MO MO - Cherie Nicole Barnes, 3, St Louis, 7 Jan 1987

[The Sage Nabooru]

I’ve just found this case on the Unsolved Mysteries fandom page and I’ve seen the same story about her repeated here.

There’s one thing that doesn’t make sense.

There is no Independence Avenue in St. Louis, MO. I’ve lived here my entire life and actually did real estate title work for the City, which meant utilizing old legal descriptions of property; I’ve never even seen a street labeled “formerly Independence Avenue” on a plat map.

The closest thing I can find is Independence Lane, in Bridgeton, which is a suburb and isn’t too far away from where her body was found; however, as it’s a tiny street next to a quiet park and a school, surrounded by residential subdivisions, that just doesn’t make sense that she’d be forced to work on that street.

There’s an Independence Avenue in KC, but that’s where Cherie was last spotted, not Elizabeth.

I don’t know why this is bothering me so much, but it’s just that knowing that something isn’t right. What street did she actually work on? Why isn’t the one given in the story (apparently) correct? Even if it’s a minor detail, it’s eating at me.

 

[STLBlues]

I’ve just found this case on the Unsolved Mysteries fandom page and I’ve seen the same story about her repeated here.

There’s one thing that doesn’t make sense.

There is no Independence Avenue in St. Louis, MO. I’ve lived here my entire life and actually did real estate title work for the City, which meant utilizing old legal descriptions of property; I’ve never even seen a street labeled “formerly Independence Avenue” on a plat map.

The closest thing I can find is Independence Lane, in Bridgeton, which is a suburb and isn’t too far away from where her body was found; however, as it’s a tiny street next to a quiet park and a school, surrounded by residential subdivisions, that just doesn’t make sense that she’d be forced to work on that street.

There’s an Independence Avenue in KC, but that’s where Cherie was last spotted, not Elizabeth.

I don’t know why this is bothering me so much, but it’s just that knowing that something isn’t right. What street did she actually work on? Why isn’t the one given in the story (apparently) correct? Even if it’s a minor detail, it’s eating at me.

Agree, I'm born, raised and lived in STL my entire life and have never heard on an Independence Ave here. I did go to college in the KC area and know there is an Independence Ave there. Like you, it's bothered me as well. I wonder if the reference to Independence Ave is a typo and they meant Washington Ave?

 

[DS2021]

Agree, I'm born, raised and lived in STL my entire life and have never heard on an Independence Ave here. I did go to college in the KC area and know there is an Independence Ave there. Like you, it's bothered me as well. I wonder if the reference to Independence Ave is a typo and they meant Washington Ave?

Independence ave in KC MO seems to have been a popular area for sex workers.

MO SK IA

Clipping found in The Kansas City Star published in Kansas City, Missouri on 4/25/2004. MO SK IA

www.newspapers.com

There's quite a few cold cases involving SWs working that avenue being murdered and dumped in the Missouri River. It definitely looks like multiple serial killers

Edit

Independence Avenue prostitution sting makes six arrests - Northeast News

Michael Bushnell Northeast News During the afternoon hours, the focus of the operation focused on the Johns. After the female decoy was deployed on the street, it took roughly three minutes for the signal to be given to take down teams who followed the John and made the arrest. Detectives with...

northeastnews.net

Seems like it's still a popular location to this day

 

[STLBlues]

Independence ave in KC MO seems to have been a popular area for sex workers.

MO SK IA

Clipping found in The Kansas City Star published in Kansas City, Missouri on 4/25/2004. MO SK IA

www.newspapers.com

There's quite a few cold cases involving SWs working that avenue being murdered and dumped in the Missouri River. It definitely looks like multiple serial killers

Edit

Independence Avenue prostitution sting makes six arrests - Northeast News

Michael Bushnell Northeast News During the afternoon hours, the focus of the operation focused on the Johns. After the female decoy was deployed on the street, it took roughly three minutes for the signal to be given to take down teams who followed the John and made the arrest. Detectives with...

northeastnews.net

Seems like it's still a popular location to this day

Yes, back in the 80s/90s Independence Ave in KC was a known area for sex workers. So was Washington Ave in STL. But, the problem with the Independence Ave in KC angle is, Elizabeth disappeared from their home in STL and her body was found in the Mississippi River which is no where near KC. Independence Ave in KC is over 200 miles from the Mississippi.

 

[HBelusky]

Cheri was last seen in Kansas City.

 

[HBelusky]

Yes, back in the 80s/90s Independence Ave in KC was a known area for sex workers. So was Washington Ave in STL. But, the problem with the Independence Ave in KC angle is, Elizabeth disappeared from their home in STL and her body was found in the Mississippi River which is no where near KC. Independence Ave in KC is over 200 miles from the Mississippi.

Elizabeth lived in KC. Her body was found in St. Louis.

 

[OddOneOut]

Cold Case of 1989 – Part 1: The Blue Suitcase

www.jpinews.com

I thought this was interesting

I wonder if these remains were retested for DNA recently. This does sound like it could be Cherie. This seems like something @othram could help with.

 

[Quiet Time]

• This person has a thread titled 'I think I might be missing'
• She herself started it....dated October 16, 2025

She seems to be alive....

Missing Persons Resources​