Found Deceased GA - Melanie Steele, 24, car found abandoned, Savannah, 13 Sep 2019 *arrest*

[fsngruv]

well, judge, the troy is the restaurant I was referring to, are you in my head?? Haha!

And, my sentiments exactly... What's up with that?!

I've heard that there are a few apartment complexes around the area that are shady. I've seen a couple but, probably a lot like Melanie, what might be shady to others wouldn't be shady to us .

 

[JudgeJoe]

I've heard that there are a few apartment complexes around the area that are shady. I've seen a couple but, probably a lot like Melanie, what might be shady to others wouldn't be shady to us .

Not familiar with the apartment complexes, but for driving by. I don’t think of those being ON Abercorn- even though an entrance might be off there. They’re all kind of sited back in a ways. I just think it’s such a heavy business/traffic area. Never felt unsafe going in & out of area businesses. Where is Melanie?

 

[Jethro4WS]

FBI assisting in search for missing woman last seen in Savannah

Authorities are stepping up their search for a missing woman last seen in Savannah.

According to the Savannah Police Department (SPD), 24-year-old Melanie Steele and her husband were visiting Savannah from Alpharetta earlier this month. Steele hasn’t been located.

SPD announced Tuesday that other agencies, like the FBI, are also stepping up to help find her.​

 

[Jethro4WS]

Can any locals let us know what the "Thunderbolt" area is?
Police appeal for information in search for missing woman

According to statements made at a Tuesday press conference by Sgt. Tiffany Manuel with the SPD Special Victims Unit, the missing woman was last seen on the 10600 block of Abercorn St. in the late evening of Sept. 13. Her vehicle, a 2005 Dodge Neon, was later recovered in the Thunderbolt area.​

 

[momrids6]

Thunderbolt is a town located in Chatham County, Georgia, approximately five miles southeast of downtown Savannah. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 2,668. It is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thunderbolt runs along the western shore of the Wilmington River (a tidal river that is part of the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway). The town is important to Georgia's shrimping industry, with scores of docks for shrimping trawlers. The town's picturesque atmosphere and seafood restaurants draw many local visitors.

Thunderbolt, Georgia - Wikipedia

 

[Steph8angels]

Glad to see FBI brought in.
Now for some shaking of some tree's.
That River concerns me.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Can any locals let us know what the "Thunderbolt" area is?
Police appeal for information in search for missing woman

According to statements made at a Tuesday press conference by Sgt. Tiffany Manuel with the SPD Special Victims Unit, the missing woman was last seen on the 10600 block of Abercorn St. in the late evening of Sept. 13. Her vehicle, a 2005 Dodge Neon, was later recovered in the Thunderbolt area.​

Was this their only vehicle?

 

[Chaoticmess]

I'm new here, I have spoken with Melanie's mom tonight. I'm not sure what I can and can't say on here so I'm just following to figure it all out. I will say, that she is not legally married.

 

[JudgeJoe]

FBI assisting in search for missing woman last seen in Savannah

Authorities are stepping up their search for a missing woman last seen in Savannah.

According to the Savannah Police Department (SPD), 24-year-old Melanie Steele and her husband were visiting Savannah from Alpharetta earlier this month. Steele hasn’t been located.

SPD announced Tuesday that other agencies, like the FBI, are also stepping up to help find her.​

Yay. Good find Jethro! FBI will find her!

 

[JudgeJoe]

Can any locals let us know what the "Thunderbolt" area is?
Police appeal for information in search for missing woman

According to statements made at a Tuesday press conference by Sgt. Tiffany Manuel with the SPD Special Victims Unit, the missing woman was last seen on the 10600 block of Abercorn St. in the late evening of Sept. 13. Her vehicle, a 2005 Dodge Neon, was later recovered in the Thunderbolt area.​

I’m local.

Thunderbolt is a moderate to pricey, tiny part of metro Savannah. Mostly residential, with a sprinkling of hip restaurants, bars, yacht club, riverfront condos, etc. The “river” isn’t like rivers of other areas. Think ocean marshland. The Wilmington river is an inter-coastal waterway, separating Thunderbolt/Savannah from Whitemarsh Island, Wilmington Island & Tybee Island. It’s a tiny geographical micro-burb.
Multiple rivers throughout the coastal areas of Savannah are really brackish tidal flows throughout the “low country”. Kind of like the Everglades “river of grass” but less humid, less subtropical.

I cannot think of one single reason to trek out to Thunderbolt late on a Friday night/ wee hours of a Saturday morning. Not one. The two most hip-happening bar/burger joints out there are Tubby’s Tank House & The Wyld Dock Bar & Grill. Casual, little bit swanky, popular spots that are well-known enough to draw tourists away from Savannah’s famous River Street eats. These are the 2 most active draws to the neighborhood & both bars close 10-10:30 on both Friday & Saturday night. NOT party bars. This area is not known for drug deals or crime. Trulia reports 1 assault, 1 burglary & 3 theft reports in the last year.

There was a full moon Sept 14. So midnight-ish could have been very pretty along the waterfront there. Other than that, no reason Melanie Steele should go there at that hour, presumably from midtown Motel 6 to southside auto dealership section of Abercorn, to sleepy little waterfront Thunderbolt.
Where are you Melanie!?

 

[JudgeJoe]

I'm new here, I have spoken with Melanie's mom tonight. I'm not sure what I can and can't say on here so I'm just following to figure it all out. I will say, that she is not legally married.

Welcome to WS Chaotic! We are glad you are here. This has to be so stressful for Melanie’s mom. If you want to become a Verified Insider, you can provide insider information if you think it might be helpful.
Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

 

[JudgeJoe]

FBI assisting in search for missing woman last seen in Savannah

Authorities are stepping up their search for a missing woman last seen in Savannah.

According to the Savannah Police Department (SPD), 24-year-old Melanie Steele and her husband were visiting Savannah from Alpharetta earlier this month. Steele hasn’t been located.

SPD announced Tuesday that other agencies, like the FBI, are also stepping up to help find her.​

Sorry to quote this twice, but just noticed there is actually NEW INFORMATION in this article. Prior reports say MS was last seen in the 10600 block of Abercorn, this says last seen near a motel on Abercorn. The only hotel in that block is Suburban Extended Stay Abercorn at 10614 Abercorn. Even cheaper than midtown Motel 6- $42 vs $45. Interview with mom says Melanie went there alone- don’t know if she learned this from husband or LE.

 

[Jethro4WS]

I’m local.

Thunderbolt is a moderate to pricey, tiny part of metro Savannah. Mostly residential, with a sprinkling of hip restaurants, bars, yacht club, riverfront condos, etc. The “river” isn’t like rivers of other areas. Think ocean marshland. The Wilmington river is an inter-coastal waterway, separating Thunderbolt/Savannah from Whitemarsh Island, Wilmington Island & Tybee Island. It’s a tiny geographical micro-burb.
Multiple rivers throughout the coastal areas of Savannah are really brackish tidal flows throughout the “low country”. Kind of like the Everglades “river of grass” but less humid, less subtropical.

I cannot think of one single reason to trek out to Thunderbolt late on a Friday night/ wee hours of a Saturday morning. Not one. The two most hip-happening bar/burger joints out there are Tubby’s Tank House & The Wyld Dock Bar & Grill. Casual, little bit swanky, popular spots that are well-known enough to draw tourists away from Savannah’s famous River Street eats. These are the 2 most active draws to the neighborhood & both bars close 10-10:30 on both Friday & Saturday night. NOT party bars. This area is not known for drug deals or crime. Trulia reports 1 assault, 1 burglary & 3 theft reports in the last year.

There was a full moon Sept 14. So midnight-ish could have been very pretty along the waterfront there. Other than that, no reason Melanie Steele should go there at that hour, presumably from midtown Motel 6 to southside auto dealership section of Abercorn, to sleepy little waterfront Thunderbolt.
Where are you Melanie!?

Thank you. Now, if we could only find out where in Thunderbolt the vehicle was recovered.

 

[MimosaMornings]

And why would she go alone? Without her new man on their honeymoon?
Was he the one that reported her missing when she didn’t return to the motel?

 

[CastlesBurning]

I'm curious about the husband...literally nothing is said about him in any article, except that they had just recently married.

Did she know him long before they married? Does he have a criminal history of any kind? Is he also involved with drugs? etc. Any detail on him might be helpful to this case, either in assessing if he posed any threat to Melanie or if someone were out to hurt him (and by association Melanie) for any reason.

 

[seventytwo]

There are actually quite a few unsavory spots in Thunderbolt, particularly in the area behind Coach's Corner. Lots of drugs in that particular area.

 

[MimosaMornings]

5 arrested in CNT bust at Savannah seafood market

Don’t think this is far from the Thunderbolt area.

 

[MimosaMornings]

How long had they been at the Motel 6 prior to her disappearance?

 

[seventytwo]

5 arrested in CNT bust at Savannah seafood market

Don’t think this is far from the Thunderbolt area.

Yes that is in Thunderbolt.

 

[Leilei]

Interesting update:

Husband is being held at the Cobb County jail (her mother mentioned this in a comment yesterday). I did an inmate search, and yeah, he's there, arrested on the 24th. Nothing related to Melanie's disappearance - YET.
He's bad, bad news and this isn't his first jail rodeo.

Also, his comments and his FB page are gone.