MISSING PERSON
CASE #: 1996-47
Lurline H DeWitt
Status:
Open
Date of Last Contact:
Date of Last Contact:
Jurisdiction:
Missing From:
Mansfield, LA
Summary:
Lurline H. DeWitt was a 76-year-old Black woman last seen at her home in Mansfield, Louisiana on September 27, 1996. Authorities now believe she may have opened her door to her home and allowed unidentified assailant(s) access, or was possibly abducted by person(s) who prey on the elderly. Her case remains unsolved and foul play is suspected.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Disappearance:
Lurline's son last saw her at approximately 9:00 p.m. on September 27, 1996. He discovered that the carport door was open at their residence at 1:00 the following morning and his mother had disappeared. She has never been heard from again. DeWitt lived with her son on Oxford Road in Mansfield, Louisiana in 1996. She slept on a couch in the front room. Authorities initially believed that DeWitt walked away from her residence during a heavy thunderstorm on the evening of September 27. DeWitt apparently walked out of her home during a heavy thunderstorm. Prior to her disappearance DeWitt had undergone a checkup at a Mansfield hospital and was kept overnight because of high blood pressure. None of her personal belongings or identification was taken with her.
Additional Details:
DeWitt's son, who lived with her, and other family members are not suspects. Investigators questioned a man who lived nearby as a potential suspect, but he was not involved in her disappearance. All her family members have also been ruled out as potential suspects. In December 2010, DeSoto sheriff's and Mansfield police investigators realized during a recent review of cold cases that DNA evidence was not on file. The oversight has been remedied and DNA soon will be in a national database. DeSoto sheriff's Lt. Robert Davidson and Mansfield police Capt. Gary Hobbs tracked down family members of Lurline Dewitt. Finding Dewitt's relatives meant a trip to the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, where one of her two sons is serving a life sentence for homicide. Lurline's DNA status was changed at NamUs to: Sample submitted - Tests complete.
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
DNA evidence submitted for analysis; DNA samples obtained from family members to be entered into national database.
Lurline's son discovered the carport door was open and she had disappeared.
Lurline's son last saw her at approximately 9:00 p.m. in their home on Oxford Road.
Associated Persons
Unknown S. (Child) - Living
Unknown S. (Child) - Living
Family Tree
Why is this important?Missing person
Father
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Maternal Grandfather's Father
Maternal Grandmother's Mother
Maternal Grandmother's Father
Paternal Grandfather's Mother
Paternal Grandfather's Father
Paternal Grandmother's Mother
Paternal Grandmother's Father
Maternal Grandfather's Mother
Maternal Grandfather's Father
Maternal Grandmother's Mother
Maternal Grandmother's Father
Paternal Grandfather
Paternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Father
Mother
Missing Person
Missing Person
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