7 most harrowing missing persons cases featured on Dateline so far

Capturing the attention of the public, full of fear, heartbreak, and unanswered questions, the missing persons cases have never been left behind by Dateline. Families have had to wait for years or even decades before they're able to learn what happened to their loved ones. The Dateline: Missing in America has illuminated most of these stories, highlighting the suffering of family members and the speculations that follow each loss.

The list includes cases of young children, teenagers, as well as adults, and all of them are haunting. These stories demonstrate how someone can vanish so quickly.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

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Here is the list of the 7 most harrowing missing persons cases featured on Dateline so far:

7. Alissa Turney

Alissa Marie Turney was 17 years old when she disappeared from Phoenix, Arizona, on May 17, 2001. Alissa was a junior at Paradise Valley High School. On her last day, she attended class and then had lunch with her stepfather, Michael Turney. They supposedly got into a disagreement, and he dropped her off at home. Later, a runaway note was found in her room that read she was leaving for California. But oddly, she did not take her cellphone, her vehicle, or the $1,800 that was in her bank.

Police originally treated her disappearance as a runaway. Years later, suspicions mounted, and the case was reopened in 2008. Alissa's stepfather was arrested in 2020 and charged with second-degree murder. In 2023, he was acquitted due to a lack of evidence. Alissa's body has never been found. Alissa's sister, Sarah Turney, has led the majority of the public demand for answers and justice since. Dateline aired it in the episode The Day Alissa Disappeared, re-examining the case and its many unanswered questions.

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6. Sophie Reeder

Sophie Reeder was 15 years old when she went missing in May 2017. She woke up early in her Fort Lauderdale, Florida, home one morning and didn't return. Dateline claims that she slipped unnoticed out the door at around 12:45 a.m., but she ought to have been in her bed. There is security tape that records Sophie's movement around 2:16 a.m., but nothing specific comes out after that.

Sophie has never been found. Dateline: Missing in America covered her case in an episode. Flyers and prizes have been posted by her father, Patrick Reeder, her aunt, some of her friends, and local police in the hopes that someone will remember a clue. The disappearance still hurts the community since a great number of simple questions remain unanswered. Most people feel that the investigation has gaps. Everything seems trivial yet might be significant. Dateline invites anyone with knowledge to come forward.

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5. Nancy Snow

Nancy Snow was 44 when she went missing just after the 1980 U.S. presidential election. She worked as a staffer for the Republican National Committee. The last of her three daughters heard from her on Election Day, November 4, 1980. Thereafter, she was on the road for political business and was flying from St. Louis to Baltimore. She had said that she would phone the following day, but did not. When the daughters and other relatives did not receive any phone calls, they were concerned. They followed up for days, even weeks, but uncovered nothing definite.

Someone in her life, Paul Collins, claimed Nancy went on a boat vacation and would return around Christmas. Collins, who was acting as a house sitter for Snow, started giving away her things after her disappearance. Since no one could confirm the claims of Paul, he wasn't charged. The authorities investigated further, but no suspects were found in the case.

Nancy Snow was eventually legally declared by her family. Nancy's case has not yet been resolved. Her case was covered on the Dateline: Missing in America Season 4 podcast, and her daughters have yet to receive answers.

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4. Tiffany Reid

Tiffany Reid was 16 years old when she went missing on May 17, 2004, in Shiprock, New Mexico. She requested a ride to school from her older sister, but since her sibling was tired after work, she declined. Therefore, she just decided to walk to Shiprock Northwest High School, but did not make it.

Several days later, her pocketbook and library card were recovered abandoned on a side road about an hour away from her home. There was other clothing there, possibly hers. Her lawsuit saw little progress for years. Law enforcement, her family says, initially treated the case as if she possibly ran away and held back on some measures. Even in the national databases, her case was deleted at one time due to database updates.

Dateline aired it in the Through the Cracks episode, hoping for some renewed interest and fresh leads. Her sister, Deiandra Reid, who works in the New Mexico Department of Justice MMIP Task Force, has become a voice for missing and murdered Indigenous women.

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3. Teekah Lewis

Teekah Lewis was a 2-year-old girl who disappeared on January 23, 1999, in Tacoma, Washington. She went to New Frontier Lanes with family and friends to a bowling alley. Her mother went to bowl, and as soon as she looked back, she couldn't find Teekah.

She was wearing white sweatpants, her Air Jordan sneakers, a green Tweety Bird sweatshirt, her jacket, and a purse. Despite searches and investigations, she has never been located. Dateline: Missing in America, covered Teekah's case in the episode titled, Having Teekah. The podcast included the interview with her mother, Theresa, her sister, Katarina, and Sergio Julie Dier of the Tacoma Police Department. They told the story of the tragic moment with the simplest things and how the family still believes that the person will remember something that can highlight the mystery.

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2. Danielle Lopez

Danielle Evelyn Lopez was 37 years old when she disappeared on April 13, 2024, in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. Camping with her boyfriend, she was seen that morning leaving a Wawa store in Vincentown at around 9:10 a.m. She was not near her 2008 blue Hyundai Accent, which they subsequently discovered disabled on Lost Lane Road in the Penn State Forest. When Danielle stopped returning calls and texts, her mother, Sue Quackenbush, became concerned.

The case remains open and active. Dateline: Missing in America covered her in a podcast story dubbed Lost Lane. Her mother, a private investigator, and other staff members at the Cue Center for Missing Persons are questioned by the show to see if they have any leads. Danielle is 5′4′′ tall, approximately 135 lbs, brown-haired, and green-eyed. A $5,000 prize is offered for information on her location. The detectives and family are hoping that someone will come forward with information because they believe that even small changes can have an impact.

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1. Tyler Goodrich

Tyler Goodrich was a 35-year-old husband and father who went missing from Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 3, 2023. The disappearance followed after a disagreement with his husband, Marshall Vogel. In the midst of the fight, Vogel called 911, and Tyler left the house, disappeared, and never came back. Police searched the house and surrounding property with dogs, drones, and helicopters, but did not find anything.

His story was featured on Dateline: Missing in America and received high community interest. Up to 16 months later, his body was discovered by a man walking a dog in a forest less than a thousand yards away from his house. Earlier in the investigation, the area was searched.

Police, as per previous reports, ruled out homicide and are performing forensic tests and an autopsy. Tyler's family experienced mixed feelings upon his body being discovered, relief and sadness at the same time. Tyler's experience serves as an example of how someone might disappear near home and go unreported for a long time.

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These seven cases illustrate that missing persons' stories are painful and complicated. Families are left to vacant rooms, stolen photos, and past recollections that become more painful as time progresses.

Missing in America sheds light on the missing persons cases, and emphasizes and elaborates on the suffering of the families who have been relentlessly searching and waiting for their loved ones.

Many people's hearts are permanently affected by these tragedies, which demonstrate the depth of loss and the need for justice.

Although time passes, hope persists.