Sunday, March 23, 2025

The Disappearance and Murder of Cheyenne Shropshire

 

Cheyenne Shropshire vanished at the age of 22 on August 24th, 2018. The young woman was last seen alive in Alcoa, Tennessee. Cheyenne was staying at a local Alcoa Inn on Airport Highway prior to her disappearance. She reportedly vanished from the hotel and was never seen or heard from again.

According to family members, Cheyenne was struggling with substance use disorder in the years leading up to her disappearance. In August 2018, she was reportedly living in active addiction. Cheyenne's sister, Savannah, explained that the family had set some boundaries with Cheyenne during this time - but they still kept in touch regularly. 

Savannah reported Cheyenne missing on September 8th, 2018. By that point, it had been weeks since anyone in the family had been in contact with Cheyenne. Despite not having custody, Cheyenne frequently kept in touch with her daughter, who was just 2 years-old at the time. Knowing it was uncharacteristic of her to stay out of touch, Cheyenne's sister contacted police. 

Certain reports about Cheyenne's disappearance stated she was seen with a man named Brandon Michael Aguirre shortly before vanishing. She had reportedly told "multiple people that she was scared of Aguirre and thought he might kill her." It seems likely that police questioned/investigated Aguirre in Cheyenne's disappearance, but nothing ever seemed to come of it. 

Over a year and a half passed without any sign of Cheyenne. Then, on March 21st, 2020, a property lessee found human remains in a field on Old Middlesettlements Road. Dental records confirmed that the remains were that of Cheyenne Shropshire. 

Authorities soon announced that Cheyenne's death was being investigated as a homicide. Monetary rewards have been offered in exchange for information leading to an arrest. Still, years have passed without any movement in the case. Investigators and Cheyenne's loved ones are both left with a big unanswered question: who killed Cheyenne Shropshire?

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More about Cheyenne.


Various information provided through news reports and online forums provide a little bit of information on Cheyenne's life in the years leading up to her disappearance. While it's known that she struggled with addiction, Cheyenne also was a seemingly kind, smart, and loving person who, like all people, battled some inner demons.

Cheyenne and her sister Savannah were born just sixteen months apart. According to Savannah, the two were very close growing up. In a 2023 report about Cheyenne's case, Savannah told reporters, "We did everything together. There's nothing that we didn't do together. Even when we got older she would tag along with me. And I would tag along with her up all the way until high school."



Other information found online about Cheyenne indicates she went to college after graduating high school but seemingly had to drop out after getting pregnant. A user on a Websleuths thread about Cheyenne's case posted about knowing Cheyenne for about a year in college, corroborating this information. 



This post was dated November 13th, 2019, and the user never posted in the thread again afterwards. However, the information in this post also seemingly corroborates the fact that Cheyenne was struggling with substance use disorder. In the same thread, another user inquired about Cheyenne's daughter. According to various Facebook pages, the daughter was in care of Cheyenne's mother. The father of the child appeared to be quite involved in the daughter's life as well. 

The battle with addiction; references to Aguirre.

Cheyenne's family members reportedly found out that she was struggling with drug addiction in 2017. Cheyenne confessed to her family that she was using. The family tried to get her help, but unfortunately Cheyenne's substance abuse disorder had a strong grip.

As noted above, Cheyenne's family had to set some boundaries with her due to the drug use. Cheyenne's sister Savannah explained, "There were times when I had to back away from our relationship because there were times that she had stolen from me and things like that. But that doesn't mean she wasn't an amazing person, and that I didn't love her. Sometimes tough love is just necessary."

It seems likely that the addiction is what led Cheyenne to staying at the Alcoa Inn. It's also possible that this is what led to her association with Brandon Aguirre - the man she had told others that she was afraid of prior to her disappearance. Aguirre has been referenced on Facebook, Websleuths, and on Charley Project in regard to Cheyenne's disappearance - however the mainstream media reports do not appear to reference him at all. 

Cheyenne's disappearance.

Savannah said that she last saw Cheyenne shortly before she vanished in August 2018. Savannah was working a shift at Bojangles, and Cheyenne came to the restaurant to ask for some food. Savannah did not give her food at the time but told her to come back when the restaurant was closing, and she would give her food then. 

When closing time came, Cheyenne never showed up. Savannah sent her a text at 11:01 PM saying, "Aren't you supposed to pick up this food, we are about to leave." Savannah received a response from Cheyenne's phone hours later, at 4:09 AM that read, "I was there at 10:40 to pick it up and nobody was there." 

That was the last known correspondence between the two sisters. However, it is unknown if Cheyenne herself is the one who sent that final message at 4:09 AM. After Cheyenne was reported missing, footage from the Bojangles restaurant was pulled. The footage does not capture Cheyenne at the restaurant at 10:40 PM, as the text alleges. 

Many reports state that Cheyenne was last seen at the Alcoa Inn - so it appears that there was a confirmed sighting of her at the hotel after she visited Savannah at Bojangles. Cheyenne's trail seemingly went cold after that, though - as it cannot be confirmed that she returned to Bojangles - despite the text message.

As previously noted, Cheyenne was reported missing on September 8th, 2018 - weeks after she was last seen. Searches were conducted, and appeals to the public were made, but no sign of Cheyenne was found. As weeks turned into months, Cheyenne's disappearance slipped into a cold case.

Nineteen months later: remains found.

After over a year and a half with no answers, a break was finally made in the case on March 21st, 2020, when human remains were found. The remains were discovered in a field by a property lessee on Old Middlesettlements Road; located just a few miles away from where Cheyenne was last seen. 

Within a matter of days, the remains were identified as Cheyenne. It was also quickly announced that her death was being investigated as a homicide. However, a cause of death has never been publicly released. It's unclear if an autopsy was ever able to be completed.

Who killed Cheyenne?

Several years have passed since Cheyenne's disappearance and the subsequent discovery of her remains. Unfortunately, her murder is still unsolved. Authorities have remained quiet about the status of the investigation; no suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly announced.

There is a monetary reward available in exchange for information that leads to an arrest/prosecution of Cheyenne's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact Blount County authorities at 865-273-5001 or submit a tip online.

Twenty Years Later: Still Unsolved (2025)

Many unsolved missing persons cases and unsolved murder cases featured on True Case Files turn 20 years old this year. After 2 decades, the loved ones of these missing persons/homicide victims are still searching for answers.  Here's a signal boost of the cases from 2005 that are still unsolved:

Listed by date of occurrence.

Jump to: Missing since 2005 | Unsolved since 2005 |


MISSING SINCE 2005:


Name: Amy Hauter

Missing since: Jan. 15, 2005

Last seen in: Fern Creek, KY

Age at disappearance: 14

Age now: 34




Case details: The Disappearance of Amy Lyn Hauter.

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Name: 
Heather Emmalee Bush

Missing since: Jan. 15, 2005

Last seen in: Modesto, CA

Age at disappearance: 13

Age now: 33



Case details: The Disappearance of Heather Emmalee Bush.

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Name: Asia Martin

Missing since: May 27, 2005

Last seen in: Hattiesburg, MS

Age at disappearance: 19

Age now: 39




Case details: The Disappearance of Asia Martin.

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Name: Jasmine Earl

Missing since: June 14, 2005

Last seen in: DeKalb County, GA

Age at disappearance: 18

Age now: 38




Case details: The Disappearance of Jasmine Earl.

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Name: JoJo Boswell

Missing since: July 11, 2005

Last seen in: Steele County, MN

Age at disappearance: 19

Age now: 39




Case details: The Disappearance of JoJo Boswell.

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Name: Madeline Edman

Missing since: July 29, 2005

Last seen in: La Crosse, WI

Age at disappearance: 15

Age now: 35



Case details: The Disappearance of Madeline Edman.

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Name: Mia Santiago

Missing since: Aug. 20, 2005

Last seen in: Brooklyn, NY

Age at disappearance: 16

Age now: 36



Case details: The Disappearance of Mia Santiago.

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UNSOLVED SINCE 2005:


Name: Christina White (18)

Case type: Disappearance and murder.

Missing: June 30, 2005

Remains found: Mar. 10, 2006

Location: Saratoga Springs, NY


Teenage girl vanishes from her mother's New York home; nine months later she is found deceased less than ten miles away. An autopsy determined she was stabbed.

Case details: The Murders of Jennifer Hammond & Christina White.

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Name: Alexandra 'Alex' Anaya (13)

Case type: Murder; dismemberment.

Missing: Aug. 13, 2005

Remains found: Aug. 16, 2005

Location: Hammond, IN


Indiana teen vanishes from her home; her torso is found 3 days later. FBI involved in the case.

Case details: The Murder of Alexandra 'Alex' Anaya

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Name: Kayla Reed (15)

Case type: Disappearance and murder.

Missing: Dec. 2, 2005

Remains found: Jan. 10, 2006

Location: Livermore, CA



California teen vanished overnight. A month later, her body was found in the Delta Mendota canal. Who killed Kayla Reed?

Case details: The Disappearance & Murder of Kayla Reed.

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Name: Chairo Garibay (20)

Case type: Disappearance and murder.

Missing: Dec. 11, 2005

Remains found: Jan. 2006

Location: Yuba County, CA



Young woman vanished from her family's California home; weeks later her body was found less than a mile away. 

Case details: The Murder of Chairo Garibay.

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Saturday, March 22, 2025

The Disappearance of Grace Allison Smith

 

Grace Allison Smith has been missing since February 23rd, 2022. The then-34-year-old woman was last seen in Mason County, West Virginia. On the day of her disappearance, Grace went to her mother's house in Point Pleasant. She left the residence around 8:30 PM, and after that, she seemingly vanished. Grace has never been seen or heard from again. 

On February 25th, Grace's car was found abandoned in the McClintic Wildlife area - located approximately 10 miles away from her mother's home. According to police, her keys and her purse were found on the hood of the vehicle. Many of her personal belongings were found inside the car. Other than that, though, there was no further since of Grace in or around the area.

The discovery of Grace's abandoned car raised red flags for several reasons. At the time, Grace was reportedly homeless and living out of said vehicle. According to family members, Grace was also facing difficulties due to drug addiction. In fact, during Grace's visit to her mother's house on February 23rd, she disclosed that she was felt unsafe with the people she was associating with, and she agreed to seek treatment. 

Source: Dateline

The image above is the last known image of Grace, outside her mother's residence, on the day of her disappearance. Before leaving the house, Grace's mother gave her $20 for gas. Grace also made plans to meet up with her father the following day so he could take her to a rehabilitation center. Once the next day came, Grace was nowhere to be found.

Grace's family initially believed that she was avoiding going to treatment. However, after Grace was reported missing, it was determined that she did not make any phone calls after leaving her mother's house. She did receive incoming calls - including one from her mother at 11:30 PM that evening - but they went unanswered. 

Authorities believe that foul play is involved in Grace's disappearance. Still, no suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified. In October 2022, the Mason County Sheriff told reporters, "We’ve had hundreds of tips. We’ve ran down every single one of them and have found no truth in any of those statements." Since then, it's unclear if police have received any other substantial leads.

Reports state that Grace divorced her husband in 2021; their daughter was in his custody. She also had another teenage son from a previous relationship. To this day, Grace's loved ones are left with questions about her fate. The Mason County Sheriff’s Department is in charge of investigating the case.

If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Grace Smith, please contact authorities at 304-675-3838.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Disappearance of Angela Burris

Source: Shelby Star

Angela Burris has been missing since April 19th, 2021. The then-36-year-old woman left her residence in Kings Mountain, North Carolina during the early evening. Shortly after, Angela was seen getting into a black sedan driven by an unidentified male. She never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

At the time of her disappearance, Angela lived on Lake Montonia Road with family members. Angela's aunt was the last person to see her at the residence before she vanished. Her aunt recalls seeing her sitting outside the home with a duffel bag and a teddy bear, as if she was waiting for someone to come pick her up.

It appears nobody in the family actually saw Angela leaving the residence. However, a family friend reported seeing her getting into the black sedan near the residence around 5:00 PM. The driver of the vehicle is described as a black man with black hair and a goatee. It appears that nobody in Angela's family knew this man, and he has still never been identified.

Angela's family reported her missing on April 28th, 2021. It was noted that she had disappeared for short periods before in the past, but it was unusual for her to stay out of touch with family, especially her daughter. Detectives followed leads when the case was first opened but were unable to find anything substantial. Months turned into years without any sign of Angela as her disappearance became a cold case. 

Over three years after Angela disappearance, in August 2024, it was reported that new leads had prompted a large-scale search for her in a wooded area of Gaston County. Investigators stated that the leads were brought on by advances in technology that allowed them to narrow down a "more fine point of a last known contact area for [Angela]", which is what lead the investigators to that area.

The search was conducted by over 60 people from several different law enforcement agencies. Over 20 acres of land was scoured, but nothing was found. Despite this, investigators stated that they have not given up on their search for Angela and are now seeking more leads in the case.

Angela's family members have also not given up hope that they will find answers. If you have any information that could lead to Angela's whereabouts, please contact the Kings Mountain Police Department at 704-734-0444.
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UPDATE (March 2025): Angela's remains have been found and identified.

In April 2022 - about a year after Angela vanished - human remains were found in Gastonia. It took 3 years for the remains to be identified, but on February 25th, 2025, officials confirmed that the remains were that of Angela Burris.

An investigation into her death is ongoing.




Saturday, March 15, 2025

The Disappearance of Susie Q. Bush

Source: Facebook

Susie Q. Bush has been missing since January 6th, 2022. The then-33-year-old woman was in Madison, Alabama at the time of her disappearance. Susie was last seen leaving an Applebee's on Hughes Road after finishing her shift at the restaurant. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Susie was reported missing by her family on January 15th, 2022. It was reportedly not unusual for Susie to go a few days without speaking to her family members, so they were not immediately alerted about her absence. However, when the family learned that Susie had stopped showing up for work, they began to worry. 

Once she was reported missing, it was confirmed that the last sighting of Susie occurred on January 6th, as she finished her shift at Applebee's. Reports state that Susie was seen leaving the Applebee's in a silver 2002 Honda Accord. The car had an Alabama license plate with the number 4757H31. According to Susie's mother, Susie did not have a vehicle of her own - so it's unclear who actually owned the car she was seen driving. 

There is otherwise very little information available about Susie's disappearance. She is described as a Caucasian woman, about 5'4", with blonde hair. At the time of her disappearance, she had two butterfly tattoos and several lines of writing in black script on the inside of her right forearm. 

If you have any information that could help solve Susie's case, please contact the Madison Police Department at 256-772-6259 or tellmpd@madisonal.gov.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Facebook
WAAY TV

Sunday, March 9, 2025

The Disappearance of Crystal Branham Hall

Source: Kentucky State Police

Crystal Gayle Branham Hall has been missing since March 3rd, 2009. The then-24-year-old was living in Pikeville, Kentucky at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen at the apartment she shared with her sister on Kentucky Avenue.

Crystal was at home alone at the time she vanished. She was speaking on the phone to a friend when she said someone was coming in through the back door. The call ended shortly thereafter. Crystal has never been seen or heard from again.

When Crystal's sister returned home a few hours later, she noticed that Crystal was gone. However, many of her personal belongings were left behind. Crystal's coat was found on the couch, and her purse still remained inside the residence as well. 

Prior to vanishing, Crystal spent a year in jail on drug-related charges. She reportedly had been struggling with addiction, and as a result, she did not have custody of her three children. Still, according to Crystal's grandmother, Crystal still called her children every single day. Her loved ones do not believe she would voluntarily stay out of touch with them.

There were several reported sightings of Crystal around the Pikeville area shortly after her disappearance, but none of them panned out. As time continued to pass without any sign of Crystal, both local and online speculation about what might have happened to her began to build. Posts on a (now-defunct) message board called Topix indicate she might have been killed by a specific person, but nothing substantial ever seemed to come from these rumors.

There has also been speculation about the "someone" Crystal said was coming to the door while she was on the phone with a friend. According to Crystal's sister, the two of them would often say someone was the door when they were ready to get off the phone. Due to this, it's unclear if there actually was anyone at the door at this time. 

Over 15 years have passed, and Crystal still remains missing. Her loved ones are still searching for answers. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact the Kentucky State Police at 606-433-7711.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Reddit
Topix archive
Unsolved Appalachia
WYMT


Saturday, March 8, 2025

The Abduction of Sophia Franklin

 

During February 2025, an AMBER Alert was issued in the states of Wisconsin, Arkansas and Missouri, for Sophia Franklin - a 16-year-old missing from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. The teen girl was last seen at her family's home on the evening of February 2nd, 2025. The following morning, Sophia was gone. Her family contacted police shortly after realizing she wasn't at the residence.

It was immediately feared that Sophia left her house to meet up with Gary Day - a 40-year-old man with a history of abusing children. Sophia and Day reportedly began talking online in April 2024. On July 29th, 2024, Sophia told her parents she was going to stay with a friend in the Beaver Dam area. In reality, she was picked up by Day and driven to his residence in Austin, Arkansas. 

Gary Day. (ABC News)

Day was already on probation at this point due to a child endangerment charge from 2020. A probation officer made a routine stop by Day's home during December 2024 and noticed a young girl running out of the back of the residence. It was eventually learned that the young girl was Sophia; a 16-year-old from Wisconsin. Sophia eventually told officers that she had been there since August and planned to marry Day.

Sophia's parents were reportedly shocked to learn of their daughter's relationship with Day, as they thought she had been staying with a friend in the local area. Sophia was subsequently returned to her family's home in Wisconsin. An order of protection was put in place, forbidding Day and Sophia to have contact. 

At some point in the midst of all this, Sophia learned she was pregnant with Day's child. The child was conceived in Arkansas - where the age of consent is 16 - so Day was not charged with statutory rape. It's believed that Sophia was approximately 3 months along at the time the February 2025 AMBER alerts were issued. 

Despite the order of protection, Day and Sophia continued to have contact via text and email after her return to Wisconsin. Then, in early February 2025, the two met up in person once again. Day drove to Wisconsin and was captured by home security cameras walking by the Franklin's house on the morning of February 3rd.

Source: Beaver Dam PD

Shortly thereafter, Sophia was discovered to be missing from the home. An AMBER alert was immediately issued in the state of Wisconsin, asking the public to be on the lookout for a black 2014 Buick LaCrosse. The car had recently been seen using two different plates: Pennsylvania KGW5186 and Arkansas BBR20L.



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February 4th, 2025: Gary Day is charged.

On February 4th, 2025, the Dodge County District Attorney filed two felony charges against Gary Day: 2 counts of child enticement and one count of child abduction. The first child enticement charge count is dated as July 29th, 2024 - the first time Day picked Sophia up and brought her to Arkansas. The second enticement charge count is dated February 3rd, 2025.

February 6th-7th, 2025: The AMBER Alert is extended across states.

On February 6th, 2025, the AMBER alert for Sophia was issued in Arkansas as well - noting that Gary Day is from there, and he had traveled there with Sophia in the past.

The following day, the AMBER alert was extended to Missouri, as it was believed that the two had traveled through there. There was a potential sighting of Day's car in Springfield, but it remains unconfirmed.

February 9th, 2025: Gary Day's phone pings one final time.

On February 10th, authorities confirmed that Gary Day's phone was active in Arkansas the previous day - February 9th, 2025. However, the phone has since been shut off and has not pinged again. This gave investigators a potential lead on Sophia and Day being in Arkansas, but the possibility that they are traveling/hiding through other states remains as well.

February 12th, 2025 - present time: the whereabouts of Sophia and Day remain unknown.

On February 12th, 2025, a missing persons poster/flyer for Sophia was distributed across the United States. At this point, Sophia's abduction made national news. 

Click or tap to enlarge.


Unfortunately, Sophia still remains missing today. The whereabouts of Gary Day remain unknown as well. There are obvious concerns about Sophia being with Day - not only is he an adult and she is a minor, but he also has a history of abusing children. In 2020, he was arrested after his 4-month-old child was found to have a broken femur bone. Though Day denied the charges, it is believed that he caused said injury. 

Have you seen Sophia Franklin and/or Gary Day?

Sophia is described as a white female, 5'9" and approximately 186 pounds. She has light brown hair and blue eyes. As previously noted, she was believed to be approximately 3 months pregnant at the time of her disappearance. 

Gary Day is described as a white male, 5'7", and approximately 165 pounds. He has green eyes. It is still believed that Day and Sophia are traveling in his Buick LaCrosse. Day is/was a hobby license plate collector, so it is believed that he has changed the car's plates several times in attempt to conceal the vehicle from being recognized.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Sophia and/or Day is asked to call 9-1-1 or contact the Beaver Dam Police Department at 888-304-3936. If you see Sophia and/or Day in your state, please contact the local police department as well.

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Sources:
ABC WISN 2, (2)
NCMEC