The Disappearance of Danielle Adams

 

Danielle Alise Adams has been missing since May 21st, 2016. The then-21-year-old was last seen in Detroit, Michigan. Reports state that Danielle went out for a drink on the evening of May 20th. It appears that she was last seen during the early-morning hours of May 21st, in the area of Intervale Street and Freeland Street. Danielle never returned home and her loved ones have never seen or heard from her again.

Danielle was usually quite active on social media, but all of her online activity abruptly stopped on the day of her disappearance. The fact that she never returned home combined with the sudden online silence immediately raised red flags for her family members. Danielle was reported missing on May 23rd. 

Additional details about Danielle’s life and the events leading up to her disappearance are scarce. It’s known that Danielle was adopted by her mother, Sharon Collins, at the age of 11. Collins shared that Danielle had a rough childhood and had run away a few times during her adolescent years. However, she never stayed away for long periods of time.

It’s also known that Danielle had a boyfriend at the time of her disappearance. According to reports, the boyfriend was questioned by Detroit PD. He has not been publicly labeled as a suspect; however, it does not appear that he - or anyone - has been publicly ruled out, either. 

In June 2016, detectives told Danielle’s mother that they found a personal ad for Danielle Adams in the classified section of Backpage.com. This suggests that Danielle might have fallen victim to trafficking. Unfortunately, this discovery did not bring investigators any closer to bringing Danielle home, as several years have passed without any further sign of the young woman. 

Danielle’s disappearance has grown into a cold case. The Detroit Police have agency over the investigation, and they have kept Danielle’s case open. If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Danielle Adams, please contact authorities at 313-596-2221 or submit a tip online.

Sources:
ABC 7
Charley Project
Click on Detroit
Hunting for Answers

The Disappearance of Qiana Allen

 

Qiana Allen has been missing since June 23rd, 2023. The then-39-year-old woman lived in Pontiac, Michigan at the time of her disappearance. Qiana was last known to be at her home on Firelite Lane. She had a scheduled shift at a McDonald’s in Auburn Hills that day, but she never showed up. Qiana has never been seen or heard from again. 

Before vanishing, Qiana spoke on the phone with her mother, who lives in California. Her mother said that Qiana mentioned she was going to her shift at McDonald’s, and that her job was going to send her an Uber or Lyft to take to work because the buses were not running that day. Other than that, nothing seemed unusual about their conversation. 

It’s unknown if Qiana’s job did, in fact, intend to send her a rideshare service. There does not appear to be any witnesses who might have seen Qiana get into a vehicle on the day of her disappearance. It is known that Qiana never arrived at her shift that day, but further circumstances surrounding her disappearance are unclear. 

Qiana remains missing today. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office has investigative agency over her case. If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Qiana Allen, please contact authorities at 248-858-4951.

Sources:

Charley Project
Disappeared blog
MPIA
Oakland County 115
WWJ News RADIO

The Murder of Lavoris Watkins

 

The afternoon of December 22nd, 2012, was a frigid one in Lansing, Michigan. Known for its cold winters, Michigan is a state in which its residents often keep their windows and doors closed during the season to help keep the cold air out of their homes. This is why a resident in the 1000 block of Kelsey Avenue grew concerned after a neighbor’s door had been left ajar for an extended period of time. 

A security check was requested at the residence. Once first responders arrived, they found an unresponsive woman inside the home. The woman was soon identified as 26-year-old Lavoris Watkins, a lifelong Lansing resident and a mother-of-two. Lavoris was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Police initially did not reveal Lavoris’ cause of death. However, after a few days, it was confirmed that she died from a gunshot wound. A public appeal was made for anyone with information about Lavoris’ killer(s) to come forward. Unfortunately, over a decade has passed and Lavoris’ murder remains unsolved.

A motive for Lavoris’ killing is also unknown. Her loved ones described her as a caring mother who was always willing to lend a hand. It does not appear that she had any known enemies or conflicts with others at the time of her death. 

The Lansing Police Department has investigative agency over this case. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Lavoris Watkins, please contact authorities at (517) 483-4600.

Sources:
Lansing PD
Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog

Michigan live

The Disappearance of Alicia Digna

 

Alicia Digna has been missing since August 27th, 2008. The then-26-year-old woman was last known to be in Romulus, Michigan. Alicia was last seen driving a burgundy four-door 1992 Pontiac Grand Am. She never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Alicia's family members were immediately concerned when she fell out-of-touch. Not only was it unusual for her to not contact her mother and her nine siblings, but Alicia was also battling multiple sclerosis which required daily medication. Her family maintains she would not voluntarily leave for an extended period of time without telling anyone. 

About a week after Alicia vanished, her car was found at a gas station on the east side of Detroit, Michigan. According to Alicia's sister, the car was found with a door open and someone else's cell phone inside. There was no other sign of Alicia and/or her whereabouts on the scene. 

Over 15 years have passed since Alicia's disappearance, and her case remains cold. It is unknown if investigators ever located/spoke to the owner of the cell phone that was found in Alicia's car. It's been reported that Alicia had broken up with a fiancé prior to her disappearance; this fiancé has never been publicly labeled as a person of interest.  It's unclear if investigators have ever had any substantial leads in the case.

Alicia's family members are still fighting to find answers. If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Alicia Digna, please contact the Lincoln Park Police Department at 313-381-1800 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Click on Detroit
Find Alicia Digna
NamUs

The Disappearance and Murder of Jerome Ezell

source: wilx.com

Jerome Ezell vanished under suspicious circumstances on November 7th, 2017. The then-27-year-old man was last seen alive in Lansing, Michigan. Over a year later, on December 12th, 2018, Jerome's remains were found in a wooded area in Van Buren County off of I-94. His death was labeled a homicide.

The day of Jerome's disappearance seemingly began as a regular day. He dropped off his girlfriend, Jasmine Hill, at her job in Lansing. Jerome was driving a vehicle the couple shared, a white 2017 Chevy Equinox. He was supposed to later pick Jasmine up from work, but he never showed up as planned. 

After Jasmine's calls to Jerome went unanswered, she contacted OnStar to try and locate their car. OnStar subsequently led to police finding the vehicle on N. Fairview Avenue in Lansing. Jerome's five-month-old son was found in the car, unharmed and strapped into his car seat, but Jerome himself was nowhere to be found. Police subsequently began to investigate Jerome's disappearance. 

A year after Jerome went missing, a local news report stated that police did not consider his disappearance to be a cold case, but it was "at a standstill." A little over a month later, human remains were found in a wooded area in Van Buren County. Days later, the remains were confirmed to be that of Jerome Ezell. 

It's worth noting that Jerome's body was found approximately 100 miles away from where his car was found. It's unknown if he was killed in that location or if his body was hidden there after the fact. There is otherwise very little information available about the investigation into Jerome's murder. Police were quick to label Jerome's manner of death as a homicide, but his exact cause of death has not been publicly revealed. 

Both the Michigan State Police and the FBI are involved in the search for Jerome's killer(s). The FBI is offering a monetary reward for "information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible" for Jerome's murder. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip. 

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Sources:
Click on Detroit
The Detroit News
Federal Bureau of Investigation
FOX 47 News
WILX, (2), (3)

The Murder of Brittany Brown

Brittany Brown was only 26 years old when she was found brutally murdered in Detroit, Michigan in March 2014. The young mother of two was last seen by her family members a month earlier--after she told them she was going to a local restaurant in Detroit. Brittany never returned home, and her family never heard from her again. 

On March 22nd, 2014, a man taking a walk on the 15000 block of Kentucky Street spotted a suspicious looking duffel bag in an alleyway. Inside the bag was Brittany's body. She had been tied up, raped, and brutally beaten to death. Her body had been burned. Brittany's death was very quickly labeled as a homicide. Her killer remains unknown to this day.

Brittany's family members are heartbroken and baffled by her murder. According to her mother, Brittany was well-liked in the community, but mostly kept to herself. There are very few details available about the investigation into Brittany's murder. Investigators reportedly said that Brittany was spotted near I-96 and Telegraph before her death, but it is unclear when, exactly, this sighting took place. 

There is a cash reward available for anyone with information that could lead to Brittany's killer. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please go here to submit an anonymous tip.
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Sources:
Click on Detroit
Fox 2 Detroit
MI Cold Cases

The Murder of David Carter

 

David Carter was brutally murdered in late September 2018. The then-39-year-old lived in Melvindale, Michigan at the time of his death. David was last seen by his loved ones on September 28th, 2018. That evening, he attended his son’s football game amongst several other family members. It appeared to be a typical evening; David’s family could have never predicted it was the last time they’d see him alive.

On September 30th, the mother of David’s son received a text from David’s phone saying that he was sick. As such, David’s son DJ went to his father’s residence so he could gather some belongings. Once there, DJ encountered David’s girlfriend Tamera ‘Tammy’ Williams taking out the garbage. When DJ asked where his dad was, Tammy told him he went for a walk. This seemed odd – as he was under the impression that his father was sick – but DJ initially did not think too much of it.

A few days later, David’s sister Tasia was notified that David had not shown up for work as planned. Tasia then decided to go to his apartment to check on him. She began to worry when she noticed that David’s front door was unlocked, and his bedroom was in disarray – which was unusual for him. Tasia also stated that she noticed a gunshot hole in his mattress, as well as a blood stain. She asked David’s girlfriend Tammy about David’s whereabouts, and she claimed she did not have a clue. David’s family reported him missing shortly thereafter, on October 2nd, 2018.

Unbeknownst to his family, David had already been found deceased. On October 1st, 2018, an employee with the department of transportation spotted a sleeping bag along a highway in Eagle Township, Ohio. Inside, a human male’s lower torso and legs were found. Although this was located nearly 100 miles away from David’s home in Melvindale, investigators were quickly able to determine the remains belonged to David by one of his tattoos.

Many questions remain about David’s death. He was dedicated to being a father and was also committed to his job. David was not the type of person to have enemies. A motive for his murder was initially very unclear. However, as detectives continued to investigate the case, they learned troubling information about David's relationship.

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David’s girlfriend Tamera ‘Tammy’ Williams.

image source: AMWfans.com

Tamera ‘Tammy’ Williams was David’s girlfriend of about six months. At the time of David’s disappearance, Tammy was working as a phlebotomist, but she previously worked as a travel agent. According to David’s sister Tasia, Tammy displayed “possessive behavior” in her relationship with David. Due to this, Tasia believed that David was going to end his relationship with Tammy. 

Tammy attended David’s son’s football game on the evening of September 28th. It was noted that the two of them arrived at the game together, but they did not sit together or interact at all whilst there. This further pushed Tasia’s belief that David and Tammy were going through a breakup. Unfortunately, before anyone could ask David about the status of his relationship, he vanished. 

David’s disappearance.

As previously noted, David’s loved ones were first notified about his disappearance on October 2nd, 2018. However, it is believed that he vanished a few days earlier.  David had a scheduled work shift on September 30th – which was a Sunday. He would have been paid triple time for this shift, but he never showed up. Once David’s family members learned he had been a no-show at work, they knew something was wrong – as it was unlikely that he would pass on an opportunity to get paid triple time. 

David was also supposed to see his son DJ on the evening of September 30th. As also previously stated, DJ’s mother received a text from David’s phone saying that he was sick and therefore he could not spend time with DJ. As such, DJ went to his father’s apartment to gather some of his belongings. Once there, DJ was told by Tammy that David was out taking a walk – even though he was allegedly sick.

Worries for David's safety escalated once his sister Tasia went to his apartment and discovered the bloodstains in his bedroom and the gunshot hole in the mattress. It's clear that something happened in that bedroom, but Tammy was still unable to tell David's family members about his whereabouts. 

Unfortunately, by the time David was finally reported missing, he had already been found. Once authorities in Melvindale learned that human remains had been found in Eagle Township a day before David was reported missing, it did not take long for them to identify the remains. 

The October 5th arrest.

image source: KWTX News 10

On October 5th, 2018, investigators officially named Tammy Williams as a suspect in David's murder. They brought her into custody for questioning - but she denied involvement in David's disappearance and death.

 Michigan law states that a suspect can only be detained for 3 days before they have to be let go - unless investigators are able to find more evidence of the suspect's involvement within that timeframe. After having Tammy in custody for 3 days, investigators were unable to find any other evidence of her involvement in David's murder - so they were forced to let her go. 

The discovery of more remains.

As previously noted, David's lower torso and legs were found on October 1st, 2018. The rest of his remains were still missing. However, a few days after Tammy was released from police custody, another suspicious duffle bag was found along the I-75 highway - close to where the first set of remains were found. Inside the duffle bag, investigators discovered David's dismembered head.

This discovery allowed investigators determine David's cause of death. A gunshot wound was found in his skull just below one of his ears - proving that he died from a gunshot to the head. It's very possible that he was shot in his own bedroom, as his sister Tasia had seen a gunshot hole in his mattress.

On October 16th, a final set of remains, containing David's arms and upper torso, were found. It was clear that he had been brutally murdered, dismembered, and discarded along the highway. To this day, Tamera 'Tammy' Williams remains the prime suspect in the case.

A suspect on the run.

Tammy fled from Michigan very shortly after being released from police custody. She reportedly withdrew cash from several ATMs before taking the train from Ann Arbor to Chicago. From there, detectives learned that Tammy traveled to New York. She was spotted once in Brooklyn but has never been seen or heard from again.

Tammy has several contacts around the world due to her previous work as a travel agent. As such, investigators believe that she has had people help her go on the run and stay hidden. A warrant has been issued for Tammy on charges of first-degree homicide, disinterring a dead body, and tampering with evidence.

How to help.

There is a monetary reward for anyone with information that could lead to Tammy's whereabouts. She is described as approximately 5'5" and 190 pounds. Tammy has brown hair and brown eyes, but she may change her appearance to stay hidden.

If you have any information that could lead to the arrest of Tammy, or any other information about David's case, please contact authorities at (313) 429-1070.

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Sources:

The Cinemaholic

Netflix Life
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Amber Smith

image source

Amber Marie Smith has been missing since August 2014. The then-29-year-old was last seen in Detroit, Michigan, at the home she shared with her husband, Dennis Gentz. On August 13th, 2014, Amber told Dennis that she planned to go to her mother's house in Warren the following day. When Dennis left their home around 8:30 the next morning, Amber was still home - and he asked her not to go anywhere until he returned. However, when Dennis returned by 10:30 AM, Amber was gone. 

Amber never made it to her mother's house, nor did she ever return to her own home. She left her keys and purse behind - which was immediately concerning. Amber's loved ones quickly began to fear that she was in a dangerous situation. Amber struggled with drug addiction at the time of her disappearance. She also had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder - but she had stopped taking her medication about three weeks before she vanished. 

A few weeks after Amber was reported missing, Dennis told local reporters that he believes a "neighborhood drug lord" is responsible for her disappearance. He later stated that he saw Amber on September 10th, 2014 on Barrett Street. Dennis said that he tried to cross the street to talk to her, but before he could, an unidentified gray car pulled up and drove Amber away. There have been other reported sightings of Amber in the Detroit area, but none have been confirmed. 

A website called Justice for Native Women posted about Amber's case in 2016. Over a year later, an unconfirmed source commented on the post and said that Amber was "alive, but not doing well." It's been years since that comment was posted, and it appears no other updates have occurred since then. 

Amber remains missing today. If you have any information about her disappearance and/or whereabouts, please contact the Detroit Police Department at 313-596-5542.
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Sources:
CBS News
Charley Project
Justice for Native Women
NamUS
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Ciara Stacho

Ciara Stacho has been missing since August 7th, 2015. The then-16-year-old was a frequent runaway, and authorities believe that she left on her own accord. Ciara had actually run away from her Inkster, Michigan home weeks earlier, but had been keeping in touch with her loved ones both through text message and through social media. 

 

In early August 2015, Ciara texted her mother to tell her that she was ready to come home. Her mother was excited for her daughter’s return, but Ciara never showed up as planned. All additional contact between Ciara and her loved ones ceased on August 7th, 2015. This was also the last time that Ciara accessed her social media pages.

Despite her runaway status, Ciara’s family and friends have grown concerned about her safety since she has never been out of touch for this long. Now that years have passed without any sign of Ciara; her loved ones fear the worst. Unfortunately, Ciara's mother unexpectedly passed away in November 2021. She died without ever learning what happened to her daughter.

Ciara's loved ones are still desperately working to solve her case. If you have any information that may help, please contact the Inkster Police Department at 313-563-9850.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Click on Detroit
Investigation Discovery
Uncovered

The Murder of Julia Niswender

 

Julia Niswender was a young student with her whole life ahead of her when her life was tragically cut short in December 2012. The then-23-year-old was a student at Eastern Michigan University, where she was studying communications. At the time of her death, Julia lived with a roommate in an off-campus apartment in Ypsilanti. It was inside this apartment that Julia was brutally murdered.

Julia's roommate was reportedly not present at the time Julia was killed. The two were keeping in touch via text, but at some point, Julia stopped replying. She also abruptly stopped communicating with her other friends and family members. Julia's loved ones began to have serious concerns when they learned that she had not shown up to a friend's Christmas party, nor had she shown up to work. Police were subsequently asked to perform a welfare check at Julia's apartment on December 11th, 2012. 

When authorities entered the apartment, they found the residence in disarray. Inside the bathroom, officers stumbled upon a tragic scene: Julia was dead. She was found face down in the bathtub. Her clothes had been cut off, and her phone was found beneath her body. Julia also had ligature marks on her wrists, suggesting she had been tied up at some point before her death. 

Julia's death was quickly classified as a murder. An autopsy declared that her death was caused by asphyxiation due to drowning, but authorities maintain that she was deprived of oxygen prior to being put in the bathtub. DNA was collected from the murder scene, which was matched to two different males. Investigators also found seminal fluid on Julia's body, which was linked to a male who had gotten a vasectomy. 

Julia's stepfather, James Turnquist, was labeled a person of interest early on into the investigation. Turnquist had undergone a vasectomy procedure, so there was speculation that the seminal fluid found on Julia's body belonged to him. Additionally, a friend of Julia's told police that Turnquist had sexually abused Julia during her childhood. Oddly enough, said friend would later deny making such claims.

At some point throughout the investigation, Turnquist was arrested on charges of child pornography. However, those charges were later dropped. Turnquist reportedly underwent two polygraph examinations while being questioned about Julia's case, and he passed both times. The DNA found on Julia's murder scene was compared to Turnquist's DNA, but the results were inconclusive. One DNA sample was too weak to make a match, and the other sample was not matched to Turnquist. While many still suspect Turnquist is responsible for Julia's death, he has never been labeled as a suspect by authorities. 

As of today, Julia's case remains unsolved. No suspects have ever been publicly named. Julia's loved ones are still dedicated to finding justice, and they hope to see her killer(s) get convicted. If you have any information that could lead to the arrest in Julia's case, please contact the Ypsilanti Police Department at (734) 483-9510.

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Sources:
The Cinemaholic
Click on Detroit

WXYZ

The Disappearance of Alasia Hill

 

Alasia Hill has been missing since March 2021. The then-23-year-old was last seen in Detroit, Michigan. Alasia was experiencing health issues prior to her disappearance. In fact, she spent most of the month of February hospitalized with an infection. The infection led to Alasia being placed into a medically induced coma. Due to complications, a decision had to be made to amputate Alasia's hand while she was still in the coma. 

Alasia's mother, Charisma Carucci, last saw Alasia at a doctor's appointment on March 10th, 2021. During the appointment, Alasia had her stitches from the hand amputation removed. Afterwards, Alasia went home with her boyfriend, Marlon Billingslea. She spoke to her mother on the phone later that day to update her on how she was doing. Alasia's family members have not seen or heard from her again.

Alasia did not have a phone at the time of her disappearance, so she used Marlon's phone to communicate with her family. On March 11th, 2021, Alasia's mother Charisma called Marlon to ask to speak with Alasia. When Marlon answered the phone, he said that he did not know was Alasia was. He explained that she left the home earlier that day without saying where she was going. Marlon said he tried to follow her when she left, but he eventually decided to just let her go. 

Both Charisma and Marlon have stated that Alasia has run off before in the past, but she has never been gone for this long. In a report about Alasia's disappearance, Marlon explained "It’s not the first time she’s run off like this, you know. So, I stopped following her… figured she’d be back. But she’s never been gone this long." Alasia's family members do not believe she would go this long without contacting her two children, who live with their grandparents. She was also usually very active on social media, but she has not updated any of her social media pages since March 6th, 2021. 

It should be noted that the last known corroborated sighting of Alasia occurred at the doctor's appointment on March 10th. It's unclear if police have evidence of anyone, other than Marlon, seeing her on March 11th. Marlon has not been publicly named as a suspect or person-of-interest, but most reports on Alasia's case state that she was last seen at the doctor's appointment.

Due to Alasia's health conditions, the concerns for her safety have increased. Her mother reports that Alasia "was not physically fit" at the time of her disappearance. Alasia was also still recovering from surgery when she vanished. 

Alasia remains missing today. If you have any information that could help lead to her whereabouts, please contact the Detroit Police Department’s Sixth Precinct’s Investigative Unit at 313-596-5640.

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Sources:
Disappeared
NBC's Missing in America
WXYZ

The Disappearance of Jennifer Blackmon

Jennifer Blackmon has been missing since December 22nd, 2020. The then-35-year-old was last seen in River Rouge, Michigan. On the day of her disappearance, Jennifer's car was broken down, so she borrowed her daughter's car so she could drive to work as a notary public. Jennifer never showed up to her job in River Rouge and has never been seen or heard from again.

The car Jennifer was driving was later found abandoned in the 500 block of Frazier Street. It was located near the home she used to live in with her ex-husband. Jennifer and her ex were going through a divorce at the time of her disappearance. She had recently moved into an apartment with their children, while her ex remained in their house. Phone records indicate that Jennifer and her ex-husband were in communication on the day of her disappearance. In fact, Jennifer's last outgoing call was made to him. 

Jennifer and her ex-husband reportedly had a tumultuous relationship. According to reports, police had been called to the couple's home on more than one occasion prior to their breakup. Despite this, police have not named the ex-husband - or anyone - as a suspect or person of interest at this time. 

Jennifer remains missing today, and there is unfortunately very little information available about the investigation. If you have any information that could help lead to her whereabouts, please contact 1-800-SPEAK-UP to submit and anonymous tip. 

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Sources:
Charley Project
Fox 2 Detroit
NBC News
Our Black Girls

The Disappearance of Lisa Marie Knight

Lisa Marie Knight vanished at the age of 29 on June 8th, 2012. She remains missing today.

Lisa was last seen at the residence of her ex-husband, Lloyd Frey, in Ossineke, Michigan. Lloyd is the father of two of Lisa's four children. Lisa's loved ones described her as a loving mother. However, Lisa also struggled with addiction. Her children did not live with her at the time of her disappearance, but she visited with them regularly. On the evening of June 8th, 2012, Lloyd picked Lisa up with the intention of going to visit their youngest daughter. Instead, the two ended up at Lloyd's residence. 

Around 10:30 PM, Lisa called her friend Laurel Schultz from Lloyd's house. According to Laurel, Lisa was upset and wanted to be picked up. In a 2017 report about Lisa's disappearance, Laurel explained, "I says what’s going on and she couldn’t talk, [Lloyd] must have been on the other phone or something. She was really having a rough night." Still, Laurel did not end up picking Lisa up. After that, Lisa was never seen or heard from again. She was reported missing four days later.

Investigators initially thought Lisa might have left on her own accord, but her loved ones have never believed this. In fact, Laurel directly asked Lloyd if he killed her the morning after she received that disturbing phone call from Lisa. Lloyd denied harming Lisa and said that she left his house before he woke up that morning. Eventually, investigators began to believe that Lisa had met with foul play. Shortly thereafter, the FBI joined the case.

Investigators conducted a search at Lloyd Frey's house, but it is unclear if any evidence was found. Many are still suspicious of Lloyd, but a few other theories about what happened to Lisa have surfaced as well. One theory is that Lisa was killed during a drug deal gone bad. Another is that she overdosed, and her body was disposed of. None of these theories have been confirmed, and no arrests in the case have been made. Still, investigators believe that there are people in the Ossineke community who know what happened to Lisa, and they are hoping that someone comes forward.

If you have any information that could lead to Lisa's whereabouts, please go here to submit a tip. 

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Sources: [one, two, three]

The Disappearance of Carlita Yvette Gentry Lohmeier

 

Carlita Yvette Gentry Lohmeier has been missing since November 20th, 2009. The 56-year-old lived in Detroit, Michigan at the time of her disappearance. On the day she vanished, Carlita was at her home with her mother. She needed to grab a few things from the store, so she left her house on foot to walk to a store on Hubbell and Fenkell. The store was located just two blocks from her home, and she told her mother that she would only be gone a few minutes. Unfortunately, Carlita never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. 

There are very few details available about Carlita's case, but it is not believed that she is missing on her own accord. She reportedly left behind her identification and other personal items. Over a decade has passed without any answers about what happened to Carlita, and many questions remain unanswered.

Nearly 8 years later, another member of Carlita's family went missing. Her cousin, Mia Patterson, vanished at the age of 25 during May 2017.  Mia was last seen alive near the corner of Plymouth Road and Mendota Street in Detroit. Her remains were found a year later, and her murder remains unsolved. A write-up on Mia's case can be found here. 

It is not believed that Carlita's disappearance and Mia's murder are related, but both still remain unsolved. Their family members are hoping to one day see justice for both of them. If you have any information that could lead to Carlita's whereabouts, please call 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Newsbreak
Our Black Girls
Uncovered

The Murder of Tawana McGowan

 

Tawana McGowan (30) was tragically murdered outside of her Redford, Michigan home on January 11th, 2010. Her killer still remains at large. 

On the morning of her untimely death, Tawana was returning home after working an overnight shift. She arrived at her residence around 8:30am, and was planning to take her 10-year-old son to school. Before Tawana could even enter her home, she was approached by an unknown assailant who shot her twice in the head. Her son found her body lying face down in the snow shortly thereafter. The killer(s) had already fled the scene in a vehicle. 

Once police began investigating, they noted that Tawana's murder "did not appear to be random." It was immediately believed that she was targeted by someone she knew. Tawana's husband was investigated and cleared. In March 2010, it was reported that Tawana's ex/her son's biological father is a person of interest. However, years have passed, and no arrests have been made.

While in high school, Tawana was best friends with the late R&B artist Aaliyah. Over the years, fans of Aaliyah have shared Tawana's story and bring more attention to her murder investigation. Tawana's family members believe that police have not investigated the case thoroughly. Media coverage about her murder has been scarce as well. 

Tawana's son has started a petition in hopes of bringing more attention to his mother's case. If you'd like to sign the petition, you can do so here.  If you have any information that could lead to Tawana's killer, please call (313) 387-2500 to submit an anonymous tip.

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Sources:
Change.org
M Live

The Disappearance of Jenna Verhille

Jenna Verhille has been missing since August 17th, 2017. The 26 year-old lived at her parent's home in South Rockwood, Michigan at the time of her disappearance. After years of struggling with heroin addiction and having several run-ins with police, Jenna was finally beginning to turn her life around. She had been released from jail a few weeks before she vanished, but she had already found a new waitressing job. Jenna also reportedly told her family members that she was planning to go back to school as well. Unfortunately, she disappeared before she ever had the chance.

On the day Jenna vanished, her father overheard her giving directions to her parent's house over the phone. Shortly thereafter, a man in a mid-sized tan Ford pulled up to the house. Jenna's father watched as she got into the car and drove off. Later that evening, Jenna's mother sent her a text to ask if she would be coming home soon. Jenna's mother then received a reply saying that she would not. After that interaction, Jenna stopped replying to texts, and all phone calls went straight to voicemail. She has never been seen or heard from again.

After Jenna was reported missing, South Rockwood PD stated that they did not find any evidence of foul play. In fact, during February 2018--months after Jenna vanished--the police chief said that Jenna's case is "inactive since Jenna is an adult and there is no evidence that a crime has been committed." Still, Jenna's family members believe that she was taken against her will, and was possibly forced into trafficking. 

Jenna remains missing today. There is a cash reward available for anyone with information that could lead to her whereabouts. If you have any information, please text CRIMES (274637) to submit an anonymous tip. 

The Murder of Egypt Covington

27 year-old Egypt Covington was brutally murdered inside her own home in Van Buren Township, Michigan on June 22nd, 2017. Around this time, Egypt was about to start a new chapter in her life. Her boyfriend Curtis Meadows was planning on moving into her place the following month, and the couple was excited about taking this next step together. The two had been in an off-and-on relationship for almost 10 years, but had finally decided to commit to one another for good.

On the evening of June 23rd, 2017, Curtis went over to Egypt’s house after being unable to contact her all day. When he arrived, he saw Egypt’s car in the parking lot and the door to her house wide open. Curtis then approached the house and found Egypt’s dog, Ruby, barking near the hallway. When he looked to see what the dog was barking at, Curtis found Egypt’s body face down on the floor. Her hands had been bound behind her back with Christmas lights and she had been shot to death.

Investigators immediately believed that Egypt knew her killer. There was no sign of forced entry or robbery on the scene. Inevitably, Egypt’s boyfriend Curtis was thoroughly interrogated, but eventually cleared of suspicion. Almost a year after the murder, in March 2018, investigators finally announced they had a person of interest: Egypt’s ex-boyfriend Kenny Michalak.

Kenny and Egypt dated during a time period when she was broken up with Curtis. According to Egypt’s loved ones, their relationship was volatile. Kenny had apparently gotten physical with Egypt in the past, and had also been controlling and verbally abusive towards her. Curtis told police that, after he and Egypt had gotten back together, he saw Kenny lurking around Egypt’s car while it was parked at Curtis’s apartment complex. The last known time that Egypt personally encountered Kenny was at the Belleville National Strawberry Festival, shortly before her death. At that event, Kenny had apparently found out that Curtis and Egypt were moving in together, and he angrily confronted the couple. A week after that encounter, Egypt was found dead.

Kenny has denied being involved in Egypt’s murder. Despite being publicly named a person of interest, police have still not charged him with anything related to Egypt’s case. Egypt’s mother, Tina Covington, is not 100% sure that Kenny is the killer. While she acknowledges that Egypt and Kenny had a toxic relationship, she believes that police named him as a person of interest due to the pressure to blame somebody for the crime.

The investigation in Egypt’s murder is still ongoing. If you have any information that could held lead to the arrest of Egypt’s killer, please Crime Stoppers of Michigan at (800) SPEAK-UP.

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UPDATE (November 2020): Two men have been arrested in connection with Egypt's murder.

At this time, investigators have not publicly identified the men, but they are both behind bars on murder charges. This case is unfolding and updates are expected. 

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UPDATE (Nov. 2020 cont): The identity of one of the two men arrested in Egypt's case has been revealed. Timothy Eugene Moore has been charged with first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, first-degree home invasion, firearms possession by a felon and four counts of felony firearm. 

Timothy Eugene Moore

The second man, who has yet to be identified, has reportedly been released from custody. Prosecutors have cited "pending further investigation" as the reason for the man's release. 

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UPDATE (Jan. 2021): Two more men have been arrested and charged with felony murder in Egypt's case. Shane Evans (31) and Shandon Groom (28) have are facing both felony murder charges and first degree-home invasion charges. Timothy Moore remains in custody on the charges as well. 

A motive for the killing has still not been revealed.

Shane Evans

Shandon Groom

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[Victims Found By Loved Ones]

The Disappearance & Murder of Mia Patterson

Mia Patterson vanished at the age of 25 on May 25th, 2017. She was last seen alive in Detroit, Michigan after her boyfriend reportedly dropped her off near her home on the corner of Plymouth Road and Mendota Street. Mia's boyfriend stated that he saw Mia get into a car with two other men. She never returned home to her daughter and was never heard from again.

Nearly a year after Mia's disappearance, on April 10th, 2018, human remains were found on the 14000 block of Ward Street. Two months later, those remains were confirmed to be that of Mia Patterson. She was found less than two miles away from where she disappeared. There are no known reports about what exactly caused Mia's death, but the case is being investigated as a homicide.

At this time, there are no known suspects or persons of interest in Mia's case. Still, nobody has been publicly ruled out as a suspect either. Although Mia's boyfriend said that he last saw her getting into a vehicle with two men, it is unclear if that has ever been confirmed. Said men have never been identified. 

There is a $2500 reward in place for anyone with information that leads to an arrest. If you have any information that could help solve Mia's case, please call 1-800-SPEAK-UP. 

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Sources:
Charley Project
Click on Detroit
Detroit News
Fox 2 Detroit