Missing Persons – Indiana Infamy

Missing: 12-Year-Old Middlebury Girl

UPDATE: Alleyah has returned home safely.

Police are asking for help finding an Elkhart County girl they believe is in extreme danger.

Aleeyah Cockburn, of Middlebury, went missing from her family home last Friday, February 10th. According to a statement from the girl’s mother, Aleeyah was last seen doing chores at approximately 7:30 that evening. Her instructions were to feed the family’s animals and close up the garage, then re-enter the house through the front.

No one knew that once she stepped outside, the 12-year-old would seem to just disappear.

“Apparently, she never came in the door when we noticed within minutes she wasn’t here,” said Virginia Cockburn. “We were up immediately looking all night. I think I finally went in at 3 AM in the morning and I was back out at 6 AM looking for her.”

She was reported as a runaway that same night. Someone later claimed to have spotted her in the area around State Road 120 and Indiana 13 a few hours after it’s believed she left home, around 10 o’clock.

And then… nothing.

Aleeyah Cockburn vanished.

Police believe the middle schooler is in danger and ask the for public’s help in bringing her home. Aleeyah is described as 4 feet 11 inches tall, 80 pounds. She has short black hair, green eyes, and wears glasses. When last seen, she had on a black beanie, a multicolor gray and pink jacket, blue jeans and black boots.

If you have any information regarding Aleeyah Cockburn, please contact the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department at 547-533-4151 or call 911.

Tennessee’s “Baby Girl” Doe Identified Nearly 40 Years Later as Missing Indiana Teen

Forty-four years after Tracy Sue Walker disappeared, her family is one step closer to learning the reason why.

One day in 1978, the pretty 15-year-old went to the Tippecanoe Mall, where she was seen talking to a friend. She never came home again.

Although details are scare due to the events occuring pre-digitization, investigators say Tracy’s mother reported her as a runaway to local police – twice. Then the trail ran cold.

Nearly four hundred miles and seven years later, skeletal remains were found in the Big Wheel Gap area of Elk Valley, an unincorporated area north of Knoxville, Tennessee. An autopsy determined the body found April 3, 1985 belonged to a white female, probably between the ages of 10 and 15. When the subsequent investigation could not uncover anything else about the deceased girl, authorities affectionately nicknamed her “Baby Girl.”

Special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation never forgot “Baby Girl.” Over the years they continued to work the few leads at their disposal, submitting her DNA profile to various databases such as the Combined DNA Index System and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. It wasn’t until earlier this year, however, that they received a break in the case.

In June, a private lab specializing in forensic genealogy testing was able to locate a possible genetic link between and current citizens of Indiana. A TBI agent contacted the Lafayette-area residents, who confirmed they had a sister who went missing in 1978. DNA samples submitted to CODIS verified the match: “Baby Girl” Doe was Tracy Sue Walker.

Police now hope to find out what led to the pretty high school sophomore’s death and how she ended up so far from home. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations and the Tippecanoe County Sheriff would like to speak with anyone who has information about Tracy’s last known whereabouts or individuals she was in contact with prior to her disappearance.

A statement has not been released concerning whether or not police suspect foul play.

If you have information about Tracy Sue Walker, please call the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (1-800-TBI-FIND) or the Tippecanoe Sheriff’s office (765-423-9321).

Police Searching for Woman Missing Since April

South Bend Police are asking for help finding a woman who was reported missing more than two months after she seemingly vanished.

Details are scarce, but 39-year-old Elizabeth Gearhart hasn’t been heard from since April 25th. However, her disappearance was only recently reported to authorities.

Elizabeth is 4’10”, 116 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She has a butterfly tattoo on her lower back.

If you have information about this case, please contact Detective Bruno Martinsky at 574-235-9204 or 574-235-9201.

Silver Alert: Missing 14-Yr-Old Boy

A 14-yr-old is missing from his northern Indiana home.

Authorities are asking for help finding Jalen Winfield of Osceola. He was last seen around 9:30 p.m last night. The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department believes he is in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.

Jalen is described as a black male with black hair and brown eyes. He stands approximately 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighs 116 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark blue T-shirt with a glow-in-the-dark skull and camouflage pants with black shoes.

If you have information concerning Jalen, please call 911 or the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office (574-533-4151).

UPDATE: Silver Alert Issued for Kokomo Woman

Authorities in Howard County are asking for help in finding an 80-year-old Kokomo woman believed to be in extreme danger.

Betty Stroup was last seen at her home in the 2300 block of North 100 East Street around 4 am yesterday morning. Stroup has dementia and may require medical assistance. She is described as a white female, approximately 5-feet-2-inches tall, 118 pounds, with green eyes and white hair. The elderly woman is believed to be wearing burgundy pajamas with hearts on them and may possibly be accompanied by a black Shih Tzu.

UPDATE: Sadly, Betty Stroup and her dog Cookie were found Sunday night, May 30th, in a ditch less than a mile from her home. Although toxicology tests are still pending, an autopsy has indicated she drowned. No foul play is suspected.

MISSING: Indy Mother and Child

*_{Erica Rios and her daughter, Angel Holmes, were last seen five days ago.}*

Police are asking the public to help locate a missing Indianapolis woman and her daughter.

Erica Rios, 43, was last seen Friday, May 20th. The next day, her car was seen traveling west on Interstate 70 near SR 39 in Hendricks County, but it’s unclear if she was driving. Angel Holmes, 11, is believed to be with her mother, and family members are deeply concerned about them.

Erica Rios is described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall and 133 pounds. She has black hair and hazel eyes. Her daughter Angel is 4 feet, 3 inches tall and weighs 70 pounds. She also has black hair and hazel eyes. Police do not know what they were wearing at the time they disappered.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts is urged to call 911 immediately, or contact the IMPD missing persons unit at 317-327-6160.

Missing: 89-yr-old Seymour Man

Update: Mr. Wilson has regrettably been found deceased. Although no foul play is suspected, a death investigation is underway.

A Silver Alert has been issued for an 89-yr-old man from Seymour, and police are asking for the public’s help locating him.

Harold Wilson was last seen just after 6 AM Tuesday morning, driving a red 2003 Chevrolet Silverado with Indiana license plate D586UB. He is described as white, 6 feet 7 inches tall, approximately 220 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes.

Authorities believe he is in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.

If you have information concerning Mr. Wilson’s whereabouts, please contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department (812-358-2141) or simply call 911.

Still Missing: Marina Boelter

Missing: Nahum Smith

Indianapolis Metro PD is asking for help locating a missing man.

36-year-old Nahum Smith was last seen February 18 near the Greyhound station at 350 S. Illinois Street. He is 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs approximately 150 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a black and gray hoodie, white thermal shirt, tan pants, and socks under a pair of slippers.

Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Mr. Smith is asked to call 911.

Missing: Family Searching for Indianapolis Woman

*_{Paris Williamson was last seen January 30th.}*

An Indianapolis man is still searching for his daughter tonight. Father Lane Seymour last saw 33-year-old Paris Williamson at her Avalon Lake apartment January 30th. On February 4th, after receiving a call from her employer stating that she had not been to work all week, her family became alarmed by the out-of-character behavior and reported her missing to police. The resulting wellness check did not locate either Paris or her vehicle, but her mailbox was full and its contents reportedly included important personal documents, such as a W2 form.

Police believe Paris’s vehicle was last seen traveling southbound at Emerson Ave. and County Line Rd. on January 31st, the day after she last spoke with her family. Her car, a silver 2008 Chevy Impala with license plate 394NFV, has not been seen since. Tips claiming Paris was seen with an older man at the Horseshoe Indianapolis Casino in Shelbyville on January 31st are currently being investigated.

Paris Williamson is 33-years-old and has long, brown hair and brown eyes. She stands 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds. Authorities believe she was wearing a red Nike jacket when she disappeared.

Anyone with information about Paris is urged to contact the IMPD Missing Persons Unit at 317-327-6160. You can also call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 to remain anonymous.