The Disappearance and Death of Shawnta Pankey

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Shawnta Pankey vanished in Idaho on April 15th, 2018. The then-25-year-old was seen near her Grangeville apartment with her boyfriend, Eddie Mills, around 2:00 AM. Surveillance cameras captured the couple making several trips back and forth from the apartment to Mills' car while carrying camping gear.  Shawnta and Mills left the apartment building in the vehicle around 2:15 AM. By 11:06 AM, Mills returned to the apartment building alone. Shawnta was never seen or heard from again.

Shawnta was reported missing the following day, after she did not pick up her daughter from her mother’s house as planned.  When Mills was questioned, he said that he and Shawnta got into an argument while camping at Pine Bar along the Salmon River. Shawnta then decided to talk a walk around 10:00 AM and never returned.

As the last person to have seen Shawnta, Mills was inevitably labeled as a person of interest. He denied any knowledge of her whereabouts and agreed to take a polygraph exam. Reports stated that Mills did not show up for the planned polygraph at first – but he did eventually take the exam, and he passed. This still did not rule Mills out completely, but it did prompt investigators to look at other possible scenarios.

One couple reported seeing a woman matching Shawnta’s description hiking up grade near the river between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM on the day of her disappearance. Investigators conducted several searches in that area and in the surrounding areas, but they were unable to locate Shawnta. The area from which she vanished reportedly has very little cell phone service, so investigators were unable to track her cell phone pings.

On May 5th, 2019 - over a year after Shawnta's disappearance - human remains were found near Buffalo Eddy on the Snake River. Days later, it was confirmed that those remains were that of Shawnta Pankey. The FBI then began conducting a forensic examination on her remains. By late November 2019, it was announced that investigators had finished the forensic examination, but they declined to provide any further details. 

To this day, Shawnta's cause and manner of death has not been revealed. However, there is speculation that she was murdered. Many people still believe her boyfriend Eddie Mills was involved. Still - no arrests have been made in Shawnta's case.

Shawnta's loved ones are hoping to find answers in her case. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Idaho County Sheriff's Office at 208-983-1100.

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Sources:

KLEW TV, 2

Idaho County Free Press

Idaho News

The Disappearance of Terrence Woods Jr.

Terrence Woods Jr. vanished at the age of 26 on October 5th, 2018. At the time of his disappearance, Terrence was working as a production assistant for the British docu-series Gold Rush: White Water. The series was being filmed around Pinman Mine in Orogrande, Idaho. 

Terrence originally planned to be working with the crew until mid-November 2018, but just a few hours before his disappearance, he texted his parents and said he decided to leave the production early. He told his parents he planned to be back in his hometown in Maryland by October 10th. Just hours after Terrence sent those texts, he disappeared.

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 5:30 PM that evening. 

A widespread search for Terrence ensued. Search crews scoured the area on horseback and on ATVs. Search dogs and helicopters with heat-sensing technology also were used, but unfortunately no clues were found. After days of searching, local law enforcement announced that they did not believe Terrence was still in the area from where he disappeared. It is unclear where he could have possibly gone, or how he could have left without a vehicle - but the search crews did not find any trace of him.

Terrence's family members said that his actions prior to his disappearance were completely uncharacteristic. He reportedly does not have a history of mental illness or drug use. Terrence's journal contained entries that suggested he was tired of all the traveling his job required, but it appeared he was referring to his previous job in London. Law enforcement's log from the 911 call regarding Terrence's disappearance stated that "Terrence has been having a really hard time emotionally and had a mental breakdown earlier today." However, there is no further elaboration about this alleged mental breakdown.

Investigators report that there is no evidence of foul play in Terrence's case. Still, Terrence's family members believe foul play is a possibility. His parents believe that Terrence might have been afraid of someone he was working with in Idaho, which is why he wanted to return from production early. This has never been confirmed, and Terrence's fate remains unknown to this day.

Terrence's case is still open, and investigators are hoping to receive more tips. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact officials at 208-983-1100.

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Sources:
ABC News 
Charley Project
Deadline
NBC News
Vice