The link stems from a man police are now calling a "person of interest" in both cases.  They made the connection while searching for 20-year-old Jamie Harper of Paxton.  She was last seen at a party in Rantoul.  For the family of Heather Zimmerman, who disappeared 10 years ago, it's a story that sounds eerily familiar.

 When Zimmerman's family heard the news about Jamie Harper, it was just news.  Until more details came out  That's when they got a glimmer of hope, that the similarities in both cases, could help answer their questions.

"It's been a long ten years.  But we just go day by day, and just hope something will come up," says Zimmerman's mother, Ann Mullins. For a decade, Mullins has been wondering what happened to her daughter.

Gifford police began searching for 19-year-old Heather Zimmerman after she disappeared  in 1997.  Her parents say she left to go out with friends and never returned.  Now police say they've learned some of the people who were last seen with Zimmerman, were also those last seen with Jamie Harper.   In fact, they say their "person of interest" in both cases is the same man.

And the similarities continue.  After Zimmerman's disappearance, an anonymous person called us here at WCIA, and said her body was at the dogtown pits.   That launched a massive search at the time.  And police got the same tip to look for Harper in the gravel pits.

But again, they came up empty handed.  It was an emotional time for Harper's mother.  Ann Mullins reached out and called her, to share the pain.  "I told her I know exactly where you're at and how you're feeling," Mullins shared.

Two women, ten years apart.  Similar looks, age and social circles.  And now both of their families share one goal.  To have the person accountable held responsible.

Police wouldn't go into details about their "person of interest," just that they've questioned him.  If you have any details, you're urged to call police.

Zimmerman's family is planning a remembrance ceremony for May 26th in Gifford. Its the 10th anniversary of Heather's disappearance.