The Disappearance of Jeremy Vasquez

 

Jeremy Vasquez has been missing since February 20th, 2020. The then 16-year-old was last seen at his family's home in Victoria, Texas. On the day of his disappearance, Jeremy walked into a wooded area behind his home with his dog. The dog later returned, but Jeremy did not. He has never been seen or heard from again. 

The day Jeremy vanished was a Thursday. He had school that day but did not go after waking up to a fight between his father and stepmother. A short time later, another disagreement prompted him to leave the residence, saying he needed to get some fresh air. Jeremy's stepmother said she saw him and his dog walking into the woods. This appears to be the last confirmed sighting of Jeremy.

Hours later, Jeremy's dog returned to the home without Jeremy. This was immediately worrisome to his loved ones, as it was uncharacteristic for him to separate from his dog while on a walk. Additionally, Jeremy did not have a history of running away, nor did he pack any of his personal belongings when he left the home.

Despite this, family members said that police treated Jeremy's case as a "routine runaway case" after he was reported missing. As such, Jeremy's disappearance did not receive much public attention. Family and friends then took matters into their own hands by spreading information about his disappearance on social media. Reward money was offered as well. Unfortunately, this did not appear to lead to any substantial tips.

In 2023, police finally reclassified Jeremy's case as an endangered missing child. Since then, though, no updates or information about the investigation have been publicly provided. A 2025 report on Jeremy's disappearance states that "local authorities and volunteers have conducted numerous searches over the years, but no significant leads have emerged."

Jeremy is described as a Hispanic male with brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was somewhere between 5'7"-6'0" and approximately 140 lbs. If you have any information that could help solve Jeremy's disappearance, please contact the Victoria Police Department at 361-573-3221 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Crossroads Today, (2)

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The Disappearance of Alex Aleman

Source: NamUs

Alex Aleman has been missing since July 27th, 2005. The then-24-year-old was last seen in Dallas, Texas. On the day he vanished, Alex went to work as usual. However, at some point during his shift, he abruptly left the job after telling his coworkers he was going to California. Alex has never been seen or heard from again.

Alex's family members stated that he does not have any ties to California and it's unknown why he would say he was traveling there. He has ties to Arizona, but there does not appear to be any evidence that he went there either. Alex was also reportedly active in the Dallas gay community prior to vanishing, but no one in his inner circle has seen or heard from him since the day of his disappearance. 

Various sources indicate that Alex was going through a hard time at the time went missing. He was reportedly upset with family members and depressed after going through a recent breakup. He was also known to be a "heavy drug user" - although it is unknown if this plays a role in his disappearance. 

There are not many details available about Alex's case. Two decades have passed without any sign of him. Detectives in Irving, Texas have investigative agency over Alex's case. If you have any information that could help solve his disappearance, please contact authorities at 972-273-1030.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Count Every Mystery
NamUs
Track Missing
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Benita Woody

Source: Facebook

Benita Woody has been missing since August 5th, 2020. The then-42-year-old woman lived in McKinney, Texas at the time of her disappearance. Benita was last seen near her residence on the morning she vanished. She was driving her gray GMC Yukon. Benita never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. 

Hours after that last sighting, police in a rural area of Candian County, Oklahoma found said GMC Yukon abandoned on Westbound Interstate 40. It was determined that the car was registered to Benita Woody - but at that time, she was not a missing person. As a result, police tagged the car and just left it where it was found. After five days passed, and the vehicle still remained, police had it towed. 

At the time the car was towed - on August 10th, 2020 - Benita still had not been reported missing. She lived alone at the time of her disappearance, as her children were grown and lived out of state. Due to this, it took over a week for family members and friends to piece together that Benita had seemingly vanished without a trace. She was finally reported missing to the McKinney Police on August 14th, 2020.

Throughout the investigation, detectives in McKinney learned that Benita's GMC Yukon had been found abandoned, and was towed, in Canadian County, Oklahoma. It was eventually determined that her cell phone pinged off a tower in Canadian County on August 5th. This is the last known sign of Benita on any electronic trail. 

It's worth noting that the area where Benita's car was found is an approximate three-and-a-half-hour drive away from McKinney. It's unknown why Benita would travel there, or if she even drove the vehicle there herself. Her family noted that a half-eaten burrito was found in the car - which they insist did not belong to Benita, as she did not eat burritos. There was also no further sign of Benita in or around the vehicle.

Years have passed, and Benita still remains missing. Her family is still searching for answers in her case. Authorities in both Texas and Oklahoma are investigating Benita's disappearance. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the McKinney Police Department at 972-547-2700 or the Canadian County Sheriff's Office at 405-295-6763.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Medium
NamUs
Our Black Girls

The Murder of Mikiko Kasahara

 

21-year-old Mikiko Kasahara was found murdered inside her apartment in Seguin, Texas on the morning of December 14th, 2002. 

It was shortly before 9:30 AM when police were alerted about a structure fire inside one of the units in an apartment building at 964 San Antonio Street. After first responders extinguished the flames, they found Mikiko's lifeless body. Police determined that she had been killed by homicidal violence before her apartment was set on fire. 

Mikiko is originally from Japan. At the time of her death, she was in an exchange student program at Texas Lutheran University. In December 2002, Mikiko had a lot to celebrate. She had just finished her first semester at the university with excellent grades and was recognized by the Dean's List. 

On the evening of December 13, 2002, Mikiko hosted a gathering at her apartment to celebrate the end of the semester. The party was attended by several guests, most of whom were fellow Japanese exchange students. The celebration reportedly continued until around 5:00 AM. Sometime between 6:00 and 9:23 AM is when investigators believe the tragedy struck—Mikiko was murdered, and both her body and apartment were set ablaze. 

Mikiko's autopsy report revealed that, despite attending a party just hours before her death, she had no drugs or alcohol in her system. The injuries on her body indicated she had endured a violent death, with the report stating that Mikiko "died as a result of homicidal violence including but not limited to strangulation."

In the early stages of the investigation, detectives had numerous individuals to question, as several people had been at Mikiko's residence shortly before she was found dead. They conducted multiple interviews; however, no suspects were identified. Just a month after the murder, reports indicated that "law enforcement hadn't determined the motive for killing Mikiko and that there were no suspects in the case."

Now, over two decades later, Mikiko's tragic death remains unsolved, and detectives seem no closer to cracking the case. Very few details about the investigation have been disclosed to the public. On the tenth anniversary of her murder, investigators stated, "We feel very confident that it wasn’t somebody from Japan, but it was somebody that knew her, had some connection to her." Beyond this, no additional information regarding a possible suspect has emerged.

Mikiko's murder remains unsolved today. There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead the arrest/conviction of Mikiko's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Texas Rangers at 1-800-346-3243 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:

Click 2 Houston
Hub Pages
Seguin Gazette
Texas Department of Public Safety

The Disappearance and Murder of Miranda Rodriguez

Source: Facebook

Miranda Rodriguez vanished in Houston, Texas on August 25th, 2017. The then-24-year-old woman vanished around the time Hurricane Harvey flooded the city.  Reports state that Miranda was last seen at a hotel off of I-45 and Airport. She planned to go to her parent's house to wait out the storm, but she never arrived. Miranda's loved ones never saw or heard from her again.

Miranda's family members searched for her tirelessly in the days following the storm. Unfortunately, no sign of her was found. The police investigation seemingly did not turn up any clues either. Miranda's disappearance quickly faded into a cold case. 

On July 12th, 2022, nearly five years after Miranda vanished, a man was hired to clean out a backyard on Peach Creek Drive in southeast Houston. While on the job, the man spotted a human skeleton while cleaning the yard's built-in barbecue pit. It took nearly a year, but on July 3rd, 2023, the human remains were identified as that of Miranda Rodriguez. 

Miranda's family was reportedly not familiar with the address where her remains were found. Police stated that a family with children was living at the address during July 2022. At this time, there are no reports to indicate that this family has any connection to Miranda. Police also noted that the barbecue pit appeared undisturbed when Miranda was found, indicating that it had not been used in quite some time.

Although an exact cause of death has not been revealed, Miranda's case is being investigated as a homicide. In November 2023, a monetary reward was announced in exchange for information that could lead to an arrest. Since then, though, updates on the investigation have been scarce.

If you have any information that could help solve Miranda's murder, please contact the Houston Police Department at 832-394-1872 or Crimestoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

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Source:
ABC 13
Charley Project
Facebook
FOX 26 Houston
KHOU 11
My Texas Daily

The Disappearance of Lucero Sarabia

Lucero "Princess" Sarabia has been missing since November 26, 2004. At the time of her disappearance, the 21-year-old woman was eight months pregnant. Before she vanished, Princess attended a Thanksgiving party at the San Antonio, Texas, home of her ex-girlfriend's cousin. During the gathering, she got into an altercation with another female guest and was subsequently asked to leave.

A man that Princess met at the party named Richard Anthony Chabes Jr. offered to give her a ride home, which she accepted. Around 2:00 AM, Princess called her mother and told her that she was at Chabes' apartment and that he was going to drive her home sometime soon. Unfortunately, Princess never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. 

Family members reported Princess missing later that day, prompting police to question Chabes. He told investigators that around 6:00 AM, Princess chose to walk home from his apartment—located about a mile and a half from her house—instead of accepting a ride. Just a few days later, Chabes abruptly packed his belongings and moved out of the apartment. 

When investigators searched the premises, they discovered blood on the walls and carpet. However, the amount of blood was insufficient to suggest a fatal injury. It remains unclear if forensic testing was conducted on the blood. Despite these findings, Chabes has never been publicly labeled as a suspect by police. Some reports state that he has been cleared of suspicion, but a reasoning for this has not been provided. 

At the time of her disappearance, Princess was married but living with her parents, as she was separated from her husband, John Albert Reeves Jr. The couple had two children together, and Princess was pregnant with their third child when she went missing. Despite their separation, reports indicate that Princess and John were still seeing each other. However, it does not appear that John is considered a suspect or person of interest in her disappearance at this time.

Lucero 'Princess' Sarabia remains missing today. The San Antonio Police are investigating her disappearance. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact 210-207-7660.

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Sources:

Charley Project
Crime Solvers Central
News 4 San Antonio

The Murder of Courtney Phillips

Courtney Phillips was only 23 years-old when she was murdered on April 5th, 2015. She lived in San Antonio, Texas prior to her untimely death. Courtney's body was found on the afternoon of April 5th, lying face down on the floor of a house in the 200 block of Edge Avenue. She had suffered stab wounds to the neck. Police were immediately able to determine that Courtney's wounds were not self-inflicted. Her death was quickly classified as a murder.

Throughout the investigation, detectives learned that Courtney went to the house on Edge Avenue that day to meet up with 19-year-old Isaac Estrada. Initial reports stated that investigators did not know why Courtney and Estrada planned to meet up that day. Still, Estrada was immediately named as the prime suspect in the case. However, investigators were unable to locate him. 

Isaac Estrada

It was soon believed that Estrada was hiding from police. He was put on a wanted list, but years passed without any updates in the case. However, in 2022, more details about the case were revealed.

At that time, it was reported that Courtney was dropped off at the house on Edge Avenue that afternoon for a date with Estrada. Courtney's text messages revealed that the two had arranged to meet up at the residence - however, Estrada did not live there. In fact, the homeowners were out of town at the time the murder took place.

Once Estrada was identified as a suspect in Courtney's murder, investigators learned that he had been accused of a similar crime just three months earlier. In this instance, Estrada reportedly lured the victim to meet up with him under the pretext of a date, and then ended up robbing the victim.

Finally, in March 2023, Isaac Estrada was captured. After 8 years on the run, Estrada was finally located by authorities in Eagle Pass, Texas. He was arrested and taken into custody on March 4th, 2023. Estrada was charged with evading arrest, first-degree aggravated robbery and first-degree capital murder. 

Estrada initially planned to plead guilty to the charges, but in July 2024, he accepted a plea deal. As part of the plea deal, Estrada was able to plead to the lesser charge of murder rather than capital murder. He was subsequently sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder and an additional 5 years for aggravated robbery.

Estrada will be eligible for parole after serving half of his sentence. 

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Sources:
Daily Crime
KENS 5
KSAT
San Antonio Express-Herald

The Disappearance of Jessica Delgadillo

 

Jessica Delgadillo vanished on October 19th, 2011. The young girl was only 14 years old at the time of her disappearance. Jessica was last seen leaving her family's home in Amarillo, Texas to walk to Palo Duro High School - but she never arrived. Jessica never returned home either, and she has never been seen or heard from again. 

Jessica's disappearance was initially classified as a runaway case, even though she did not take any money or additional clothing/items with her when she left her home. Prior to vanishing, Jessica did not have a history of running away or leaving home without permission. Police were unable to find any evidence that she planned to leave. It is unclear what, exactly, caused Jessica to be labeled as a runaway - but she was eventually reclassified as an endangered missing person.

About six months after Jessica was reported missing, police appealed to the public for leads in the case. Amarillo police Sgt. Brent Barbee told reporters that they still believed Jessica was missing voluntarily, but they were concerned about the fact that they had no additional information. In many runaway teen cases, the teen either returns after a few days, or the family/friends/police hear rumors about the teen's whereabouts. Sgt. Barbee is quoted in an article saying, "the main difference [in Jessica's case] is she's been gone for six months, and we haven't received any new information on her."

After that, several years passed since that report, and Jessica remained missing. Various other reports stated that Jessica may still be in the local area, or she may have traveled to Lubbock or Port Saint Lucie, Florida. Police reportedly heard that information from Jessica's family - but it is unclear where that information came from, as she does not have any relatives or friends in either area. Jessica does have relatives in Mexico, but it is unknown if there is any evidence that she traveled there. 

In 2023, 13 years after her disappearance, the Amarillo Police Department's missing persons unit got a found call from a woman who identified herself as Jessica Delgadillo. She said she knew she had been reported missing. DNA later confirmed that the woman was, in fact, Jessica Delgadillo. 

Upon Jessica's request, the details of her disappearance and her current location have not been disclosed. 

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Sources:
ABC 7 Amarillo
Amarillo Globe News
Charley Project
News Channel 10
News Nation Now
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Ameera Deadrick

 

Ameera Deadrick was only 8 years-old when she vanished during 2016. The young girl was living in Texas at the time of her disappearance. Ameera still remains missing today, and her mother Tiara McWilliams is still fighting for answers.

Tiara and Ameera spent the early years of Ameera's life living in Wisconsin. Ameera's father, Anthony Deadrick, lived in Houston, Texas. Tiara and Anthony had a tumultuous relationship, as Anthony was reportedly abusive. When Tiara fled to Wisconsin with their daughter, Anthony allegedly "promised he'd make [Tiara] pay for taking Ameera from him."

In 2013, Tiara reluctantly agreed to allow Ameera to spend the summer with her father and his girlfriend, LaShanda Spikes, in Houston, Texas. When the summer ended, Anthony reportedly refused to return Ameera to Tiara. Tiara subsequently traveled to Houston herself to pick Ameera up. Once there, Anthony still refused to let Tiara bring Ameera back to Wisconsin. Tiara and Anthony did not have a legal custody agreement in place regarding Ameera. Due to this, the police allegedly refused to assist Tiara in the matter. Tiara eventually had to return to Wisconsin without her daughter. 

Over the next few years, Tiara was able to visit Ameera in Houston on several occasions. The mother and daughter also kept in touch often via phone and FaceTime. Tiara repeatedly tried to convince Anthony to allow Ameera to go back to Wisconsin with her, but Anthony always refused. 

By 2016, Tiara was no longer able to get in touch with Ameera, Anthony, or LaShanda. Throughout an investigation, it was revealed that Anthony Deadrick was arrested in November 2016 on unrelated charges. According to reports, nobody had seen Ameera earlier that fall - before her father was arrested. Tiara had no idea that Anthony was incarcerated, nor did she know that Ameera had not been seen since before he went to prison. 

After Ameera was reported missing, investigators visited Anthony in prison to question him about his daughter's whereabouts. Anthony told detectives that "he had befriended a woman in Waco, Texas and had left Ameera in her care." He claimed the woman's name was Linda, but some people knew her as 'Tootie'. Anthony provided an address for investigators, but no such person by that name lived at the residence. Investigators have never been able to verify this woman's existence.

Anthony has since been released from prison. He has never been charged with anything related to Ameera's disappearance. Investigators have not publicly announced any other suspects or persons of interest. 

Authorities in both Waco and Houston are investigating Ameera's disappearance. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact the Houston Police Department at 713-884-3131 or the Waco Police Department 254-750-7500.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Investigation Discovery
KWTX
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The Disappearance of Cynthia Bah-Traore

 

Cynthia Bah-Traore has been missing since February 3rd, 2021. The then-39-year-old reportedly left her home in Crowley on the day of her disappearance and never returned. One of her sons later called his grandmother that evening and said Cynthia had not returned home from running errands. Cynthia's mother subsequently contacted authorities. 

Throughout the investigation, it was revealed that Cynthia was spotted by surveillance cameras at a Shell gas station in Grandview, Texas - over 25 miles away from Crowley - on the evening of her disappearance. Reports state that Cynthia left the gas station driving her blue Mazada CX-5 shortly after 10:30 PM. This is the last known confirmed sighting of Cynthia; she has never been seen or heard from again. 

Cynthia Bah-Traore's vehicle on the Shell station surveillance footage. (source: cbsnews)

It is very unlikely that Cynthia vanished on her own accord. She's described as a loving mother who would never voluntarily leave behind her two sons. Additionally, there are many other suspicious circumstances surrounding her disappearance have led to even more questions Cynthia's case. 

Questions about Grandview.

As previously noted, Cynthia's sons believed their mother had left their home in Crowley to run errands on the day of her disappearance. Did these errands lead Cynthia over 25 miles away to Grandview? Or was it something or someone else?

Investigators have not revealed any information related to these questions. It's unknown if Cynthia has any prior ties to Grandview. The only known connection between Cynthia and that area is the fact that the last known sighting of her occurred at the Shell gas station 1000 block of E. Criner Street.

Cynthia's cell phone and car.

Cynthia's cell phone was later found at the Shell station. Due to this, investigators were unable to use cell phone records to track where Cynthia traveled after leaving the gas station. It is unknown if investigators have found any other relevant information on the phone and/or the records. 

On February 11th, 2021 - a little over a week after her disappearance - Cynthia's car was found abandoned on Interstate 35 at mile marker 335 in Waco, Texas. There was no sign of Cynthia herself on the scene. The vehicle remained in that spot for a few days before it was towed to an impound lot on February 15th, 2021.

The car being found in this location is suspicious for several reasons. Waco is located approximately 55 miles away from the gas station in Grandview. It's approximately 80 miles from Cynthia's home in Crowley. Due to this, it seems very unlikely that Cynthia voluntarily traveled that far away, at that time of night, for errands or any other reason - especially since her two sons were waiting for her at home. 

With all this in mind, it can be easily theorized that it was not actually Cynthia who parked the car in that spot. However, there does not appear to be any publicly known surveillance footage of the car being parked on the Interstate - therefore it's unknown if Cynthia was a driver or passenger in the car prior to it being abandoned in that area. 

Cynthia's mother Tambra Alvoid has indicated that she does not believe Cynthia herself drove the car to Waco. Alvoid told reporters, "Whoever parked her car knows where Cynthia is." 

Crowley P.D. investigation.

The investigation into Cynthia's disappearance hypothetically spans three different investigative jurisdictions: Crowley, where Cynthia lived; Grandview, where she was last seen; and Waco, where her car was found. Investigators in Crowley were ultimately put in charge of the case. 

The Crowley Police have appealed to locals for assistance with finding Cynthia. However, since she was last seen in Grandview, there's a question of whether or not this appeal would have been more effective if it had been made to Grandview locals. If Cynthia was spotted by anyone at all after leaving the gas station, it seems more likely that it would have occurred in Grandview rather than Crowley.

In fact, it does not seem likely that Cynthia returned to Crowley at all after leaving the gas station. Additionally, there are several miles between Grandview and Waco, where Cynthia's car was found - leaving potential for someone else to have seen Cynthia and/or her car between those two locations. At this time, though, it appears nobody has come forward. 

Where the case stands today. 

Cynthia remains missing today. Her loved ones believe she met with foul play. Her mother has expressed that the Crowley Police have limited time and resources, which indicates a lack of progress in the investigation into Cynthia's disappearance. A GoFundMe page is up in hopes of raising money for a private investigator for the case. 

If you have any information that could lead to Cynthia's whereabouts, please contact authorities at 817-297-2276.

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Sources:
CBS News
Charley Project
Crime Online
NBC 5 Dallas Fort-Worth
Newsbreak

The Disappearance of Lina Sardar Khil

Source: Crime Online

Lina Sardar Khil was only 3 years old when she went missing on December 20th, 2021. The little girl lived with her family in San Antonio, Texas at the time of her disappearance. On the evening she vanished, Lina went outside to play with other neighborhood children at a playground at her family's apartment complex around 5:30 PM. Lina's mother turned away for a few minutes, and when she looked back, Lina was gone. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Lina's family is originally from Afghanistan. When Lina was a baby, the family moved to the United States and settled into an Afghan refugee community in San Antonio. The families living in that community all know each other and look after one another. For this reason, Lina's mother felt it was safe for her to turn her back momentarily while Lina played with other neighborhood children. Unfortunately, Lina seemingly vanished within that short amount of time.

When Lina's mother first realized that Lina was no longer at the playground, she went door-to-door throughout the community to see if anyone had seen her daughter. Lina's parents then turned to the leader of their Afghan community to see if he could help. The leader advised Lina's parents to call the police - which they finally did around 7:30 PM that evening. 

Thorough searches were conducted in the family's community and in surrounding areas. Dive teams were sent into a nearby creek. No sign of Lina was found. Lina's family members cooperated with the investigation and have not been labeled as persons of interest. No other persons of interest have been publicly identified.

Months before Lina vanished, her family brought her on a trip to their hometown in Afghanistan. While there, Lina and her mother happened to be just feet away from a suicide bombing that killed hundreds of people. Lina and her mother survived the attack and returned to San Antonio. The family - much like many other families - sought refuge and safety in the United States. They never imagined that the most traumatizing event of their lives would occur while living in Texas. 

Authorities have been baffled by Lina's disappearance. The FBI is now involved in the search. If you have any information that could lead to Lina's whereabouts, please submit a tip.

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Sources:
ABC News
Charley Project
Crime Online
My San Antonio
New York Times

The Clewis Family Tragedies

Marco Clewis (left), Earl Clewis (top), Matthew Clewis (right). Source: Dallas News

The winter of 2019 was an immeasurably hard time for Earline Clewis. The mother-of-five had lost 3 of her sons within just a 60-day span. The nightmare first began on October 24th, 2018 - when Earline's son Marco Clewis (40) was shot to death at his Dallas, Texas home. Just minutes after the shooting, Marco's older brother Earl (51) was killed in a car accident. Months later, in January 2019, another of one Earline's sons - Matthew - died after a seizure. 

Marco Clewis. Source: Project Cold Case

Marco's murder set off this chain of tragedies in the Clewis family. According to reports, Marco was killed after a group of individuals drove by his home on Copeland Street and opened fire. Earl, who lived just across the street, heard the gunfire. He then saw the suspects driving away from his younger brother's home.

Earl subsequently got into his car and began chasing the suspects. Minutes later, he crashed near Elsie Fay Higgins Street. Reports state that the suspects might have shot at Earl's car shortly before the wreck. Unfortunately, Earl did not survive his injuries from the crash. 

Earl Clewis. Source: Patch.com

According to their mother Earline, both Marco and Earl helped provide care for their brother, Matthew, who had suffered from seizures for years. Earline said that Matthew was depressed over the deaths of his brothers. She believes that his depression and heartbreak over the tragic losses had a contributing factor in his death.

Years have passed, and Marco's murder still remains unsolved. He was due to get married just six months after his untimely passing. He was also raising three young children. All of Marco's loved ones are still hoping to receive justice in his case.

If you have any information that could help solve Marco's murder, please call the Dallas Police Department at (214) 671-3584.

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Sources:
CBS News
The Dallas Times
Project: Cold Case
WFAA

The Murder of Brittany McGlone

Brittany McGlone was only 19 years-old when she was brutally murdered in Winnsboro, Texas on May 4th, 2007. 

Brittany was killed at her boyfriend's family's house. She reportedly spent the previous evening working an overnight shift at Lowe's Distribution Center. According to her family, Brittany usually went back to her own home after working an overnight shift--but on this day, she opted to go straight to her boyfriend's house.

It is believed that she arrived at her boyfriend's house around 7 AM and went to sleep in his bed shortly thereafter. Brittany's boyfriend and his family members left the house while she was sleeping. When Brittany's boyfriend and his family members returned that afternoon, they found a gruesome scene: Brittany had been savagely murdered.

Investigators later determined that Brittany had been assaulted and beaten at some point between 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM. An autopsy ruled that she had died from massive head trauma. The Wood County Sheriff's Department inevitably looked at Brittany's boyfriend and his family members when they began investigating her murder - and all of them were eventually cleared. All had solid alibis that were confirmed through both surveillance and cell phone pings. 

Brittany's family members actually had another suspect in mind: a man named Chad Carr. Chad was dating Brittany's boyfriend's sister at the time of the murder. He also has quite a lengthy criminal record with prior charges for burglary, sexual assault, and assault with a deadly weapon. Chad became the main focus of the investigation as time went on. 

However, in the years that passed since the murder, Brittany's family members grew increasingly more frustrated with the authorities from Wood County Sheriff's Department. Despite having a suspect, there would be many bumps in the road throughout this investigation.

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A faulty investigation.

Various people have stated that Brittany's murder scene was mishandled and was possibly contaminated by law enforcement. In 2010, Brittany's sister Hope McGlone posted the following to a forum discussion about Brittany's case: "DNA results came back and we were told no one BUT Brittany's DNA was found. We were told whoever killed her was wrapped in saran wrap. I dont know how thats possible." 

In 2019, Hope wrote to Wood County Monitor to express her family's frustrations about the lack of communication from investigators. She wrote that she and her family members feel that Brittany has been forgotten, and that the investigators lack sensitivity when family members reach out to inquire about the case.

A turn in the case.

Finally, in 2021, a new investigator took over Brittany's case. It was at that point that authorities decided to chase the leads involving Chad Carr a bit more thoroughly. After reviewing the evidence, the new investigators noted that a pair of women's underwear had been found at Chad's house that were consistent with the size Brittany wore. It was also noted that Brittany's underwear was missing from the scene where the was found murdered.

Information from the girlfriend.

At the time of Brittany's murder, Chad Carr was dating a girl named Velva. As previously stated, Velva is the sister of Brittany's boyfriend. Approximately 8 months after Brittany's murder, Velva decided to meet with the lead investigator on Brittany's case. She explained that Chad had suspicious behavior on the day Brittany was found murdered. Additionally, Velva mentioned that Chad had a growing resentment against Brittany, as she was allowed to spend the night at the home, but Chad was not. 

Further evidence.

In addition to the information provided by Velva, investigators had even more reason to suspect Chad. There were reported holes in his alibi, and he also failed a polygraph exam relating to the case. Chad also had a history of aggravated assault; he reportedly had previously assaulted another woman in a similar fashion to the way in which Brittany was found murdered.

An arrest.

Although it appears that authorities had all the aforementioned information as early as 2008, it seems that it did not become central to the investigation until 2021 - when a new sheriff took office. On September 1st, 2021, Chad Carr was arrested and charged with Brittany's murder. 

The Grand Jury.

After Chad's arrest, Brittany's family members felt they were finally on the road to receiving justice. Unfortunately, this would never come to fruition. In November of 2021, a grand jury voted to not indict Chad on these capital murder charges. For whatever reason, they were unable to find enough probable cause to move forward with the charges. Investigators note that if more evidence is found, it's possible that Chad will be charged again.

An unsolved case.

Despite the fact that Chad Carr remains the one and only suspect, Brittany's case remains unsolved. Investigators are still searching for information that may solve the case once and for all. If you have any information that could help solve Brittany's case, please call (903) 763-2274 to submit an anonymous tip.

The Disappearance & Murder of Emmishae Kirby

Emmishae Kirby vanished in Houston, Texas on September 18th, 2020. The 28-year-old vanished just weeks after ending a relationship with her boyfriend, 29-year-old Javon Gilbert. Emmishae and Javon had been living together up until September 2020 - when Emmishae ended their relationship after Javon reportedly sexually assaulted her. 

Despite their breakup, Javon showed up to the apartment unannounced on numerous occasions after their breakup. On one occasion, he broke into the apartment armed with a knife. Once Emmishae was reported missing, Javon became an obvious person of interest. 

Javon was questioned by police, but reportedly gave police conflicting statements. However, he did confirm that Emmishae had broken up with him earlier that month due to the sexual assault accusation. Still, Javon was not immediately charged with anything related to Emmishae's disappearance.

On October 3rd, 2020, searchers found Emmishae's body near Bear Creek Pioneers Park in Harris County. An autopsy later confirmed that she had been strangled and shot to death. From that point forward, Emmishae's case was shifted into a murder investigation.

Detectives looked at surveillance footage from her apartment building to see if they could retrace her final steps before she vanished. The footage confirmed that Emmishae and Javon were together on September 18th. Earlier that day, the two were captured entering Emmishae's car together and leaving the parking lot. They reportedly went to a gas station and a restaurant before returning to Emmishae's apartment. Emmishae and Javon were then captured walking back inside the building.

Hours later, at 1:40 AM, Javon is seen carrying a "heavy object" to Emmishae's car. He then drives off in her car before returning an hour later. Javon was later captured making several trips back and forth between Emmishae's apartment and the dumpster, where he threw away several items, including her sofa. 

After months of investigating, police finally arrested Javon on January 20th, 2021. He was charged with both Emmishae's murder and tampering with evidence. However, this was far from Javon's first violent criminal charge.

In fact, he was charged in 2013 with arson after setting his ex-wife's house on fire while she was inside. The maximum penalty for this felony is life in prison, but Javon received a much lighter sentence. In 2015, he accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 8 years of deferred adjudication probation. 

As part of this deal, Javon would have this conviction erased from his record if he managed to stay out of trouble during the 8 years of probation. Since he ended up being arrested for Emmishae's murder while still on probation, it was clear that he had not complied with his end of the plea deal. As such, many hearings were held to revoke the adjudication probation. 

In April 2023, Javon was sentenced to life in prison for Emmishae's murder. Javon was looking at several years already for this charge alone, however, the judge ultimately sentenced him to life due to both this crime and the violation of his probation.

 After his sentencing, the Assistant District Attorney Mary McFaden told reporters, "A life sentence is the only punishment that makes sense because this man hurts women and will continue to hurt women. This ensures there will never be another day when he is not supervised."

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Sources:
ABC 13 Houston
Houston Chronicle
KHOU 11
Oxygen

The Disappearance and Death of Taalibah Islam

Taalibah Islam vanished at the age of 20 on January 16th, 2006. She was last seen in Fort Worth, Texas by her boyfriend and father of her infant son, Christopher Revill. After her disappearance, Revill dropped their 3-month-old son off at a relative of Taalibah’s. He said that he and Taalibah got into an argument, and that she got into a vehicle driven by someone he didn’t know and rode away.

Taalibah’s family has long suspected that Revill is responsible for her disappearance. Her family said that Revill had been abusive towards Taalibah in the past, however police found no evidence of this, nor did they find any concrete evidence that linked Revill to Taalibah’s disappearance due to a lack of crime scene.

As years passed with no sign of Taalibah, her family continued to suspect that Revill had killed her. These suspicions were only strengthened over ten years later on October 11th, 2016, when Revill was arrested for kidnapping his new girlfriend—Typhenie Johnson (25). 

Revill claimed that he was innocent of these charges. However, when investigators asked Revill what happened to Typhenie, he answered with the exact thing he said about Taalibah ten years ago: that they had gotten into an argument, and she got into a vehicle driven by someone he didn’t know and rode away. A write-up on Typhenie’s case can be found here.

Revill's mugshot after his arrest in Typhenie's case

Revill went to trial for kidnapping Typhenie in 2019. He was ultimately found guilty. However, Revill still denied having any involvement in Taalibah's case.

 Taalibah remained missing for years until March of 2023, when human remains were found in Fort Worth. It took months, but in June of 2023, those remains were identified as that of Taalibah Islam. 

The death is currently under investigation. 

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Sources:
Charley Project
Dallas News
NBC 5 Fort Worth

The Disappearance and Murder of Hailey Dunn

Pictured above is one of the last known images of Hailey Dunn (13), taken on Christmas Day 2010. She vanished from her home in Colorado City, Texas just two days later. In March 2013, her remains were found in Scurry County. Her death was labeled as a homicide.
 

Hailey had spent Christmas 2010 at her mother Billie Jean Dunn's Colorado City, Texas home, where they lived with Hailey's older brother David Dunn and Billie's new boyfriend, Shawn Adkins. According to those who were close to her, Hailey did not like Shawn and often felt afraid of him.

Despite this, Hailey seemed to enjoy herself on Christmas. Her grandmother Connie Jones stated that Hailey was in good spirits that day - she was excited about the things she had gotten for Christmas, especially her new iPod. Unfortunately, this was the last time that Connie ever got to see Hailey alive - as she vanished just days later.

Hailey and David with their mother Billie, and her boyfriend Shawn Adkins

Billie reported Hailey missing on the afternoon of December 28th, 2010. She told police that Hailey was last seen by Shawn a day earlier. By Shawn's account, Hailey left the home on foot after telling him she was going to her father's house and then to her friend's house for a sleepover. 

However, Hailey's father Clint Dunn said that Hailey never arrived at his house - nor did she ever arrive at her friend's house. Said friend would later tell police that she and Hailey never actually had plans to meet up that day. Investigators initially treated Hailey's disappearance as a runaway but reclassified her case to a 'missing child' status just days later. 

In January 2011, Hailey's disappearance gained national attention after Nancy Grace and other mainstream media outlets reported on the case. Around this time, suspicions began to build against both Shawn and Billie. Many found Shawn's version of events questionable, especially because nobody was able to corroborate his statements.

Additionally, many found the behaviors of both Shawn and Billie to be odd for people searching for a missing daughter. The couple reportedly hosted a New Year's Eve party just days after Hailey went missing. Shawn and Billie celebrated the new year as if nothing was wrong, then tearfully pleaded for Hailey's safe return during a publicized candlelight vigil a 48 hours later.

In the months that followed Hailey's disappearance, investigators followed many leads and obtained many warrants. Shawn and Billie took polygraph exams, and both reportedly failed. An abundance of additional evidence was gathered as well, but Hailey herself remained missing. Despite all of the evidence, Hailey's case appeared to grow cold as years began to tick by without any sign of her. 

That all finally changed in March 2013, when human remains were found in a remote area of Scurry County. Over a month later, those remains were confirmed that of Hailey Dunn. Her death was classified as a murder. 

Although Hailey's remains were found years in 2013, years ticked by without any movement in her case. Her father Clint Dunn continued to prioritize finding justice for Hailey. Clint, amongst many others, believed that Shawn Adkins and Billie Dunn are the persons responsible for Hailey's disappearance and death. The abundance of evidence in the case suggests this as well.

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The cell phone records.

Early into the investigation, detectives were able to obtain access to cell phone and bank records belonging to both Shawn and Billie. Said records revealed a bit more information about the events leading up to Hailey's disappearance. 

On the morning of December 27th, 2010, Shawn arrived at his job in Snyder around 6am. He then got into a fight with his boss and ultimately ended up quitting. Shawn left his job approximately 10 minutes after arriving. 

Shawn later told detectives that he went straight from Snyder to his mother's house in Big Spring...but the cell phone pings prove otherwise. Between 6:35 and 6:56am, Shawn's phone pinged off of a tower in Colorado City - an approximate 48 miles away from Big Spring. His phone did ping off of a tower in Big Spring later that day, between the hours of 9:38am-2:40pm. 

Shawn claimed that he was back in Colorado City at 3:00 and saw Hailey for the last time at 3:15pm. However, the cell phone pings confirmed that Shawn was still in Big Spring at 2:40 - making it very unlikely that he was able to travel back to Colorado City by 3:00.

Distance from Big Spring to Colorado City--approx. 40 miles. (Google maps)

The evening of the disappearance.

Hailey's older brother David confirmed that Shawn was back at their home in Colorado City by 4:00 PM. David reportedly returned to the house to find it locked. He banged on the door for 5 minutes before eventually entering the home through a window. Once inside, David noticed that Shawn was already inside the house with their uncle, having a conversation about possibly hurting a child.

It's important to note that at this point, David was unaware that his sister had gone missing. Hailey was not reported missing until nearly 24 hours later. This conversation that David overheard took place approximately 45 minutes after Shawn claims that Hailey left the house to go to her father's house.

Later that evening, Shawn picked Billie up from her job in Snyder. The couple stopped at two different ATM machines, where Billie withdrew money totaling in $140. Billie originally said that money was withdrawn so they could by gas and groceries, but investigators stated that the couple used the cash to buy narcotics. 

Drug use, computer searches, and Billie's arrest.

It concerned investigators that Shawn and Billie were possibly using narcotics inside a home where children were present. Their concerns continued to build once investigators search the bedroom and computer that Shawn and Billie shared. These searches left investigators with over "250 pages of materials focused on mass murderers, serial killers, sexual sadism, and family member murders." There was also evidence found that Shawn accessed child pornography. 

On March 17th, 2011, Billie was arrested and charged after lying to police about the whereabouts of Shawn - who was reportedly in her house at the time police came to look for him. Billie claimed that her and Shawn were broken up by this point, but she still attempted to cover for him. 

In June 2011, she was sentenced to probation for the charges. Billie served her probation over 250 miles away in Travis County, where she moved after her arrest.

Billie Dunn in court (oaoa.com)

The discovery of remains.

After Billie's court date, news about Hailey's case seemed to fade. Shawn Adkins remained a person of interest, but he was not arrested or charged with anything related to Hailey's disappearance. It would be another two years before any significant updates in Hailey's case. 

Unfortunately, the next big update was the discovery of her remains in March 2013. After the remains were identified, her loved ones' worst fears were confirmed: Hailey had been murdered. Investigators initially did not publicly reveal her cause of death, but her father said that he was told she most likely died of blunt force trauma.

Clint Dunn's quest for justice.

In the years that followed the discovery of Hailey's body, Clint Dunn has dedicated himself to finding justice for his daughter. In recent years, he has used social media to plead for help and to share his thoughts on the case. Clint continues to maintain that both Shawn and Billie were involved in Hailey's death.

More specifically, Clint believes that Shawn attacked Hailey with help from Billie either in the attack itself and/or in covering up the crime. Clint also said that investigators do not often update him on the case, but he has continued to push for the arrest of both Shawn and Billie.

Clint and Hailey Dunn

The discovery of Hailey's items.

Clint Dunn's appeals on social media caught the attention of an unnamed individual who reportedly found several items belonging to Hailey in a public place during late spring/early summer 2011. The individual who found the items was in middle school at the time and did not know Hailey or about her disappearance. Due to this, the individual did not tell authorities about finding the items. 

Years later, in 2019, the individual - now an adult - saw one of Clint's posts about Hailey's case. It was then that the individual remembered that one of the items found years earlier had the name 'Hailey Dunn' on it. The individual then messaged Clint to tell him about it. The items and the location where they were found have not been publicly revealed, but Clint stated that they were found in an area that was searched numerous times in the initial stages of the investigation.

Shawn Adkin's arrest.

Another two years passed without any updates in the case. Then, in June 2021, Shawn Adkins was arrested and charged with Hailey’s murder. He was held behind bars in Howard County on $2 million bond. 

In December 2022, Shawn was officially indicted. It was then publicly revealed via court documents that investigators believed that Shawn struck Hailey with a blunt force object, leading to her death. Investigators also believe that Shawn then hid her body. 

Charges dropped without prejudice.

Two years after Shawn's arrest, another twist occurred in the case. In June 2023, a motion was filed to drop the charges against Shawn without prejudice. This means that the prosecution hopes to charge Shawn again once more evidence is collected. The motion specifically states that "the prosecution views Shawn Casey Adkins as the primary suspect in the Hailey Dunn murder. . . however, additional work must be done before the case can proceed to a jury trial."

The prosecution cites five main issues that have led to the charges being dropped: a Brady Notice, alternate leads, geological forensic evidence, a forensic anthropology report, and cell phone data. The Brady Notice is an official document that informs the defendant that the prosecution has evidence that could be favorable to the defense.

The alternate leads have emerged due to the fact that several different agencies have investigated Hailey's disappearance over the years. Due to this, the prosecution says that "many of the tips and leads were not properly vetted, investigated, or cleared."

The geological forensic evidence was a key piece of evidence that the prosecution planned to present at trial; however, they have now learned that it may not hold up in court. Specifically, the evidence involves soil samples collected from Shawn Adkins' work boots. According to the documents, "Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) was the testing method used to compare the samples to soil samples collected from the site where Hailey’s body was found in 2013, leading an expert to conclude the soil from the boots had a 'high degree of chemical similarity with soil samples collected from the remains site.'"

However, when the FBI tested the soil from the boots and the remains site, they were unable to match the two samples. Additionally, the prosecution was informed that NIRS is not known as a reliable method of soil testing, therefore the evidence provided by NIRS would not hold up in court.

The next key issue with the case stems from Hailey's forensic anthropology report. The report states that Hailey likely died from blunt force trauma, which would have led to significant bleeding. The court documents state that, "despite multiple searches of Hailey’s home and a vehicle connected to the case when she disappeared in 2010, there is no evidence any immediate forensic testing was done. Prosecutors say this is also true for the site where her remains were found, and they believe the evidence needs further examination and testing to see if it has any additional value before proceeding to court."

The final cited issue has to do with cell phone data. Records from both Shawn and Hailey's phones state that they pinged off of separate towers shortly before 3:00 PM on the day of Hailey's disappearance. This changes the timeline in which prosecutors previously relied on, therefore more evidence needs to be collected to create a more accurate timeline. 

At this time, Shawn has been released from custody. The search for justice in Hailey's case continues. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at 928-875-2695.

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Sources:
Court TV
KCBD
Law and Crime
News West 9
Victim News Online