TN TN - Summer Moon-Utah Wells Missing from Rogersville, June 2021 #34

[The Zookeeper]

I think about Summer frequently, my mama heart aches for her. What I find most frustrating is that it seems like there is absolutely nothing, no evidence at all. No leads, no nothing. I don’t really think it was an accident or something intentional by the parents or grandmother because I think one of the boys would have said something by now. Yet, I also can’t imagine this being a stranger abduction because they lived so rurally. Could someone that knew the family and lived nearby taken her? Surely the police would have investigated that theory, at least I hope so. That leaves only her wandering away and getting lost or fatally injured. Surely if she was somewhere in the woods they would have found her. I know there is also the possibility that she fell into an old well or a hole in the ground or something. Sigh….. Summer, where are you???

One more thought, my husband isn’t in to true crime, but he was a deputy sheriff for 20 plus years. I asked his opinion about Summer disappearing somehow in the woods, because we live rurally in thick woods ourselves. He said that there are a lot of holes in our woods where water has eroded around deep tree roots. He said it’s possible a small child could fall into one. But he also said that his experience tells him that someone knows what happened to her.

 

[CuriousCricket]

I think about Summer frequently, my mama heart aches for her. What I find most frustrating is that it seems like there is absolutely nothing, no evidence at all. No leads, no nothing. I don’t really think it was an accident or something intentional by the parents or grandmother because I think one of the boys would have said something by now. Yet, I also can’t imagine this being a stranger abduction because they lived so rurally. Could someone that knew the family and lived nearby taken her? Surely the police would have investigated that theory, at least I hope so. That leaves only her wandering away and getting lost or fatally injured. Surely if she was somewhere in the woods they would have found her. I know there is also the possibility that she fell into an old well or a hole in the ground or something. Sigh….. Summer, where are you???

It took awhile to get there, but I'm with you on this. After the guy who lived in the house for awhile was found (Jose, I believe?) and said he couldn't believe they'd let her get away. That the reason the couch was placed over the downstairs door was so she couldn't go running and that she was wild when she did. Well, in terrain that rugged, I came to suspect she fell into a cravice, over some rocks, down into a tiny hole and was either killed instantly or her little voice was not strong enough to be heard by searchers. Most other scenarios don't really seem plausible to me. Poor little Summer. And what her disappearance did that entire family is heartbreaking. Like you, I think of Summer and her family often.

 

[SluethinAway]

I have always suspected the parents of knowing what happened to Summer.
Either having direct knowledge because of neglect and an accident or possibly selling Summer.
After seeing the latest news about the Bunker from He!! in Alabama... My heart just aches to know where she is.

4 years later and I still search the news everyday for any trace of her...

 

[imstilla.grandma]

TBI releases new age progression photo of Summer Wells, who's been missing since 2021

A forensic artist has created an image of what Summer Wells may look like today as the search for her continues four years later.

www.wbir.com

https://www.facebook.com/TBInvestigation/posts/1166685645483883

 

[K9Enzo]

The Amber Alert mention got my attention - the TBI must believe abduction was credible to meet the AA criteria. IMO

Wells has been missing for over four years, but remains the subject of an AMBER Alert in Tennessee.

TBI releases new age progression photo of Summer Wells, who's been missing since 2021

A forensic artist has created an image of what Summer Wells may look like today as the search for her continues four years later.

www.wbir.com

 

[flashy09]

https://www.wate.com/news/hawkins-county-news/law-enforcement-follows-up-on-lead-in-summer-wells-case/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WATE_6_On_Your_Side&brid=pMb0fzkb0lst4ZIjLFMtDg

More than four years after Summer Wells was reported missing from her home in the Beech Creek Community of Hawkins County, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) confirmed the case is far from cold.

A TBI spokesperson said agents, along with the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, continue to investigate what happened to Summer. On Thursday, Nov. 13, the TBI and detectives were at a location in the 3500 block of Van Hill Road in Greeneville following up on a lead in the case.
That area is about 9.5 miles from the Wells’ family home on Ben Hill Road via State Route 347.

 

[steeltowngirl]

https://www.wate.com/news/hawkins-county-news/law-enforcement-follows-up-on-lead-in-summer-wells-case/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WATE_6_On_Your_Side&brid=pMb0fzkb0lst4ZIjLFMtDg

More than four years after Summer Wells was reported missing from her home in the Beech Creek Community of Hawkins County, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) confirmed the case is far from cold.

A TBI spokesperson said agents, along with the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, continue to investigate what happened to Summer. On Thursday, Nov. 13, the TBI and detectives were at a location in the 3500 block of Van Hill Road in Greeneville following up on a lead in the case.
That area is about 9.5 miles from the Wells’ family home on Ben Hill Road via State Route 347.

Looks to be a mostly wooded area.

Street View of 3500 Van Hill Rd · Google Maps

3500 Van Hill Rd, Greeneville, TN 37745

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[CuriousCricket]

Looks to be a mostly wooded area.

Street View of 3500 Van Hill Rd · Google Maps

3500 Van Hill Rd, Greeneville, TN 37745

maps.app.goo.gl

It is a wooded, mountainous area. The address is deceiving. It says "in Greeneville", but it is not. It is a Greeneville address that is about 16 miles from Greeneville's main street and much closer to Baileyton, a properous old town, in Greene County, that I-81 now runs through/over. Being north of Baileyton, the 3500 Van Hill Road is very close to the Hawkins County line and Google tells me the address is actually closer to downtown Rogersville than Greeneville by a couple of miles. This area is local to me.

 

[steeltowngirl]

It is a wooded, mountainous area. The address is deceiving. It says "in Greeneville", but it is not. It is a Greeneville address that is about 16 miles from Greeneville's main street and much closer to Baileyton, a properous old town, in Greene County, that I-81 now runs through/over. Being north of Baileyton, the 3500 Van Hill Road is very close to the Hawkins County line and Google tells me the address is actually closer to downtown Rogersville than Greeneville by a couple of miles. This area is local to me.

Thank you for bringing local perspective. I'm not seeing many homes or businesses along the route from Ben Hill to Van Hill, just a few churches and cemeteries. Is that accurate?

 

[CuriousCricket]

Thank you for bringing local perspective. I'm not seeing many homes or businesses along the route from Ben Hill to Van Hill, just a few churches and cemeteries. Is that accurate?

It's been several years since I've been in that area, but yes, according to my memory. It becomes more remote and isolated when you head up the mountain between Rogersville and Greeneville.

 

[MrsWatson]

Heartening to see that Summer's case hasn't gone cold.

 

[wvmoonangel]

I have always suspected the parents of knowing what happened to Summer.
Either having direct knowledge because of neglect and an accident or possibly selling Summer.
After seeing the latest news about the Bunker from He!! in Alabama... My heart just aches to know where she is.

4 years later and I still search the news everyday for any trace of her...

May be why they are declining media request since they followed up on a new tip.

https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/summer-wells-tn/summer-wells-parents-decline-media-requests-after-new-law-enforcement-search

 

[SMK777]

May be why they are declining media request since they followed up on a new tip.

https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/summer-wells-tn/summer-wells-parents-decline-media-requests-after-new-law-enforcement-search

Thanks for posting that link. I had always thought this case would be resolved quickly but at least it's still an active investigation.

 

[jenn83]

Crazy that we made it to thread #34 and still don't know any more than we did from thread #1

 

[SluethinAway]

May be why they are declining media request since they followed up on a new tip.

https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/summer-wells-tn/summer-wells-parents-decline-media-requests-after-new-law-enforcement-search

From property records, I can see that this area is associated with someone Don Wells spoke to the night Summer disappeared. Someone the police have questioned but not named as a suspect hence me not mentioning the name here.
You can go to Greene County tax assessor page and search the address yourself.

 

[TwinkieDefense]

Nov 20, 2025 article

https://www.krqe.com/news/national/summer-wells-more-than-4-years-later-investigators-follow-up-on-lead-in-case-of-missing-girl/

 

[Caylee Advocate]

From property records, I can see that this area is associated with someone Don Wells spoke to the night Summer disappeared. Someone the police have questioned but not named as a suspect hence me not mentioning the name here.
You can go to Greene County tax assessor page and search the address yourself.

Same one who now lives in Indiana and married a podcaster? FH?

 

[Ontario Mom]

From property records, I can see that this area is associated with someone Don Wells spoke to the night Summer disappeared. Someone the police have questioned but not named as a suspect hence me not mentioning the name here.
You can go to Greene County tax assessor page and search the address yourself.

Is this person someone mentioned in the media as being questioned by police? If yes, you can actually name them.

 

[MrsWatson]

Has there been any sort of update from LE regarding the most recent search?