The Disappearance of Keyonna Cole

Keyonna Cole has been missing since February 10th, 2019. The 27-year-old woman lived in Brooksville, Florida prior to her disappearance. She was raising a three-year-old son. On the evening of her disappearance, Keyonna was last seen after 11pm, walking down Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard towards Broad Street. She never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Three months before her disappearance, Keyonna was the victim of an attempted homicide at the hands of her ex-boyfriend Dwayne Williams. Williams reportedly attacked and strangled her. Keyonna was 5 months pregnant at the time of the attack, and she unfortunately lost her baby as a result. Williams was arrested after the attack but was released on bond at the time of Keyonna's disappearance. Keyonna was scheduled to attend a deposition regarding the case on February 11th, 2019, but she never showed up. 

Dwayne Williams

According to loved ones, Keyonna was worried about testifying in the case. She was reportedly receiving threats in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. Keyonna's family members believe that Williams has information about her disappearance, but at this time no arrests have been made in the case.

Keyonna's case remains unsolved. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please go here to submit an anonymous tip.
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Sources:
Charley Project
WTSP

List Series: Betrayed by Blood Vol. II

As explained in the original 'Betrayed by Blood' list, over 50% of the murder victims each year are killed by someone known to them--such as a significant other, acquaintance, co-worker, etc. Out of the 50% of murder victims killed by someone known to them, almost half of those victims are killed by members of their own family. Below is a list of five more cases in which the victim was killed by a member of their family, and ultimately betrayed by their own blood.

Pamela & Helen Hargan
Reportedly killed by Pamela's daughter/Helen's sister, Megan Hargan

Pamela Hargan (63) and her daughter Helen Hargan (23) were found shot to death in Pamela’s McLean, Virginia home on July 14th, 2017. When their bodies were first discovered by the Fairfax County police, it was believed the deaths were a murder-suicide. In fact, it was originally reported that Helen killed her own mother before turning the gun on herself. However, within days investigators found evidence that suggested that something else happened. Investigators eventually declared that Pamela and Helen had been murdered, and the crime scene had been staged to look like a murder-suicide.

For over a year, investigators did not reveal if Pamela’s older daughter/Helen’s older sister Megan Hargan (35) was a suspect or not. They did, however, reveal that Megan had attempted to make fraudulent wire transfers from Pamela’s financial account on the day of the murders. After several months of investigating, Megan was finally arrested and charged with the murders of her mother and sister in November 2018. Other relatives of the Hargans state that they are not surprised by Megan’s arrest at all. Pamela’s sister Tammy North said that she believes the murders were motivated by money and jealousy. Pamela had recently bought Helen a house that she was preparing to move into before she was killed. Tammy believes that Megan was jealous about this, as she and her 7 year-old daughter could not afford to move out of Pamela’s home.

Megan was found guilty in 2022. [read more]

MaSarah Ross

MaSarah (pictured left) and her mother, Ronkeya, were both murdered by MaSarah's father, Lester Ross

During 2009, 3 year-old MaSarah Ross lived with her father, Lester Ross, and her stepmother, Sharon Ross in Haines City, Florida. MaSarah's mother/Lester's ex Ronkeya Holmes made plans to pick MaSarah up for a visit on October 18th, 2009. Unbeknownst to Ronkeya, she would not be able to pick up her daughter that day. MaSarah had already been dead for months. Lester had killed her and hid her body inside of a freezer at his home. He told his wife Sharon that MaSarah’s death was an accident, but still reportedly threatened to kill Sharon if she ever told anybody about it. Lester had allegedly been abusive towards Sharon for years and she reportedly feared for her life during this time.

In order to hide the fact that he had murdered his own daughter, Lester decided that he had to kill Ronkeya as well. Before Ronkeya arrived at their home on October 18th, Lester asked Sharon to buy rat poison and melt the pellets on the stove. He then instructed her to mix the rat poison into a bottle of Coke from their refrigerator. Sharon followed Lester’s commands, and then left the Coke bottle on their kitchen counter.

At some point, Lester gave the Coke to Ronkeya. A few hours later, Sharon stumbled upon Lester with Ronkeya’s lifeless body inside his home office. Lester forced Sharon to help him move both Ronkeya and MaSarah’s bodies into his car. He then forced Sharon to drive to an orange grove in Winter Haven to help bury their bodies. Over a year later, in December 2010, Sharon lead authorities to their grave sites. It took over a year for the remains of Ronkeya and MaSarah to be positively identified, but once they were, Lester was indicted on murder charges. In 2015, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. [read more]

Alexus Watkins
Murdered at the age of 20 by her 16 year-old brother, Kevon Watkins

Image source: thecrimejournal.com

Alexus Watkins was murdered by her younger brother, Kevon Watkins, on February 3rd 2018. At the time of the murder, Alexus and Kevon lived with their mother Latoya Watkins in Macon Georgia. Similar to many 16 year-olds, Kevon enjoyed playing online video games. In fact, on the day of the murder, Kevon changed the password to the family's WiFi connection in an attempt to block his siblings and mother from slowing down the internet while he played video games. When Latoya learned this, she unplugged the internet router and took it into her bedroom. Kevon then went to her room to confront his mother.

According to Latoya, it appeared that Kevon was about to hit her--which is when Alexus intervened. Alexus ran into the room and grabbed her brother, and that point, he began to take out his anger on his sister rather than his mother. A struggle ensued between the two, but according to Latoya, it did not seem like a serious fight at first. Then, Kevon began to choke Alexus. Both their younger sibling and Latoya attempted to pull Kevon off Alexus to no avail. Eventually, Latoya called the police. Paramedics attempted to revive Alexus once they arrived, but unfortunately it was too late. She died at the hospital just a few hours later. 

Kevon was arrested on the scene and charged with murder. During the summer of 2019, he waived his right to a jury trial and opted to have a judge hear his testimony instead. His defense attorneys argued that he did not intend to kill Alexus, however the prosecutors argued that he did intentionally choose to put her in a chokehold which resulted in her death. The judge ultimately found Kevon guilty of the murder charges. In August 2019, he was sentenced to life in prison. [read more]

Billy Fretwell

Billy and his mother, Karissa, were both allegedly murdered by Billy's father, Michael Wolfe

Billy Fretwell (3) and his mother, Karissa Fretwell (25) vanished from their home in Salem, Oregon on May 13th, 2019. Concerns for their safety immediately arose, especially because Karissa was in a contentious situation with Billy's father, Michael Wolfe. Karissa and Michael had an affair years earlier that resulted in Karissa getting pregnant with Billy. Michael reportedly wanted Karissa to have an abortion, but she refused. Michael had no plans to leave his wife.

A few months before Billy and Karissa vanished, Karissa sought child support from Michael. A judge granted that request, which Michael was unhappy about. He became an immediate suspect in the disappearances of both Billy and Karissa--and nearly two weeks after they were reported missing, he was arrested and charged with murdering them both. Their remains were found a few weeks later, on June 15th.

Michael remains behind bars as his charges are pending. [read more]

Jamie Haggard
Allegedly murdered by her half-brother, David Haggard

Jamie Haggard (27) vanished in Kenmore, Washington on June 9th, 2016. Two years later, her dismembered remains were found in a suitcase in a wooded area in Snohomish County. Jamie's death was classified as a homicide but no arrests were immediately made.

Over a year later, in October 2019, Jamie's half-brother David Haggard was arrested and charged with her murder. The two reportedly lived together around the time of Jamie's disappearance, and they often argued about their house and drug use. Just days before her disappearance, Jamie told friends that she feared for her life. Another friend reportedly called the police after David allegedly sent him a picture of Jamie tied up in a bathtub. By time the police arrived at the house, Jamie denied that her brother had hurt her and instead blamed it on another roommate in the house.

According to court documents, Jamie and David fought on the morning of her disappearance--and then Jamie's loved ones never saw or heard from her again. Prosecutors believe that David killed Jamie that day before dismembering her and setting her remains on fire. He remains behind bars as the charges are pending. [read more]

The Murder of Delcia Mejia

Delcia Mejia was only 16 years-old when she was murdered inside her family’s Miami, Florida home on September 17th, 2004. The teen was last seen alive by her family the previous evening. Delcia reportedly said goodnight to her mother Delcia Oliva and stepfather Raul Mata around 11pm on September 16th. Delcia’s mother left for work the following morning around 5:30am, but she did not check on Delcia as she believed she was sleeping and did not want to wake her up. 

Delcia’s stepfather Raul left for the home around 7:45am—he also said that he did not check on Delcia before he left, but he also assumed she was asleep. Raul returned to their home less than two hours later, around 9:15am. At this time, Raul reportedly discovered Delcia’s body in her bed. She had been stabbed to death.

Over a decade has passed since Delcia’s death, and police have not made any arrests in connection with her murder.  However, a detective working the case has stated that Raul is a suspect in the case. He has been reportedly been “extensively questioned”, but he has never been charged with anything related to the case. 

However, the detective also stated that they are open to exploring other suspects as well. He explained, “even though common sense dictates that we look at [Raul], I don’t want us to be oblivious to anyone else. I don’t want the people out there to focus all of their attention on Mr. Mata. If there is any bit of information out there that will lead us to another individual, I am all ears” Despite this, though, Raul has still not been ruled out.

A murder weapon was never found, but detectives reportedly have DNA that could lead to a suspect. They are hoping that the advancement in DNA technologies could help them identify the killer. Meanwhile, investigators are encouraging anyone with information that could help solve Delcia’s case to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477) 

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UPDATE (9/27/20):

Raul Mata has been arrested and charged with Delcia's murder. The arrest was made after investigators were able to use new technology to match DNA found under Delcia's fingernails to Raul. This type of technology was reportedly not available to investigators back in 2004 when the murder occurred. 

Investigators believe the murder occurred after Raul made several inappropriate sexual advances towards Delcia. He later separated from Delcia's mother and moved to California where he started a new life with a new wife and children. Authorities were able to track Raul down, and he was arrested in California on September 26th, 2020.     

UPDATE (October 2020):

Shortly after his arrest, Raul Mata used a pen to stab himself in the femoral artery. He was transferred to a hospital where he later died from his injuries. 

The Murder of Jonah Golden

Jonah Golden was only 19 years-old when he was shot to death during the early morning hours of April 23rd, 2016. Jonah lived in Jacksonville, Florida, and on the evening of April 22nd, he attended a party at a home in Ortega Farms. Just hours before he went to the party, Jonah posted an ominous message on Facebook, stating: "If today my last day Jus Make Sure I Come Home to You Lord." While it's not believed that Jonah knew that violence would erupt at the party that night, the Facebook post suggests he had a premonition that something bad was going to happen.

The men who threw the party said that they invited around 25 to 30 people, but more and more people started to show up as the night continued. Police were reportedly called to the home three times that night before things turned violent. The initial police calls came from neighbors, who complained about the number of cars parked on their street and the noise level of the party. The police did not break up the party following those calls. The men throwing the party said that they eventually tried to break up the party themselves but were unable to gain control of the situation. Fights began to break out, and around 2:30am, shots began firing. Jonah ended up being shot and killed in the front yard. Another 18 year-old male was shot as well, but survived the injuries. The police were called again, but the shooter(s) fled the scene before the officers arrived.

Months after the shooting, investigators announced that they were searching for a person of interest named Kyon Wilkes (pictured below). Investigators did not elaborate on whether or not they believe Kyon was involved in the shooting, however they did state that they believe he has information about the incident. Now that years have passed since the shooting occurred, it is unclear if investigators still consider Kyon to be a person of interest.

Kyon Wilkes

Jonah's family members are hoping to one day receive answers in his case. They believe that there are individuals who attended that party who have yet to come forward with information. There is an $8000 reward in place for anyone with information that could lead to Jonah's killer. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact 866-945-8477 to submit a tip.

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[Unsolved Party Mysteries Vol. II]
[Unsolved Mysteries with Haunting Social Media Posts]

The Disappearance and Murder of April Parker

April Parker was reported missing in Monticello, New York on May 26th, 2014. Prior to her disappearance, the 31-year-old woman was living on Terry Lane in Monticello. Around two weeks after April was reported missing, skeletonized remains were found in a wooded area behind the Sleepy Hollow apartment complex - not far from April's home. 

It took over a month for the remains to be identified, but on July 25th, 2014, the remains were positively identified as that of April Parker. Investigators classified her death as a homicide.

At first, April's cause of death was not publicly revealed. However, investigators did announce that they did not believe that April's murder was a random act of violence. They believed she was killed by somebody she knew. Still, years passed without any suspects publicly announced in the case.

Finally, in 2021, a major break occurred. A man named Keymarro Guiden was arrested and charged with the second-degree murder of April Parker. Guiden and April were involved in a romantic relationship; Guiden is the father of April's youngest son. He was reportedly person of interest since the onset of the investigation. 

Keymarro Guiden. (Source: News 12)

After Guiden's arrest, it was announced that investigators believe he killed and dismembered April. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case is currently pending. 

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Sources:
News 12
Patch
Times Union

List Series: Runaway Theories Gone Wrong Vol. II

As explained in the original 'Runaway Theories Gone Wrong' list, many children and teens who go missing are runaways. According to statistics, one and seven children between the ages of 10 and 18 will run away at some point. With those statistics being relatively high, many police departments will classify missing children/teens as runaways unless they see evidence that shows otherwise.

Similarly, many adults go missing on their own accord as well. Statistics show that the majority of missing persons cases are solved, and many missing people are found alive. Often times, a missing person will not be classified as endangered due to lack of evidence that something harmful has occurred. Unfortunately, though, there are many cases of both missing children and adults who are mistakenly believed to be missing on their own accord. These cases are often later reclassified as endangered, however by that point, a lot of valuable investigation time has passed. Below is a list of 7 cases of both children and adults who were originally believed to be missing on their own accord. 

Kayann Canfield

Kayann Canfield has been missing since October 21st, 2013. The 24 year-old woman lived in Toppenish, Washington at the time of her disappearance, and she had recently moved into a new place just two weeks before she vanished. Kayann was last seen visiting a friend in Wapato. She reportedly sent a text message to her stepfather and asked him to pick her up. Her stepfather agreed, but a short time later, Kayann sent him another message saying she got a ride from someone else. She never made it home and has never been heard from again. 

Kayann reportedly struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. Due to this, investigators initially stated that they believed she was a 'runaway'. However, Kayann's family members disputed this from the beginning. Her grandmother stated that Kayann would never willingly abandon her son, nor would she stay out-of-touch with her family members. 

On November 5th, 2013, Kayann's mother found clothing that belongs to Kayann in a ditch near the west end of Toppenish. The clothes were freshly washed and clean, and it appeared that they had  recently been dumped in that location. This seemed quite suspicious to investigators, and it ultimately led them to take another look at the case. After a second look, investigators announced that they believe Kayann met with foul play. Her case remains unsolved today. [read more]

Hailey Dunn

Hailey Dunn was only 13 years-old when she vanished on December 27th, 2010. She was last seen at her mother's home in Colorado City, Texas, where she lived with her mother Billie, her brother David, and Billie's boyfriend Shawn Adkins. Shawn reportedly told investigators that he last saw Hailey around 3:15pm, after she told him that she was going to her father's house and then a friend's house for a sleepover. However, Hailey never arrived at her father's house or her friend's house--nor did she ever have plans to meet up with either. 

Despite the suspicious circumstances, police initially believed that Hailey was a runaway. They believed it was possible that she was in hiding. However, it only took days for investigators to change their tune and reclassify Hailey's case as an endangered missing child. Suspicions began to build against both Shawn and Billie--especially after investigators found evidence that suggested both were very interested in murder and sexual sadism. Additionally, there was evidence that Shawn had child pornography in his possession. Still, investigators did not have evidence to charge either with anything related to Hailey's disappearance.

In March 2013, human remains were found in Scurry County. A month later, those remains were identified as that of Hailey Dunn. Her death was classified as a homicide. In 2021, Shawn Adkins was arrested and charged with Hailey's murder. [read more]

Tisa Gantt

Tisa Gantt has been missing since January 2nd, 2007. Before her disappearance, the 36 year-old woman was last seen in Titusville, Florida. Tisa had recently filed sexual assault charges against a man named Edwin Deon Morris after he reportedly raped her near S. Deleon Ave. Tisa was very nervous about filing charges, as she feared that Morris would retaliate against her for telling the police what happened.

Despite these circumstances, police initially believed that Tisa left on her own accord. Her family has never believed this, as they do not believe Tisa would voluntarily be out-of-touch with her loved ones. As the investigation continued, police eventually began to think that something sinister happened to her. About a year after Tisa’s disappearance, a team of investigators searched the home of Edwin Morris, but reportedly nothing significant was found. Still, investigators returned to the same spot in 2011 and 2015 to conduct further searches. Morris has officially been named as a person of interest in Tisa’s disappearance. He is currently in prison on for an unrelated conviction, and at this time he has not been charged with anything related to Tisa’s case.

Tisa remains missing today. [read more]

Tabitha Tuders

Tabitha Tuders vanished at the age of 13 on April 9th, 2003. She was last seen by her family members at their home in Nashville, Tennessee. That day began as a typical day for the Tuders family. Tabitha's father left the home for his job around 7am, while Tabitha was eating breakfast and watching TV. Just like every other day, Tabitha planned to walk to her bus stop on 14th and Boscobel Street to board the school bus at 8am. A few witnesses saw her walking towards that direction before 8am, but unfortunately Tabitha never made it to the bus stop or to school that day. When she did not return home that afternoon as planned, her parents called the school only to find out that she had not attended her classes at all that day. Tabitha was then reported missing around 6pm that evening.

Due to Tabitha’s age, authorities initially treated her disappearance as a runaway. Her parents have never believed that she left on her own accord; she has no history of running away and she was a straight-A student who took pride in her perfect school attendance record. Additionally, Tabitha left behind all of her personal possessions and money. Eventually, investigators reclassified Tabitha's case as an abduction.

Over the years, there have been numerous potential sightings of Tabitha, but nothing has panned out. Investigators have also received numerous leads and tips--but she still remains missing today. In August 2020, investigators received a tip that lead them to searching local property for any sign of Tabitha, but unfortunately those searches came up empty. Tabitha remains missing today. [read more]

Priti 'Ashley' Porter

Priti “Ashley” Porter vanished from her family’s home in Gastonia, North Carolina on April 19th, 2009. The 22 year-old lived with her parents at the time, and she was last seen by her mother Tanya Davis. By Tanya’s account, Ashley said goodnight to her around 10pm. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary during their exchange. Then, the following morning, Tanya wanted to borrow a coat from Ashley’s closet, but when she tried to enter her room, it was locked. After Tanya’s knocks went unanswered, she asked her husband to break down the door. Once they entered Ashley’s room, they were shocked to realize that Ashley was not there, and the bedroom window screen had been removed. She has never been seen or heard from again

It appeared as if Ashley had removed the screen herself so she could exit through the window. Due to this, initial police reports on Ashley’s case characterized her disappearance as “not a crime - missing person.” Ashley’s mother stated that Ashley had an ex-boyfriend who her parents did not approve of, and he was not welcome in their home. Due to this, Ashley’s mother thinks it is possible that Ashley snuck out of their home that evening to meet up with him. Still, this has never been confirmed and Gastonia Police have stayed tight-lipped about the investigation into Ashley’s disappearance to avoid jeopardizing the investigation. The police have, however, said that they no longer think Ashley is missing on her own accord. In fact, they now believe that foul play was involved in her disappearance.

Ashley left behind her cell phone, purse, and numerous other personal items. Her case remains unsolved today. [read more]

Candice Parchment

Candice Parchment was only 15 years-old when she vanished from her family's Forest Park, Georgia home on April 28th, 2010. According to her mother, Candice voluntarily left the home that evening. Once Candice's mother reported her missing, she was classified as a runaway. Although Candice left the home on her own accord, her family and friends still worried about her--especially since Candice had gone through a traumatic experience in January 2010, two months before her disappearance. On an afternoon in early January, Candice called her mother and asked her to come pick her up at an abandoned house in Forest Park. Once Candice's mother found her, Candice ran to the car and said that she had almost been raped by two older boys. Candice's mother begged her daughter to reveal the identity of her attackers, but Candice refused. 

When Candice went missing in late April 2010, it was initially unclear if the January 2010 assault and her disappearance were related. While Candice's mother was inevitably concerned about the January incident, it appeared Candice had voluntarily left the home in April. Candice's loved ones feared for her safety, but continued to hold out hope that she would return home alive. Unfortunately, in December 2010, the case took an unexpected turn when human remains were found underneath an old mattress in a wooded area near Candice's home. Investigators immediately suspected the remains belonged to Candice, and those suspicions were confirmed just a day later. At that point, it was clear Candice had been murdered--she was reportedly stabbed and strangled to death. 

By October 2011 of the following year, Candice's murder remained unsolved. Then, while cleaning out her house, Candice's mother found Candice's diary. From the diary entries, Candice's mother learned the identities of the men who had attacked Candice in January 2010: Marshae Hickman and Jermaine Robinson. After reading the entries, Candice's mother was certain that these two men were also responsible for her daughter's death. She immediately turn the diary over to police.

Marshae was eventually charged with Candice's murder, while Jermaine was charged for his role in the January 2010 rape. Jermaine ended up pleading guilty. Marshae pleaded not guilty to the murder charges and went to trial in April 2013. He was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. [read more]

Erin Foster & Jeremy Bechtel

Longtime friends Erin Leigh Foster (18) and Jeremy Bechtel (17) vanished together on April 3rd, 2000. The two teens were born and raised in Sparta, Tennessee. On the day , they took Erin’s car to go visit a mutual friend right outside of town. They spent the day there, and then Erin and Jeremy left their friend’s house in Erin’s car that evening. Witnesses spotted them in the car just outside of Sparta around 10pm that evening. They never made it home and have never been seen or heard from again.

The exact circumstances surrounding the pair’s disappearance are unclear. At first, investigators believed that Erin and Jeremy were runaways. However, as time passed without any trace of them, this theory became unlikely. Neither of them have accessed their Social Security Number since they vanished, and Erin never renewed her driver’s license.

Erin's car vanished with them. The case remains unsolved and White Plains police are investigating. 

The Murder of Kayla Freeland

Kayla Freeland was shot to death inside her Jacksonville, Florida apartment on February 6th, 2016. The 20-year-old was reportedly found by her boyfriend around 10am. The boyfriend told police he had left their Arlington Village apartment to go to a convenience store. When he returned, he found Kayla dead. Kayla's young son, who was just a day away from celebrating his first birthday, was found unharmed in the apartment. Investigators immediately classified Kayla's death as a homicide.

No persons of interest have been publicly named in the case. Very few details about the investigation are available, and the case remains unsolved. Just days after Kayla's death, her mother made a public appeal for anyone with information to break the "code of silence" and come forward. Unfortunately, years have passed without any arrests or further news on the case. 

If you have any information that could lead to Kayla's murderer, please call 866-845-TIPS to submit an anonymous tip. 

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Sources:
First Coast News
Jacksonville.com
News4Jax

The Disappearance of Shawna Jones

Shawna Jones has been missing since August 25th, 2017. The then 42-year-old woman was last seen on Walter Street in Charlotte, North Carolina. According to her roommate Earnest Hooper, Shawna borrowed his car that evening and never returned home. Earnest reported her missing two days later.

Various reports state that Shawna had advanced cancer at the time of her disappearance--but the type of cancer has not been disclosed. Earnest said that she had been losing a lot of weight prior to her disappearance, and she was also in severe pain as a result of her condition. It is unclear where Shawna was headed when she left her home on the evening of August 25th, although Earnest said that it's possible that she went to South Carolina to visit friends. However, Earnest also said that his credit card--which was in Shawna's possession--was used at a carwash in Charlotte 6 days after her disappearance. Earnest reportedly believes that Shawna was the one who used the card, though this has never been able to be confirmed. 

A few days later, the car Shawna was driving (pictured below) was found abandoned on a ramp along Interstate 26 in Summerville, South Carolina. Summerville is located approximately 200 miles away from Charlotte. There was no sign of Shawna on the scene and she has never been seen or heard from again. 

There are unfortunately very few other details available about Shawna's disappearance. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please go here to submit an anonymous tip.

List Series: Missing Far From Home Vol. II

 It is a family's worst nightmare to have a loved one go missing. When a beloved person suddenly vanishes, those who care for that person are likely to experience fear, anxiety, and extreme stress. Those feelings are likely to be intensified when a person goes missing while in a place outside of their own hometown--especially if that person is not particularly familiar with the area. As explained in the original 'Missing Far From Home' list,  this impacts family's ability to aid in the search for their loved one--especially if they live in a completely different location and are unfamiliar with the places their loved one might have gone. Below is a list of 5 more cases of individuals who have unfortunately gone missing while away from their hometowns. All of these cases remain unsolved today. 

5. Jeremy Howard

Jeremy Howard (19) vanished from La Jolla Cove in San Diego, California on December 24th, 2015. Jeremy is originally from Seattle, Washington, but three months before his disappearance, he travelled to San Diego to stay with his sister and brother-in-law. He was reportedly scheduled to fly back home to Seattle on the day he vanished.

Jeremy disappeared at some point between 5:30am and 6:00am. He and his brother-in-law were at La Jolla Cove together, watching the waves and looking for the seals. At some point between 5:30 and 6:00, the brother-in-law stepped away for approximately ten minutes. When he returned, Jeremy was gone. He has never been seen or heard from again. 

The water near the cove was searched, but they were unable to locate Jeremy or any sign of him. Investigators are also open to the theory that he left the cove on foot, and they are hoping that witnesses will come forward. Jeremy remains missing today. [read more]

4. Terrence Woods Jr.

Terrence Woods Jr. has been missing since October 5th, 2018. The 26 year-old is originally from Maryland, however at the time of his disappearance he was in Orogrande, Idaho. Terrence worked as a production assistant for British docu-series Gold Rush: White Water. They were filming this particular season around Pinman Mine. 

Terrence's co-workers said that he was acting 'strangely' before his disappearance. As the film crew was wrapping up for the day, Terrence reportedly took off running towards a nearby cliff. When his co-workers went over to the cliff to see if he had fallen, they noticed he was already 15 feet down the cliff, running towards the woods. Some of the crew members waited by a nearby main road to see if Terrence would emerge from the woods. He never did, and he was reported missing by 5:30pm that evening. 

A widespread search of the surrounding areas did not turn up any signs of Terrence. He has never been seen or heard from again. The case remains unsolved. [read more]

3. Nancy Bromet

Nancy Bromet vanished while in the midst of a cross-country move from Florida to California with her boyfriend Jesus Julio Cruz. The 37 year-old woman and Cruz left Florida on November 12th, 2015. Nancy did not have a phone of her own, so she used Cruz's cell phone to communicate with her family. She last spoke to her family members on November 17th, 2015. Nancy used Cruz's phone to call her sister, and she indicated that she was in distress. After that call, Nancy's father spoke to Cruz and said that he would buy Nancy a plane ticket home if Cruz dropped her off at the airport. Upon hearing that suggestion, Nancy was heard asking Cruz "well, what do you think?" before the phone call dropped. When Nancy's father called back later, Cruz told him that Nancy was asleep. Nancy's family members have never seen or heard from her again.

Cruz later told Nancy's family members that they arrived in California on November 19th, 2015. He explained that, the following day, he dropped Nancy off at a shopping center in El Centro so she could buy groceries while he made deliveries in his truck. Cruz stated that when he returned to the shopping center two hours later, Nancy was nowhere to be found. Her family members reported her missing two days later, on November 22nd. The El Centro Police Department is handling Nancy's case, though her family members question whether or not she ever made it to California at all.  They believe it's possible that something might have happened to her following that final phone call on November 17th. Nancy's disappearance remains unsolved. [read more]

2. Zachary Porter

Zachary 'Zack' Porter vanished at the age of 25 on July 23rd, 2013. At the time of his disappearance, Zack lived in McMinnville, Oregon with his parents and his young son. The day he vanished, Zack traveled an approximate 3-hour drive away to North Bend to sell his motorcycle to a man who had purchased it off Craigslist. It has been confirmed that he did, in fact, make to North Bend and he completed the sale. However, at some point while Zack was still in the North Bend area, his family received text messages from his phone that they do not believe came from Zack himself. Zack also told his parents that he was going to get a ride home from the motorcycle buyer, but he never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Investigators were able to track down the buyer, who told them that he actually did not give Zack a ride home. He told investigators that Zack arranged to meet with a friend at the nearby Myrtlewood Factory who would give him a ride home instead. Investigators obviously questioned this, since Zack never returned home and there does not appear to be any record of him at Myrtlewood Factory. Zack’s parents have confirmed that Zack did reach out to several friends to ask for a ride home, but was unable to find someone willing to make the 3-hour drive.

It is not believed that Zack is missing on his own accord. His case remains unsolved today. [read more]

1. Derek Lueking

Derek Lueking has been missing since March 17th, 2012. The 24 year-old lived in Knoxville, Tennessee at the time of his disappearance. He was first discovered missing by his roommate, who was alerted when Derek did not show up to his job on the morning of March 17th. This was uncharacteristic of Derek, so his roommate contacted Derek's parents. Derek's parents then traveled to Knoxville to search for their son.

Derek's parents soon learned that Derek had searched the Great Smoky Mountains on his computer shortly before he vanished. He also purchased maps of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a tent and sleeping bag, in addition to a military survival manual, a compass/thermometer, a pocket knife with a sharpener, a fire starter, parachute cords, granola bars, and other survival items. On the surface, this does not seem too unusual, as Derek's parents describe him as an avid camper and hiker. Derek's computer also revealed that he booked a room at the Microtel Inn--a micro-hotel in Cherokee, North Carolina. Cherokee is an approximate two hour drive from Derek's home in Knoxville.

Derek's parents went to the hotel, where they saw surveillance footage that showed Derek checking in during the early morning hours of March 17th, 2012. The cameras captured Derek later exiting the hotel around 4am. This is the last confirmed sighting of him. Derek's parents then traveled to the nearby hiking trails, where they found Derek's car parked at the Newfound Gap area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Due to the fact that Derek had purchased numerous camping/survival items prior to driving to Cherokee, his parents at first that he might have just gone for camping trip in the mountains. However, many of the items Derek had purchased, including the tent, had been left in his car. Additionally, a note written by Derek was found inside the car. It simply read, "Don't follow me."

Derek has never been seen or heard from again. A search of the surrounding areas did not turn up any clues to his whereabouts. Derek's case remains unsolved today. [read more]

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Previously on the list:

• Erika Lloyd

The Murder of Ci'Lina Deloney

Ci'Lina Deloney was only 21 years-old when she was found murdered on January 16th, 2017. Prior to her untimely death, Ci'Lina lived on the Comache Nation reservation in Oklahoma. She had been married since she was 16 years-old, and she and her husband raised a daughter together. 

According to Ci'Lina's sister, Journee Toathy, Ci'Lina was struggling financially and emotionally in the months leading up to her death. In October 2016, Ci'Lina was at work when she learned that three men had broken into her home and robbed her family. Ci'Lina's husband, daughter, and sister Journee were inside the home during the robbery. All three of them were held at gunpoint. After learning about the robbery, Ci'Lina rushed home from work to comfort her daughter. She lost her job shortly thereafter.

During the following months, Ci'Lina's financial struggles worsened. She ended up moving to a motel in Lawton as a result. Ci'Lina last spoke to her family members on January 15th, 2017. The following day, Ci'Lina's family members saw a Facebook post about a body that had been found on Northwest Paint Road. They reportedly had an unsettling feeling that the body was belonged to Ci'Lina. Shortly thereafter, their fears were confirmed: Ci'Lina was a victim of homicide. She had been shot numerous times. 

Throughout the investigation, detectives learned that Ci'Lina was last seen alive at a Wal-Mart located approximately 10 miles away from where her body was found. She was reportedly seen getting into another person's vehicle in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Ci'Lina's vehicle was found abandoned in the parking lot as well, but it did not yield any clues in her case. Detectives have reportedly identified the driver of the car that Ci'Lina left in, but they were never able to locate the vehicle itself.

In the months that followed Ci'Lina's murder, a man named Darnell McDaniel was labeled as a person of interest. However, August 2017 - over 7 months after Ci'Lina's death, investigators confirmed that McDaniel was no longer considered a person of interest. In 2019, investigators said they had potential persons of interest, but not enough evidence to bring them in. 

According to a website dedicated to raising awareness to missing and murdered indigenous people titled Justice for Native People, over 50 people have been interviewed about Ci'Lina's murder. Additionally, three people agreed to taking polygraph exams. All three people passed.

Ci'Lina's murder remains unsolved. If you have any information that could lead to her killer, please call (580) 492-8477 to submit an anonymous tip. 

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Sources:
5 News Online
Justice for Native People
KWSO
Oklahoma Cold Cases

The Murder of Randisha Love

 

Randisha Love was murdered inside her family's Fulton County, Georgia home on January 12th, 2016. That day began as a seemingly typical day for the 17-year-old girl. Randisha attended school at Westlake High and then took the bus home in the afternoon. She called her mother at 4:15pm and asked her to bring home some dinner. Nothing seemed unusual about the phone call. Unfortunately, at some point between the time the call ended and 9 PM that evening, Randisha was shot several times. She was found by her mother and brother after they returned home shortly after 9pm. 

Both investigators and Randisha's family are unsure of a motive for her murder. Nothing was missing from their home, so a robbery was quickly ruled out. Additionally, police found no signs of forced entry inside the home, which indicates that Randisha was likely killed by somebody she knew and had allowed into the residence. It appears that Randisha was targeted--but investigators still do not know who targeted her or why. Detective Stewart Webb of the Fulton Police told reporters, "We’re still trying to figure out why this girl would have been targeted. There’s no obvious reason this should have happened to her." 

Randisha had aspirations to one day join the Air Force. She participated in her school's ROTC program and got good grades in her classes. By all accounts, it appeared that Randisha was a typical high school student without any known enemies. Still, investigators believe that one of Randisha's classmates might have information about her killer. In an appeal to the public for information, Detective Webb explained, "I’d like to reach out to the student body of Westlake High School. There’s at least two grades there that were attending school during the time of the murder. I would like them, their families to talk about it and if they have any information, rumors, talk that they heard in school that year, to please contact Crime Stoppers or the Fulton County Police Department."

If you have any information that could lead to Randisha's killer, please contact 404-577-TIPS (8477) to submit an anonymous tip.

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Sources:
11 Alive
NBC News

The Murder of Jade Winston

Jade Winston was only 18 years-old when she was found murdered inside her Carrier Mills, Illinois residence on August 17th, 2007. A neighbor called Saline County police shortly before 11:00 PM that evening to report hearing a gunshot coming from Jade's residence. Officers were sent to the scene, where they found Jade in a pool of blood with a single gunshot wound to the head. 

A 9mm semi-automatic pistol was found under her left leg. The clip from the gun was found in her left hand. Jade's death was subsequently labeled as a homicide - though it appeared that the scene might have been staged to make it look like a suicide. 

Investigators immediately began searching for Jade's killer. Meanwhile, Jade's family barely had any time to grieve before another tragedy struck: Jade's 22 year-old brother, Jerome Mitchell, was killed in a car accident just two day later. As investigators were checking out the alibis and questioning people about Jade's death, her loved ones were mourning the loss of two beloved family members. 

Jerome Mitchell and Jade Winston (image source: KFVS12 News)

Early reports about Jade's murder investigation stated that detectives received help from several agencies and had looked into numerous potential persons of interest, but unfortunately, they were unable to officially label anyone as a suspect. Investigators reportedly looked into hearsay evidence about an acquaintance of Jade's making threatening phone calls to her just two weeks before her death. 

The threatening calls were allegedly centered around jealousy involving a boyfriend. However, the acquaintance has never been publicly identified and investigators were unable to materialize any evidence from the alleged phone calls.

Other than that, very little information about the case was released to the public. Then, in 2010, Jade's aunt April Scales was quoted in an article that provided a few more details. In the article, April said that she and numerous other family members believe that the deaths of Jade and Jerome are connected. On the night of Jerome's car accident, he reportedly left his house to confront someone about Jade's murder. April explained, "[Jerome] was going to pursue those or someone responsible for Jade's death. I believe he was run off the road." 

It is unclear who, exactly, Jerome went to confront that night. There was a passenger who was in the car with Jerome at the time of the accident. The passenger survived the accident, but he told investigators that he did not remember how or why the accident occurred. 

Oddly, investigators also told April that this man and Jerome apparently did not know each other prior to that night. The man told investigators that he was walking around Harrisburg when Jerome picked him up. The accident happened shortly thereafter. 

Investigators have not stated whether or not they believe Jade's murder and Jerome's death are connected. Jade's case remains opened and unsolved. If you have any information that could lead to Jade's killer, please go here to submit an anonymous tip.

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Sources:
KFVS 12
The Southern
WSIL-TV

List Series: Overnight Disappearances

A list of ten people who seemingly vanished without a trace overnight. All of these missing people were seen or heard from by their loved ones at night, but were mysteriously gone by the following morning. Each of these cases remain unsolved today.

10. Kathy Pereira

Kathy Pereira was only 15 years-old when she vanished from her family's Gaithersburg, Maryland home on August 16th, 2015. Kathy had spent most of that summer visiting her grandparents in Portugal. She returned to her hometown in Maryland shortly before she vanished. On the morning of August 17th, 2015, Kathy's mother and brothers awoke to find that Kathy was missing. She has never been seen or heard from again. 

Kathy's family members are calling her disappearance completely out-of-character. The family had spent the day before her disappearance at the beach. After returning home, the family watched movies together before going to bed. According to Kathy's mother, there was nothing unusual about Kathy's behavior before her disappearance. Kathy did not do or say anything to indicate that she was planning to run away. In fact, Kathy was reportedly talking about her future plans to go to college before she went to bed on the night before her disappearance. Kathy's loved ones were left confused and worried when they awoke the following morning and noticed that Kathy was gone. 

Certain initial reports state that Kathy might have been accompanied by a teenage boy at the time of her disappearance. Now that over five years have passed, it is unclear if investigators still believe this to be true. There are unfortunately very few other details available about Kathy's case, and she remains missing today. [read more]

9. Desiree Thompson

Desiree Thompson (30) vanished under suspicious circumstances on January 7th, 2012. She was last seen that evening after a frightening incident with her estranged ex-husband, Edward 'Face' Gibson III (pictured right). There were reportedly several instances of domestic violence and encounters with the police throughout Desiree's relationship with Gibson. On the night of her disappearance, Gibson showed up at Desiree's home in California City, California unannounced. When Desiree answered the door, Gibson pointed a shotgun at her face. It appears that no shots were actually fired at that time, as Desiree was seen alive just a few hours after that incident. After that last sighting, she was never seen or heard from again.

Investigators have also been searching for Gibson, who also vanished on the evening of Desiree's disappearance--and it is believed that he is on the run. Gibson is wanted on charges of burglary, domestic violence, violating a court order, brandishing a firearm, and possessing a firearm as a felon. Additionally, Gibson remains the only person of interest/suspect in Desiree's case. Both remain missing today. [read more]

8. Jasmine Robinson

Jasmine Robinson (23) vanished from her home in Archer, Florida on the evening of February 18th, 2019. The young woman was approximately 6 to 7 months pregnant at the time of her disappearance. Jasmine was last heard from around 8pm that evening, when she spoke to her aunt on the phone. She said she was going to bed, and she told her aunt she would see her the next morning. However, when her aunt arrived to take Jasmine to a doctor's appointment the following morning, she was nowhere to be found. Jasmine has never been seen or heard from again.

Jasmine family members believe that the father of her unborn child might have been involved in her disappearance. She reportedly did not want a romantic relationship with this man, but he continued to harass her via phone calls to both her work phone and her personal cell phone. There is otherwise very little information available about the investigation into Jasmine's disappearance. Detectives have not released many details about evidence they have gathered, but they did state that they believe Jasmine was not alone when she left her home on the night of her disappearance. Still, no persons of interest or suspects have been publicly identified. Jasmine remains missing today. [read more]

7. Daniel Reaves

Daniel Reaves vanished at the age of 25 on May 4th, 2008. He was last seen by his girlfriend Sara, at her home in Madison, Indiana. The two spent the evening of May 3rd watching television before Sara dosed to sleep off around midnight. When she awoke around 4am, Daniel was gone—but she noticed that she had a text from him, which simply said “I love you.” This is the last known contact from Daniel; Sara tried calling him back five minutes later, but he did not answer. Daniel has never been seen or heard from again.

A week after his disappearance, Daniel’s car was found abandoned near Clifty Falls State Park. The car was unlocked, and Daniel’s wallet containing his credit cards and identification were inside. However, his keys and cell phone were missing. Investigators searched that area for any other signs of Daniel, but reportedly nothing was found.

Daniel’s family members have questioned whether or not it was actually Daniel who left his car at the park. They do not believe he would go hiking at four in the morning, nor do they believe he would leave his identification behind. Daniel is still missing over a decade later, and his case remains unsolved. [read more]

6. Priti 'Ashley' Porter

Priti “Ashley” Porter vanished from her family’s home in Gastonia, North Carolina on April 19th, 2009. The 22 year-old lived with her parents at the time, and she was last seen by her mother Tanya Davis. By Tanya’s account, Ashley said goodnight to her around 10pm. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary during their exchange. Then, the following morning, Tanya wanted to borrow a coat from Ashley’s closet, but when she tried to enter her room, it was locked. After Tanya’s knocks went unanswered, she asked her husband to break down the door. Once they entered Ashley’s room, they were shocked to realized that Ashley was not there, and the bedroom window screen had been removed.

The initial police reports on Ashley’s case initially characterized her disappearance as “not a crime - missing person.” However, as time passed, investigators eventually announced that they believe foul play was involved in her disappearance. Ashley’s mother stated that Ashley had an ex-boyfriend who her parents did not approve of, and he was not welcome in their home. Due to this, Ashley’s mother thinks it is possible that Ashley snuck out of their home that evening to meet up with him. Still, this has never been confirmed and Gastonia Police have stayed tight-lipped about the investigation into Ashley’s disappearance to avoid jeopardizing the investigation. Ashley's case remains unsolved. [read more]

5. Brenda Jackson

Brenda Jackson vanished at the age of 32 on January 3rd, 2016. Her father saw her for the last time on the previous evening, after he dropped her off at her home in Park Forest, Illinois around 9pm. About an hour later, Brenda spoke on the phone with her mother and mentioned that she was home alone at the time. She was scheduled to arrive at work around 5:30am the following morning, but she unfortunately did not show up. Brenda has never been seen or heard from again.

Brenda left behind all of her personal items. She also left behind six children. Brenda did not have custody of the children at the time, however her family members described her as a loving mother. She reportedly lost custody of the children after she refused to press domestic violence charges against her husband, Antonio Jackson. Antonio is considered a person of interest in Brenda's disappearance, but at this time he has not been charged with anything related to her case. Brenda remains missing today. [read more]

4. Monica Carrasco

Monica Carrasco was only 16 years-old when she vanished on October 2nd, 2003. Prior to her disappearance, Monica was living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins at their home in Balmorhea, Texas. According to her cousins, Monica went to bed around 11pm the night before her disappearance. The cousins reportedly checked on her around 1:30am and saw her sleeping in bed. However, by 7:30am, the family noticed that Monica was gone. She has never been seen or heard from again.

It was initially believed that Monica left on her own accord, but there were still significant concerns for her safety. Her aunt and uncle stated that they believe she became disoriented from her medications, left the house, and accepted a ride from a passing motorist. Police have also stated that it is possible that Monica left the house to meet up with a person she met from the Internet. 

None of these theories have been confirmed, and no suspects have been identified in Monica's case. Monica's uncle reportedly failed a polygraph exam regarding her disappearance, but he has not been charged with anything related to the case. Monica remains missing to this day. [read more]

3. Elijah Runningbear Diaz

20 year-old Elijah Runningbear Diaz (known as Bear by family and friends) has been missing since August 29th, 2015. He was last seen at his home in El Cajon, California, after his mother dropped him off around 10pm that evening. Bear is a member of the Barona Tribe, and many other members lived in his neighborhood as well. However, none of his neighbors recall seeing him leave that night. Bear sent a final text to his mother around 11:20pm that evening, and none of his family/friends have seen or heard from him again after that.

Around 4pm the following day, Bear’s mother showed up at his house to bring him dinner. When she arrived, Bear was nowhere to be found and many items were missing from his home as well. The bedding was missing from his bed, along with his big-screen TV and about a week’s worth of his diabetes medication. His toothbrush, glasses, and phone charger were left behind. Bear’s cell phone was turned off during the early morning hours of August 30th and has never been turned on again. He also has not accessed any of his social media pages since then.

Bear’s family members do not believe that he left on his own accord. He was in poor health due to his diabetes—he was underweight and had very limited mobility. At the time, Bear was unable to drive. His mother believes that somebody took him from his home and harmed him. The El Cajon Police Department is investigating his disappearance.

2. Timeka Pridgen

Timeka Pridgen was only 16 years-old when she went missing on May 12th, 2001. She was last seen at her family’s home in La Grange, North Carolina. On the evening of May 12th, Timeka was at the house with her mother, Cosandra Best. Cosandra was expecting to see her boyfriend, Eric Moore, that night—and she planned to end her relationship with him once he arrived at their house. However, 5 minutes before Eric said he was going to be there, Cosandra dozed off to sleep. She later woke up around midnight and realized that Timeka was gone. Cosandra was unsure if Eric ever actually stopped by, but she was immediately worried about her daughter when she realized Timeka’s shoes and other personal belongings were still inside the house. Cosandra subsequently reported Timeka missing.

Throughout the investigation, it was determined that Timeka was on the phone with a friend shortly before she disappeared. The friend told police that the phone call abruptly ended after Timeka heard a knock on her door. After months passed without any sign of Timeka, police began to believe that she was forced out of her home by somebody she had let inside. Cosandra believes that Eric Moore—the man she intended to break-up with that night—is responsible for her daughter’s disappearance. After Timeka disappeared, Cosandra learned from the police that Eric had previous criminal convictions for a sex crime, kidnapping, assault and theft. Still, Eric has never been charged with anything related to Timeka’s disappearance. Timeka's case remains unsolved. [read more]

1. Karlie Gusé

16 year-old Karlie Gusé disappeared during the morning hours of October 13th, 2018. She was last seen by her family at their home in Chalfant, California—a rural area in Mono County. Karlie’s stepmother Melissa Gusé told authorities that she last saw Karlie laying awake in her bed around 5:30 on the morning of the 13th. Melissa herself dosed back off to sleep after that, and when she woke up again around 7:15am, Karlie was gone. All of her personal belongings, including her cell phone, were still at the home. She was reported missing later that day.

According to Karlie's stepmother and father, Karlie was behaving erratically before her disappearance. Melissa reportedly picked Karlie up from an outing with her boyfriend and friends around 8pm on October 12th. While in the car, Karlie told Melissa that she had smoked marijuana. Melissa said that Karlie was acting paranoid and disoriented as a result. She reportedly tried to calm Karlie down--she even slept in her room with her that night to make sure she was okay. 

After Karlie was reported missing, a few witnesses reported seeing a person that matched Karlie's description walking through the neighborhood during the early morning hours of October 13th. These sightings have never been confirmed. As time has passed without any sign of Karlie, suspicions have began to build against her stepmother and father. Neither have been charged with anything related to Karlie's disappearance, nor have they been labeled as suspects by police. Karlie remains missing today. [read more]