TN TN - Bethany Markowski, 11, Jackson, 4 March 2001

[War Hero Daughter]

We see the mother still searching for her daughter but where is the father in all this? Is he still searching? Even cleared was he frantic?

 

[War Hero Daughter]

Hello everyone,

My name is Jonnie and Bethany Markowski is my daughter.First I would like to thank you for all taking an intrest in our case.A special thank you to the person that was not scared to get involved when she thought that Bethany was one of her students.I remember when the TBI called and told me that they were investigating that lead.It is a comforting feeling knowing that going on 6 years of missing people are still calling in leads.I can not ever thank you enough for helping me keep Bethany alive.Thank you for your prayers and yes,I to thank Bethany is beautiful..All children are.

Jonnie, Bethany's mom

I know her father was cleared and all but you are still pushing to find her but where is her father in all this? Is he still searching? Was he frantic when she came up missing? Just always find it curious when one parent is involved and the other is not even if there is an issue between the parents.

 

[Sneaker33]

We see the mother still searching for her daughter but where is the father in all this? Is he still searching? Even cleared was he frantic?

He was interviewed by a reporter and said he still believes she is alive. I think he is involved in the disappearance. One part which concerns me is Bethany's anxiety over whether her mother would be picking her up. The father knew she could not and it is possible he tricked his daughter into thinking mom abandoned her. He had been telling Bethany to ask the mother about a boyfriend. I suspect he left daughter with the woman (someone he likely paid) to take daughter away before he went to mall for a coverup story. The friend from Arizona had said he did not take his eyes off her during the weekend stay as if he was afraid she would reveal something. So that is not the mindset of a father who would let same child go into mall by herself. I think he probably knows where she is or went. She may have mental trauma and not know her mother is looking for her. All speculation based on the information. Does anyone know the color of her eyes and possible expected height as an adult. I can't tell by pics.

 

[dotr]

03-04-2021
Dear Bethany... 20 Years Missing
''Dear Bethany,

I cannot believe another year has passed without you here. I never thought we would be here, 20 years later, wondering where you are.

The day you went missing is seared in my brain, every second of that day plays through my head. Could I have done anything to prevent this from happening?

I remember March 4, 2001 like it was yesterday. You were on a weekend visitation with your father and you never showed up on Sunday at the meeting place for your Aunt Lori and Uncle Larry to pick you up and bring you home.

When I received the call saying that you had gone into the mall in Jackson, Tennessee and then no one could find you, I went into panic mode, calling everyone I could think of that might know something.

The three-hour drive to Jackson seemed to take forever. But, I just knew that when I got there, you would be found and everything would be okay.

That was not the case, and that is when the true nightmare started.

I remember your Aunt Lori, your Uncle Larry, Dianne Wyatt (Meagan’s mom) and myself sitting in the police station and they brought me your overnight bag, the first thing I pulled out was your coat. It was so cold and misting rain that night, and you were out there without your coat. I fell apart.

Your Aunt Lori and I stayed in Jackson for a week, we posted flyers all over the town. I was scared to leave, scared to death to leave, just in case you were found, I had to be there.

It was hard to leave even after we found out that you had never even been at the mall, you were not on any of the surveillance tapes from any of the stores.

Thousands of tips have come in about you over the years, we even thought a few years ago that you were coming home to us. I received a call from the TBI, saying they had a girl in custody in East Tennessee and she said her name was Bethany Markowski.

When I looked at the picture of this girl, I think my brain knew it was not you, but my heart was praying so hard that it was you. So many people came and stayed with me until we got the call the next day.

The call started with I’m sorry, and that is pretty much all I can remember about that call. I was beyond crushed, it was like losing you again.

Bethany, please know, you have not been forgotten.''

Age progression of Bethany Markowski. She is 31 years old today.

 

[LadyL]

The mystery of Bethany Markowski's whereabouts has endured for 20 years.

It starts with the day she was reported missing on March 4, 2001. Her father — separated from Bethany's mother, Jonnie Carter, during a contentious divorce proceeding — told authorities he'd watched the 11-year-old go into Old Hickory Mall in Jackson, Tenn., while he stayed in a car and napped. When she hadn't returned after about two hours, he said he went looking for her, and couldn't find her.

But authorities turned up no proof that Bethany entered, exited or was seen inside the mall, Cathy Ferguson, a special agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, tells PEOPLE. Instead they believe she was last seen with her father the day before on a visit to friends of his in Little Rock, Ark., more than 200 miles away.

The father "is not a named suspect," says Ferguson. But "he's not been very cooperative, and he has not participated in the investigation at all."

Tenn. Girl Vanished in 2001 — and Mom Hopes to Reunite with Daughter 'Gone Longer than I Had Her'

 

[Ozoner]

She really is beautiful. She reminds me of one of my daughters, especially the younger pictures. I hope she is found soon and the mystery is solved.

I'm not sure it's much of a mystery. It's fairly common for fathers to kill their kids in order to avoid child support once the relationship with the mother ends. I would have supported charging him with murder 20 years ago, but LE is apparently too gutless to do that unless Bethany's body is found.

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bump

 

[chaddylex]

Bethany's NamUs profile was updated yesterday 2/9/22.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

I feel so bad for her mom. It sounds like her father knows exactly what happened to her.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Bethany Leanne Markowski (Missing Person) — The Suitcase Detective

Bethany Markowski➜ Missing 2001. Father and Bethany stopped at Old Hickory Mall in Jackson, TN when she went missing. May have been taken by older woman

thesuitcasedetective.com

 

[Armchair63]

Tenn. Girl Vanished in 2001 — and Mom Hopes to Reunite with Daughter 'Gone Longer than I Had Her'

Bethany Markowski, whose father reported her missing from a Jackson, Tenn., shopping mall, would now be 31

people.com

 

[Armchair63]

Bethany Leanne Markowski (Missing Person) — The Suitcase Detective

Bethany Markowski➜ Missing 2001. Father and Bethany stopped at Old Hickory Mall in Jackson, TN when she went missing. May have been taken by older woman

thesuitcasedetective.com

 

[Armchair63]

Tenn. Girl Vanished in 2001 — and Mom Hopes to Reunite with Daughter 'Gone Longer than I Had Her'

Bethany Markowski, whose father reported her missing from a Jackson, Tenn., shopping mall, would now be 31

people.com

The father seems to be a loose cannon, just by the fact that he went to Bethany’s school and basically tried to abduct her. What was he thinking, dragging her from class into the hallway. You have to give it to the teachers for confronting this man and stopping him.

The restraining order that Jo got was poorly executed by the court. Larry’s visit with Bethany should have been supervised.

On Friday (March 2), Larry picked Bethany up as usual, and they drove up to Little Rock, Arkansas to visit Larry’s friend.
Is this “ friend” the lady who in 2001 tried to register her into a school, but could not because she didn’t have school records or is this the same lady at the cafe with Brittany and on the bus headed to moline, Illinois but never got off.

This could have been set up in advance by Larry and his “friend” that’s why she was never seen.
What parent would allow an 11 year old to go into a mall by themselves while they napped?
If it was the “friend” Bethany would not hesitate to go with the “friend”

Do you remember what was going on when you were 11 years old, I sure don’t.
That being said, Bethany’s memory becomes that of the “friend”
So it’s been what,21years and Bethany is now 32.
If her Fathrr had any thing to do with it.
He could have told her anything, long as she believed it or if she was kidnapped hopefully she has been treated well. And maybe some day she will connect the dots .

 

[Alleykins]

I remember what was going on when I was 11. Not like a day to day kind of recollection, but for me, there were memorable things that happened that the year. I got chicken pox, my last cousin was born, and we went to visit my step grandparents in North Carolina. I wasn't going to the mall alone at that age. Not because I was too young, but because it didn't exist yet, or we would have been allowed to. It opened up when I was 12, the next year. But once it did, we were there almost every weekend, alone, walking around, hanging out with our friends, and playing video games in the arcade. We lived close enough to walk, but would either take the bus home or one of our parents picked us up, or we caught a ride our with friends' parents. So, it really wasn't that unusual, at least for my area, for kids that age to be alone at a mall.

 

[PommyMommy]

DEC 1, 2022

Unsolved missing child cases in Tennessee date back up to 40 years: Have you seen any of them?

In some cases, the missing children have been declared legally dead, but their disappearances remain under investigation until they can be found.

www.wate.com

Bethany Leanne Markowski​

Bethany Leanne Markowski was 11 years old when she was last seen by her father in the parking lot of the Old Hickory Shopping Mall in Jackson on March 4, 2001.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Markowski had gone into the mall alone while her father waited for her in the car. After about two hours passed, her father went into the mall to look for her. However, he never found her.

At the time, Markowski was wearing a green shirt, blue jeans and black shoes. She was last described as 4’8″ tall with brown hair and blue eyes. According to the FBI, she was missing her baby molars at the time of her disappearance.

If you have seen Bethany Markowski, contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The day has been known as Tennessee Missing Children’s Day ever since 2017, when Jonnie Carter and Rep. Darren Jernigan (D-Old Hickory) created the measure in recognition of Carter’s daughter, Bethany Leanne Markowski.

Markowski was only 11 years old when she disappeared on March 4, 2001. According to her mother, she was a kind, smart, sassy kid. “Loved to sing, didn’t want you to watch her, so you had to turn your back while she would sing into a brush and dance,” Carter told News 2 in a 2017 interview.

Her father was reportedly the last person to see Markowski before she seemingly vanished from the Old Hickory Shopping Mall in Jackson. Carter’s mother said it was her second visitation with her father.

Case that inspired TN Missing Children’s Day goes 23 years unsolved

As the search continues for countless children missing out of Tennessee, March 4 marks a day of awareness for the families who still refuse to give up.

www.wkrn.com

 

[SHSASUsleuth23]

Project Jason announces that Bethany Markowski is the current 18 Wheel Angels campaign.

Anyone can participate in placing this poster by going to our website at http://www.projectjason.org/18wheel.html You may download and print the poster and place at local businesses or accessible public places.

Bethany has been missing since March 4, 2001. She was on a visitation with her father at the time. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children recently completed an age-progression photo of what Bethany may look like now. This photo is included on her 18 Wheel Angel campaign poster.

Bethany is also featured in our publisher partner, JB Scott's April issue of Through the Gears, which can be found at truck stops nationwide.

You can see her on their website CDL Truck Driving Jobs | Jobs.TheTrucker.com Click on the 18 Wheel Angels link.

Thank you for helping us to help Bethany be reunitied with her family!

Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org

Sorry you're still looking for your son as well! 2001 was a rough year!

 

[SHSASUsleuth23]

This case really bothers me on so many levels. My Dad lived in Humbolt TN, when I was Bethany's age. I was in college when Bethany went missing. My parents divorced when I was 3. My Dad isn't perfect, but he always managed to track me down, wherever I was. He knew if something happened to me on a visit, there would be Hell to pay if my Mom got involved!

 

[chimpface]

The Dad knows exactly where she went. LE really should have pushed harder on him.

 

[SHSASUsleuth23]

Bethany has the most gorgeous eyes!

I can't help but wonder why she has not tried to call home? by 11 years of age you know your phone number. Also if the suspect managed to get bethany enrolled in school somewhere - she would be on her own in school able to speak with teachers,counsellors etc...

Good point!

 

[SHSASUsleuth23]

She is beautiful, but she's SO COMMON looking. I saw several posts in this thread where others said hey she looks like . . or why does she look so familiar?

To me, she looks familiar because I know many many girls who look just like her.

That some very oddball type woman tried to enroll a child who looked like this in a school, and then took off, is no indication at all that that was Bethany. It could well have been a girl just like her, traveling with a drunk mother.

It seems like in every case of a missing child, others are reported who look like that child and turn out not to be.

Prayers she is found, the dad's story sounds very fishy to me.

I agree about the Dad's story. He could've left her in Little Rock IF they really went there? Lots of kids and people go missing in Little Rock as well. Trafficking could be a possibility at this point. It's everywhere. We didn't have Namus back then, but it doesn't take a genius to see how many people go missing in this country and across the world if you look at the shear numbers. And the ages are getting terribly young and younger.