Midlothian, Virginia

After a well needed night of sleep I awoke energized and ready to leave North Carolina and meet up with a good friend Virginia State Outreach Coordinator Madonna Layne.

Madonna was hosting a stop in Midlothian, Va (10/4/13 11am) for her mother Missing Annita Price. Annita vanished in 1974 at 26 years of age from West Virginia. She was last seen on her way to work and her car was found abandoned the next morning with her belongings scattered on the front seat. She was in the midst of a divorce and custody battle over her 2 children. Her disappearance remained unreported for 3 days, and the original case file contains only a few pages. Madonna has vivid memories of that night, even though she was only 5 years old at the time. Recently, her memories have been corroborated by an anonymous informant.

Madonna was also featuring Missing Bethany Decker. Bethany was 21 years old, a young mother and 5 months pregnant when she disappeared in 2011. She was working and going to school while her husband served in the Army National Guard in Afghanistan. Her car was found at her home. I was able to spend some time getting to know her mother Kim, who had snuck away from training at work on her lunch hour, and her grandparents.

It's always nice when unexpected people show up at a rally and surprise us. I did not know Mary Threatt but enjoyed meeting another CUE volunteer. She is the aunt of unsolved homicide victim Amy Baker. Amy was 18 in 1989 when she encountered car trouble on I95. Her assaulted, strangled body was found 2 days later partially buried in the woods nearby. It is possible she is the victim of the "Long Haul Territory Killer" John Boyer.

Missing person cases that are so different and so similar. 3 women, 18, 21 and 26 years of age who went missing 2 years ago, 24 years ago and 39 years ago. Families still searching for answers, families who have recovered their loved one and families without resolution. Assumed cases of stranger abduction, domestic violence and the still unknown. From grandparent to daughter united in their dedication to continue their fight for justice. You see, it doesn't matter if it happened last month or 50 years ago, if you are the parent or the child. When you peel away the specific details of every case all missing person families are the same underneath.

Elisa