Reward climbs in Golden Fisherman case

The reward in the case of the missing Golden Fisherman passed the $15,000 mark this morning, when members of the Biloxi City Council approved the maximum amount allowed under state law — $2,500 – and Councilman Tom Wall pledged $500, before Mayor A.J. Holloway guaranteed the remaining $12,000.

Meantime, a resident of Biloxi offered an additional $500 and more.

The money would be paid for information leading to the return of the city-owned statue and conviction of those responsible for removing it from the Point Cadet Plaza grounds, where Hurricane Katrina had knocked it from its waterfront pedestal.

Holloway on Monday received an e-mail pledge from a former Biloxi High football teammate, who frequently visited the statue with family and friends at its Vieux Marche and Point Cadet locations.

“I hope by the time you receive this, the Golden Fisherman disappearance will have been resolved,” wrote Biloxian Paul Kettering. “If not, I would like to contribute $500 to the city’s announced reward for the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. I will contribute an additional $500 if you will allow the BPD to lock me in a room with the perps for a short period of time.

“As an RN supervisor at Memorial Behavioral Health, I am supposed to understand and care for even felonious statue thieves if they are admitted to my hospital. But the names Kettering, Rose and Cazeaux, among other of my Biloxi kin, were greatly insulted by these sociopaths. So I would like to pay for the privilege of “chatting” with them.”

Holloway said he appreciated the offer for the additional reward money, and said he hoped it would prompt individuals with information to notify the Biloxi Police Department, which is investigating the disappearance of the statue.

Background on the statue

—To see a gallery of pre-Katrina photos of the Golden Fisherman, click here.

—To read about the city’s pre-Katrina initiative to refurbish the statue site and update the names of the Biloxi seafood families on its pedestal, click here.

—To see a post-storm photo of the statue, click here.