Found Deceased FL - Stephanie Chitwood Hollingsworth, 50, Belle Isle, 25 Sept 2020

[JosieMae]

Regarding the use of the past tense, perhaps SH had expressed suicidal feelings in the past and the husband suspects she's no longer alive.

A sad case that's likely to become sadder still.

 

[PayrollNerd]

My hinky meter is going off. Very unusual for family to highlight drinking problems and mental problems like this. What happens if she is found and comes home? She will be crushed that her issues were made so public. And would set her back even more. If she is watching it could set her back and keep her from coming home. Seems like someone knows she isn't watching and isn't coming back. JMO.

If she comes back alive the embarrassment can be the catalyst to seek treatment and stick with it. Just being "outed" so to speak can be a persons "rock bottom" that forces them to change. Not knowing these medical/mental/addiction issues also could put someone who finds her in a precarious situation. What if she is aggressive, what if she is holding a gun to her head, what if she is suffering from alcohol poisoning. Searchers need info so they can act according to what is going on at that moment she is found.

 

[oviedo]

This case has gone silent - I'm not finding any updates at all. weird..

 

[Cortne]

Yes I just asked a friend of mine that is local about any updates. Nada.

 

[oviedo]

If she comes back alive the embarrassment can be the catalyst to seek treatment and stick with it. Just being "outed" so to speak can be a persons "rock bottom" that forces them to change. Not knowing these medical/mental/addiction issues also could put someone who finds her in a precarious situation. What if she is aggressive, what if she is holding a gun to her head, what if she is suffering from alcohol poisoning. Searchers need info so they can act according to what is going on at that moment she is found.

The thing is - we are hearing it from one source - and that gives me pause. I checked the court history - no DUI's, some tickets for lack of registration, etc.
Orange County Clerk of Courts Records Search

It's just a little too much for me - for now...
JMO

 

[Black eyed pea]

The thing is - we are hearing it from one source - and that gives me pause. I checked the court history - no DUI's, some tickets for lack of registration, etc.
Orange County Clerk of Courts Records Search

It's just a little too much for me - for now...
JMO

I'd like to hear from other family and friends too. Did you check out the Orange County Official Records too?

 

[oviedo]

I'd like to hear from other family and friends too. Did you check out the Orange County Official Records too?

yes - deeds, mortgages and satisfactions - nothing unusual IMO

 

[Lamima]

If she comes back alive the embarrassment can be the catalyst to seek treatment and stick with it. Just being "outed" so to speak can be a persons "rock bottom" that forces them to change. Not knowing these medical/mental/addiction issues also could put someone who finds her in a precarious situation. What if she is aggressive, what if she is holding a gun to her head, what if she is suffering from alcohol poisoning. Searchers need info so they can act according to what is going on at that moment she is found.

I get that is how it should be...but almost every time the family does not reveal any sort of stigma type issues with the missing person. And that he is... is kind of interesting at the very least. Controlling the narrative is kind of a red flag. Just something to watch.

 

[oviedo]

I think LE is doing some investigating based on this silence and no further appeals. something is up
JMO

 

[Rose in SC]

ETA: When you live with or in close proximity to an alcoholic or an addict, you are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

RSBM - Amen. That is the truth.

I'm not the brightest penny in the roll, but I'd be surprised if the husband had anything to do with Stephanie's disappearance. JMO.

 

[Black eyed pea]

I hope that they are searching any other properties they might own and properties that relatives own - houses, rentals, businesses, storage units, construction work sites. In case she might have visited one of these places.

 

[oviedo]

I hope that they are searching any other properties they might own and properties that relatives own - houses, rentals, businesses, storage units, construction work sites. In case she might have visited one of these places.

Yes that would be wise IMO - think of poor Nicole Montalvo found on several properties of her ex-husband's family

 

[MrsWatson]

I'm normally the first one to suspect the husband/significant other/partner/ex, although I have tried to put a curb on that since the Heidi Broussard case. But I'm just not getting that from Stephanie's husband.

I could be totally off base.

 

[CluelessWonder]

Stephanie's husband is a very good man. There is always a lot of speculation on the husband. But there is no need for that here.

 

[azure]

RSBM - Amen. That is the truth.

I'm not the brightest penny in the roll, but I'd be surprised if the husband had anything to do with Stephanie's disappearance. JMO.

The woman was spotted at 2pm buying a bottle of vodka and people are upset that the husband shared that she has problems with alcohol? Makes no sense to me.

 

[Lamima]

The woman was spotted at 2pm buying a bottle of vodka and people are upset that the husband shared that she has problems with alcohol? Makes no sense to me.

I might be spotted at 2pm buying 2 bottles of wine and a case of beer...on the reg. That doesn't mean I have an alcohol problem. Who else has verified that SH has a long standing alcohol problem? Her brother or kids or friends?

 

[Tori1]

The woman was spotted at 2pm buying a bottle of vodka and people are upset that the husband shared that she has problems with alcohol? Makes no sense to me.

Reward doubled for information leading to missing Belle Isle mother

 

[oviedo]

I might be spotted at 2pm buying 2 bottles of wine and a case of beer...on the reg. That doesn't mean I have an alcohol problem. Who else has verified that SH has a long standing alcohol problem? Her brother or kids or friends?

BBM
Her brother is strangely silent ...
and so are her friends so we wait- but her driving history doesn’t show any DUIs ...
I find it extraordinary that no video has been released except the Walmart one - and there are a lot of cameras in the area
JMO

 

[Seattle1]

I've been following this case for a week. When I first saw the bank transaction, I suspected that she needed money for the toll road, which is just to the south. I changed my mind when I saw that she bought some liquor.

Once every few weeks, a driver will end up in water. There are small drainage lakes all over since most of the land is drained swamp. When they build highways, they always have to push water into a drainage area. So there are a lot of these things near major roads. And most people who end up in the water do so while entering or exiting a four-lane highway.

The vehicles usually are spotted. But a gap of 20-30 seconds in the traffic can make it so that a car can roll off into the water without being noticed.

Recently, we have had a fair amount of rain. So the drainage lakes are probably higher than normal. But many of them are shallow enough that one would notice the top of a truck. I'm sure there are some spots that are deeper than others. Some of these drainage areas are surrounded by fencing of some kind.

Looking at a map and thinking about the area, I would think that most people who are just driving around between home and shopping would stay in an area bounded by Orange Avenue to the west and Sand Lake Road to the south. There are fewer major roads to the north and east. But those areas would have taken her further from home rather than back toward it. And I get the impression that this was just a pit stop. I don't think self-harm in this case because she bothered to cover up her liquor purchase. Of course, she could have made the decision after drinking.

Their home is midway between the Walmart and the school her kids attend. It's on Orange Avenue where it intersects with Oak Ridge Road. They live in Belle Isle. This is an area with expensive homes. Most back up to water, and many people have docks and boats. There aren't many spots in that area where the road comes close to the water. But there are a few, and they all have some sort of railing.

The school releases students at 2:45. They do not have buses. So students must be taken home in private vehicles. It's possible that one her boys has a car and drives to the school. But it's also possible that she is responsible for getting the boys from school. If she was getting the kids, she likely wasn't planning to get black-out drunk or anything.

The last report I saw said her car was spotted going north from the Walmart area. If she was headed back toward home or to the school, she could have taken Hoffner. That would make sense. If she just wanted to be alone, she likely would have chosen to go south instead of north. There is a lot of open space around the airport and traffic is lighter. But it doesn't appear that she went that direction.

Still, I think it's worth checking any water near McCoy Road. Tradeport Drive and a little park south of that area. The park happens to be where I think she might have had one or more sons playing baseball in the past. It's usually pretty empty and would be an easy, short drive from Walmart for a person who wants to be alone.

That's all I have at the moment. I may think of some more stuff.

Thanks much @CluelessWonder for the excellent description of the local area. Much appreciated.

 

[Gardenkeep]

Reward doubled for information leading to missing Belle Isle mother

It appears her husband is trying to get volunteers for a search, and that they don't have enough to make that search yet. If I were in Florida, I'd sign up. I wonder if an appeal for volunteers could be made by one of the true crime channels? It would reach a lot more folks.