For over two years, the family of missing postal worker, Kierra Coles, 26, have been racked with worry over the disappearance of the missing mother—especially Karen Phillips, Kierra’s own mother. To further exacerbate the uncertainty, Kierra was about three months pregnant when she went missing in a case that has been described by Chicago police as “a high-risk missing person investigation with potential foul play suspected.” The most crucial clue in the case was a surveillance video that was believed to be the last confirmed sighting of Kierra Coles just before she vanished, but new information has come to light that could change the entire context of this case.
The surveillance video that was believed to be the last confirmed sighting of Kierra Coles was dated October 3, 2018 at 11:45 AM. At the time, many believed it to be Kierra, walking down the street wearing her postal worker’s uniform. Following her disappearance, Kierra’s keys and lunch were found on the front seat of her car, which was parked in front of the building where she lived. More than two years later, new information about the case has finally been made public. The neighbor handed over the surveillance video to investigators and Karen Phillips, Kierra’s mother, who was immediately concerned that something was not right about the video. “It’s a mother thing. You just know your child. That’s not her walk. She was a little bit smaller and a little bit shorter.” Phillips informed investigators about her feelings regarding the video, telling them that the woman in the video was not her daughter. Investigators took her concerns seriously, but in order to preserve the investigation, Phillips was asked not to tell anyone that she suspected the woman in the video was not her daughter.
In another twist, Phillips told NBC 5 that there are two more videos depicting her daughter from the night of October 2nd. One video from another neighbor shows Kierra leaving her apartment building with her boyfriend, Josh Simmons, who also works at the post office. They got into separate cars and drove off. That video was also turned over to the police. Another video from ATM surveillance camera showed Kierra withdrawing $400 from her account and giving it to Josh.
Chicago Police have refused to confirm any of the details regarding the additional surveillance videos, or Phillips’ assertion that the woman in the original video isn’t her daughter, Kierra Coles. They only confirmed to NBC 5 that they had a concrete timeline of Kierra’s movements on October 2nd before she went missing. The official statement from CPD states “The Coles case remains a high-risk missing person investigation with potential foul play suspected. At this point, anyone with knowledge of her of her last known whereabouts is asked to contact the Chicago Police Department, as we are seeking any and all information in an attempt to locate her and we won’t stop until we do.”
A Georgia family is still searching for answers in the disappearance of a now 22-year-old mother Jessica Dietzel. Jessica went missing in mid-February last year before nation-wide attempts to lock down the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic began. Now, nearly a year later, law enforcement is reportedly no closer to finding the missing mother.
Jessica Dietzel was reported missing in mid-February, 2020 after losing contact with her family. She had been having problems with her cell phone, but had been using Facebook Messenger and other people’s cells to contact her mother, Kristina Johnson. Recalling their last conversation, Johnson said it was nothing out of the ordinary. “We spoke on the phone and she seemed fine,” she told Dateline, “But over the next few days, I tried to message her on Facebook and…nothing. She just never responded. It’s been a nightmare ever since.”
From the onset of the investigation, getting answers in the disappearance of Jessica Dietzel has been challenging. Due to the nebulous circumstances of her disappearance, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the date of Jessica’s disappearance is unknown, projecting it to be any time between February 16 and March 1. According to Dateline, “APD authorities were informed that Jessica had been planning to visit someone who lives in a tent near Radium Springs Road next to the Flint River in Albany.” This lead resulted in LCSO working in tandem with Albany police to interview witnesses and follow up on a reported sighting of Jessica in Albany. In a joint effort between law enforcement and community, a search for Jessica was launched in the wooded area close to the river. Despite these efforts, no evidence was turned up of Jessica’s location.
By July 2020, all available leads in the disappearance of Jessica Dietzel still hadn’t yielded any answers. With so much time passing without answers, members of Jessica’s family began to question whether or not the LSCO was taking her case seriously or not. These family members have alleged that because Jessica has a history of substance abuse issues in the past, law enforcement is not prioritizing her case. Their suspicions are not out of the realm of plausibility—police departments have been known to drag their feet on missing person cases involving persons who have a history of substance abuse. Sometimes it’s the personal bias of the investigator against addicts that slows investigations, but investigators can also develop tunnel vision in cases where addicts go missing. Investigators may assume that the missing person is in the full swing of addict behavior and that they will eventually turn up. Whatever the reason, the amount of resources and attention on cases involving missing persons with any history of drug abuse can be severely lacking.
Chief Michael Parsley of Albany Police wants both the family and the public to know that they have not given up on Jessica’s case, “I would say those allegations are untrue. It doesn’t matter about your past with us. If anything, we want to know about your past. We want to know about any information that you may have so that it can help lead us to Jessica…I don’t want the family to feel that way. I hate that they feel that way, but every lead that they’ve given us, we’ve exhausted. Ms. Jessica, her disappearance is just as important as any other disappearance.” As they continue their investigation, APD has said that they might be re-interviewing relevant subjects in the case with new questions regarding the disappearance of Jessica Dietzel. In September of 2020, APD confirmed that new evidence had come to light that developed additional leads, but were not able to disclose what that evidence was.
In addition to raising a young child, Kristina Johnson also must budget her time and energy to multiple jobs and participating in the search for her daughter. Since her daughter’s disappearance, Kristina has been caring for her three-year-old daughter, Elena. Kristina told Dateline, “She looks exactly like Jessica…the same smile. It’s really heartbreaking. I don’t want her to grow up without her mommy.” It’s a truly wrenching sentiment after a year of missed holidays and special occasions that were punctured by Jessica’s absence. In addition to many other worry-stricken family members, Jessica’s disappearance is also deeply felt by her younger brother Mark, 21. Their birthdays are only a few days apart, and this year Mark was forced to celebrate a special day without his big sister. Despite the hole left by Jessica’s disappearance, the family remains hopeful that she will still be found.
Jessica is described as being 5’7”, 150 pounds with green eyes and long, straight blonde hair. The name “Elena” is tattooed on the left side of her chest near her collar bone. She has a nose ring in her right nostril, and a stud below her lower lip on the right side.
Anyone with any information on Jessica’s whereabouts is asked to call the Albany Police Department 229-431-2100, the Albany Area Crime Stoppers at 229-436-TIPS or the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 229-759-6012
Adults have the right to go missing, but do they have the right to go missing under suspicious circumstances? This is a question Alicia Gazotti has been asking herself for nearly a month since she stopped hearing from her daughter Mercedes Clement. Since the disappearance of her daughter, Gazotti has been pursing every possible avenue to get answers for her family. While investigators, family, and friends do their part to search for Mercedes, Gazotti is left wondering what circumstances must have befallen her daughter.
Mercedes Clement, 25, was last seen on October 11, 2020 around 11:00 in the evening, going into the apartment of an acquaintance on Empire Drive in Dallas, Texas. Mercedes was observed on surveillance footage entering the apartment of a male acquaintance. Due to a technical glitch, surveillance was not recorded between 1:30 am and 8am. It wasn’t until she stopped responding to phone calls and text messages that Alicia Gazotti and her family became worried. Mercedes’ car was found abandoned two days later, with her personal effects, including her wallet and keys, sitting on the front seat. It’s a piece of evidence that deeply troubles Gazotti. “This isn’t like all of the sudden she went to a friend’s house and no one can find her,” Gazotti told Lauth. “This is a girl who vanished into thin air. Cell phone’s gone, girl is gone. The car’s been abandoned. This is a different situation.”
When it comes to missing adults, law enforcement has an unfortunate challenge in terms of distributing investigators and resources. After all, persons over the age of 18 have the right to disappear, if they wish. However, it is unclear to Mercedes’ family why she would voluntarily drop off the grid. Gazotti told Lauth that Mercedes had completed her phlebotomy degree and was looking forward to taking additional courses to get more certifications. She had friends and hobbies she enjoyed, like horseback riding. In addition to parents and extended family concerned for her health and safety, Mercedes is also a young mother to a 5-year-old son. While it’s true that some missing adults have made the conscious decision to disappear from their former lives, Gazotti knew that Mercedes would never just disappear and leave behind her child, “She’s a mom. She just missed Halloween. She never misses holidays with her son.”
While Mercedes has experienced difficulties with mental health issues in the past, Gazotti told investigators that in the weeks prior to her disappearance, Mercedes was making plans for the future, both within her family and with friends. “She has a pair of friends who are expecting a newborn baby, and for the last few weeks, she’s been posting all over Facebook that she was looking for a good car seat for them, and she was so excited to give them that gift after the baby was born.”
Mercedes’ family is currently trying to raise money to fund the search for her and to offer a reward for her safe return. You can donate to the GoFundMe here. To help spread awareness of Mercedes’ case and keep her face in the public eye, you can go follow the Facebook page, Missing Person: Mercedes Clement.
Mercedes Clement is 5’6”, brown hair, brown eyes, and weighs 120 lbs. She has a C-shaped birthmark on her chin resembling a bruise. She has a thin build and was last seen wearing a black, spaghetti-strap tank top and shorts. Anyone with information can call the Dallas Police Department at 214-671-4268 with report number 191586-2020. You can also call the Lauth confidential tip line at 830-253-4070.
An arrest has been made in the disappearance of Colorado missing boy Gannon Stauch.
(Letecia Stauch was arrested March 2, 2020, on first degree murder in the disappearance of her stepson Gannon Stauch.)
Letecia “Tecia” Stauch has been arrested on first-degree murder charges in the disappearance of her stepson Gannon Stauch. It has been nearly five weeks since Gannon was reported missing.
(El Paso County, Colorado, Sheriff Bill Elder with the family of Gannon Stauch at press conference announcing the arrest of Gannon’s stepmother, Letecia Stauch.)
According to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office at a press conference, the arrest occurred on the morning of March 2, 2020, in Horry County, South Carolina. El Paso County Sheriff’s Office detectives, FBI agents, and members of the El Paso County 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office made the arrest of Letecia Stauch without incident.
Letecia will be held without bail in the Horry County Jail on the charges of Murder in the First Degree of a Child Under Twelve, Child Abuse Resulting in Death, a charge of Tampering with a Deceased Body, and Tampering with Physical Evidence. She is currently awaiting extradition back to El Paso County, Colorado.
(Gannon Stauch was reported missing by his stepmother Letecia Stauch on January 27, 2020 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.)
Gannon, 11, was reported missing by Letecia Stauch on January 27, 2020, claiming Gannon had gone to a friend’s home in the Lorson Ranch neighborhood and failed to come home.
Initially, authorities called Gannon a runaway when they first asked the public to help find the little boy. But the sheriff’s office announced January 30 that Gannon was considered a missing endangered child because of his age, the time he had been gone, and his reliance on medication.
The search that was supposed to take place last Friday in the area of Highway 105 and Highway 83 was postponed and authorities announced a major development in the investigation that would be released during the press conference held at noon.
During the press conference, investigators said they believe Gannon is no longer alive and they have yet to locate him. They reiterated search efforts to locate Gannon’s remains would continue.
(Landen Hiott made an emotional statement after being told her son was likely deceased and stepmom Letecia Stauch was arrested for his murder.)
“Today I got the worst news and the best news,” said Gannon’s biological mother Landen Hiott had been holding out hope her son was still alive. “Obviously we know what the worst news is. The best news is that justice will be served. And I’ll make sure that justice is served because my boy did not deserve any of this that happened.”
Authorities said the affidavit has been sealed and remains tight-lipped on the evidence that led them to arrest Letecia.
“Just hold on to questions until we know that this person, this stepmom that I even trusted, that she will pay 100 percent for this heinous thing she done,” said Landen. “And I know that’s what will be done.”
Al Stauch, Gannon’s father did not speak at the press conference, but a sheriff’s department spokesperson held back tears as her voice cracked while reading Al’s statement.
“The person who committed this heinous horrible crime is the one that I gave more to than anyone else on this planet and that is a burden that I will carry with me for a very long time,” Al said.
(Al Stauch breaks down during press conference announcing the arrest of his wife Letecia Stauch for the murder of his son Gannon.)
He writes that his heart stopped on the day that Gannon was born on September 29, 2008, coming way too early and weighing only one pound six ounces–and again on March 2, 2020, when he learned his little boy would never be coming home.
“I’d been looking forward to his teenage years, and the fun we had ahead of us as he became a young man,” Al said. “My little boy is not coming home. We will never play Nintendo again. No more Taco Tuesdays. No more smooth looking haircuts. No more “Big Bubba” for my Lana. And no more G Man for the world.”
(Searchers from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office search for Gannon Stauch’s body with probes and shovels.)
“While we have not yet found Gannon, information has been developed that is helping us narrow our search, said Lieutenant Mitch Mihalko of the sheriff’s office.
Since Gannon vanished, crews have been scouring dozens of acres of southern Douglas County, in search of the missing boy’s body.
“As you can see from the arrest sadly, we do not believe Gannon is alive. Our work is just beginning, and you will continue to see many law enforcement officials in El Paso County over the coming weeks and possibly months as we continue our relentless pursuit of justice for Gannon and his family.”
(Letecia Stauch arrested for her stepson’s murder on March 2, 2020.)
Prior to the arrest, Letecia had been obsessively posting on various social media sites, professing her innocence and offering explanations as to what happened to Gannon, even developing a timeline she posted on Facebook.
Letecia claimed she was harassed online and should be offered an apology from everyone who suspected she could have ever hurt her stepson.
However, Gannon’s family has continuously urged the public to call in with any information to contact law enforcement so that they may be able to give Gannon a proper burial.
“I know where my son’s at without a shadow of a doubt, said Landen. “I want to leave this earth knowing justice was served for my boy.”
Prosecutors and the sheriff’s office are still asking for information from the public to help bring their promise for justice to fruition.
“One, we still want to bring Gannon home so that he can have a proper burial and his family can get the closure they need,” said Deputy District Attorney Michael Allen. “But we also want to hold the person we are charging, Letecia Stauch accountable for what she did.”
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Gannon Stauch, please call the El Paso County Sheriff at 719-520-6666 or email tips@elpaso.com
Abdi Sharif, 18, went missing from a Target in Merle Hay where he worked. He was last seen on CCTV camera after leaving his shift.
The search continues for missing Iowa teen Abdi Sharif, who
went missing on January 17, 2020. A second organized search party is set to
commence this week after a search of Des Moines’ north side last week turned up
no clues to Abdi’s whereabouts. There is currently a $5,000 reward for any
persons who come forward with information on Abdi’s disappearance.
Abdi Sharif, 18, went missing from a Target in Merle Hay where he worked. He was last seen on CCTV camera after leaving his shift. Details emerged in local media that before he went missing, Abdi posted on his Snapchat, “I got bad news…bad bad news.” Police have advised they are not ruling out foul play in Abdi’s disappearance.
In regards to the Snapchat with the cryptic message, his family and friends say they have no idea what he could have meant by that. Abdi’s mother, an immigrant from Somalia, went to the Target that night to pick him up after his shift, but she says he never appeared. She has been calling his cell phone nonstop since his disappearance, but the cell phone remains off. With Abdi’s cousin Ahmed Hashi translating for her on KCCI in Iowa, Abdi’s mother claims that whatever circumstances befell her son that night, she believes he left the store voluntarily. “He’s not in trouble. His mom loves him. She just wants to see him home.”
Abdi Sharif’s disappearance has sparked a great deal of
activism in his community, particularly his high school. According to the
principal, Kevin Biggs, it is very uncharacteristic for him to disappear
without warning, “This is a young man that was not involved, as far as we knew,
in any type of gangs, drugs, alcohol. He was never caught in trouble doing
anything. He was just a kid who went to school and did the best he can.” The
school held a coffee fundraiser for Abdi to help fund the missing persons
search. In addition, volunteers also passed out ribbons for Abdi during an
annual game that raises awareness for children with special needs. The
community is also hopeful that the posted reward of $5,000 will be an incentive
for people to come forward with information that will lead to Abdi’s safe
return.
