Nov. 13, but did not report it until they learned about the fire after returning from a cruise on Nov. 18.

"I do feel hopeful because I was so sure it was her," she said. "It’s a horrible tragedy. But we still don’t know that it is a tragedy."

Investigators reviewed airport tapes but were unable to identify the woman.

"Who’s to say it wasn’t her if they haven’t found her?" House asked.

Boyfriend questioned

The closest thing to a lead that investigators have is Musil-Buehler’s boyfriend, William Cumber, 39, who may have been the last person to see her before she disappeared. That election night, he told police, they argued about his cigarette smoking at the home they shared near the motel, and she left.

Two days later, officers pulled over her car near 12th Street West in Bradenton. The driver, Robert Corona, 38, was arrested for grand theft auto and questioned about the missing woman. He is awaiting a jury trial.

Later that week, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office detectives reported that blood – later found to match Musil-Buehler’s blood type – was found in the car.

On Nov. 16 at 7:19 p.m., fire trucks were dispatched to a duplex at Haley’s Motel at 8104 Gulf Drive. Between 7:30 and 7:40 p.m., a restaurant worker said she saw Cumber at the Anna Maria City Pier, a few blocks from the fire. That night, investigators questioned him at the couple’s home, 208 B Magnolia.

The next day, a team with an arson dog searched the motel grounds, followed by other searches, none leading to arson charges.

Violation of probation

The case cooled down until Dec. 22, when Cumber was arrested in Marion County on a charge of driving with a suspended license. Since then, he has been in jail for violating his probation by leaving Manatee County without his probation officer’s consent and failing to remain at liberty without violating any law.

Cumber was on probation for an arson conviction; he was sentenced in 2006 to 42 months in prison and three years probation for setting fire to his ex-girlfriend’s house in 2005, and was released from prison on Sept. 13, shortly before Musil-Buehler disappeared.

Cumber, who has not been charged in either the disappearance or the fire, told The Sun in December that someone is trying to frame him for the Haley’s fire because of his past arson conviction. He tearfully denied having anything to do with his missing girlfriend’s disappearance, and said that she drove off after drinking a bottle of wine the night she vanished.

Cumber’s attorney, Thomas Ostrander, maintains that the prosecution is treating Cumber as though he were charged with the disappearance and the fire, offering him a plea deal for 15 years in prison for an admission of the violation of probation, and having him shackled in chains during his Manatee County courtroom appearances.

Cumber requested a hearing on the violation of probation, which is scheduled for May 14 at 11 a.m. in Manatee Circuit Court.

Meanwhile, life goes on at Haley’s, where Buehler is rebuilding the burned-out duplex into a three-story building and garden designed for weddings, family reunions and events.

"This will come to an end soon," he said. "I hope."

To report information on Musil-Buehler’s disappearance or the fire, call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011 or the West Manatee Fire Rescue District at 741-3900.

Rewards have been established by the Sabine Buehler Benefit Fund at Whitney Bank, 5324 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach and the Manatee County Gold Star Club.

BRADENTON – Former Anna Maria Island resident William Cumber admitted in court Tuesday that he violated his probation and will be sentenced May 14.

Cumber, 39, could get a maximum of 30 years in prison for the violation, according to prosecutors, a fact his defense attorney has strongly criticized.

Cumber is the boyfriend of missing Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler, 49, and was questioned after both her Nov. 4 disappearance and the Nov. 16 fire that destroyeda duplex at the motel, which she owns with her husband, Tom Buehler.

Cumber has not been charged in either the disappearance or the fire, but was charged with violating his probation in December by leaving Manatee County without his probation officer’s consent. He was on probation for a 2006 arson conviction for setting fire to a former girlfriend’s home.

Last week, a Manatee Circuit judge granted Assistant State Attorney Tony Casoria’s request that Cumber’s fingerprints be taken in court to compare with his fingerprints taken in December in Marion County, where he pled guilty to driving with a suspended license.

Casoria said the fingerprints would simplify the prosecution of the violation of probation.
Last Wednesday, Cumber, who has been in jail since December, entered the Manatee County courtroom shackled in chains at the waist, wrists and ankles.

"I think it’s pretty transparent," said Cumber’s defense attorney, Tom Ostrander, explaining that he thinks the prosecution is treating Cumber as though he were charged with Musil-Buehler’s disappearance and the fire. "It’s to try to scare the hell out of him to get him to cooperate."

Ostrander had advised Cumber not to accept the prosecution’s deal of 15 years in prison for admitting the violation of probation. It was unclear at press time if Tuesday’s admission means he has, in fact, accepted the prosecution’s deal. Ostrander has called the offered sentence excessive.

The defense attorney previously said he hopes the sentence will be based on driving with a suspended license and not on Musil-Buehler’s disappearance and the motel fire, in which Cumber has denied involvement. Law enforcement is still investigating both cases.

Musil-Buehler’s husband reported her missing on Nov. 6 after another man, Robert Corona, was arrested for stealing her car, in which her blood was later discovered. Corona, 38, pled not guilty last month to grand theft of a motor vehicle, no valid driver license and resisting, obstructing or opposing an officer.

al of Robert Corona was postponed on Monday when his attorney, Thomas Ostrander, withdrew from the case, citing a conflict of interest with another client, William Cumber.

Corona, 38, was arrested by a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy for theft of the car of missing Holmes Beach motel owner Sabine Musil-Buehler on Nov. 6, two days after her boyfriend, Cumber, reported seeing her last, according to sheriff’s office reports.

Corona told investigators that the missing woman had been in the car with him, but later recanted the story and said he took the car from the parking lot of a 14th Street bar.

Investigators reported that her blood was found in the car four days later.

Corona, who is no longer the focus of Musil-Buehler’s disappearance, is charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, a third degree felony, no valid driver license, a second degree misdemeanor, and resisting, obstructing or opposing an officer, a first degree misdemeanor.

Cumber, 39, formerly of Anna Maria Island, is a suspect but has not been charged in either the disappearance or the suspected arson of a portion of Musil-Beuhler’s motel on Nov. 16.

He faces violation of probation charges for leaving Manatee County without his probation officer’s consent, stemming from an arrest for driving with a suspended license in Marion County in December, according to court records.

He was serving probation for a 2006 arson conviction for setting fire to a former girlfriend’s house.

Prosecutors have offered Cumber 15 years incarceration in exchange for admitting the violation of probation, which Ostrander said is excessive. A hearing is set on the case on April 14.

To report information on Musil-Buehler’s disappearance or the fire, call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011 or the West Manatee Fire Rescue District at 741-3900.

William Cumber, the boyfriend of missing Holmes Beach motel owner Sabine Musil-Buehler, has been offered 15 years in prison by prosecutors if he admits to violating his probation.

Cumber will not accept the plea, said his court-appointed attorney, Tom Ostrander. He is scheduled for a hearing on March 17.

Cumber, 39, formerly of Anna Maria Island, was on probation for a 2006 arson conviction for setting fire to a former girlfriend’s house. He was arrested in December for driving with a suspended license in Marion County, and charged with violating his probation for leaving Manatee County without his probation officer’s consent and failing to remain at liberty without violating any law, according to court records.

When investigators questioned Cumber about the missing woman shortly after her Nov. 4 disappearance, he told them that Musil-Buehler, 49, left the home they shared that night after an argument.

On Nov. 16, a fire destroyed a duplex at Haley’s Motel, which Musil-Buehler owns with her husband, Tom Buehler, who had reported her missing on Nov. 6 after deputies arrested another man found driving her car.

Cumber has said that he had nothing to do with Musil-Buehler’s disappearance or the fire.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office continues to work to solve the case, spokesman Dave Bristow said.

HOLMES BEACH – William Cumber, the boyfriend of missing Holmes Beach motel owner Sabine Musil-Buehler, is scheduled for a violation of probation hearing on Feb. 24 before Manatee Circuit Judge Gilbert Smith.

Cumber, 39, denied the violation of probation petition last month, which charged him with leaving Manatee County without his probation officer’s consent and failing to remain at liberty without violating any law. He was arrested in Marion County in December on a charge of driving with a suspended license, according to court records.

The former Anna Maria Island resident was on probation for a 2006 arson conviction for setting fire to a former girlfriend’s house.

Cumber’s public defender withdrew from the case last month due to a conflict of interest, writing that he has unspecified personal knowledge of the case that disqualifies him from representation.

An attorney with the Second District Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, established in part to provide representation to indigent clients whose public defenders withdraw due to conflicts, has been assigned to his case.

Cumber told police that he and Musil-Buehler, 49, argued at their home just before she disappeared last Nov. 4. On Nov. 16, a fire destroyed a duplex at Haley’s.

Cumber has told police and the Sun that he had nothing to do with Musil-Buehler’s disappearance.

HOLMES BEACH – William Cumber has entered a plea of denial to a petition filed against him for violating his probation, waiving his arraignment and demanding a hearing.

Cumber, 39, may have been the last person to see Holmes Beach motel owner Sabine Musil-Buehler, 49, before she disappeared on Nov. 4, 2008. He told police they argued at their home over his cigarette smoking.

Cumber was arrested in Marion County on Dec. 22 on a charge of driving with a suspended driver license, according to court records.

He had been scheduled for a Jan. 30 arraignment on the violation of probation petition, which charged him with leaving Manatee County without his probation officer’s consent and failing to remain at liberty without violating any law.

Cumber was on probation for an arson conviction; he was sentenced in 2006 to 42 months in prison and three years probation for setting fire to his ex-girlfriend’s house in 2005 and was released from prison on Sept. 13.

After a Nov. 16 fire that destroyed a duplex at Haley’s, police questioned Cumber extensively.

Cumber has told both police and the Sun that he has no idea where Musil-Buehler is and had nothing to do with her disappearance.

The missing woman’s blood was discovered in her car, which was found in the possession of another man, Robert Corona, who has not been charged in her disappearance. He was charged with grand theft auto, resisting, obstructing or opposing a law enforcement officer and no valid drivers license, and is scheduled for trial on March 23.

HOLMES BEACH - The Gold Star Club of Manatee County is offering a $5,000 reward for information on the location of missing Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler, or information leading to whoever is responsible for her disappearance.

Musil-Buehler, 49, was last seen by her boyfriend, William Cumber, 39, after they argued on Nov. 4, according to a statement Cumber made to police.

The missing woman is separated from her husband and business partner, Tom Buehler, with whom she owns Haley’s Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach.

Cumber, an arsonist convicted of setting fire to his ex-girlfriend’s house, has been questioned in both Musil-Buehler’s disappearance and in the Nov. 16 fire of a duplex at Haley’s. Cumber told The Sun last month that he has no idea where his missing girlfriend is, had nothing to do with her disappearance and is being framed.

He has since been arrested on traffic charges in Marion County and is expected to face violation of probation charges in Manatee County, where the arson was committed.

Investigators discovered Musil-Buehler’s blood in her car, which had been stolen by Robert Corona, whom authorities arrested for theft but do not suspect in her disappearance, according to Dave Bristow of the Sheriff’s Office.

The investigations into the possible homicide and arson are continuing.

"We are all hopeful that this reward will attract the clues and community participation needed to solve this mystery," said Island resident Kent Davis, who has supported the Gold Star Club with his wife, Pa, since 2000. "This is a big step for the club and very positive for the investigation."

The Gold Star Club was founded at the request of former Manatee County Sheriff Charles Wells and is funded by member contributions and an annual fund-raising event. Its purpose is to support law enforcement agencies by offering large rewards to facilitate the arrest and conviction of criminals who commit serious crimes in Manatee County, primarily murders and crimes against children. The club’s president is Manatee County Commissioner Ron Getman.

Another reward fund for Musil-Buehler has been established at Whitney Bank in Holmes Beach, but the bank declined to disclose its founder or how much has been raised.

ANNA MARIA – A tip in the search for missing Holmes Beach hotelier Sabine Musil-Buehler turned into a dead end shortly after investigators began digging in the sand on Tuesday morning.

Police received a lead indicating some possible evidence on the beach near the Magnolia Avenue home that the 49-year-old woman shared with her boyfriend, William Cumber, 39, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. John Kenney said.

Two cadaver-sniffing dogs from Polk County alerted investigators to a single area, which was roped off and dug up. Nothing was found, he said, adding that the dogs could have sensed blood from a minor cut or other human waste.

A witness told the Sun that he saw an elderly woman on the beach early Tuesday morning walking her dog, which had been sniffing the ground in the area where the search site was later roped off. Another witness said she saw the missing woman’s car illegally parked overnight near the site around the time of her disappearance on Nov. 4.

Cumber, who was sentenced to 42 months in prison and three years probation for setting fire to his ex-girlfriend’s house in 2005, was released from prison on Sept. 13 but was back in jail in Marion County on traffic and violation of probation charges on Tuesday, according to Manatee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Dave Bristow.

Cumber told the Sun earlier this month that he has no idea where his missing girlfriend is, had nothing to do with her disappearance and wishes he could relive the night she vanished after an argument over his smoking.

Two days later, police found Musil-Buehler’s car in Bradenton, driven by Robert Corona, who was arrested for theft. Blood found in the car was later determined to be hers.

On Nov. 16, fire destroyed a duplex at Haley’s Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach, co-owned by Musil-Buehler and her estranged husband and business partner, Tom Buehler.

Cumber, who was seen by neighbors in the area the night of the fire, was interviewed by investigators. He told the Sun that someone is trying to “frame” him for the Haley’s fire.

HOLMES BEACH – William J. Cumber misses his girlfriend, missing hotelier Sabine Musil-Buehler, and has no idea where she is, he told The Sun last week.

Cumber, 39, may have been the last person to see Musil-Buehler, 49, on Nov. 4 after an argument at their home over his cigarette smoking.

Cumber said he wishes he could relive that night.

"I wouldn’t have stepped outside and smoked a cigarette," he said. "I know that sounds unbelievable, but that’s what happened. If I could change it, I would, but I can’t."

Musil-Buehler left in her car after drinking "a whole bottle of wine. She normally doesn’t drive after one freaking glass. I kind of feel responsible because if I wouldn’t have been smoking…" he said, his voice trailing off into quiet tears.

Cumber said he thought she was headed for her other home, which she shares with Tom Buehler, her estranged husband and co-owner of Haley’s Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive.

"She left," he said. "I have no control over what anybody else does. I can only control what I do. That’s the bottom line. I ain’t got nothing to do with whatever happened."

What happened remains a mystery.

On Nov. 6, police found Musil-Buehler’s car in Bradenton, driven by Robert Corona, who was arrested for theft. Blood found in the car was later determined to be hers, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Then, on Nov. 16, a duplex at Haley’s was destroyed by a fire, prompting police to question Cumber extensively, and later, search the home he shared with Musil-Buehler.

On Monday, fire and police investigators searched again through the burned out duplex. Police also combed the Holmes Beach neighborhood around Haley’s on Friday, asking neighbors if they could identify a man in a photograph taken the night of the fire. The white male, crouched near a vehicle smoking a cigarette, was wearing a baseball cap and a hoodie sweatshirt.

Nearly two years before the fire, on Jan. 4, 2006, Cumber had pleaded guilty to the arson of his ex-girlfriend’s Bradenton home and was sentenced to 42 months in the Florida Dept. of Corrections.

"It’s so ironic," said Cumber, adding that he thinks that someone is trying to set him up for the crime. "How ironic is that? Come on, get real."

Reports that he was angry over the missing woman refusing to give him money are untrue, he said.

"I didn’t ask her for any money," he said. "I didn’t need any of her money."

Things are different now. Cumber lost his woodworking business and left his apartment earlier this month.

"I’m going through a crisis right now," he said. "I’m pretty much homeless. I’m job hunting. It’s not like I’m out there, robbing or something, I’m just doing the best I can.

"It’s just hard," he continued. "I ain’t out here doing drugs. It blows me away. There ain’t a day that doesn’t go by that I don’t think about it.

"It’s not fair," Cumber said. "It’s not fair that she’s gone. Where is she?"

ANNA MARIA – Investigators are focusing renewed search efforts on the Anna Maria apartment and yard where missing hotelier Sabine Musil-Buehler was living with her boyfriend, William Cumber, at the time of her disappearance on Nov. 4.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, a crime scene unit was sent to the small, single-story building last week, concentrating the search in the back yard. The investigators paid particular attention to the dirt behind the building, they said, adding they could not comment on anything they may have found.

In addition, the agency confirmed that blood found in her stolen car is hers.

"It’s her blood. We’re not surprised by that," MCSO spokesman Dave Bristow said, confirming that investigators searched the premises at 208 B Magnolia Ave. last week, but are not releasing any details. Cumber told a Manatee Circuit judge that he expected to be evicted from the apartment last week.

It’s been more than a month since Musil-Buehler, 49, was last seen by Cumber, 39, after an argument. The missing woman is separated from her husband and business partner, Tom Buehler, with whom she owns Haley’s Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach.

Cumber, a convicted arsonist, has been questioned in both Musil-Buehler’s disappearance and in the Nov. 16 fire of a duplex at Haley’s. The investigations into the possible homicide and arson are continuing.

Last week, Manatee Circuit Judge Janette Dunnigan ordered Cumber to pay $3,629 to cover the cost of investigating a 2005 arson that he pleaded guilty to in 2006. Cumber is serving three years probation for setting fire to his ex-girlfriend’s house; he was released from prison on Sept. 13.

At a hearing to modify the terms of his probation, Cumber said he had no money, was unemployed and expected to be evicted from his Anna Maria apartment.

Cumber reportedly left his apartment voluntarily on Dec. 2 and moved to the Salvation Army in Bradenton, according to Sheriff’s Office Sgt. John Kenney.

If Cumber does not begin making restitution payments, he could violate his probation and be sent back to prison.

The man found driving Musil-Buehler’s car, Robert Corona, was arrested for grand theft. He originally stated that the missing woman had been in the car with him, then later stated that he found the car unoccupied, according to the sheriff’s office.

To report information on the disappearance or the fire, call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011 or the West Manatee Fire Rescue District at 741-3900.

HOLMES BEACH – Blood found in missing hotelier Sabine Musil-Buehler’s stolen car is hers, according to test results confirmed by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s her blood. We’re not surprised by that,” MCSO spokesman Dave Bristow said, adding that the homicide investigation is continuing, along with a state investigation into a possible arson at her Holmes Beach motel.

It’s been a month since Musil-Buehler, 49, was last seen on Nov. 4 by her boyfriend, William J. Cumber, 39, after an argument. The missing woman, who is separated from her husband and business partner, Tom Buehler, was living with Cumber at the time of her disappearance. Buehler was unavailable for comment on Wednesday. Cumber has been questioned in both Musil-Buehler’s disappearance and in the Nov. 16 fire of a duplex at Haley’s Motel, 8104 Gulf Drive.

On Tuesday, Manatee Circuit Judge Janette Dunnigan ordered Cumber to pay $3,629 to cover the cost of investigating a 2005 arson that he pleaded guilty to in 2006. Cumber is serving three years probation for setting fire to his ex-girlfriend’s house; he was released from prison on Sept. 13. At a hearing to modify the terms of his probation, Cumber said he has no money, is unemployed and expected to be evicted from his Anna Maria apartment.

Cumber reportedly left his apartment voluntarily on Dec. 2 and is staying at the Salvation Army in Bradenton, according to local authorities. If Cumber does not begin making payments, he could violate his probation and be sent back to prison.

The man found driving Musil-Buehler’s car, Robert Corona, was arrested for grand theft. He originally stated that the missing woman had been in the car with him, then later stated that he found the car unoccupied, according to the sheriff’s office. To report information on the disappearance or the fire, call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011 or the West Manatee Fire Rescue District at 741-3900.

BRADENTON – A judge has ordered Anna Maria resident William J. Cumber to pay $3,629 to cover the cost of investigating a 2005 arson that he pleaded guilty to in 2006.

Cumber has been questioned in the Nov. 4 disappearance of his girlfriend, Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler, and the Nov. 16 fire of a duplex at Haley’s, 8104 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach. The fire is being investigated as an arson.

Cumber is serving three years probation for setting fire to his ex-girlfriend’s house in 2005. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison with credit for time served, and was released on Sept. 13, 2008.

At a probation hearing on Tuesday, his 39th birthday, Cumber told Manatee Circuit Judge Janette Dunnigan that he has no money, is unemployed, lost his woodworking business and is about to be evicted from his rental apartment.

"I’m in a triangle of problems right now," he said, requesting that the judge modify his probation terms to waive the costs.

"I think you need to make some effort to pay," Dunnigan said, upholding the condition of his probation requiring him to repay the cost of investigating the fire. She waived another condition requiring payment of more than $1,000 for the cost of his supervision while on probation. Violations typically result in the probationer’s return to prison.

Musil-Buehler is separated from her husband and business partner, Tom Buehler, who reported his wife missing after her car was found on Nov. 6 near 12th Street West in Bradenton. The driver was Robert Corona, who was arrested for grand theft. Blood was discovered in the car.

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Dave Bristow confirmed that lab results have been completed on the blood, but declined to comment until an arrest is made.

To report information on the disappearance or the fire, call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011 or the West Manatee Fire Rescue District at 741-3900.

HOLMES BEACH - Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler was like a member of the family to Sage Hall.

Referring to her in the past tense comes hard, judging by the catch in her throat.

Musil-Buehler has been missing since Nov. 4, when she reportedly argued with live-in boyfriend William Cumber, 208-B Magnolia Ave., a suspect in her disappearance. Her husband and business partner, Tom Buehler, also has been questioned by police, as has another man, Robert Corona, who was found driving her car shortly after she disappeared, told inconsistent stories about whether he knew her, and was arrested for theft.

"She was like an aunt in the family," said Hall, who owns a videography business, Star Fruit Productions, which she says Musil-Buehler helped her set up.

"She was my first client," Hall said. "I did a video of her at Haley’s talking with her birds and telling people about all the things to do on the Island."

After a duplex at Haley’s, 8104 Gulf Drive, mysteriously burned down on Sunday night, Hall put the video on You Tube with Crimestoppers contact information. The fire is under investigation as a possible arson.

Just before the fire, which was reported at 7:19 p.m., Hall was videotaping a wedding at Roser Church and the nearby Sandbar restaurant.

"I was shooting a wedding that Sabine had set up for me," she said. "It just got weirder and weirder. Around 7 p.m., me and Tom (Buehler) got together and we smelled fire." The two commented that it smelled like a wood fire in a fireplace. It turned out to be the wooden Haley’s building on fire.

Hall’s mother, Bradenton resident Debbie Hall, says she’s "just baffled."

"I have not felt good about this," she said. "As much as everyone wants to speculate that she just left town, I don’t believe anyone saw her at the airport."

Island business owner Nancy House and her friend Janean Martin said that they saw a woman who looked like Musil-Buehler at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Nov. 13, but waited to report it until they returned from a cruise and learned about the Haley’s fire on Sunday.

House said she had accompanied her daughter on a job interview at Haley’s with Musil-Buehler, and knew her face, voice and German accent, and heard the woman at the airport speaking German.

She didn’t report it to security guards because "There was not time," she said. "When things like that happen to you, you think nobody would believe it."

"I guess we should have taken the time to go back, but it’s not like we had a lot of time at the airport," Martin said.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is "99.9 percent sure" that a woman on the airport video surveillance tape is not Musil-Buehler, according to spokesman Dave Bristow.

"She was not at the airport, that’s crazy," Tom Buehler said. "She (House) didn’t tell anybody? Or tell her, ‘Everybody’s looking for you?’ "

"If she knew her, why did she not say to security, ‘That’s Sabine?’ " Debbie Hall asked.

Hall said she received a call from a psychic who said Musil-Buehler was in a building with a linoleum floor near 14th Street in Bradenton, near where her car was found. Hall went on a search for the building, found one that fit the description, and called police.

Bristow said nothing came of the report.

Police have nearly eliminated Corona, the driver of her car, as a suspect, he said.

"The guy probably never met her. We’re dealing with people who knew her," he said. "Someone out there has more information than they’re giving up."

"My original gut feeling is that something terrible has happened to her," Debbie Hall said. I don’t think she’s still with us."

Meanwhile, attempts to reach Musil-Buehler on her cell phone are chilling. Her outgoing message, in her voice, instructs callers that she will return their calls within 15 minutes.

HOLMES BEACH – State fire investigators have taken over the probe of the Nov. 16 fire at Haley’s Motel and local officials say it could be some time before the cause of the blaze is known.

"It’s out of my hands. It’s in the hands of the State Fire Marshall," said Deputy Fire Marshal Kurt Lathrop, of West Manatee Fire Rescue.

Officials have called the fire that destroyed a duplex there suspicious because of the disappearance of the motel’s co-owner, Sabine Musil-Buehler, on Nov. 4. Musil-Buehler operated the motel with her husband, Tom Buehler, from whom she was separated.

"We’ trying to be very careful and not get it mixed up with the disappearance," Lathrop said. "We have to keep reminding ourselves that it’s just another fire."

West Manatee Capt. Tom Sousa said that while waiting for lab results to come back, officials would continue to question people and follow any leads.

"We will have no further information for awhile unless something breaks," Sousa said. "When the lab results come back, whether they release anything at that time depends on where they are in their investigation."

Holmes Beach Police have questioned Musil-Buehler’s boyfriend, William J. Cumber, of Anna Maria, about the fire several times. Cumber was convicted of arson in 2006 and released from prison on probation in September.

Plans to rebuild

Buehler said he plans to rebuild the duplex and all that fire officials have told him was that the fire was "really, really, really hot and it moved very fast. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t arson. It really shocked me when it happened, but it has taken my mind off the disappearance."

He said a reward is being offered for information on Musil-Buehler’s disappearance and a fund has been established at Whitney Bank.

"Two weeks before she disappeared, she finished writing a play called, "The Way I Feel," he revealed. "Our nephew, John Lombard, of Doorknob Productions, has agreed to produce it. We hope to do a performance at the Island Playhouse and the proceeds would go to her reward fund."

Buehler said he also is seeking donations of Christmas lights, ornaments and decorations for the motel because all of theirs were destroyed in the fire and volunteers to help decorate for the holidays.

"I’m trying to get Haley’s back up," he pointed out. "There’s been such negativity around it. We have to keep doing positive things."

HOLMES BEACH – Anna Maria resident William J. Cumber, 39, has been named as a "person of interest" in the investigation into Sunday night’s fire next door to Haley’s Motel, according to Holmes Beach Police Chief Jay Romine.

Cumber, the boyfriend of missing Haley’s co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler, is one of a number of suspects under investigation in the fire, which destroyed the Haley’s duplex at 8104 Gulf Drive, he said.

Authorities have said Musil-Buehler, who is estranged from her husband and motel co-owner Tom Buehler, was last seen on Nov. 4 by Cumber, who was released from prison on probation in September.

Cumber was convicted in 2006 in Manatee County of felony arson at an ex-girlfriend’s house and was sentenced to three and a half years incarceration with credit for time served, followed by three years probation.

In his arrest warrant in that case, Cumber is quoted by the investigating officer as stating he "did not have the intent to burn down the house but wanted to leave a message since he felt scorned."

Holmes Beach Police and West Manatee Fire Rescue (WMFR) are conducting a joint investigation with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, but have not determined the cause of the fire, Romine said.

"It has to be considered suspicious because of the circumstances, but it would be speculation to connect the fire with the disappearance of Sabine Musil-Buehler," Romine said.

There have been no arrests in either case.

Cumber has been seen regularly in Anna Maria since Musil-Buehler disappeared. Sunday night while the fire was raging, Romine confirmed, he was seen at the Anna Maria City Pier between 7:30 and 7:40 p.m.

Cumber has given inconsistent answers about when and where he was around the time of the fire, Romine said, adding that he was cooperative on the night of the fire when officers contacted him at home.

"We have a keen interest in what’s going on because of our missing person case," Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Dave Bristow said. "We have no information as to where she might be, but we have interviewed the boyfriend about this incident.

“We’re still asking for the public’s help. We continue to interview people close to the victim. We’re looking for information that people might have that we don’t have. It’s frustrating for us and the family."

Musil-Buehler’s car, a Pontiac Sunbird convertible, was found shortly after her disappearance in the area of 12th Street Court and 26th Avenue in Bradenton. It was being driven by Robert Corona, 38, who said he had been partying with Musil-Buehler, then recanted and told police he stole the car.

"Unbelievable"

As flames filled the night sky on Sunday, Island residents filled the street in front of Haley’s. Word of the fire spread quickly through the small, normally quiet community.

Four engines from West Manatee and Longboat Key responded to the fire with 20 personnel beginning at 7:19 p.m., Romine said.

Police and deputies blocked off the intersection of Gulf and Palm drives as several hundred people watched the flames leap from the roof of the building.

"We looked out and I yelled ‘Oh my God! Haley’s is on fire,’ and called it in," said Louie McNatt, who lives next door to the duplex with his wife, Star. "It was about 7:15 p.m. The back end was totally engulfed in flames."

Sandy Mattick, of 307 Pine General Store, said she was bringing her daughter’s girlfriend home about 7:30 p.m. and saw the fire.

"The flames were really high," Mattick said. "There was one fire truck on the scene."

Charlie Daniel, of Anna Maria, watched the fire and remarked, "Oh man. Unbelievable!"

"I heard a siren and thought somebody was speeding, then I came out and saw the flames," added neighbor Wendy Holcomb, who spoke with a couple coming from a wedding at the Sandbar who told her they called 911.

"It’s unbelievable how fast that thing erupted," said Ernie Kendler, who saw the fire from his home across the street. He and neighbor Tom Bucci got a hose and sprayed down the roof of another neighbor’s house on Neptune, he said. Bucci sustained a minor injury to his knee, the only injury reported in the fire.

Capt. Tom Sousa, of WMFR, said the motel was undamaged, but firefighters broke some windows in a unit there to rescue two dogs belonging to guests. The Haley’s duplex was being used as storage and was empty at the time, Buehler said.

Monday, the property remained closed off behind yellow crime scene tape and Gulf Drive in front of the motel was blocked off from traffic. Inside, fire investigators combed the charred ruins using the department’s arson dog, Lucky. The investigators said it likely will be some time before any results are released.

Anyone with information on the fire should call Holmes Beach police at 708-5804 or WMFR at 741-3900. Anyone with information on Musil-Buehler should call the Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011.

The search for missing Island businesswoman Sabine Musil-Buehler took a grim turn Monday when Manatee County Sheriff’s Office investigators said they found a small amount of blood inside her car and evidence that pieces of seat covering and carpeting were removed. Investigators are trying to determine if the blood came from Musil-Buehler, the 49-year-old co-owner of Haley’s Motel in Holmes Beach.

Musil-Buehler has not been heard from since Wednesday, Nov. 5. Her estranged husband, Tom Buehler, filed a missing person’s report after police called him to report finding her car in the hands of a stranger in Bradenton. The two have been separated for several years, but they continue to have a working relationship.

Silvia Zadarosni, who has known Musil-Buehler for 15 years, said late Monday that they had set up a fund for a reward for information in her disappearance. Those wishing to contribute should go to Whitney Bank in Holmes Beach.

Musil-Buehler had been living most recently in Anna Maria with William J. Cumber, 38, who was released from prison on probation in September. Court records show he was convicted of setting a fire in 2005 that destroyed a home owned by his ex-girlfriend. Cumber told deputies that he and Musil-Buehler got into a fight Tuesday night because she caught him smoking a cigarette and she left in her car.

Possible homicide

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office had been investigating the case as a missing person, but they are treating it as a possible homicide because of the blood found in the car, according to spokesman Dave Bristow.

Musil-Buehler was last seen last Wednesday night in the area of 14th Street and 26th Avenue in Bradenton and her car, a Pontiac Sunbird convertible, was found in the area of 12th Street Court and 26th Avenue, also in Bradenton. The man driving the car, Robert Corona, fled but was found later that night and arrested on charges of driving with a suspended license and resisting or obstructing a law enforcement officer without violence.

Corona told deputies he had been partying with Musil Buehler and had taken drugs with her. Corona later recanted that story, possibly to get out of an auto theft charge, Bristow said. Corona was charged Monday with grand theft auto and his bond was set at $10,000.

Generous nature

Tom Buehler and Musil-Buehler were well known in the community for their public participation in fund-raisers and other activities. They recently hosted Haleyween, a Halloween party at the motel as part of Bridging the Gap. Buehler said he’s particularly concerned about her relationship with Cumber, who has a history of domestic violence, according to his record on file with the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court.

Zadarosni said that Musil-Buehler became involved with Cumber through the prison release program.

"Sabine and Bill had been having problems and she arranged to get counseling," Zadaronski said.

Rik Johns works at Haley’s Motel and since her disappearance, has pretty much run the place. He has worked there two years, but has been Musil-Buehler’s personal trainer for seven years. He said she works out three times a week.

Johns said that she had been busy recently with work and with Haleyween. He said he did not notice any change in her demeanor during that time.

"We had a couple of long talks and around the first part of October, and I got the impression that she was getting ready to leave him," Johns said. "One day it was good and the next day it was bad."

Johns said that Musil-Buehler generosity may have made her a victim.

"She would do anything for anybody, especially if it involved animals or people who are down and especially if she thought she could help," he said.

Sage Hall, another friend of Musil-Buehler’s, said that three friends of Musil-Buehler’s flew in from Germany over the weekend. Two of them were planning to come, as they do on a regular basis, and the third heard that Musil-Buehler was missing and decided to join them. She said that Musil-Buehler had no enemies and everyone she ever knew remained friends, even from her distant past in her home country, Germany. As for herself, Hall said that Musil-Buehler was instrumental in her career in videography.

"She helped me start Star Fruit Productions," she said. "Sabine was my first customer and whenever I had a question, I could call her and she would help me."

Buehler said a lot of people are concerned and that has led to a problem for the Sheriff’s Office.

"They have been besieged with calls about her," he said. "They would prefer people call Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS, if they are concerned.

People who have information on her should call the Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011.

Manatee County Sheriff’s Deputies are asking for help in locating Sabine Musil-Buehler, 49, co-owner of Haley’s Motel in Holmes Beach.

According to a news release, the last time she was seen was Wednesday night in the area of 14th Street West and 26th Avenue, in Bradenton.

Her car was recovered early Friday morning in the area of 12thy Street Court W. and 26th Avenue, in Bradenton.

At present, detectives don’t suspect foul play, but they need to verify her well-being.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS.