Brittany Wallace Shank

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

St Joseph County Sheriffs Office (MI)

Missing From:

Sturgis, Michigan

Summary:

Brittany Nicole (Wallace) Shank, a 23-year-old mother of four from Sturgis, Michigan, disappeared on November 30, 2018, after crashing a vehicle near Fawn River Road. She appeared at a neighbor's home bleeding and barefoot seeking help, then vanished before deputies arrived. Her case remains unsolved and is being investigated by the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office with assistance from Michigan State Police and Western Michigan University's Cold Case Program.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

On November 30, 2018, Brittany Shank borrowed her boyfriend's car in the afternoon to do laundry at her grandmother's house. Around 5-6 p.m., she left the grandmother's residence with an unidentified male who was described as standoffish. The man was anxious to leave, and Brittany pulled her damp laundry early from the dryer before departing. Between 5 and 6 p.m., the two left together in the borrowed vehicle. Around 8:30-8:45 p.m., Brittany and the unidentified male were doing laundry at another location before leaving together. Shortly after, they crashed the vehicle into a ditch in thick fog near the 33000 block of Fawn River Road near Workman Road in Fawn River Township, around 9 p.m. The crash caused only minor damage. Brittany appeared at a nearby elderly man's residence barefoot, without a coat, and bleeding from her feet and arms. She was disoriented and asked for help. The homeowner called 911 at 8:51 p.m., and Brittany can be heard on the recording asking for help. While the homeowner was attempting to find better cell phone reception to improve the call quality, Brittany left the residence and went back outside. She was last seen by a window from another nearby home near the 33000 block of Fawn River Road. Her cell phone pinged for the last time near the intersection of Watt Road and Fawn River Road in Sturgis. The identity of the unidentified male who was with her remains unknown.

Additional Details:

Brittany Shank was reported missing on December 8, 2018, by her father, Greg Wallace. The back of her cell phone, a Samsung SM-J337P, was found in a field by her ex-husband Eric Shank during a search party organized by her mother. The St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office has conducted extensive investigation efforts including dozens of ground searches, ground-penetrating radar, aerial surveys, cadaver dog searches, and searches involving the sheriff's office mounted division and dive-rescue team. In 2023, the sheriff's office stated that detectives had no evidence to elevate the case from missing person to homicide investigation. The case was referred to Western Michigan University's Cold Case Program in January 2023, which has organized over 1,000 people to help sort and index the case files, making it the largest case the program has seen. The investigation has been hampered by challenges including witnesses who have passed away and some individuals withholding or providing incorrect and incomplete statements. Brittany's family, including her brother Victor Carter and sister Autumn Went, have expressed frustration with the pace of the investigation and have advocated for the case to be transferred to Michigan State Police or investigated as a no-body homicide to bring in additional resources including potential FBI involvement. In August 2025, newly elected Sheriff Chad Spence assigned two new detectives to the case and established a formal partnership with Michigan State Police to re-examine the case file with fresh eyes. The sheriff's office was also planning to conduct more foot and aerial searches. Brittany's father, Greg Wallace, stated that the new leadership gave him renewed hope for the case. Community vigils have been held annually on November 30th to keep awareness of the case alive. A memorial garden is planned near the location where she was last seen.

Case Last Updated:

Aug 08, 2026