Thelma Thomas (second from right) of Merrillville, mother of the missing Rochelle Thomas Stubblefield, listens to investigators Friday (December 12) during a news conference seeking the public’s help in the case. -Damian Rico/Photo (The Times)
Rochelle Thomas Stubblefield of Merrillville, In. was supposed to celebrate her 21st birthday on December 25 with friends and family. She was also supposed deliver her first child on Dec. 15—a boy, who she had already decided to name “Amir”.
However, the 21-year-old went missing on Nov. 10 after attending classes early in the day and going a girls basketball game later on. Her family reported her missing on Nov. 12. Almost three months later, investigators are still unable to locate Stubblefield.
The Calumet College student was attending school on a track scholarship. Calumet College of St. Joseph is a private college that is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. Stubblefield was a criminal justice student who had hopes of becoming a police officer upon graduation.
Stubblefield was proud of her school, and she was last seen wearing a maroon Calumet College sweatshirt, black jeans, and glasses.
Stubblefield’s friends and family are still desperate for answers.
“We need to find her. Help us,” Stubblefield’s cousin, Lajuaina Riley, told the Chicago Tribune in late December, “If anyone has any information, don’t be afraid.”
Police Detective George Dickerson from the Gary Police Department told reporters that investigators do have a person of interest in the case, but declined to comment further. Dickerson did say that this person is someone that Rochelle Stubblefield knows, and that the individual is not cooperating with police.
Investigators have also recovered some personal items belonging to Stubblefield, but would not comment on the location that these items were found.
“We don’t want to compromise the integrity of the investigation,” Detective Dickerson told the Chicago Tribune.
Police did say that they suspect foul play, but were unable to comment any further.
Police are asking anyone with information about the case to call (219) 755-3855 or the anonymous tip line at 866-CRIME-GP.
Jim Will, the father of a missing man from Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, offered a $10,000 reward earlier this month (Jan 5) for any information leading to the arrest or conviction of persons involved in the disappearance of his son, Judge Will.
Jim told reporters at Oklahoma’s KFSM-TV that he does not believe his son is still alive, but is still desperately looking for answers. Will was 39-years-old when he went missing in March of 2014.
“He was at his residence with two individuals and during the interview with those individuals, they say he went outside on the back porch to use his phone and never returned,” Sequoyah County Sheriff Ron Lockhart told KFSM reporters.
The area where Judge Will went missing is a densely wooded area that extends more than 500 acres behind his property.
“Me and some close friends have been out here on four wheelers searching all the hills back behind here, and all the ravines, and roads multiple times in the past two or three days,” Judge’s father, Will, told 5News reporters shortly after his son’s disappearance.
Sheriff Ron Lockhart says that investigators do have persons of interest in the case, but declined to release any names. It’s possible that the individuals who last saw Judge Will are still persons of interest in Will’s disappearance.
Curiously, Lockhart also said that several months ago a woman at a local convenience store told someone that she might know where Judge Will is buried. The area was thoroughly searched and nothing was found, however, Lockhart did say that the woman’s statements led investigators to additional information in the case.
According to Lockhart it is still not clear if there is any foul play in the disappearance. However, he did tell reporters that its possible that the last two people to see Judge Will know something.
“Those two individuals could be lying to us; we don’t really know, but we feel like there is more information that is being withheld,” Lockhart said.
29-year-old Chansotheavy Young, a Cambodian national currently on a music tour in the United States, has been returned safely to her manager in San Diego after having been missing for nearly a week.
According to a statement released by Young’s employer, Khmer Entertainment of America, she returned to San Diego on Sunday.
“She is well, safe and under our care as her U.S. sponsor and employer,” Khmer Entertainment of America wrote on their Facebook page.
KEA thanked the San Diego Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit for their dedication and diligence while working on the case, and for helping to return the singer to them safely. KEA also thanked the various San Diego news outlets including, FOX 5 – San Diego, NBC 7 – San Diego and ABC’s 10News – San Diego, for bringing the case to the attention of the public.
Details regarding Chansotheavy’s disappearance are still unknown. Due to the ongoing investigation, it is also unclear whether or not Young left San Diego on her own volition.
KEA says it plans to post updates on its Facebook page as more details regarding the case become available to the public.
“At this time, we cannot comment any further pending the open investigation,” KEA announced on Sunday.
Although Young was not scheduled to leave San Diego the day she disappeared, and took no personal belongings with her when she left, it was believed that she could have been headed to Everett, Washington. It is still uncertain why investigators considered Everett to be a possible destination for Young.
Sometime after her disappearance, Young’s Facebook page was deactivated, which led a few worried fans to post on KEA’s Facebook page asking why this might be. KEA did not respond to these questions, and it is still unclear why Young’s Facebook page had been taken down. As of this writing, her Facebook page remains deactivated.
Young’s cell phone had also been turned off during the time that she was missing. Her manager, Lim Cheang, became concerned on Monday, Jan. 4, when she didn’t answer her door to take a call from a friend on the East Coast. After realizing that her cell phone was turned off, Cheang began by checking the security camera at his home and later started a neighborhood search with a friend.
According to KEA, Young’s current visa is valid until April 2016 so that she can perform for the Cambodian New Year here in the United States. It is unclear whether or not she plans to stay in the US, considering her recent disappearance, in order to perform on April 13 for the celebration of the Cambodian New Year.
Kathleen Haley, a 37 year old woman missing from Newport, Virginia, has not been seen since August 22nd. Kathleen’s sister, Diane Roman, was the last person to hear from Ms. Haley, speaking with her on the phone on September 1st. This is very unusual according to their mother, who said that she typically talked to Kathleen at least twice a week. In fact, they had plans for Kathleen to help her mother get her car inspected, but Kathleen never showed up. After Kathleen’s mother couldn’t locate her at her apartment on the 7th of September, combined with the fact that she had not been heard from in a week now; Kathleen’s mother reported her missing.
It is reported that there were several items missing from Haley’s condo. However, in order to preserve the integrity of the investigation, the police have not yet released exactly what those items are. It is known, however, that her dog, a boxer, is missing from the condo. Haley’s brother in law, Manuel Roman, made a comment regarding the missing items, saying “It’s just stuff you don’t take with you if you’re going on a trip. Stuff you don’t necessarily take anywhere.”
Kathleen’s family portrayed her as leading a private life, not sharing a multitude of details with anyone, and being annoyed by nosy people. Her family could not think of anything that seemed to be bothering her leading up to her disappearance. Kathleen’s car is parked in her driveway, which the family says is very unusual. Manuel Roman stated, “It’s just totally unlike her to not call, to not be on Facebook, to not move her car.”
The family is concerned for her safety, and asking for the public’s help. They are seeking any information, no matter how big or small, regarding her disappearance and/or whereabouts. Roman posed the question, “If you had someone who was missing, wouldn’t you want somebody to come out and say ‘I know this little bit?’” If you have any information regarding this case, please immediately call the Newport News Police at (757) 247-2500. You can remain anonymous by calling The Crime Line, at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
Spencer Shank, writer for MPAN
An 18 year old woman went missing from Kosciusko County in Warsaw, Indiana a week ago today, by the name of Aurora Shoemaker. There is not an abundance of information on this case, due to her abrupt disappearance.
The young adult is described as being 5-foot-6, a slender build, short blonde hair, green eyes, and piercings in her lip. She was seen last Thursday at approximately 4:00 P.M. leaving her mobile home at the Acres Mobile Home Park going out for a walk, however, she never returned. The sudden disappearance, coupled with her cell phone going unanswered caused her family to contact the Sheriff’s Department on Sunday to report her missing.
Police say that as far as they know, she does not have a history of running away. They are also requesting the public’s help in finding Aurora, so if you know anything about this young woman’s disappearance, please contact the Sheriff’s Department at either their anonymous line 574-372-2494 or their regular line at 574-267-5667
