Her family is struggling with no sightings or info. A post by her MIL was shared on the Facebook search page yesterday. She says, "The not knowing is really taking its toll on the family."Have there been any sightings since the homeless man? Its been quite a while since anyone has even claimed to see her.
Not only have there been no updates since the original article on October 3, 2022, but now the original article I linked to above is no longer available either. I wonder what that's all about.I hate to say this but of course we all know it is entirely within the realm of possibilities at this point that Michelle is no longer with us...
So, not ruling anything out, I find myself wondering whenever a body is found anywhere near the area of her home all the way to the New Orleans area.
For ex., a woman's body was found in Stafford on Oct. 3 that they said they thought was transported from somewhere else. Stafford, TX is about 30 miles from Alvin, TX.
I haven't seen anything else about it since then. Which also brings up another, more general, question to me, which is wondering under what circumstances they would not make any further public announcements in such a case.
Body of woman found outside business in Stafford, police say
The woman's body was discovered at 11100 West Airport Boulevard near 59.www.khou.com
Glad to see her husband speaking out!Michelle’s husband did an interview today (10/27/22)
Glad to see her husband speaking out!
Could someone please summarize or share anything that stands out? I don't have a good data connection so watching much of it is impossible.
Thanks much!
Thanks for sharing, @Caj1977.Michelle’s husband did an interview today (10/27/22)
Thank you!His local PD and the Louisiana State Police are the two main leading agencies of this investigation.
The morning Michelle disappeared she attended her outpatient program session. She took notes and participated as usual. She’d been in the program for 3 weeks after spending 10 days in an inpatient behavioral health hospital. This was her 3rd inpatient stay for mental health issues (in the past 10 years).
Police were able to pinpoint her travel on the day she disappeared with the help of license plate readers. She was captured traveling on the interstate towards Baton Rouge, and they believe she stayed somewhere in BR on the night of the 23rd (the night she went missing). There weren’t any charges on her credit cards/bank account for a hotel stay, but they believe she stopped there based on the times and locations the plate readers captured her traveling.
On the 24th, she travelled to New Orleans and arrived there about noon. He was able to locate her car by calling Lexus and having them ping the car. (He told Lexus the car had been stolen, as that’s the only way they would give him the information.) He called the NOLA PD to check on her and the car at the location given to him by Lexus. LE said they looked in the area but couldn’t find it, yet Michael was able to find it right away. Her purse, wallet with ID, and cell phone were all found in the car, and the car looked disheveled like maybe she had slept in the back seat.
They were able to obtain video of her exiting the car and walking down Constance Street and the WWII museum. She continued walking down Constance Street and stopped at a bar called the Rusty Nail. They let her use the bathroom and gave her a glass of water. They have camera footage of Michelle inside the bar, and it appeared she also probably washed her face and put up her hair in the bathroom.
After leaving the bar, she crossed the street and over the Mississippi River bridge to Calliope Street where there’s a homeless camp. She befriended an older couple there who allowed her to sleep in their tent that night. They all shared some cheese and crackers with her. She left the next morning.
They can’t verify the couple’s story because the cameras in the area were purchased by homeland security, damaged in a storm, and haven’t been fixed.
The couple said she had a blank look on her face and only offered vague answers when asked about where she was from, etc. He talked about her changing shirts while the couple left to get water. LE has the shirt in evidence and tried to use it to track her movements with K9s, but the dogs weren’t able to locate a scent trail.
Michael and Michelle have a joint bank account and she also has a separate account, as well. Money hasn’t been withdrawn from either account. A few days before she disappeared they took out money to purchase new tires for the Lexus, but she would only have about $200 on her from that.
He contacted a private detective out of NOLA, who looked over all of the investigative notes and everything the family has collected, but he said there wasn’t anything more he could really do that they haven’t done already.
They’ve checked with all the homeless shelters, women’s shelters, hospitals, behavioral health centers in the area and none have any record of Michelle being there. (He’s been given HIPPA consent by Michelle, so he’s able to obtain information about her health and treatment.) All of the shelters and missions in NOLA use the same database network to share information, and her information has been added in the event that she shows up somewhere. They have also checked bus stations and train stations. He and Michelle’s brother spent 9-10 days walking the streets in 24-hour shifts and visiting all of the homeless encampments looking for her. They had footage of her at the library (he doesn’t say when), so they staked out the library for a while. She’s religious, so they’ve also checked with all the churches in the area and anywhere local preachers give sermons to the homeless. They’ve shared flyers everywhere.
A part of Michelle’s behavioral health history involves acute psychosis, which includes paranoia. So, seeing flyers with her face on it might cause her to hide. Michelle’s first behavioral health inpatient stay was 8-9 years ago, and she had acute psychosis. One of the delusions she had at the time was believing the smoke detector was recording her movements because of the red light on it.
During her first hospital stay, she was given medication that she adjusted well to and she recovered. 2-3 years later, she had another event that resulted in a 10-day hospital stay and outpatient treatment for 3 weeks. Again, she recovered well and life returned to normal. (This definitely sounds like bipolar, IMO.) With this last event, she had quite a bit of depression and some suicidal ideation. He recognized it right away and was able to get her to the ER quickly. But one of the differences between this event and those in the past is that they switched her to an atypical antipsychotic medication, which she’s never taken before. Michael believes the medication sent her on a manic spree where she just got in the car, drove to NOLA, and then got lost. When the medication wore off, he fears the psychosis may have returned. She doesn’t have any of her medication with her.
The New Orleans Police Department is extremely understaffed, underpaid, and slow to respond. It's a fantastic city but locals or tourists can find themselves in a predicament with one wrong turn.Thanks for sharing, @Caj1977.
Is this True Crime vlogger's YouTube channel the original source of this? I thought it would be on the news on TV or that we'd hear something from the Brazoria County Sheriff's Dept. or Louisiana State Police. It seems like the only investigation we've heard of has been from Michelle's family themselves, aside from Texas Equusearch, earlier on.
The authorities haven't seemed to have much of a presence with this case at all. I wonder if they are more or less treating it like a voluntary missing person's case, even with her stated mental issues or what. IDK, it just seems strange imo.
I agree. NOPD is definitely widely considered to be understaffed etc. It doesn't sound like they're even much involved. My understanding is the investigating agencies are the Louisiana State Police and the Brazoria County (Texas) Sheriff's Office.The New Orleans Police Department is extremely understaffed, underpaid, and slow to respond. It's a fantastic city but locals or tourists can find themselves in a predicament with one wrong turn.
We live a couple of hours from the city and visit our son and his family who live in the greater New Orleans area. There’s always the thought that we should bring protection on those road trips.
His local PD and the Louisiana State Police are the two main leading agencies of this investigation.
The morning Michelle disappeared she attended her outpatient program session. She took notes and participated as usual. She’d been in the program for 3 weeks after spending 10 days in an inpatient behavioral health hospital. This was her 3rd inpatient stay for mental health issues (in the past 10 years).
Police were able to pinpoint her travel on the day she disappeared with the help of license plate readers. She was captured traveling on the interstate towards Baton Rouge, and they believe she stayed somewhere in BR on the night of the 23rd (the night she went missing). There weren’t any charges on her credit cards/bank account for a hotel stay, but they believe she stopped there based on the times and locations the plate readers captured her traveling.
On the 24th, she travelled to New Orleans and arrived there about noon. He was able to locate her car by calling Lexus and having them ping the car. (He told Lexus the car had been stolen, as that’s the only way they would give him the information.) He called the NOLA PD to check on her and the car at the location given to him by Lexus. LE said they looked in the area but couldn’t find it, yet Michael was able to find it right away. Her purse, wallet with ID, and cell phone were all found in the car, and the car looked disheveled like maybe she had slept in the back seat.
They were able to obtain video of her exiting the car and walking down Constance Street and the WWII museum. She continued walking down Constance Street and stopped at a bar called the Rusty Nail. They let her use the bathroom and gave her a glass of water. They have camera footage of Michelle inside the bar, and it appeared she also probably washed her face and put up her hair in the bathroom.
After leaving the bar, she crossed the street and over the Mississippi River bridge to Calliope Street where there’s a homeless camp. She befriended an older couple there who allowed her to sleep in their tent that night. They all shared some cheese and crackers with her. She left the next morning.
They can’t verify the couple’s story because the cameras in the area were purchased by homeland security, damaged in a storm, and haven’t been fixed.
The couple said she had a blank look on her face and only offered vague answers when asked about where she was from, etc. He talked about her changing shirts while the couple left to get water. LE has the shirt in evidence and tried to use it to track her movements with K9s, but the dogs weren’t able to locate a scent trail.
Michael and Michelle have a joint bank account and she also has a separate account, as well. Money hasn’t been withdrawn from either account. A few days before she disappeared they took out money to purchase new tires for the Lexus, but she would only have about $200 on her from that.
He contacted a private detective out of NOLA, who looked over all of the investigative notes and everything the family has collected, but he said there wasn’t anything more he could really do that they haven’t done already.
They’ve checked with all the homeless shelters, women’s shelters, hospitals, behavioral health centers in the area and none have any record of Michelle being there. (He’s been given HIPPA consent by Michelle, so he’s able to obtain information about her health and treatment.) All of the shelters and missions in NOLA use the same database network to share information, and her information has been added in the event that she shows up somewhere. They have also checked bus stations and train stations. He and Michelle’s brother spent 9-10 days walking the streets in 24-hour shifts and visiting all of the homeless encampments looking for her. They had footage of her at the library (he doesn’t say when), so they staked out the library for a while. She’s religious, so they’ve also checked with all the churches in the area and anywhere local preachers give sermons to the homeless. They’ve shared flyers everywhere.
A part of Michelle’s behavioral health history involves acute psychosis, which includes paranoia. So, seeing flyers with her face on it might cause her to hide. Michelle’s first behavioral health inpatient stay was 8-9 years ago, and she had acute psychosis. One of the delusions she had at the time was believing the smoke detector was recording her movements because of the red light on it.
During her first hospital stay, she was given medication that she adjusted well to and she recovered. 2-3 years later, she had another event that resulted in a 10-day hospital stay and outpatient treatment for 3 weeks. Again, she recovered well and life returned to normal. (This definitely sounds like bipolar, IMO.) With this last event, she had quite a bit of depression and some suicidal ideation. He recognized it right away and was able to get her to the ER quickly. But one of the differences between this event and those in the past is that they switched her to an atypical antipsychotic medication, which she’s never taken before. Michael believes the medication sent her on a manic spree where she just got in the car, drove to NOLA, and then got lost. When the medication wore off, he fears the psychosis may have returned. She doesn’t have any of her medication with her.
Yes, original source.Thanks for sharing, @Caj1977.
Is this True Crime vlogger's YouTube channel the original source of this? I thought it would be on the news on TV or that we'd hear something from the Brazoria County Sheriff's Dept. or Louisiana State Police. It seems like the only investigation we've heard of has been from Michelle's family themselves, aside from Texas Equusearch, earlier on.
The authorities haven't seemed to have much of a presence with this case at all. I wonder if they are more or less treating it like a voluntary missing person's case, even with her stated mental issues or what. IDK, it just seems strange imo.
Thank you! This is an excellent synopsis.Updating TIMELINE with new info in RED and corrected info in GRAY
1999
moved from Natchitoches, LA to Orange, TX for a teaching job (9)
2002
marriage to husband (9)
~2014
couple began teaching in Alvin - both 6th grade teachers at different schools (9)
~2015
began struggling with mental health (9)
hospitalized for mental health issues - acute psychosis - thought smoke detector was recording her, put on medications and was able to get back to work (15@22:45) - cf Thu Oct 27
~2018 ("2-3 years later" after first inpatient program)
hospitalized for mental health issues, did outpatient program, returned to health (15@23:30) - cf Thu Oct 27
~AUG
taken to ER for psychosis, suicide ideation, In inpatient program for 10 days, put on new medication (15@10:45) - cf Thu Oct 27
~SEP 1
"had been undergoing outpatient treatment for about three weeks after a recent episode, having been on leave from her job as a teacher during that time. She had been taking nightly medications" (8.)
THU SEP 22 - LAST CONTACT WITH FAMILY / SEARCH DAY ONE -----------------------------------------------------
FRI SEP 23 - DAY TWO - LAST SIGHTINGS
- AM - [Zoom meeting with counselor (8.)] visited a counselor in person, then came home (9)
- ~12PM - [spoke to husband,] said she was going to get something to eat (last contact with family)] (7) told daughter she was going to get food and stop at the bank [and asked if she wanted to come with (14)]; short time later, daughter tried to call but MR did not answer phone (14)
- ~1:45 picked up on camera heading to highway, to Baton Rouge (15@11:45)
- 3:30PM - daughter woke, mother still gone (14)
- 4:00PM - 13yo son contacts his father when MR failed to pick him up from school (14)
- 5:00PM - husband called daughter to see if she had seen MR (14)
- [when daughter returned home from school, called dad at work to see if he knew where she was; he started calling MR but calls went directly to voicemail (9)]
- 8:30PM - husband called daughter at work to tell her he hadn't heard from MR; daughter left work (14)
- PM - reported missing by husband to local LE (Brazos County Sheriff's Department) (9)
SAT SEP 24 - DAY THREE
- AM - MR presumably drove to NOLA (15@12:20)
- 12:01 PM - Vehicle parked at corner of S Peters St & St Joseph St, New Orleans (4) in front of broken parking meter (10); person who may look like MR sits in car for about twenty minutes, then gets out (9) and leaves alone on foot (5) heading west (6) -
husband notes potential height discrepancy between his wife and the driver in the video (8.)
View attachment 371796- ~4PM - MR spotted on surveillance footage walking south on Constance St towards the Pontchartrain Expressway (11) from WWII museum (15@14:00) View attachment 369958
- ~4:10PM - seen on camera at Sidecar Patio and Oyster Bar/Rusty Nail, orders a glass of water, uses their restroom, and that’s the last confirmed video sighting of her. (12)
View attachment 371795- ~4PM, she confronts inhabitants ["an older couple" (15@14:45)] of a tent just behind the restaurant and states that she needs a place to stay, and they offered a tent. They shared cheese/crackers and water, and she only stated her name and gave no other details. They report she had chewing gum and menthol cigarettes with her(she does smoke menthol cigarettes) The tent is along Calliope St, between Magazine St and Annunciation St. They state she left early morning Saturday 9/24. A few days later they called stating they found her shirt in the tent, and that there is a black t-shirt missing, that is why it is reported that she may have changed into a black t-shirt. Police have the shirt. (12)
- PM - Lexus "pinged" car in New Orleans; upon LE arrival, vehicle was no longer there (1)
- Husband thinks MR stayed near Baton Rouge due to license plate cameras, disheveled state of car (15@12:00)
SUN SEP 25 - DAY FOUR
- AM - Homeless people from whom she borrowed tent overnight state she left early morning (12), left walking east, took right (15@15:10)
PM - Vehicle located in New Orleans by husband and brother by geo-location. (2)- cf Sun Sep 25
MON SEP 26 - DAY FIVE
- 3AM - Vehicle located in New Orleans by husband and brother by geo-location (9)
- 4AM - husband, brother, [and 13yo son?] sit around and wait at vehicle but MR doesn't return (14)
- First MSM news coverage (3)
TUE SEP 27 - DAY SIX
WED SEP 28 - DAY SEVEN
- Footage released of MR leaving vehicle alone on foot (5)
- Helicopter search on Mississippi River (8.)
THU SEP 29 - DAY 8
Boat search planned for Mississippi River (8.)- cf Thu Sep 29- Equusearch received several calls about possible sightings and leads; each was mistaken identity (10)
FRI SEP 30 - DAY 9
- Boat search on Mississippi River (10)
- Husband moves vehicle to Lexus dealership (10)
FRI OCT 7 - DAY 16
- Surveillance image of MR walking south on Constance St towards the Pontchartrain Expressway released (11)
MON OCT 10 - DAY 19
- Brother CT posts update to FB group, stating known movements on Sep 23 (12)
THU OCT 27 - DAY 37
- Prayer vigil held (13)
- Husband interviews on Crime Lines & Lies, in which he states:
- he's been getting fake ransom messages (15@9:00)
- went to outpatient program as usual in past 3 weeks - had been in hospital for 10 days prior to that (15@10:45)
- Sep 22 - ~1:45 picked up on camera heading to highway, to Baton Rouge (15@11:45)
- Sep 22 - thinks MR stayed near Baton Rouge due to license plate cameras (15@12:00)
- AM Sep 23 - MR drove to NOLA (15@12:20)
- car looked disheveled, as if she'd slept in back seat (15@13:30)
- [unknown date] spotted at library (15@20:00)
- have checked hospitals, homeless shelters, library, churches, etc. (15@20:00)
- ~8 years ago hospitalized for mental health issues - acute psychosis - thought smoke detector was recording her, put on medications and was able to get back to work (15@22:45) - cf ~2015
- ~5 years ago hospitalized for mental health issues, did outpatient program, returned to health (15@23:30) - cf ~2018
- taken to ER for psychosis, suicide ideation, In inpatient program for 10 days, put on new medication (15@10:45) - cf Aug
SOURCES
(1)Search for missing Alvin ISD teacher continues after car found in New Orleans
(2)'Really tough time' | Husband of missing Alvin woman says children are struggling with news
(3)Alvin ISD teacher still missing after car found in New Orleans, sheriff's office says
(4)Missing Texas teacher's car found in New Orleans as search continues
(5)HAVE YOU SEEN MICHELLE REYNOLDS?: Search continues for missing Alvin ISD teacher last seen on Thursday
(6)Missing TX teacher's car found in New Orleans; husband desperately in search of answers exclusively speaks to WDSU
(7)A Search Is Underway for a Texas Teacher Whose Car Was Found Out of State
(8.)Alvin teacher Michelle Reynolds still missing; New Orleans police now involved in case | Houston Public Media
(9)Family desperate for clues in Texas woman Michelle Reynold's disappearance
(10)Texas EquuSearch hits pivotal point in the hunt for TX school teacher
(11)https://texasequusearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Reynolds-Michelle-MPR-Flyer-Rev-02.pdf
(12) Michelle Reynolds ~ Vanished from Alvin, Texas... group post by page admin
(13) Prayer vigil held for missing Alvin teacher Michelle Reynolds (Fox26 - Oct 10)
(14) Search continues for missing Alvin teacher (AlvinSun - Oct 18)
(15) Missing Michelle LIVE with her Husband Michael - Crime Lines & Lies - Oct 27
MOOs
So tough hearing from MR's husband about the struggles her kids are going through. Hoping she can be found and brought home to them soon.
Michelle’s husband did an interview today (10/27/22)