WV WV - Grace Smith 35, car found, keys on hood, belongings inside, Gallipolis Ferry, 23 Feb 2022 *Reward*

[dealee44]

This timeline looks good. Nice work compiling all of this.

Thank you. I agree, robbery does not seem likely. I have reached out to her sister with some questions but have not heard back yet. It does sound like it was common for her to go to the TNT area and that it is close to where her estranged husband's mother lives.

 

[Lusitana]

Okay, so it's pretty clear at this point that Grace was dealing with substance abuse. Sounds like the family had an "intervention" for her and she agreed to enter treatment. Something bad happened to her.

 

[Dargon335]

I agree that the term "treatment center" would indicate substance abuse issues of some kind, but it could possibly suggest MH issues as well. How, or if, substance abuse or emotional issues could be involved in Grace's disappearance is unclear. Clarification from Grace's family would help clarify that.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

MASON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - As each day passes, concern grows for Tawna Gibbs whose daughter has been missing for more than a month.

“The longest I would not hear from her is three days,” Gibbs said.

More at Search continues for woman reported missing for more than a month

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I agree that the term "treatment center" would indicate substance abuse issues of some kind, but it could possibly suggest MH issues as well. How, or if, substance abuse or emotional issues could be involved in Grace's disappearance is unclear. Clarification from Grace's family would help clarify that.

Substance use issues are mental health issues and almost always, someone with substance use has depression, anxiety or mood symptoms that accompany it. Often, the treatment centers treat both. They're called dual diagnosis.

 

[crussell821]

If she was entering treatment for substance abuse, I hope she did not go out seeking one last fix before going somewhere to get clean. MOO

 

[mlhenn]

Search continues for woman reported missing for more than a month

March 25, 2022

“The longest I would not hear from her is three days,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs says her daughter Grace Smith, who is in her 30s, was last seen on Three Mile Road in Mason County.

Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Seth Gaskins says after Grace was reported missing, her car with her belongings were found in what’s considered the TNT area in Mason County. Gaskins says it’s a wildlife area filled with several ponds.

This is the area where several search and rescue efforts have been done, according to Gaskins.

Family members say there is a $5,000 reward for anyone who information about Grace’s whereabouts. If you know anything, you’re asked to contact the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.

 

[Lusitana]

Substance use issues are mental health issues and almost always, someone with substance use has depression, anxiety or mood symptoms that accompany it. Often, the treatment centers treat both. They're called dual diagnosis.

That is very accurate. When people enter rehab, the ideal is to address the mental health issues too. Not just the addiction part.

 

[dms]

If she was entering treatment for substance abuse, I hope she did not go out seeking one last fix before going somewhere to get clean. MOO

This is what I'm afraid of.

 

[mlhenn]

Log in or sign up to view Please Help Fund Grace Allison Smith

March 23 post
What’s all been done in our attempts to find Grace?
•Missing posters passed out.
•State police assisted the MCSD in a helicopter with a fly over of the area plus several other areas at least 3 separate times.
•Her car has been impounded.
•Her cell phone records have been pulled.
•All the surveillance cameras from gallipolis ferry to camp Conley have been pulled.
•Searches, professional and amateur, done both. During those professional searches they had cadaver dogs, even underwater drones, etc. •There’s been NUMEROUS searches from day one.
•All the news channels picked it up but WSAZ. •Family and friends came and helped walk out country roads (7miles in one day), they brought 4 wheelers, side by sides.
•canvased the last known places she was at, talking to her “friends”.

Also included in post:
Grace’s cell phone has never been found! The first week it went straight to VM, now it’s a recording saying the number is no longer in service. Any information on who may have her cell phone would be extremely helpful?

 

[mlhenn]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

NamUs profiled created March 30



Circumstances of Disappearance
Grace left her mother's residence on 2-23-22 around 830pm in her vehicle. Mother attempted to contact her via cell phone at approximately 1130 pm same date with no answer.

Numerous calls were made to Grace's phone over the following 24 hrs. with no answer.

Grace's vehicle was located abandoned on 2-25-22 in the McClintic Wildlife area with her personal belongings inside and the keys laying on the hood. This location was approximately 10 miles from Grace's mother's residence.

Grace made no phone calls from her cell phone after leaving her mother's residence on 2-23-22.

 

[Dargon335]

•Her car has been impounded.

Does anyone know why Grace's car has been impounded? Her car was moved from the original location to her estranged husband's residence, and then family members were allowed to search through her car. If LE impounded her car for forensics purposes, then IMO the car has been contaminated. However, it's possible the car was impounded for other reasons.

I'm also wondering how a cell phone would go out of service so quickly, in only one week. Based on her borrowing money for gas I'm wondering if Grace was having financial issues before she disappeared and hadn't been paying her cell phone bills? If Grace was behind in her payments it's possible the phone provide might have terminated her service? MOO, just thinking...

 

[mlhenn]

Does anyone know why Grace's car has been impounded? Her car was moved from the original location to her estranged husband's residence, and then family members were allowed to search through her car. If LE impounded her car for forensics purposes, then IMO the car has been contaminated. However, it's possible the car was impounded for other reasons.

I'm also wondering how a cell phone would go out of service so quickly, in only one week. Based on her borrowing money for gas I'm wondering if Grace was having financial issues before she disappeared and hadn't been paying her cell phone bills? If Grace was behind in her payments it's possible the phone provide might have terminated her service? MOO, just thinking...

When I read that the car had been impounded, I wondered if that term was used loosely and her sister was meaning the car was taken to the estranged husband’s house…???

 

[Dargon335]

@mlhenn I suppose that's possible. If the word 'impounded' is being used here to describe moving Grace's car to her estranged husband’s house from it's original location, then that usage seems misleading IMO. Typically I've seen the the word 'impounded' used to describe a vehicle being moved, usually towed, to a secure holding facility at the request of LE.

 

[SimplyCass]

General question: what do you make of them saying that it was not uncommon for Grace to park her car in the TNT area. Like, she would park there and...someone would come get her? She would walk from there to another place?

When they say that the car was 'not far' from her mother-in-law's place, what should we take from that? Walking distance? Where are the housing tracks near the TNT anyway?

If her cell phone billing cycle was around that date (they said about a week after this started, so maybe March 2-3), it would go out of service if the bill was unpaid, unless AutoPay was on, so I don't think it was on.

This might seem like a really minor quibble, but early reports specified that she was last seen at her father's place, whereas now it is her mother's place? Are the parents separated or divorced? Again, it may mean nothing, but with so little coverage/info, anything could help.

 

[mlhenn]

Prayers that if anyone knows where Grace can be found or knows any detail (no matter how small), that they come forward and let LE know…Grace’s family deserves answers.

 

[ConcernedVA]

I really don't see how the ponds/swamps in the TNT area could have been adequately searched. It would take a massive effort to do that, and I just don't see how that tiny county would have the resources.

 

[Mert]

Family of missing Mason County woman pleads for people to come forward with information


“I think her friends know more than what they're saying. I’m to the point where I’m mad. We’re mad," Jodi Lea Jones, Smith's sister, said.

Her sister lives in New York. She talked to Smith on the day of her disappearance as Smith told her she was ready to go to rehab.

She said her sister told her she was hanging around the wrong crew of people and felt unsafe even carrying a knife with her.”

 

[Dargon335]

She said her sister told her she was hanging around the wrong crew of people and felt unsafe even carrying a knife with her.

This is concerning news about Grace carrying a knife and feeling unsafe. First time I've heard of this.

 

[mlhenn]

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April 29 post