The Disappearance of Katelin Akens

Katelin Akens (19) has been missing from Spotsylvania, Virginia since December 5th, 2015. While Katelin is originally from the Northern Virginia area, she had been living in Arizona with her fiancé, Amber Rios, prior to going missing. At the time of her disappearance, Katelin was in Virginia to visit family—her sister had just given birth to a baby boy, and Katelin had wanted to meet her new nephew.

On the day she vanished, Katelin was scheduled to fly back home to Arizona. Her mother, Lisa, was unable to take her to the airport and asked her ex-husband James Branton (Katelin’s stepfather, not biological) to take Katelin to the airport instead. He agreed, and Lisa dropped Katelin off at his home in Spotsylvania early in the day. 

A few hours later, Lisa received a text from her Branton stating that he had dropped Katelin off. She also received a text from Katelin’s phone stating that she had arrived at Reagan International Airport. However, around the same time, Amber also received a text from Katelin’s phone stating that “something had come up,” and Katelin would not be returning that day. Both Lisa and Amber later learned that Katelin never boarded her 5:40 PM flight.

source

Lisa and Amber spent the next few hours trying to get ahold of Katelin and were unsuccessful—until finally Lisa received another text from Katelin’s phone at 7:15 PM. The text stated she “just wanted to be left alone.” Two days later, Katelin’s luggage was found 50 miles away from the airport—in a drainage ditch in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Her luggage contained her phone charger, clothing, and Amber’s credit card that Katelin had borrowed. 

When police questioned the last known person to see Katelin—her stepfather, James Branton—he revealed that he did not actually drop Katelin off at Reagan International Airport. Instead, he claimed that Katelin requested to be dropped off at Springfield Mall, from where she would walk to the Franconia-Springfield Metro station and take the Metro the rest of the way to the airport. However, there has been no evidence to support that Katelin was ever at that mall or Metro stop on that day.

Katelin’s family members do not believe she is voluntarily missing. After investigating cell phone pings, police revealed that the initial text sent from Katelin’s phone to Lisa, stating that Katelin had made it safely to the airport, actually pinged off of a tower 30 miles away from the airport. The text Lisa later received at 7:15 PM on that night pinged off of a tower 15 miles from Fredericksburg. 

Additionally, the text that Katelin’s stepfather sent to Lisa, stating that he just had dropped Katelin off, pinged near his home, rather than near the mall or airport. Despite all of this, Branton has never been officially named a suspect in this case—however, the investigation is still ongoing. He is currently the main person of interest in the case.

Anyone with information on Katelin and/or her whereabouts can report here.

-

2026 UPDATE:

James Branton has been arrested for "multiple child sex charges allegedly involving [Katelin] and her sister." The charges reportedly stem from incidents that began in 2006 after Katelin's mother Lisa married Branton. The charges include "two counts each of child cruelty, indecent exposure of a child, custodial indecent liberties and aggravated sexual battery." The details of those charges can be found here.

At the time of this posting, Branton has not yet been charged with anything related to Katelin's disappearance. However, these charges make it seem even more likely that he had a hand in her going missing. Any updates will be provided if/when they are available. 

-

Sources:
ABC 7
Charley Project
Darkmatter
FBI
Medium
WTVR

The Disappearance of Jamee Grossman

 

Jamee Grossman vanished at the age of 24 during March 2012. The young woman lived in Billings, Montana at the time of her disappearance; however, she was reportedly last seen in Lockwood. Jamee has never been seen or heard from again.

March 17th, 2012, was supposed to be a busy day for Jamee. Both Jamee and the father of her youngest child had a scheduled appointment for visitation, but she canceled that morning after saying she was not feeling well. She was also reportedly scheduled to work a shift at a local bar/restaurant that day, but she did not show up, nor did she contact anyone from her job to say she would not be present.

Some reports also state that Jamee and her boyfriend, Frank Hammontree, planned to move into a friend's trailer in Lockwood that day after they had been evicted from their residence in Billings. That move never happened. Instead, Hammontree called Jamee's mother that afternoon and said that Jamee was missing. 

Hammontree stated that he drove Jamee to a convenience store on 1st Avenue North, where the visitation with the young child was supposed to take place. He said that after dropping her off, he watched Jamee get into a blue vehicle and never saw her again. However, surveillance footage from the convenience store seemingly disproves this narrative. According to KULR 8, "an analysis of that convenience store's security cameras showed no Jamee, no [Hammontree], no father, no little girl, no blue vehicle."

After Jamee was reported missing, detectives learned that she attended a birthday party at a residence in Lockwood on the evening of March 16th, 2012. Witnesses stated that Jamee and Hammontree arrived at the party together. Some of the partygoers spent the night and later told police that when they woke up the following morning, the couple was gone. The resident who hosted the party told police that Jamee and Hammontree left the party together around 2:00 AM. The two were reportedly in a good mood at the time; nothing appeared to be amiss between the couple. 

That birthday party is where the last confirmed sighting of Jamee occurred. Although she reportedly used the phone the following morning to cancel her scheduled visitation, it appears that no one, other than Hammontree, saw Jamee after she left the party. This inevitably raises suspicions about Hammontree, especially since the story he told about dropping Jamee off at the convenience store is seemingly untrue. 

Additionally, reports indicate that Jamee and Hammontree had a rocky relationship. According to The Charley Project, Jamee's mother shared that the couple "had a history of fighting and alleged physical abuse." The two also reportedly both struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. Those struggles are what led to their eviction from their residence in Billings.

Hammontree reportedly obtained a lawyer after Jamee's disappearance and declined to give a formal statement to investigators. He was later incarcerated on an unrelated felony weapons charge. On the two-year anniversary of Jamee's disappearance, it was reported that Hammontree was a prime suspect in the case. Now, over 15 years have passed since Jamee went missing, and no charges related to her disappearance have been brought against Hammontree. No other suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified. 

Despite several searches and theories surrounding the case, Jamee still remains missing today. Her two daughters have had to grow up without their mother. Her other family members have been left without closure. 

The Billings Police Department has investigative agency over her case. If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Jamee Grossman, please contact authorities at 406-657-8461.

-
Sources:
Billings Mix
The Charley Project
Chip Chick
KULR 8

NamUs

The Disappearance (and presumed murder) of Sierra Lamar

The last image of Sierra Lamar, taken on the morning of March 16th, 2012

On the morning of March 16th, 2012, 15-year-old Sierra Lamar snapped this selfie on her computer’s webcam before leaving her house in Morgan Hill, CA, to head to her bus stop. Unfortunately, Sierra never made it to the bus stop or to school that day. Nobody has seen or heard from her since she sent her final text to a friend at 7:11 AM that morning. Days later, her cell phone was found in a nearby field. Her school bag, with the clothes she had worn that morning folded neatly inside, were found behind a shed in separate nearby location.

In May 2012, two months after Sierra disappeared, authorities arrested Antolin Garcia-Torres for Sierra’s kidnap and murder. Garcia-Torres was 21 years old at the time. Authorities were able to link him to Sierra after finding her fingerprints inside Garcia-Torres’ car, and her hair on a rope found in Garcia-Torres’ trunk.

Antolin Garcia-Torres (2012)

After years of delays, Garcia-Torres finally went to trial in February 2017. Despite Sierra’s body never being found, the jury still found him guilty on all counts of kidnapping and murder. Garcia-Torres was also found guilty of an attempted kidnapping from a local Safeway parking lot that happened in 2009. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Throughout the years, Garcia-Torres has maintained his innocence. In February 2026, nine years after his conviction, the state of California's Sixth District Court of Appeals overturned Garcia-Torres' conviction. According to reports, the court made this decision because " it was an error to try the murder case alongside the attempted kidnappings from a previous, unrelated case. The court said the error was prejudicial, requiring the reversal of all of Garcia-Torres' convictions."

The reports also note that this overturned conviction has "opened the door for [Garcia-Torres] to receive a new trial." However, at this time, no new trial has been scheduled.

The news of the overturned conviction has inevitably been upsetting to both Sierra's loved ones and the Santa Clara investigators who worked hard to find justice for Sierra. It does not appear that any evidence has been found that points to another suspect in Sierra's case. 

More updates will be provided if/when they become available.

The Disappearance of Tyshareen Budale

 

Tyshareen Budale has been missing since December 26th, 2020. The then-27-year-old woman was in Newark, New Jersey at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen near the 400 block of South 15th Street. 

Tyshareen reportedly made plans to spend New Year’s Eve with her father, but she never showed up. After a few weeks passed, it was determined that nobody had seen or heard from her since December 26th. Additionally, Tyshareen usually made daily posts on social media - but her online activity abruptly stopped around the time she went missing.

A missing persons’ report for Tyshareen was filed on January 23rd, 2021. By that time, it was revealed that her vehicle had been left behind. Despite all of these suspicious circumstances, Tyshareen’s case has received very little attention from the media. Details about her life and the events leading up to her disappearance are unknown. 

Tyshareen is described as a black woman who stands approximately 5’4” tall. At the time of her disappearance, she was approximately 170 to 180 lbs. Tyshareen also has a tattoo of a heart on her chest. 

If you have any information that could lead to Tyshareen’s whereabouts, please contact the Newark Police Department Special Victims Unit at (973) 733-6277 or submit a tip online.

Sources:
Daily Voice
NamUs
Our Black Girls
RLS Media

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 Mariah Cockshell

 

Mariah Cockshell has been missing since March 22nd, 2025. The 26-year-old woman was last seen around 3:00 AM that morning, in the area of East 54th Street and Prospect Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. Mariah never returned home, and her loved ones have never seen or heard from her again.

Mariah was reported missing by family members on March 28th, 2025. She was living in Gladstone at the time of her disappearance, so her missing persons’ report was filed with the Gladstone PD. However, once police began investigating, it was determined that the last known sighting of Mariah occurred on March 22nd in Kansas City. 

When reports about Mariah’s disappearance began to circulate, it was noted that she vanished shortly after leaving her workplace. She was last seen wearing a pink sweatshirt and black scrub pants. In September 2025, months after Mariah vanished, the Gladstone PD released an image of her wearing the clothing she was last seen wearing. At this time, police have not disclosed how this image was obtained.

Certain reports about Mariah’s disappearance state that “she was believed to be in danger” at the time she vanished. Investigators have also not elaborated on what kind of danger they believe she was in, or why - but they have appealed to the public for anyone who might have seen Mariah at the time of her disappearance to come forward.

The Gladstone Police Department has investigative agency over Mariah’s case. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact authorities at 816-436-3550.

Sources:
Gladstone PD Facebook
Kansas City Star

KCTV 5, (2)

The Disappearance of Heaven McGee

Heaven Desiree McGee has been missing since January 2025. The 20-year-old woman was living in Oakland, California at the time of her disappearance, however; she was last seen in Stockton on January 20th. Heaven never returned home and her loved ones have never seen or heard from her again.

The FBI is working with the Oakland Police on their investigation into Heaven’s disappearance. A report on Heaven’s case from June 2025 quotes an FBI investigator who stated, “Based on the evidence gathered in this case, we believe Heaven was being trafficked and [that] is [the] reason why she was in the Stockton area.” Authorities have not disclosed what evidence they have found that leads them to believe Heaven was trafficked, likely due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Additional details about the circumstances surrounding Heaven’s disappearance are unknown as well. What is known is that Heaven’s mother last saw her in Oakland on January 17th, 2025. The final confirmed sighting of Heaven occurred three days later in Stockton. Various online sources state that she was last seen at a truck stop in Stockton - a location that locals have called a “bad area.” 

Since that final sighting, Heaven’s location has been unknown. Her loved ones are still desperately seeking answers. The FBI has placed a monetary reward available in exchange for information that could lead to Heaven’s whereabouts. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at 1-800-225-5324 or submit a tip online.

Sources:
ABC 7 News
Charley Project
Facebook
FBI
 

The Disappearance of Kayla Miller

 

Kayla Miller has been missing since April 13th, 2015. The young teen was last seen in Marietta, Georgia. She was only 13 years-old at the time of her disappearance.

According to Missing Persons in America, Kayla and her family members were staying in a hotel at the time of her disappearance. She reportedly left that morning from said hotel to walk to school but never arrived at any of her classes. Kayla also never returned to the hotel, and her family members have never seen or heard from her again. 

Various sources state that authorities believe Kayla left on her own accord. It’s unknown what evidence, if any, investigators have to support the theory that she ran away. Some sources state that authorities believe Kayla might have stayed in the local area - but it’s unclear where, exactly, she could have gone or how she could have stayed hidden. 

Over a decade has passed since Kayla’s disappearance, and she still remains classified as a runaway. There has been minimal news reporting on her disappearance, and details about her case are very scarce. Many questions remain - such as, why do police believe Kayla ran away? Why has the media seemingly ignored the case of a missing child? And is anyone still looking for her?

As of today, all of those questions remain unanswered, as Kayla remains missing. At the time of her disappearance, Kayla was 5’11” and approximately 150 lbs. If you have any information that could lead to Kayla’s whereabouts, please contact the Marietta Police Department at 770-794-5300.

Sources:
Charley Project
Marietta Daily Journal
Missing People in America
NamUs
NCMEC
The Vivid Faces of the Vanished
WSBTV

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 Disappearance of Jacqueline McNeil

 

Jacqueline McNeil has been missing since June 19th, 2024. 

The then-25-year-old was last seen in St. Louis, Missouri. On the day of her disappearance, Jacqueline met up with her father at the intersection of Grand Boulevard and Kossuth Avenue next to Fairground Park. According to her father, the two sat in his vehicle and chatted; he then gave her some money before they parted ways. Jacqueline’s loved ones have never seen or heard from her again.

Certain reports indicate that Jacqueline was homeless at the time of her disappearance. Despite this, she kept in frequent contact with her family members - especially her two young children. Friends and family have said that Jacqueline’s sudden absence was completely out-of-character, and they have since been fighting to find answers about her disappearance. 

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are both involved in the investigation into Jacqueline’s disappearance. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact authorities at 314‐231‐1212 or 573‐526‐6178.

Sources:
Charley Project
FOX 2
Missing People in America
Missouri State Highway Patrol

The Disappearance of Merkedes Jordan

 

Merkedes Jordan has been missing since November 7th, 2006. The then-21-year-old vanished from Meridian, Mississippi. On the day of her disappearance, Merkedes was last seen outside of the Western Gardens Apartment Complex. She has never been seen or heard from again.

There are very little details available about the circumstances surrounding Merkedes’ disappearance. Reports regarding her case state that Merkedes was seen talking to an unidentified male next to a black vehicle in the apartment complex’s parking lot. This was the last known sighting of the young woman; what happened after that has remained a mystery for nearly two decades.

Merkedes’ family members do not think she would leave on her own accord; they believe she was taken against her will. However, no persons of interest or suspects have ever been publicly identified. Merkedes’ case is unfortunately one of several that has received minimal media attention. Updates on the investigation have not been provided throughout the years. 

Merkedes left behind a son who was just a baby at the time of her disappearance. Her son has now grown up without his mother, and her other loved ones have been left without answers. Merkedes’ case is still open but considered a cold case.

If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Merkedes Jordan, please contact the Meridian Police Department at 601-485-1843.

Sources:

Charley Project
The Doe Network
MissingSippi
NamUs
Our Black Girls

The Disappearance of Sheena Johnson

 

Sheena Johnson has been missing since September 8th, 2006. The then-21-year-old was last seen at a convenience store called McDuff Food Mart in Jacksonville, Florida. Sheena never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

According to reports, the McDuff Food Mart was located just a few blocks away from Sheena’s family’s home on Mackinaw Street. Sheena walked to the store to buy a cigar. Before leaving her residence, Sheena told her mother she’d return shortly, but unfortunately, she never came back home. What was supposed to be a brief trip to a convenience store soon turned into a mystery that still remains unsolved after two decades.

Sheena was reported missing on September 11th, 2006. Her loved ones told authorities that it was uncharacteristic for her to leave without warning. It was also uncharacteristic for her to not answer her phone, which had been shut off since the day she vanished. Sheena did not have any known enemies at the time she went missing, nor did she have a history of mental illness. 

Despite all of these circumstances, authorities initially did not suspect that foul play was responsible for Sheena’s disappearance. However, after an extended period of time passed without any sign of Sheena at all, authorities finally considered foul play a possibility. Still - no suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly identified. 

News reporting about Sheena’s case has been minimal. She remains missing today, and her disappearance has unfortunately grown into a cold case. If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Sheena Johnson, please contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500.

Sources:
Charley Project
City of Jacksonville on X
Facebook

Justice Coalition