Jhessye's grandmother meets with Glendale police, seeks answers

PHOENIX - The grandmother of missing five-year-old Jhessye Shockley rejoiced Wednesday, after she was granted a private, sit-down meeting with the soon-to-be interim Glendale Chief of Police.

Shirley Johnson told ABC15 she had pushed for the meeting for months, as investigators are still searching for her granddaughter.

She met with the soon-to-be Interim Glendale Police Chief Debora Black, who will take over once current Police Chief Steve Conrad leaves to take another job on Friday.

"I felt that was one of the best meetings I have had," said Johnson said after the meeting, which lasted more than an hour.

Johnson said she's requested a meeting for months and came prepared with a list of questions and concerns about the investigation.

"I felt cleansed because I felt I was treated as Jhessye's grandmother, a concerned grandmother,"

Johnson said it is important to her to see the search effort for Jhessye first-hand, as crews continue to search the Butterfield Landfill for the missing five-year-old. Johnson said she was told she will receive a tour of the landfill sometime in the future.

"I felt her heart," she said. "Her heart felt mine."

As to what hope Johnson is still holding on to, she said she does not believe Jhessye's body is in the landfill, but rather that she is still alive.

"I feel she's alive and someone just has her," she said.