TX TX - Deanna Merryfield, 13, Killeen, 22 July 1990 - #1

[MissieMt]

Facts of the case so far:
1989-Summertime-our Mom is in the hospital, Deanna and Bekki sneak out at night, go to our Grandma's and tell her of sexual abuse by Roy.
-Amy, Bekki, Deanna, and Missie are soon split up and sent to live with relatives in the same town.
October, 1989-Roy is convicted of indecency with a child/ sexual contact, given 10 years probation.
1990-Springtime- Missie moves back in with parents.
-The last school Deanna attended was Manor Middle School in Killeen,Tx. She was in the 7th. Grade it was the spring of 1990.
July 21, 1990-Deanna is living with our Grandma. They stay up until approx. 1am watching movies and then our Grandma goes to bed.
July 22,1990-at approx. 3:30 am Deanna taps on Bekki's window at our Uncles trailer. They only talk for a few minutes before our Uncle comes outside and tells Deanna to get home. She is last seen at Oak Springs Estates in Killeen Texas.
-Our Grandma enters Deanna's room at 11am to wake her up and sees that she is not there.
-Our Grandma calls our Mom, picks up a picture from our Mom, and then files a police report.
1992-Amy and Bekki receive a collect call from someone claiming to be Deanna. When they except the call the person hangs up. The phone call was placed in Cave City, Kentucky at a pay phone.
October 1995- An additional missing person report is filed by due to our Grandma inquiring as to why the original report was no longer on file.
-Our Grandma was told that since Deanna had turned 18 she was removed from the missing person list. She is told that Deanna has been put back on the missing persons list.
February 20,2002-Our Mom dies from complications from cirrhosis of the liver (alcoholism).
2003- A private investigator and friend of Amy's, runs Deanna's social security number and finds no activity.
Deanna's Description:
DOB: February 2, 1977
Age when missing: 13
Date Missing:July 22, 1990
Blonde Hair
Blue Eyes
5ft.4in
Approx 115 lbs.
One small scar on upper lip

 

[Julessleuther]

Hi Missie, I am still here, just have been real busy with family stuff too. I hope you had a great weekend with your son! In your review I did notice something that I had not noticed before...the call from Cave City was from a pay phone? How do you know? Did your sisters hear your Deanna's voice at all, or just the operator? Was your sisters phone number(where the collect call came into) listed or unlisted? Had there been ANY media coverage at all about your sisters disappearance, or would there be anyone else you would ever suspect of creating a hoax call, pretending to be Deanna? If not, we really have to assume that it really WAS her that called. If it was, how did she get to Cave City, KY? Was there ANYONE that Becca and Deanna hung out with that moved right around or soon after the time that Deanna went missing? Maybe a neighbor of your grandmothers? If it truly was Deanna who made that collect call, then the fact that she was alive two yrs after going missing is a good thing---she was still very much alive! Do we know any sleuthers from the Cave City area here at websleuths who can help us out? We need to get posters or something up in that area, to see if anyone knows her!! I do not want to give any false hope, I really don't, but I truly feel that Deanna can and will be found.

 

[Julessleuther]

Ok--it looks like there is a community message board that is part of the Glasgow Times newspaper. I can join and post a message stating that we are looking for Deanna with a link to this message board or whatever you want me to put there, or if you prefer Missie, you can join and do it?

http://community.cnhi.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/3191074


Missie, Amy, becca----DO you know what hospital Deanna and Becca were born in? I wonder if there is a way you could contact Texas Vital records and ask them if anyone has requested a copy of Deanna's birth certificate? She would need that to get a drivers license etc. As far as the social security...my younger natural sister was issued a soc sec number when she was in foster care, but when she was adopted, her adopted parents did not know that, so at some point in time (this was the early to mid 70's) she was issued a new soc sec number. She did not find out until about 10 yrs ago that she had TWO social sec numbers. Perhaps Deanna did not know she had a social and was issued a new one? As far as Deanna being close to all of you, and your reasoning that if she could, she would contact you...that may not be the case. Perhaps as an adult she is ashamed for what she did as a kid, and is afraid of disrupting all your lives, including her own. Maybe she is just scared because so much time passed. Again this is from personal experience, but I had several chances to meet my natural brother about 5-8 yrs before we finally did meet, but everytime I had the chance I chickened out. I was so scared that he would not like me, or like what I had become. It was so ridiculous, because he was my brother and loved me when we met--he did not care about all those things I was afraid he would not like me for, but I still had been scared. Perhaps she thinks you have all moved on and is scared to contact you. She probably has "hunted" you down over the years to see what has happened to all of you, but has been too scared to contact you. I may be way off base, but it is a thought... Deanna---if you are reading this, please contact your sisters. They really want you found!!!

 

[Julessleuther]

Hey guys--I am been searching for awhile, and I found this!!! I do not want to get any hopes up, but it sure is interesting, especially considering Deanna had a friend named Kenny RODGERS. I searched under Kentucky marriage records for a Deanna M, and came up with this (under ancestry.com)

----------------------------------------
Kentucky Marriage Index, 1973-1999
about Deanna M Likens

Name Deanna M LikensGender:Female Race:White Age:17 Estimated birth year:1973 Marriage Date:3 Aug 1990Marital Status:Never married Residence County:Barren Residence County after Married:BarrenState:Kentucky Spouse:Scotty RogersSpouse Age:19 Spouse Race:White Spouse Residence County:Barren Spouse Marital Status:Never married Volume Number:052 Certificate Number:25531 Marriage License County:Barren Volume Year:1990


--------------------------------------------------------

Now, I know that the age for this Deanna was off, but perhaps they "fudged" the age to add some years so she could legally get married???

 

[SadieMae]

WHy am I contacting Killeen HS students for 1990??

Shouldn't I be working on contacting students from Fairway middle from 1990 and before?

Oh, I hope I am not wasting time and email ops sending to the wrong folks


ETA...I just added Fairway Middle to my "communities" on classmates....y'all let me know if I should be emailing there too, or not, or one or both, LOL! And the years, please. TIA

It would be a good ideal to contact the middle schools also. Killeen is a VERY transient city because of Fort Hood. Many kids that went to middle school here weren't necessarily here to attend high school. Military orders for family moves go on all the time. Some come back in a few years and re-enroll in schools, other families never return.

Missie...sorry I haven't been of much help lately. But I'm here now. Glad to see the records are on the way. Too much has been going for me. Have you considered having Deanna's story run in the Killeen Daily Herald?

 

[Julessleuther]

Ok--I found an address for Skipper (Skip) White in TX, but do not want to post the info here. I will PM it to Missie in the a.m I have to get to bed!!
It does look like Skip (Skipper) was born in CA.

 

[SadieMae]

I don't know if anyone asked, but if Deanna did come back to Killeen to try to find you or sisters, do you still have family here she could locate?

 

[Jaded]

I was joking a few threads ago when I said 'where did everyone go', LOL...I was amused that most following this popped in and said HEY! Missie, don't feel guilty if you are not here for periods, it's OK. You have life to live and that is reality. I used to get so down because I would plan to do something online, then a million things come up at home and 'stuff on the computer' (hate to say it that way, but that's what most of us sleuthers families, friends, coworkers who aren't involved in the crime world, think of what we do) it has to be put on the back burner for some of us, INCLUDING YOU.

There are ups and and downs, days we will be posting over each other then weeks when we are waiting for word on something.

Enjoy your birthday party!

I am going to post again on classmates, when they lock from emailing for 24 hours, it's down to the second! I missed my chance yesterday

BTW, talking about classmates... I want to compose an email, to classmates...see if they will 'partner' up with some posters...give some free (try for free first, if that doesn't work I'll try a discount ) accounts and we agree to have them in our siggies or something?? What do y'all think of that? Willing to advertise for them for free accounts? It's a great investigative tool, we could get them to work w/us? Maybe even give us a section for "missing classmates"? Anyhow, I need to think about how to approach that. I will wait for you all to chime in.

I think the classmates idea is an excellent one - especially the high traffic they get from alumni. Would be a great way to get the word out about missing persons.

 

[SadieMae]

Ok--I found an address for Skipper (Skip) White in TX, but do not want to post the info here. I will PM it to Missie in the a.m I have to get to bed!!
It does look like Skip (Skipper) was born in CA.

I think I know which one that is and know the area well. Does the street name include "house"?

 

[LionRun]

Miissie, great fact sheet!

Lion

 

[LionRun]

I don't know if anyone asked, but if Deanna did come back to Killeen to try to find you or sisters, do you still have family here she could locate?

I think Missie stated that her grandma still lives at the same house and has the same phone number. Missie, please correct me if I am wrong.

Lion

 

[MissieMt]

That is right Lion. Our Grandma has the same address, phone number-everything! Also, my parents and I were in the same house until about 1996 and they kept the same number the whole time our Mom was alive.

As far as Cave City goes- I really am quite skeptical about it. I know for a fact that the phone call was placed, etc. But I really find it very hard to believe she would still be alive and not contact someone. She was very close to our Grandma and her twin. That being said, I am not against pursuing it-even if it's just to make sure she's not their. Sorry if I sound pessimistic, I'm just not sure.

I still haven't heard anything about the records from KPD, but I'm going to call them today.

 

[mjak]

I have been following this thread since you first posted Missie and hope you and your family find the answers you are looking for. I have a question about the timeline.
"July 22,1990-at approx. 3:30 am Deanna taps on Bekki's window at our Uncles trailer. They only talk for a few minutes before our Uncle comes outside and tells Deanna to get home. She is last seen at Oak Springs Estates in Killeen Texas. "
Was it commonplace for Deanna to sneak out late at night? Does Bekki recall what they talked about? My next question may sound accusitory toward your uncle but I do not mean it to be. If my 13 year old niece showed up at my window at 3:30am I would insist she come in the house, call her family and spend the night or ascort her home. The only reason I might not do this if she was not alone and appeared to be in the company of other people I felt to be responsible and believed her to be safe in their presence or if this was common behavior for her. If your uncle did not feel alarmed by her being outside at 3:30 am I would like to know why. As this could shed some light onto the cirumstances they led to her dissapearance. Was she commonly out in the streets to all hours of the nights, Was there a group of kids who were out to all hours of the night which she was associating with? Did Deanna have a history of running away? Did she frequently visit Bekki at odd late hours? What did Deanna tell Bekki her reason for the late night visit was? Judging from your uncles lack of alarm I am led to hypothesize that Deanna was not a stranger to late night meanderings with friends. He did not view her late night visit has indicitive of running away or being in some sort of trouble or I am sure he would have interceded and not just yelled at her to get home . Therefore, I have to wonder if Deannas dissapearnce is the result of something that occured that night while hanging out with whatever friends or acquatancies she met that night.

mjak

 

[LionRun]

That is right Lion. Our Grandma has the same address, phone number-everything! Also, my parents and I were in the same house until about 1996 and they kept the same number the whole time our Mom was alive.

As far as Cave City goes- I really am quite skeptical about it. I know for a fact that the phone call was placed, etc. But I really find it very hard to believe she would still be alive and not contact someone. She was very close to our Grandma and her twin. That being said, I am not against pursuing it-even if it's just to make sure she's not their. Sorry if I sound pessimistic, I'm just not sure.

I still haven't heard anything about the records from KPD, but I'm going to call them today.

Good morning Missie. I am skeptical; but, the name Deanna is not that common. It is possible that it was her. She could have run away and have survived until 1992. The life of a young run away is so full of risks, and she could have been killed after or around that time period in 1992.

Also, unless she left that night with her SS number in hand, she knew it by heart, or at a later date called SS Admin. to get a duplicate or new SS#, the lack of activity concerning her SS# may not have been a reliable indicator.

Lion

 

[LionRun]

I have been following this thread since you first posted Missie and hope you and your family find the answers you are looking for. I have a question about the timeline.
"July 22,1990-at approx. 3:30 am Deanna taps on Bekki's window at our Uncles trailer. They only talk for a few minutes before our Uncle comes outside and tells Deanna to get home. She is last seen at Oak Springs Estates in Killeen Texas. "
Was it commonplace for Deanna to sneak out late at night? Does Bekki recall what they talked about? My next question may sound accusitory toward your uncle but I do not mean it to be. If my 13 year old niece showed up at my window at 3:30am I would insist she come in the house, call her family and spend the night or ascort her home. The only reason I might not do this if she was not alone and appeared to be in the company of other people I felt to be responsible and believed her to be safe in their presence or if this was common behavior for her. If your uncle did not feel alarmed by her being outside at 3:30 am I would like to know why. As this could shed some light onto the cirumstances they led to her dissapearance. Was she commonly out in the streets to all hours of the nights, Was there a group of kids who were out to all hours of the night which she was associating with? Did Deanna have a history of running away? Did she frequently visit Bekki at odd late hours? What did Deanna tell Bekki her reason for the late night visit was? Judging from your uncles lack of alarm I am led to hypothesize that Deanna was not a stranger to late night meanderings with friends. He did not view her late night visit has indicitive of running away or being in some sort of trouble or I am sure he would have interceded and not just yelled at her to get home . Therefore, I have to wonder if Deannas dissapearnce is the result of something that occured that night while hanging out with whatever friends or acquatancies she met that night.

mjak

Hi mjak. I think that most of the questions you asked have been answered with the exception of the Uncle's reported actions concerning the night that Deanna went to the Uncle's home to see Bekki.

I was originally under the impression that when the Uncle awoke and went outside to see what was going on that Deanna took off with the two men in the brown car. I thought she just took off. I didn't hear until recently that the Uncle told Deanna to go home. Maybe Missie can elaborate on that.

If the Uncle in fact told Deanna to go home(with 2 strange men in an unknown car, in the middle of the night, at age 13), that is far from what perhaps would have been best. But, as I understand it, the Uncle had and may still have drug issues. People on drugs, be it meth, alcohol, cocaine, or what ever lack judgement--even at times when they are, "straight." So, in this case I don't find it surprising. Alcoholism/drug addiction can be one of several factors in dysfunctional families.

Lion

 

[Julessleuther]

That is right Lion. Our Grandma has the same address, phone number-everything! Also, my parents and I were in the same house until about 1996 and they kept the same number the whole time our Mom was alive.

As far as Cave City goes- I really am quite skeptical about it. I know for a fact that the phone call was placed, etc. But I really find it very hard to believe she would still be alive and not contact someone. She was very close to our Grandma and her twin. That being said, I am not against pursuing it-even if it's just to make sure she's not their. Sorry if I sound pessimistic, I'm just not sure.

I still haven't heard anything about the records from KPD, but I'm going to call them today.

Ok, so perhaps I should not bother with Cave City? If it was not Deanna, how many people knew she was missing, and why do you think they would "impersonate" her? Perhaps that, in and of itself, is a clue? If you truly think it was not Deanna calling from Cave City, then we should try to find out WHY someone would impersonate her. Did you have any missing posters of her around your town that someone could have taken and used? FWIW, I would think that if someone was trying to play a hoax, they would call either your mother or grandmothers house, not your sisters, unless it is a friend or enemy of one of your sisters.

Also, I read back through all the posts, and it looks like you already have Skipper Whites info--have you or any of your sisters contacted him? Maybe as an adult, with so many years past, he may be more willing to talk. Maybe he knows who her last group of friends was.

 

[SadieMae]

Good morning Missie. I am skeptical; but, the name Deanna is not that common. It is possible that it was her. She could have run away and have survived until 1992. The life of a young run away is so full of risks, and she could have been killed after or around that time period in 1992.

Also, unless she left that night with her SS number in hand, she knew it by heart, or at a later date called SS Admin. to get a duplicate or new SS#, the lack of activity concerning her SS# may not have been a reliable indicator.

Lion

To get a replacement SS card Deanna would have had to present a "certified" state seal copy of her birth certificate to a local SS office or to request a new one. I'm pretty sure they require it. Maybe check with the vital statistics office in the county of birth to see if any request for her birth certificate had been made? I'm not even sure they keep records of copy requests.

 

[LionRun]

To get a replacement SS card Deanna would have had to present a "certified" state seal copy of her birth certificate to a local SS office or to request a new one. I'm pretty sure they require it. Maybe check with the vital statistics office in the county of birth to see if any request for her birth certificate had been made? I'm not even sure they keep records of copy requests.

Excellent idea Sadie. Missie, since you are family can you check to see if anyone tried to do this from 1990 until present?

Lion

 

[LionRun]

Ok, so perhaps I should not bother with Cave City? If it was not Deanna, how many people knew she was missing, and why do you think they would "impersonate" her? Perhaps that, in and of itself, is a clue? If you truly think it was not Deanna calling from Cave City, then we should try to find out WHY someone would impersonate her. Did you have any missing posters of her around your town that someone could have taken and used? FWIW, I would think that if someone was trying to play a hoax, they would call either your mother or grandmothers house, not your sisters, unless it is a friend or enemy of one of your sisters.

Also, I read back through all the posts, and it looks like you already have Skipper Whites info--have you or any of your sisters contacted him? Maybe as an adult, with so many years past, he may be more willing to talk. Maybe he knows who her last group of friends was.

Julessleuther, I would continue to check Cave City, Kentucky for evidence that she was and/or is still alive. I would also check Kentucky in general for such signs. It is still possible that Deanna made it that far if she ran away or even if she was abducted(unlikely, but, possible). Perhaps check also for UID's in Kentucky and in Texas. Then, I might check all UID's for states leading from Kentucky to Texas--in case she was on her way home from Kentucky and never made it. I would concentrate on Texas and Kentucky UID's first, though.

Lion

 

[Julessleuther]

Ok--it looks like there is a community message board that is part of the Glasgow Times newspaper. I can join and post a message stating that we are looking for Deanna with a link to this message board or whatever you want me to put there, or if you prefer Missie, you can join and do it?

http://community.cnhi.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/3191074


Missie, Amy, becca----DO you know what hospital Deanna and Becca were born in? I wonder if there is a way you could contact Texas Vital records and ask them if anyone has requested a copy of Deanna's birth certificate? She would need that to get a drivers license etc. As far as the social security...my younger natural sister was issued a soc sec number when she was in foster care, but when she was adopted, her adopted parents did not know that, so at some point in time (this was the early to mid 70's) she was issued a new soc sec number. She did not find out until about 10 yrs ago that she had TWO social sec numbers. Perhaps Deanna did not know she had a social and was issued a new one? As far as Deanna being close to all of you, and your reasoning that if she could, she would contact you...that may not be the case. Perhaps as an adult she is ashamed for what she did as a kid, and is afraid of disrupting all your lives, including her own. Maybe she is just scared because so much time passed. Again this is from personal experience, but I had several chances to meet my natural brother about 5-8 yrs before we finally did meet, but everytime I had the chance I chickened out. I was so scared that he would not like me, or like what I had become. It was so ridiculous, because he was my brother and loved me when we met--he did not care about all those things I was afraid he would not like me for, but I still had been scared. Perhaps she thinks you have all moved on and is scared to contact you. She probably has "hunted" you down over the years to see what has happened to all of you, but has been too scared to contact you. I may be way off base, but it is a thought... Deanna---if you are reading this, please contact your sisters. They really want you found!!!

Should I try to post something here?