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.

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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. 

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Sources:
ABC 7
Charley Project
Darkmatter
FBI
Medium
WTVR

Other similar cases:

• Disappearances from 2015
• Disappearances from Virginia

The Disappearance of Tiffany Daniels

Tiffany Heaven Daniels (25) was last seen in Pensacola, Florida on August 12th, 2013. That day, she went to work at a theater at Pensacola State College, where she painted sets. While at work, Tiffany asked her boss if she could leave a little early. Her boss granted this request.

Tiffany also told her boss that she would be away from work for the next couple of days, but she did not specify why; she simply said she had “a few things to take care of.” Tiffany’s roommate saw her return to their house that afternoon, however, he was on a phone call when she returned, and he did not get a chance to speak with her. By time he got off the phone, Tiffany had left again. She never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Tiffany’s family members and friends apparently did not know that she planned to take a few days off from work. According to them, she did not have any known plans to travel out of town that week. In fact, a day prior to her disappearance, her boyfriend moved to Austin, Texas, and Tiffany declined to move there with him. She had, however, already made plans to visit him during the upcoming months; so, it was quickly ruled out that she had run off to follow him to Texas.

On August 20th, eight days after her disappearance, Tiffany’s car was found parked at Pensacola Beach. Her wallet, cell phone, bicycle, water bottles, and other personal items were found inside. The car was found by a jogger who recognized it after seeing coverage about Tiffany’s disappearance on the news. 

image source

Police spoke to residents who lived in the condominium across the street, and one resident in particular said that the car was “definitely not” parked there two days earlier. Two other residents said that they had seen an unidentified man getting out of the car earlier on that day.  After the car was towed to the police garage for examination, investigators found two fingerprints, one on the door handle and the other on the steering wheel, that could not be matched to Tiffany or any of the investigators who had worked on the car.

Over the years, there have been a few sightings of Tiffany in nearby states, however none of those sightings have been verified. Tiffany’s mother Cindy Daniels originally feared that Tiffany may be a victim of sex trafficking. However, in April 2025, Cindy spoke to Pensacola News Journal and stated that the family no longer believes this to be the case. 

In the report, Cindy stated that 2 years earlier, she and her husband partnered with a non-profit organization called Shadows of Strength (SOS) to help shed light on their daughter's disappearance. The purpose of the nonprofit is to "help human trafficking survivors by gathering valuable data, identifying crucial information, and assisting survivors in rebuilding their lives."

After working with this organization, Cindy explained that information came about that actually led her away from the trafficking theory. Specifically, Cindy now believes someone who was close to Tiffany may be involved in her disappearance. She noted that one of the people who Tiffany was known to hang out with has obtained a lawyer, while another person is not cooperating with the investigation.

 

Despite these new developments, Tiffany still remains missing. If you have any information about Tiffany/her whereabouts, please contact the Pensacola Police Department at 850-435-1900.

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Sources:
Charley Project
HuffPost
Pensacola News Journal, 
WKRG

The Disappearance and Murder of Erica Hunt

Erica Hunt vanished at the age of 20 on July 4th, 2016. The previous day, Erica attended an Independence Day celebration at her family’s home in Opelousas, Louisiana. The above photograph is from said celebration; this is one the last known images of Erica before her disappearance. 

Family members said Erica was acting normally at the celebration—she talked about applying for housing and seemed excited about her upcoming 21st birthday. They never predicted that this would be one of the last times they'd see Erica.

The morning before she vanished, Erica visited her sister and brother-in-law’s house and asked for money to buy cigarettes. It is unknown if she left their home on foot or if somebody picked her up. Erica was later seen behind a local restaurant on Hirsch Alley sometime between 11:00 PM and 1:00 PM. After that, she was never seen or heard from again.

Investigators immediately deemed Erica's disappearance as suspicious. It was not believed that she voluntarily missing—she left a two-year-old daughter behind, which was very uncharacteristic of her. Erica’s family searched for her to no avail. Unfortunately, her case quickly went cold.

Two years later, in 2018, authorities were searching for a missing boy in Evangeline Parish when another set of human remains were found. It took years to identify the remains, but on February 5th, 2021, the Louisiana State Police announced that the remains were that of Erica Hunt. They also announced that her death was a homicide.

Over three years passed without any updates in Erica's case. Then, in November 2024, a major break occurred. On November 21st, 2024, it was announced that investigators had arrested Jordan Barnes and charged him with Erica's murder. Barnes is Erica's brother-in-law; the same brother-in-law whose house she visited the day of her disappearance. 

Barnes reportedly confessed to the crime and has been charged with second-degree murder. The case is currently pending. 

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Sources:
Charley Project
Louisiana State Police
NBC News
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Brittany Shante Robinson

Brittany Shante Robinson was only 14 years old when she vanished on June 14th, 2012. She was last seen in Mobile, Alabama, after her aunt dropped her off at the home of her father, Demetric Hooper. Brittany was only supposed to be with her father for a two-day visit, but she never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. Demetric fled Mobile immediately following Brittany’s disappearance. A warrant for his arrest was issued six weeks later.

Investigators were finally able to track Demetric down in September 2012, at a mental health facility in Arkansas. He suffered from both schizophrenia and drug addiction and had previously been in-and-out of treatment centers in Alabama for years. During September 2012, Demetric reportedly was seeking treatment for his schizophrenia. Once police tracked him down, they confirmed that Brittany was not with Demetric in Arkansas. He was then arrested and charged with felony custodial interference.

After Demetric’s arrest, investigators determined that he had been in Arkansas since July. However, in the weeks following Brittany’s disappearance, he traveled to multiple different locations throughout the southeastern United States. On July 7th, 2012, Demetric took a bus from Memphis, Tennessee to Arkansas, and it was determined that Brittany was not with him during said trip. 

When police finally tracked him down, they found Brittany’s iPod, knives, and a rope in his possession. However, Brittany herself still remained missing.

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The custodial interference charges.

Demetric continuously denied harming his daughter. A search of his home provided no evidence of Brittany’s whereabouts. Due to this, police were unable to charge Demetric with anything related to Brittany’s disappearance, but they still pursued the custodial interference charges. 

After initially denying those charges as well, Demetric ended up pleading guilty to custodial inference in August 2014. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison but was released in 2016 after serving two years.

A cold case turns to sudden charges.

As the years ticked by without any sign of Brittany, her father Demetric Hooper remained the main person of interest. Still - investigators seemingly did not have enough evidence to prove that he harmed Brittany. Brittany's disappearance quickly faded into a cold case.

Then, in February 2024, it was announced that a grand jury had indicted Demetric Hooper for Brittany's murder. The charges came nearly 12 years after Brittany's disappearance. At the time of the indictment, Demetric was already in custody in Oklahoma on unrelated charges. Prosecutors announced that he would face the murder charges in Alabama.

After Demetric's arrest, it appeared that Brittany's loved ones were one step closer to finding answers and justice. Unfortunately, the answers and justice would never come to fruition. 

The trial.

Demetric Hooper's murder trial began in early June 2025. It was noted during trial that no forensic evidence was ever found that linked Demetric to murder. In fact, there was no forensic evidence to prove that Brittany was no longer alive.

Prosecutors noted that, due to Brittany's age at the time of her disappearance, and due to the fact that her father was the last person to see her alive, it is probable that her father killed Brittany and hid her remains. However, investigators had never found Brittany's body, nor did they find any physical evidence that she had been harmed.

It appears that the prosecution was unable to present a case that proved Demetric's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury subsequently found him not guilty for Brittany's murder. As of today, Demetric Hooper is no longer facing any criminal charges related to his daughter's disappearance.

An unsolved disappearance.

Brittany remains missing today. Questions about her fate still remain. Though many believe that Demetric Hooper is, in fact, responsible for his daughter's disappearance, he can no longer face murder charges related to her case.

Brittany's disappearance is still considered an open and unsolved case. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-1700.

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Sources:
Al.com, (2)
Charley Project

Fox 10
News One

WKRG, (2)

Similar cases:

• The Disappearance and Murder of Lori Paige

The Disappearance of Charles Jay Makey Jr.

Source: Facebook

Charles Jay Makey Jr. has been missing since June 2014. The then 21-year-old was last seen in Banning, California. Reports state that the last confirmed sighting of Charles occurred on June 12th, 2014 - but he was last heard from via phone on June 20th. After that, Charles has never been seen or heard from again.

Charles was reported missing on July 16th, 2014. Other than that, very few details about his case are available. There is not any publicly reported information about the events leading up to Charles' disappearance. In fact, there has been very minimal reporting about his disappearance in general.

Per Charles' Facebook page, he was active online throughout 2013 and for the first few months of 2014. He last updated his profile picture in March 2014. Charles' Facebook also indicates that he was in a relationship at the time. Certain posts reference a young woman, while other posts reference a brother and other friends. However, there are not any publicly posted comments on his page after his disappearance. 

Over a decade has passed, and Charles still remains missing. He is described as a black man with brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, Charles was 5'10" and approximately 150 pounds and went by his middle name, Jay. If you have any information that could help solve Charles' disappearance, please contact the Banning Police Department at 951-922-3170.

 

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Sources:
California Department of Justice
Charley Project
CUE Center for Missing Persons
Facebook

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 Disappearance of Michael McClain

Michael McClain has been missing since April 21st, 2019. 

The then-29-year-old lived in Manchester, New Hampshire at the time of his disappearance, but he was last seen at a nightclub in nearby Nashua. Michael was at the club with friends when a fight broke out between two women. He reportedly knew one of the women, and he attempted to break up the fight when it escalated outside of the building. 

Police arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, which led the crowd of people to disperse in different directions. At that point, Michael's friends became separated from him. Michael's last known contact occurred shortly after the crowd dispersed. He called his boss shortly before 2:00 AM and stated, "They're after me. More than one." When his boss tried to call him back, there was no answer. 

Michael also sent three texts to a friend, stating "HELP LOL OUR”, “what stood aloof”, and “Eldridge bro”. The last text seemingly referenced Eldrige Street, which is located near the nightclub. Michael's friends reportedly attempted to find him and/or get in touch with him for the next 45 minutes to no avail. 

Michael's friends went home afterwards, hoping that Michael would eventually return to his friend's house to retrieve his car. He never did, nor did he ever return to his own home. Michael's loved ones have never seen or heard from him again.

After Michael was reported missing, it was determined that he was sighted one last time around 3:30 AM. At that time, surveillance cameras at the Riverfront Landing Apartment complex captured him entering and exiting the parking garage. This is the last confirmed sighting of Michael; his whereabouts after exiting the parking garage remain unknown to this day.

Michael's loved ones do not believe he is missing on his own accord. Both his bank and social media accounts have been inactive since his disappearance. Investigators have theorized that Michael might have drowned in the nearby Merrimack River. His family does not believe this to be true as they stated Michael was a strong swimmer. A search of the area has not turned up Michael's body.

Michael remains missing today. His case is being investigated by the Nashua Police Department. If you have any information that could lead to Michael's whereabouts, please contact authorities at (603) 594-3583.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Help Find Missing - Michael McClain
NamUs
NBC News
True Crime New England

The Disappearance and Murder of Jaylen Griffin

Jaylen Griffin vanished on August 4th, 2020. The young boy was only 12 years old at the time of his disappearance. Jaylen's family members last saw him near his home on Warren Avenue in Buffalo, New York. 

The day he vanished; Jaylen took his new puppy for a walk in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood. Shortly after he returned home, he told his mother he was going out again. Jaylen's mother assumed he would return soon, but he never did.

Jaylen reportedly left his home around 11:00 AM, and he did not tell his mother where he was going. He was known to frequent nearby stores in the area so he could help people carry their grocery bags. Jaylen's mother initially thought he was doing that on the day of his disappearance. However, when he did not return home, his family members began to think that something was wrong. 

According to sources close to Jaylen's family, he was not the type to go far from home or to stay out late.  There were reported sightings of him around the Buffalo area in the months following his disappearance, and authorities stated that they believed he may still be in the area. In November 2020, three months after Jaylen vanished, his older brother Jawaan Griffin was shot and killed. Many thought that the news of his brother's passing would encourage Jaylen to return home, but he didn't--nor did he contact his family at all. 

Despite all of this, authorities reportedly still maintained their belief that Jaylen was alive. An article from April 2021 quotes Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo, who stated, "we have no information that leads us to believe he is in immediate danger. I mean the fact of his age and the fact that he is not under his parental supervision is obviously dangerous to begin with, but we do not believe that he was abducted or taken against his will." 

Then, in 2024, that all changed. A maintenance man working at a multi-unit house on 107 Sheffield Avenue found a body in the attic. That body was later identified as Jaylen Griffin. His death was labeled a homicide. 

The house where Jaylen was found is approximately five miles away from his home. Neighbor in that area told reporters that police had responded to that house "several times" over the years. At this time, police have not named any suspects or persons of interest in Jaylen's case.

Jaylen's mother passed in September 2023, before learning of her son's fate. His remaining family members are hoping to find justice. The investigation is ongoing, and there is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for Jaylen's homicide.

If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at (716) 847-2255.

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Sources: [1, 2, 3, 4]

The Disappearance of Louis Danhi

Source: California Department of Justice

Louis Danhi has been missing since June 2013. The then-38-year-old man was last seen in Stanislaus County, California. Louis last spoke to his girlfriend, Rebecca, via phone on June 20th, 2013. He told her that he was going to drop a friend off before going to the San Francisco International Airport catch a flight to Las Vegas. Louis never made his flight and has never been seen or heard from again. 

Rebecca tried to get in touch with Louis several times around the time he was supposed to arrive in Vegas, but her calls and texts went unanswered. She eventually learned he had never made his flight. Worried, Rebecca subsequently contacted Louis' father, Adam Danhi, to let him know about her concerns.

Adam tried to get in contact with Louis several times himself before eventually reporting him missing on June 22nd, 2013. That same day, Louis' rental car was found abandoned in "an unincorporated area near Livermore, California." The car reportedly did not yield any clues about Louis' whereabouts. 

Reports state that Louis was involved in the marijuana business. He was arrested in 2004 after trying to ship nearly 60 pounds of marijuana from Glendale, California to the east coast. By 2013, Louis was living in Massachusetts. However, he was still involved in the marijuana industry and often flew to California for business. 

Louis' father, Adam, has been dedicated to finding his son. In 2019, he filed a petition to declare Louis deceased and to establish the facts of his death. The documents in the petition reveal even more suspicious circumstances surrounding Louis' disappearance.

The initial investigation.

Source: Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers

According to the court documents, Louis' father Adam filed a missing persons' report with the Los Angeles Police Department. In mid-July 2013, after several weeks passed without any word for the L.A.P.D., Adam was referred to a private investigative firm. An associate from the firm, Bill Marsh, was assigned Louis' case. 

A July 2013 report from the private investigation stated, "The investigation has reached the point where, unfortunately, there is significant reasonable belief, supported by circumstantial evidence that [Louis'] disappearance is due to foul play, and has been caused by a person or persons unknown." 

The court petition does not elaborate further on the evidence that led to the belief that Louis was murdered. After that, Adam stated that several months went by without any real movement in Louis' case. 

A trip to Laytonville reveals more information.

The documents note that at some point, there was information that led the investigation to Laytonville, California. Laytonville is located an approximate three hour's drive - nearly 200 miles - away from where Louis' rental vehicle was found near Livermore. 

Source: Google Maps

In spring 2014, Adam and Louis' childhood friend, Eric Arusi, went to Laytonville to try and investigate Louis' disappearance themselves. Eric had acknowledged that he knew Louis had conducted business in that area; he had accompanied him on such business trips in the past. 

Once in Laytonville, Adam and Eric encountered an acquaintance of Eric's who stated that he knew of a person who might have information about Louis' disappearance. The person - who the documents identify as T.B. - had "abruptly gone to Mexico about the same as Louis went missing" and had returned four months later. 

Adam and Eric were directed to a Mexican restaurant owned by T.B.'s father. Once there, they spoke with a woman named Sandra Mann about Louis' disappearance, and their belief that he had been murdered. According to the documents, "Sandra appeared to be stunned upon hearing this."

The documents further explain that, after showing Sandra a missing persons' poster with Louis' picture, she "burst out crying and told us that Louis was her boyfriend and she had been wondering why he was not answering her calls or contacting her at all for some time."

Sandra also told Adam and Eric that T.B. and Louis had done business together, and that T.B. had introduced Louis to members of a marijuana cartel in the area. Sandra then called T.B. and asked him to come to the restaurant. 

After T.B. arrived, Adam and Eric questioned him about Louis' disappearance. T.B. denied involvement; he stated that Louis had been arrested. The documents note that T.B.'s claims did not seem believable, as he appeared fidgety and acted evasive about certain questions. Although Adam did not believe that Louis had been arrested, he still called Laytonville police - who confirmed that Louis had not ever been in their custody. 

Adam eventually passed all the information he obtained on the trip to Laytonville to the private investigative firm. The private investigator reportedly followed up on this information but was not able to take the case any further. This contributed to Adam's eventual decision to petition the court to have Louis declared deceased. 

Unanswered questions.

The court documents provide a lot of information about Louis' disappearance, but said information leads to some unanswered questions as well. It seems likely that Louis was killed by a person, or persons, related to the marijuana business - though his has not been confirmed.

Sandra Mann alleged that the man known as T.B. introduced Louis to people in a local marijuana cartel. It's possible that the cartel is responsible for Louis' disappearance/presumed murder - assuming Sandra Mann has provided a reliable account. While there's also no definitive proof that Sandra was dishonest, it seems odd that she claimed to be Louis' girlfriend, but she had not reported him missing.

Sandra noted that she had not been in contact with Louis at the time she spoke to Adam and Eric. However, this conversation happened in spring 2014 - and Louis had been missing for nearly a year by this point. This leads to questions about both Louis' relationship with Sandra and other information she might have about his disappearance.

It's known that Louis also had another girlfriend, Rebecca, whom he lived with in Massachusetts. Although Louis was on the other side of the country when he vanished, Rebecca still immediately sprang into action when she was unable to get in touch with him. Sandra, who was seemingly in the same state as Louis at the time of his disappearance, did not report him missing, and seemed to be shocked when confronted about his disappearance - despite claiming she had not seen him for quite some time. 

Additionally, it's clear that Sandra knows T.B. - the associate of Louis' who told a false story about Louis being arrested. Is it possible that both T.B. and Sandra have more information about Louis' fate than they let on? Are the claims about the cartel false?

It should be noted that the documents do not state when Sandra met Louis, or when Sandra last saw Louis. It's possible that two had an ongoing relationship during Louis' many business trips to California, but this has not been confirmed. 

Another person worth mentioning is the "friend" Louis said he was going to drop off during his final phone conversation with Rebecca. His loved ones do not know who said friend was, and the person has never been identified. 

No suspects or persons of interest.

As of today, no suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly identified in Louis' case. There are obvious suspicions about who might have been involved, but there is allegedly no definitive proof. Nobody has been ruled out, either. 

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department is in charge of Louis' missing persons' case. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at 209-525-7117.

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Sources:
California Department of Justice
Charley Project
LA Times
Trellis Law (court documents)

The Disappearance of Aliyah Boomer

Aliyah Boomer has been missing since August 15th, 2015. That day, the 27-year-old woman and her friend attended a barbecue at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York City. Afterwards, Aliyah went to her friend’s home at the Red Hook housing projects in the 400 block of Columbia Street. 

Around 11:00 PM that evening, Aliyah and her friend got invited to another barbecue. Her friend declined the invitation, but Aliyah herself accepted and left her friend’s home shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, Aliyah never arrived at the barbecue and has never been seen by her loved ones again.

Aliyah's last outgoing phone call was at 3:00 AM on August 16th. Aliyah had called one of her sisters, but her sister was asleep and did not answer the phone. Aliyah did not leave a message and has not made contact with her family since that morning. 

Aliyah’s family finally reported her missing 3 days later, after she failed to show up to her sister’s birthday party. Her absence immediately raised red flags, as it is out of character for Aliyah to be out of touch with her family and friends. Before she disappeared, she was working towards completing her nursing degree. Due to all of these circumstances, it seems unlikely that Aliyah is voluntarily missing.

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A cold case. 

Aliyah's case seemingly went cold fast. Very few details about the investigation have been revealed. Aliyah's family members worked to spread awareness about her disappearance, but no credible leads were found. 

Years ticked by without any updates in the case. Then, in 2022, it was reported that Aliyah's sister Victoria Boomer-Harris received a mysterious letter with potential information about Aliyah's case. 

The letter.

Victoria told reporters that she received the letter in 2021. It had a Bronx return address. The identity of the letter writer remains unknown, but PIX 11 refers to the writer as female. 

The letter references a building that Aliyah was seen at before her disappearance. The letter writer wrote that her late uncle lived in the building. Before he passed, the writer said that her uncle spoke to her about his friend who spent time in 'Apartment 2-C'. The message said, in part, "Everybody in that building no [know] what happen to her."

According to the letter, Aliyah had been spending time with a man and a woman on the third floor on the building - and those people know what happened to her. The letter states, "The people….sent her out on a drug run. She never came back. My uncle said they no [know] what happen to your family member."

Is the letter credible?

The information provided in this letter has not been confirmed by investigators or substantiated in any other way - but it appears that it has not been ruled out, either. When asked if she felt a drug run was what led to her daughter's disappearance, Aliyah's mother replied, "It might have". 

 

Investigators are also not 100% sold on this theory. In the same report, indicated that it's possible that the letter was written in efforts to "throw off the family and investigators". At this time, the motive for the letter remains unclear.

The family's efforts.

Aliyah's family members have not given up on trying to find Aliyah. They continue to spread awareness about her disappearance. One of Aliyah's sisters has placed a monetary reward for anyone with information that could lead to her whereabouts. 

Since then, it appears that there have not been any other updates in Aliyah's case. She remains missing today. The New York Police Department is in charge of the investigation. If you have any information that could lead to Aliyah’s whereabouts, please call 212-694-7781.

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Sources:
The Bronx Daily
Charley Project
PIX 11
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Tyreek Pettigrew

 

Tyreek Pettigrew has been missing since February 21st, 2018. The then-20-year-old was last seen at a Fuel Express gas station in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. Tyreek was at the gas station around 3:00 PM on the day of his disappearance. He was driving his mother's Nissan Infiniti G35. Tyreek left the gas station after a few minutes. He never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

After Tyreek was reported missing, investigators learned that the vehicle he was driving was spotted by surveillance cameras at 3:38 PM--just 38 minutes after his last known sighting. The car was seen at the Janki Mart on State Road-but Tyreek was not in the vehicle at the time. A different person was behind the wheel. At this time, it is unclear who was in possession of the car. 

During the early morning hours of February 22nd, the car Tyreek was driving was found on fire on Cainhoy Road in Charleston, South Carolina. There was no sign of Tyreek on the scene. It is unknown how the car got to said location. 

Tyreek's mother believes that her son was killed, and that people know what happened but are unwilling to speak up. It's uncharacteristic for Tyreek to stay out-of-touch with his family members. His loved ones have never believed that he is missing on his own accord.

The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office is investigating Tyreek's disappearance. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please call 843-719-4465.

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UPDATE (November 2023): 

An arrest has been made in Tyreek's case.

Brandon Smith (33) has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in relation to Tyreek's disappearance. The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office is still investigating Tyreek's case and more updates are expected.

Brandon Smith. (source)

Sources:
[ABC News 4]

[Charley Project]

[Charleston WCSC-TV]

The Disappearance of Sage Smith

Sage Smith disappeared under suspicious circumstances on November 20th, 2012. Prior to vanishing, the 19-year-old was making a lot of positive changes in her life. Sage grew up in the foster care system, and reportedly had a very tumultuous childhood. Things were beginning to turn around in the fall of 2012—Sage was no longer a part of the foster system, so she was able to move into her own place in Charlottesville, Virginia. She had recently gotten a new job in that area, and she was looking forward to her future. 

Sage also had recently come out to her family and friends as transgender. Just weeks before her disappearance, Sage changed her gender on her Facebook page from male to female. According to Sage’s grandmother Lolita Smith, Sage was reportedly very happy to be living her truth.

On the evening she was last seen, Sage told her roommate, Aubrey Carson, that she planned to meet up with a man—possibly for a date—whom she had met online. That man was later identified as Erik McFadden (pictured below).

Aubrey grew concerned the following morning, when he awoke to find that Sage had not returned home. He tried calling Sage, but her phone went straight to voicemail. Aubrey then called Sage’s grandmother, Lolita. After learning that Lolita had not heard from Sage either, Aubrey called the Charlottesville police.

Erik McFadden

By the time authorities determined that Sage had met up with a man named Erik McFadden, they were unable to locate him. In fact, McFadden’s girlfriend ended up reporting him missing on November 24th—just four days after Sage was last seen. At that point, investigators became tasked with locating both Sage and their only person of interest in Sage's case.

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November 2012: McFadden contacts the authorities.

At first, it appeared that McFadden was on the run. However, he ended up contacting Charlottesville authorities three days after he was reported missing. McFadden told them that he did plan to meet up with Sage on the evening of November 20th, but Sage never showed up. 

Still, investigators asked McFadden to meet with them in person. He told them that he couldn’t because he was in New York. When investigators asked him when he would be back, he hung up.

A changed story.

Although it appeared McFadden himself was trying to avoid contact with authorities, his girlfriend continued to cooperate with the investigation. She told police that McFadden planned to take a bus back to Charlottesville on November 29th. The next day, though, McFadden changed his mind. He sent his girlfriend an e-mail saying that Sage was blackmailing him by threatening to tell people that the two of them had sex. 

McFadden also stated that he did meet up with Sage on the night of November 20th, but he did not know what happened to her. This version of events clearly differed from the story that McFadden told authorities, and he was officially classified as a person of interest after that. 

Case reclassification.

Unfortunately, investigators have still never been able to question McFadden in person. He reportedly has never returned to Charlottesville, and the last sign of him was an e-mail he sent to his girlfriend in May 2013, from an untraceable e-mail address.

The Charlottesville Police are still actively investigating Sage’s disappearance. In 2016, the investigation was reclassified as a homicide. Three years later, on June 26th, 2019, police announced that they officially filed a missing persons' report for Erik McFadden. To this day, McFadden remains the only person of interest/suspect in the case. 

November 2025: McFadden is tracked down.

On the 13th anniversary of Sage's disappearance, Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis announced that detectives found Erik McFadden in Los Angeles, California. Kochis told reporters, "detectives uncovered information suggesting that Mr. McFadden might be living in the Los Angeles area." While investigating that information, detectives were able to locate McFadden, who was in the process of changing his name.

Kochis stated that detectives did, in fact, interview McFadden, and that the information they obtained from that interview is being incorporated into their investigation into Sage's disappearance. However, detectives have declined to share any information about "why he fled, where else he’s been living, or why he sought to change his name."

Investigators are now appealing to the public for anyone who might have interacted with McFadden in these past 13 years to come forward. Kochis told the public, "If you knew him, lived with him, worked with him, or were in any form of a relationship with him, we need to hear from you." It's believed that McFadden is still in the LA area, and may be using aliases such as Frank Hargrave, Shiloh Mathis, or Miles Bakari.

The monetary reward in exchange for information that could lead to Sage's whereabouts/an arrest in the case is still in place. If you have any information about Sage or Erik McFadden, please contact the Charlottesville Police Department at 434-970-3280.

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Sources:

29 News
ABC News 8
Charley Project
NBC News
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Uncovered

The Disappearance and Murder of Breasia Terrell

Breasia Terrell went missing on July 10th, 2020. The 10-year-old girl vanished while spending the night at the home of the girlfriend of 47-year-old Henry Earl Dinkins, in Davenport, Illinois. Breasia's mother Aishia Lankford last heard from her around 9 PM on July 9th, when Breasia sent a text to say goodnight. Reports state that Breasia was seen for the last time a few hours later. Aishia reported her missing on the evening of July 10th after she never returned home.

Dinkins was immediately considered a person of interest in Breasia's disappearance. He is the father of Breasia's half-brother, and he is also a registered sex offender. Breasia reportedly tagged along with her half-brother during a visit with Dinkins on the day before her disappearance. According to Aishia, Breasia had never spent the night at this apartment before--but was enjoying her time with her brother and wanted to stay the night. 

Although Aishia was aware that Dinkins is a registered sex offender, she was initially not worried about Breasia spending the night at his girlfriend's home because she was with her brother, and she had known Dinkins her whole life. However, when Breasia never returned from Dinkins' house, suspicions against him began to build.

Police searched Dinkins' girlfriend's apartment shortly after Breasia was reported missing. During the search, he was arrested for violating sex offender requirements. He maintained that he had nothing to do with Breasia's disappearance and had no knowledge of her whereabouts.

On July 15th, 2020, an Amber alert was issued for Breasia. Authorities also announced that they were searching for anyone with information about Dinkins' whereabouts between the hours of 10pm on July 9th and 12pm on July 10th. Still, months passed without any public updates on the case.

Henry Earl Dinkins

In March 2021, Breasia's body was found. 

The remains were found on March 22nd by a group of fishermen at a pond in DeWitt--located approximately 20 miles away from Davenport. On March 31st, 2021, authorities confirmed that the remains were positively identified as that of Breasia Terrell. Her death was labeled as a homicide.

About a month later, Henry Dinkins was arrested and charged with the first-degree kidnapping and murder of Breasia Terrell. It was then revealed that Breasia was shot to death. It was believed that her death was premeditated by Dinkins. 

In September 2023, a judge declared that Dinkins was guilty of both Breasia's kidnapping and murder. It is believed that he shot her to death after sexually assaulting her. In fact, during court proceedings, Breasia's half-brother testified that he witnessed Breasia getting shot. He also stated that Dinkins and his girlfriend left the apartment with Breasia during the night and returned without Breasia. 

Dinkins was later sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.

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Sources:
Court TV
The Gazette
NBC News
People