MISSING PERSON
CASE #: 1989-37
Tiffany Louise Sessions
Status:
Open
Date of Last Contact:
Date of Last Contact:
Jurisdiction:
Missing From:
Gainesville, FL
Summary:
Tiffany Louise Sessions, born October 29, 1968, is a missing woman from Tampa, Florida, who was last seen on February 9, 1989. She was attending the University of Florida in Gainesville and was majoring in business. On the afternoon of her disappearance, Sessions told her roommate that she was going out alone for a power walk. Between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon, she left her apartment on SW 35th Place. Sessions left her wallet, identification, and keys in her apartment. As of 2014, police believe that now-deceased and convicted serial-killer Paul Eugene Rowles was responsible for Sessions' disappearance and murder. Tiffany's case remains unsolved. There have not been any arrests in connection to her disappearance.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Disappearance:
On the afternoon of her disappearance, Sessions told her roommate that she was going out alone for a power walk. Between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon, she left her apartment on SW 35th Place. Sessions left her wallet, identification, and keys in her apartment. She was wearing a white pullover sweatshirt with long sleeves and grey horizontal striping with "Aspen" printed on the front of the shirt's collar, red sweatpants, and tennis shoes. She was also wearing a two-tone silver and gold women's Rolex wrist watch and carrying a black Sony Walkman. She wasn't carrying any ID or keys to the condo because she was expected back for her roommate to take a pharmacology test at 7 p.m. on campus. After five hours, when Sessions had not returned, her roommate alerted Sessions' mother that her daughter was missing. Her typical walking route from her Casablanca East apartment was east on SW 35th Place to the Hickory Apartments, south toward Williston Road, right on Willison Road (west) to the Nationwide Insurance Office, and back in the opposite direction.
Additional Details:
Tiffany left for her walk around 4:45 p.m. With no sign of Tiffany, Kathleen called the Alachua Co. Sheriff's Office and Tiffany's parents - Patrick and Hilary Sessions. The Federal Bureau of Investigation have said the search for Sessions is the largest in Florida's history. By the fall of 1989, Pat Sessions increased the reward from $75,000 to $250,000 for the safe return of his daughter. Michael Christopher Knickerbocker was considered a suspect in Sessions' disappearance. While Knickerbocker was in prison serving five consecutive life sentences, he reportedly told his fellow inmates that he murdered Sessions. He also said he chained Sessions to a tree and discarded her body close to Fort Myers in the Caloosahatchee River, but because Knickerbocker was not living in Gainesville at the time of Sessions' disappearance, the feasibility of his involvement has been questioned. As of 2014, police believe that now-deceased and convicted serial-killer Paul Eugene Rowles was responsible for Sessions' disappearance and murder. At the time Sessions disappeared, Rowles was working for a construction-related company near the path where she was last seen. Rowles did not show up for work on the day Sessions went missing. Rowles had kept an address book with information on people he murdered (discovered by investigators in January 2013 following interviews with Rowles; he died a month later). Notably the book contained a notation "#2 2/9/89 #2", believed by investigators to refer to Sessions' date of disappearance, and to identify her as Rowles' second victim. Paul Eugene Rowles was an American convicted murderer and suspected serial killer who died in prison in Florida, USA on February 12, 2013. Rowles, whom Hilary Sessions would only refer to as "the bad guy," was linked to the case after his death by cold case Detective Kevin Allen in April 2013. Then in 1992, just three years after Tiffany went missing, Beth Foster, another college student, was found murdered just one mile from where Tiffany went walking. In February, 2012 investigators matched DNA at the Foster crime scene to Rowles. Tiffany's mom, Hilary, helped change how Florida law enforcement investigates missing persons cases. Hillary wrote and published a book about Tiffany, titled Where's My Tiffany? In February 2009, Hillary planted a memorial tree for Tiffany outside of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office. Tiffany was declared legally dead in 1994. The Federal Bureau of Investigation have said the search for Sessions is the largest in Florida's history.
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
In February 2014, nearly 25 years after Tiffany's disappearance, a suspect was named in her kidnapping and presumed murder: Paul Rowles.
Rowles had kept an address book with information on people he murdered (discovered by investigators in January 2013 following interviews with Rowles; he died a month later).
In February, 2012 investigators matched DNA at the Foster crime scene to Rowles.
Investigators searched the specified location in August 2002 and recovered a piece of blood-soaked material. Authorities tested the material to determine if Tiffany's DNA was on the item. The results have not been publicly announced.
Then in 1992, just three years after Tiffany went missing, Beth Foster, another college student, was found murdered just one mile from where Tiffany went walking.
Tiffany was declared legally dead in 1994.
On February 10, 1989, she was just 16 years old and had decided to drive to her father's for the night. He lived a few miles north of Gainesville. On the way, she'd rounded a curve in a rural wooded area, approximately 10 miles outside of the city, and saw a distressed blonde girl run into the middle of the road. (Possible witness sighting reported in 2013)
By 7 p.m., she had yet to return and her roommate, Kathleen Frezza, knew something was very wrong.
Tiffany left for her walk around 4:45 p.m.
Associated Persons
Todd H. (Detective) - Living
Jason S. (Half-brother) - Living
Hilary S. (Mother) - Living
Kevin A. (Detective) - Living
Kathleen F. (Roommate) - Living
Patrick S. (Father) - Living
Paul Eugene R. (Person of interest/suspect) - Deceased
Michael Christopher K. (Person of Interest) - Living
Family Tree
Why is this important?Missing person
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Missing Person
Missing Person
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