IL IL - Trudy Appleby, 11, Moline, 21 Aug 1996

[masquerading]

I remember seeing posters with Trudy's face on them around restaurants in Indiana. Her case was one of the first I became interested in. It's maddening that Smith's family likely knows something about his involvement in Trudy's disappearance and is preventing another family from gaining closure. I don't know how you could live with that kind of knowledge. There are ways to report things anonymously. 21 years is such a long time to not know what happened to someone you love. I hope someone finds the secrets to heavy to bear soon. I think that's the only way her case will be solved.

 

[cybervampira]

Police: “Many” in QCA know what happened to missing Moline girl

Moline Police indicate the disappearance of Trudy Appleby could be solved if only certain people would come forward.

 

[JerseyGirl]

New billboards seek to break case of missing Moline girl

 

[Doghairrules]

New billboards seek to break case of missing Moline girl

Does anyone else find it interesting that the convicted child molester’s dead father in law is now the prime suspect?

 

[Kankan]

Ughhh the worst kind of missing children cases is when people absolutely know and just won’t come forward. So selfish.

 

[folieadeuxnola]

Trudy Appleby Case: Police Say They're Close to Arrest of Killer in Social Media Post

Police in Illinois haven taken an unorthodox approach to smoke out the people they believe played a part in the killing of a young girl who vanished nearly 22 years ago: trolling them on social media.

Trudy Appleby was 11 years old when she was spotted sitting with an unknown man in the front seat of a silver or gray four-door sedan in the driveway of her father’s Moline home on Aug. 21, 1996.

"We believe she got into the car with someone she knew," Det. Michael Griffin of the Moline Police Department told InsideEdition.com. "She got in there and was never seen again."

 

[Cubby]

#wearecomingforyou

 

[folieadeuxnola]

‘We are coming for you’: Cops admit to ‘trolling’ suspects in disappearance, presumed murder of 11-year-old Trudy Appleby

Police said they’re even closer to solving the August 1996 abduction of an 11-year-old Illinois girl who was last seen with a man in a car parked outside her father’s home.

Inside Edition reports that the Moline Police Department have been using a series of billboards and Facebook posts to taunt the suspect or suspects into coming forward.

“You can call it what it is—I’m trolling them,” Moline Police Department Detective Michael Griffin said. “I’m trying to be very pointed about it. This is the homicide of an 11-year-old girl…and the concealment of her body. I’m talking to these people in ways they will understand.”

 

[folieadeuxnola]

The Big Story: Some Q-C missing remain unfound, others discovered after a violent death



Appleby's family and Moline police believe there are people in the Quad-Cities who know what happened to her, and this summer they stepped up pressure to try to get that person or persons to talk. Police erected two billboards in East Moline and posted a challenge on the police department's Facebook page.

Family has focused on David L. Whipple, the son-in-law of the man named as a person of interest in Appleby's disappearance: William "Ed" Smith, who died in December 2014 at the age of 72

 

[SAMS]

Bumping for Trudy

 

[Nana02]

Moline police seize boat that may be connected to Trudy Appleby's case

Praying they find evidence on this boat. Her family & friends deserve closure.

 

[dotr]

Moline police seize boat that may be connected to Trudy Appleby's case

Praying they find evidence on this boat. Her family & friends deserve closure.

Welcome to Ws Nana02, thanks for the link!
"The person of interest, William “Ed” Smith, died in 2014, but Moline Police indicated he is not the only one with information vital to the case.

The Moline Police Department and the FBI transported the boat to the FBI Crime Lab in Springfield, Illinois where it is currently undergoing extensive examination by FBI Evidence Response Team.

The investigation into the Trudy Appleby disappearance is ongoing and we continue to ask anyone with information regarding her disappearance to contact the Moline Police Department at 309-524-2140 or Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities at 309-762-9500."

 

[SAMS]

Any news on the boat?

 

[Alleykins]

I'm curious, because I've noticed this trend in other cases. If the POI is deceased, why would their family and/or friends not tell what they know, if they know something and weren't involved? They could do it anonymously. What use is it to protect a deceased person? I just don't get that.

 

[SAMS]

Yes, for God's sake, say something to bring this family some form of closure. Put yourself in their shoes. If this were their child they would want someone with information to say something!
MOO

 

[Alleykins]

Yes, for God's sake, say something to bring this family some form of closure. Put yourself in their shoes. If this were their child they would want someone with information to say something!
MOO

Exactly. If they weren't involved, why hold back? They have nothing to lose by telling what they know and possibly giving the family some peace.

I'm just trying to understand the mentality of trying to protect a deceased person who may have committed a crime.

 

[SAMS]

Bumping for Trudy

 

[SAMS]

Any news on the boat? I feel like I'm repeating myself. Oh, I am!

 

[Al Ka]

Vigil to be held for Trudy Appleby on 23rd anniversary of her disappearance

A vigil will be held for Trudy Appleby on Wednesday to mark the 23rd anniversary of her disappearance.

Police say the then 11-year-old Moline girl was last seen on Campbell's Island in East Moline on August 21, 1996.

Her family and friends are holding a vigil in her honor at First Baptist Church at 167 Ave. of the Cities in East Moline at 7 p.m.

Moline police say the case continues to get daily tips, which after 23 years is almost unheard of. Over the past couple of years, there have been developments in the search for Appleby.

In October 2017, police dug up land on Campbell's Island, and named William "Ed" Smith, a deceased East Moline man, as a person of interest.

In July 2018, police posted billboards in East Moline and handed out missing person fliers on Campbell's Island. Both were attempts to prompt someone to come forward with information.

In January 2019, Moline police seized a boat believed to be connected to Appleby's disappearance. They along with the FBI were notified of the boat's existence in December of 2018 and received information that the boat may have been used to transport Appleby. The boat was transported to the FBI Crime Lab in Springfield, Ill. for examination by an FBI Evidence Response Team.

Vigil to be held for Trudy Appleby on 23rd anniversary of her disappearance

 

[SAMS]

Marking my spot and hoping for some news from Springfield soon. MOO