BETTIE SMITH

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Panola County Sheriffs Department (TX)

Missing From:

Long Branch, Texas

Summary:

Bettie Smith, 72, went missing from her home in the 900 block of County Road 158 in Long Branch, Texas on June 8, 2020. She is reported to have advanced stages of dementia and has walked away from her residence on previous occasions, but was always located a short time later. There have been no new leads in Smith's missing person case.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

The sheriff's office received a call at 11 p.m. Monday reporting that Smith had wandered off from her County Road 158 home and had not been seen for about three hours. Her son saw her go out onto the porch that evening; she enjoyed spending time outside. When he went outside to tell her to get ready for bed, she was gone. She was last seen in the 900 block of CR 158 in Long Branch at 6 p.m. on June 8. She was reported to be wearing a reddish/brown haired wig, pastel shirt, white jeans, and white tennis shoes. An immediate search of the area by family members did not reveal the discovery of Mrs. Smith, so they notified the Sheriff's Office of the situation. Upon officer's arrival, a search of the immediate area was conducted, but Mrs. Smith was not located.

Additional Details:

At least 10 agencies have been searching for Smith. K-9 teams have been used as well as a DPS helicopter and drones. Bettie Smith's husband of 55 years, Jackie and son Ricky were glad to see so many searching. As of July 15, 2020, it had been over two weeks since the last scheduled ground search with K9 teams around her home on County Road 158, which resulted in no new updates. Her daughter, Tina Waters says she is heartbroken, and she appreciates the residents of the Long Branch community for their help in the search for Bettie Smith. The family asks for prayers during this time. The case remains unsolved with no new leads reported since the initial search efforts in 2020.

Case Last Updated:

Sep 13, 2026