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

[Julessleuther]

You are a wonderful neighbor!! I know this may be a silly question, but I did not see it asked before... Do you know if there are any dental and/or medical records that exist for Deanna? Do you know her blood type etc?

BTW, it is still up--she has not taken it down yet, LOL.

As far as facebook, can I just say that I am starting a Bejeweled addiction support group! I have decided to take a small hiatus from FB games (we will see how long that will last, LOL)

 

[Julessleuther]

Any relation to Skipper I wonder?

http://www.nampn.org/cases/white_danielyelle.html

Why is Deanna not listed in Killeen PD missing persons site?

http://www.ci.killeen.tx.us/killeenpd_com/missing.html

 

[MissieMt]

I'm not sure if she is related to Skpper, I'll try to do some digging later.
I have asked about Deanna being listed on the KPD site and have been given the brush off time and again.
I will admit I've been feeling quite defeated lately. After finding out the source of the tattoos I can't help but feel like I'm beating my head against a wall.
Lucky (sort of) for me I have tons on my plate right now so I can be distracted for a bit and then hopefully come back refreshed and re-motivated.
My baby girl is turning 5 next Tuesday (can you hear my heart breaking) so we're having her party this weekend. My sisters tell me she acts so much like Deanna did at that age.

 

[PhoebeG]

I have just spent over three hours reading all of these threads and Missie, what a wonderful thing you’re doing keeping Deanna’s story in the public eye like this! It must be so frustrating that while you’ve managed to find out so much in the past two years, you still don’t have an answer. I really hope you get it one day soon because you really deserve it. Everyone should have someone like you in their lives, and Deanna is so lucky to have you as a sister.


The thing that makes me angry about this is the lack of action from the police until you started pushing them in 2007, Missie. It shouldn’t take a relative demanding answers to finally prompt them to look for some who was 13 when they went missing in the middle of the night with two men. By not doing anything at the time, they’ve lost so much possible evidence, like witnesses who would no longer remember that night after 18 years but who might have seen Deanna or the brown car, the two men at the time. And I can’t believe they haven’t finished the age progression photo for you either, because that could be vital in someone today recognizing her!

Over the two years or so these threads having been here, a lot of people have mentioned looking at high school records for graduates that could be Deanna. In regards to her finishing high school someplace else…who would she be living with for starters? In my experience you need to be able to prove you have an address in the area with something like a electricity bill to enroll in a high school. How could she have done this? Who would be supporting her with food, clothes, books etc.?

I find it very strange that she should use her real name in the 1995 LE encounter, especially in Texas, the state where she went missing. If I had runaway I would automatically assume that by giving some sort of LE agent my real name they could and would do a simple search and it would pull up a missing persons report that I’d assume would have been made about me. Of course maybe this is what happened and that’s the real reason why Deanna was no longer listed as a missing person in 1995, but shouldn’t that have been recorded somewhere?

Although we already know the tattoos are very dubious, would Deanna really get Merryfield tattooed on her neck? If she’d tried so hard to disappear from everyone she knew, why would she have gotten something so…well, so obvious tattooed in such a visible place.

I’m honestly not actually this pessimistic, but I just want to offer some counter-arguments to some of these things. Obviously it is better to be safe and check everything rather than just making assumptions that Deanna would change her name, not go to high school etc. I really wish that Bekki and Deanna had had the chance to talk that night before your uncle came out and Deanna took off. It would have told us whether she had been planning to leave that night or if it was a sudden thing, because she could have wanted to say goodbye to Bekki as they were so close. And Missie, I just want to ask one question. If Deanna ran away, would she think that someone would report it at the time and actively look for her or would she assume, perhaps because of your mom not being particular active in her life at that time, that nobody would look especially hard? I know your grandma reported her as missing, I only ask because if she wasn’t worried about someone finding her or recognizing her name, she might not have bothered to change her name completely.

 

[Julessleuther]

Missie: Hang in there hon! I know you are really discouraged but it may take just one little bit of info to steer us in the right direction. Enjoy your time with your daughter, keep busy, and know that we are here to help you. When you are ready, you should turn your anger into something positive and get Sgt D to be more forthcoming to you. He has sat on this case long enough with no information. You have rights. SOmeone more experienced can correct me, but I believe that you have a right to access of his files. IF he is handling this as a homicide case, he does not have to give info, but he also has to advice you of that. As a missing persons case, however, I believe that you can request copies of his records. If you want, I will find a lawyer here on WS who can give you some advice on how to proceed or who to contact. Just let me know first if you want me to do this...

Phoebe: Welcome to websleuths! You bring up very good questions and points. A new pair of eyes on this may be exactly what we need. Do you have any suggestions on what we should work on?


Was Deanna already reported missing by 1995? Meaning, was there anything out there that showed that she was a missing and/or endangered runaway? If there was, why didn't police have more due diligence in regards to the Hurst sighting.

Missie: Do you know anyone who is a Texas Ranger or has contacts to the Texas State Police. If there is a supposed sighting of Deanna in 1995 in an area outside of Killeen, it is no longer in Killeen PD jurisdiction, so maybe we can bring in someone new who can take over the case and give it the attention it deserves. You have every right to be upset about the tattoo situation; in my amateur opinion, that was not just oversight but neglectful that he would include unsubstantiated information as truth in a missing persons detailed information. Have you or can you contact Hurst PD?

Don't give up--she is out there somewhere, and I know that we can find her one way or another. You have a right to know where your loved sister is.

I have just spent over three hours reading all of these threads and Missie, what a wonderful thing you’re doing keeping Deanna’s story in the public eye like this! It must be so frustrating that while you’ve managed to find out so much in the past two years, you still don’t have an answer. I really hope you get it one day soon because you really deserve it. Everyone should have someone like you in their lives, and Deanna is so lucky to have you as a sister.


The thing that makes me angry about this is the lack of action from the police until you started pushing them in 2007, Missie. It shouldn’t take a relative demanding answers to finally prompt them to look for some who was 13 when they went missing in the middle of the night with two men. By not doing anything at the time, they’ve lost so much possible evidence, like witnesses who would no longer remember that night after 18 years but who might have seen Deanna or the brown car, the two men at the time. And I can’t believe they haven’t finished the age progression photo for you either, because that could be vital in someone today recognizing her!

Over the two years or so these threads having been here, a lot of people have mentioned looking at high school records for graduates that could be Deanna. In regards to her finishing high school someplace else…who would she be living with for starters? In my experience you need to be able to prove you have an address in the area with something like a electricity bill to enroll in a high school. How could she have done this? Who would be supporting her with food, clothes, books etc.?

I find it very strange that she should use her real name in the 1995 LE encounter, especially in Texas, the state where she went missing. If I had runaway I would automatically assume that by giving some sort of LE agent my real name they could and would do a simple search and it would pull up a missing persons report that I’d assume would have been made about me. Of course maybe this is what happened and that’s the real reason why Deanna was no longer listed as a missing person in 1995, but shouldn’t that have been recorded somewhere?

Although we already know the tattoos are very dubious, would Deanna really get Merryfield tattooed on her neck? If she’d tried so hard to disappear from everyone she knew, why would she have gotten something so…well, so obvious tattooed in such a visible place.

I’m honestly not actually this pessimistic, but I just want to offer some counter-arguments to some of these things. Obviously it is better to be safe and check everything rather than just making assumptions that Deanna would change her name, not go to high school etc. I really wish that Bekki and Deanna had had the chance to talk that night before your uncle came out and Deanna took off. It would have told us whether she had been planning to leave that night or if it was a sudden thing, because she could have wanted to say goodbye to Bekki as they were so close. And Missie, I just want to ask one question. If Deanna ran away, would she think that someone would report it at the time and actively look for her or would she assume, perhaps because of your mom not being particular active in her life at that time, that nobody would look especially hard? I know your grandma reported her as missing, I only ask because if she wasn’t worried about someone finding her or recognizing her name, she might not have bothered to change her name completely.

 

[PhoebeG]

Thanks Jules!

I honestly believe Deanna is still alive, and it's not just the sighting/LE encounter from 1995 that makes me think that.

Firstly, it sounds as if Deanna left by choice. If the two men she was with planned to harm her in any way, why would they take her to Bekki and allow both themselves and their car to be seen by Bekki and Deanna's uncle?! For all they know, Bekki or her uncle could have even remembered part of their license plate! Even if Deanna told Bekki she wasn't doing anything much except driving around that night, which I believe Missie said at some point, it doesn't mean that she wasn't there to see her sister before she ranaway. She might not have wanted Bekki to know she was planning on leaving in case Bekki or her uncle tried to stop her or warned her grandmother before Deanna had a chance to get very far, and so she wouldn't have said something as obvious as goodbye out loud.

It's perfectly possibly that something happened to Deanna that made her think her only option was to leave and not tell anyone. She might not have told anyone out of shame or out of the fear they wouldn't believe her etc. I say this because I can think of a motivation that would have made me consider running away at 13 and later in my teens that no-one, and I mean no-one knew about, not even my closest friends. Missie says Deanna was a streetsmart kid, and used to being tough and looking after herself, so she probably would have had far more confidence her abilities to look after herself if she ran away.

I know Missie says she is doubtful of the 1992 phone call as it's placed from Kentucky, but the complete lack of coverage of this case at the time means that the phone call can only have been two things: Deanna herself or someone who knew Deanna AND her sisters (maybe they called to give the impression that Deanna was alive and well possibly to try to put her sisters and family off looking for her). The reason I say they knew her sisters is that they must have known their names to get their number. Some people have been asking where the caller would have got the number, but even if it was Deanna she wouldn't have known it because her sisters didn't have the apartment at the time. Could she/the caller have simply called information for the number? I don't know if there was any such an information line in 1992 as I was very young.

I've been thinking of possibly names she might have decided to use instead of her actual name, and I've done a search for Dianna/Diana Merryfield and Varner, and there is a Diana M Varner living in Texas but she was born there. The fact that the LE had contact and were able to connect it to Deanna means she must have been using her real name. Seeing as this encounter wasn't an arrest or something with detailed information, does anyone think that it might just have been someone using her name? It seems unlikely as it's a risk for someone to use someone else's name, but it just seems like a strange thing for Deanna to do, unless she felt that no one would be looking for her after 4 years.

For Deanna to survive to 1995 she MUST have had someone helping her, surely. A 13 year old can't get a job without lying, and any legitimate job would surely ask her for her birth certificate/SSN, and we know she hasn't used the SSN or requested a birth certificate for herself. If Deanna is alive then she is almost certainly living in the US, because she wouldn't have a passport to leave. She could have never needed to use her SSN as she might have found other ways of earning money, or found a boyfriend who had ways of earning money. She could have easily told people that she and the boyfriend were married too, that way changing her surname too. Nobody would ask for proof of a marriage.
Maybe she even used Skipper White's surname? Convenient as it is very common in the states, and we know she was close to Skipper (I really think someone should try contacting him again now that he's out of prison, even if it's just to get names of their other friends at the time-Deanna could have left with someone older who wouldn't be reported missing by a parent). He might also recall the last time he saw Deanna. If she planned to leave, she would surely say goodbye to Skipper in some way if they were that close. He seemed willing to talk to Missie before he went into prison, so hopefully he still will be. Of course he could have motive to lie about things or his memory could have distorted things over time, so we can't place too much on anything he does have to say.

Finally I just want to add that (generally) anyone can 'legally' change their name in the US without paperwork:

"Usually a person can adopt any name desired for any reason. Most states allow one to legally change their name by usage with no paperwork, but a court order may be required for many institutions (such as banks or government institutions) to officially accept the change"

Yes, that comes from wikipedia, but I know this to be the case anyway, at least with first names. With surnames people generally get the proper paperwork. I just want to highlight how easy it would be for Deanna to change her first name at the very least to pretty much anything.

I hope that isn't rambled, I do kind of ramble a lot when different thoughts occur to me as I'm writing!

 

[Julessleuther]

Phoebe:

You have some really good ideas, thank you!

 

[Julessleuther]

Doing the bump...

 

[elepher50]

:dance:Just doing the bump with Julessleuther ........:dance::dance:

 

[Julessleuther]

Oh yeah!!

:dance:Just doing the bump with Julessleuther ........:dance::dance:

 

[Julessleuther]

Weekend bump...

 

[SunnieRN]

IIRC she was last seen getting into a car with 2 men who were possibly Hispanic.

That would not be all that unusual for this area. It wouldn't draw extra attention. It would also not be something that would arouse undo suspicion from a stranger that would see her. If she was 5'4", well developed with make-up on she most likely appeared older.

Our Mother was only married once and did not take her husbands name-so she has always been Laurel Ann Merryfield.

Our Grandmother did have family in KY. It is my understanding that they have all passed now.

I really feel there could be a connection with your grandmothers relatives. Deanna was staying with your Grandmother and she was concerned for Deanna because of the interaction that involved Deanna and your step father. I keep thinking about the time that he followed your Grandmother to Skippers house. I don't mean to sound harsh, but I have a feeling she felt your Mom was not protecting Deanna adequately from your step father either. If your Grandmother had relatives in KY, she may also had some good friends.

Protection is a powerful motivation for a parent or grandparent. You also have no idea what else your Grandmother and Deanna discussed while she was living there, or what other secrets (if any) may have been revealed. I can think of absolutely no reason a friend would have called your sisters from Kentucky posing as Deanna. If the case had gotten the national attention of some cases I would think it was a wierdo, trying to get their jollies, but not from a pay phone where family lived.

Round Rock is where part of our family lives now, good memory elepher!!

As far as Skip not being interviewed yet, HA! Well...I'll reserve my judgement (bite my tongue till it bleeds, again). Not sure what the hold up is on that one though.

As far as I remember though, and I might be wrong about this-Skip's father was not around (if you guys are thinking the above mentioned man was his Dad). It always seemed like Skip had all the freedom he wanted, so I'm not sure why he would run away.

He may have run away just long enough to help Deanna run. He may have felt strongly that there was no other way for her to be safe. It could also be a dead end since she had started hanging around an older crowd of friends. The one point that makes me wonder though is that your Grandmother knew where he lived and she may have had Skipper accompany Deanna to where ever she wanted her to go, so that she didn't travel lone.

I am not trying to infer that your Grandmother has lied, but that there is a LOT more to this story than has been told to you. Why did your step father follow your grandmother to Skippers house? He was accused of molesting her. He should not have been any where near her. If I was Deannas Grandmother I would be afraid of that monster and do all I could to protect my grand daughter.

I am new to the Killeen area, having been here for almost two years now. I saw this in the newspaper article that ran in 2008. If LE did indeed talk to Deanna in 1995 without an arrest, it could have been related to an accident, robbery against her, or that she witnessed, an injury inflicted upon her or questioning for some other matter. A key point would be to research this matter until the encounter is explained. If you can determine the reason, you may be able to find clues to her whereabouts now.

I think at this point you have used your resources to the greatest advantage possible. I think you may need to try other means in addition to traditional law enforcement. If you could find a PI in the TX area where the 95 encounter occured it may not take a great amount of time to uncover people who knew her, the reason for the encounter with LE or someone who may have current information on where to find Deanna. A real stumbling point to the effectiveness of traditional law enforcement at this point are two fold. Firstly, I don't think an age enhanced picture of Deanna that is in the final stages should take this long to procure. Something is making me feel very hinky about this. I noticed that one site that someone listed does age enhancements for $99. This would be something that I would gladly help donate to!! Secondly and most importantly, there is no reason that a police officer can not tell you about an encounter with LE that is 14 years old, unless it was a personal medical matter. If that is the case, that heaven forbid Deanna was assaulted or raped, in a mental or general hospital, this would be able to be answered within general terms, without details. ie: Your sister was in a hospital, talked to an officer and released. At that time she was ok etc.

Too many questions for a case that started with a missing 13 year old with one of the largest being the drop of the search after the 1995 LE encounter.

Sorry if any of this offends. That was not my intention in any way, shape or form. I just feel that someone close to your sister has some answers of some kind.

 

[Julessleuther]

Don't want to speak for Missie, but I can tell you that her grandmother has been working with Sgt D too, cooperating fully, and seems just as concerned about Deanna's wereabouts as Missie is. I really do not feel that her grandmother is involved in some big conspiracy; at this point in time what would she have to gain by not just revealing where Deanna is?

I do agree that there is more to the story than Missie has been told, but I do not necessarily think her grandmother is the one not talking. What does she have to gain? Laurel is dead, Deanna is an adult, Roy is out of the picture.

As far as the Hurst sighting in 1995, I agree that Missie should try to find out more; however, since Deanna was an adult by 1995, the police do not legally have to reveal one ounce of info, unless they do out of compassion.

Missie needs a local TX advocate to help her; someone who was worked with NCMEC and knows the ropes, how to work with local LE etc. IMO, I think Missie is alittle stressed out right now, but we are here if she needs us. Missie, when you are feeling better, can you tell us if Sgt D has any new info? Has he contacted Skipper?

 

[Julessleuther]

Missie--Do you know how you posted on the Killeen topix about Deanna? Can we do one for the Hurst area topix, as well as Dallas? Just in case? Also in Kentucky?

 

[Julessleuther]

Hey Missie!


I did not see Deanna here. Believe has given information on how to get someone entered into NAMUS.

Has your case been entered into NAMUS?? - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[SunnieRN]

I was asking people at work, who have lived in Killeen much longer than I have, if they remember when Deanna disappeared Two of them told me that the first time they heard anything was when a newspaper article came out, but they couldn't remember what year it was.

I hope all is well with Missie and her family!

 

[Julessleuther]

I wish we could get a Killeen newspaper or tv station to do a feature on Deanna!

 

[Julessleuther]

Per Missies approval, Deanna's info has been posted to the Hurst, TX and Horse Cave topix sites:

http://www.topix.com/forum/city/hurst-tx/TBF21HAGB37GDB3PV#lastPost


http://www.topix.com/forum/city/horse-cave-ky/TTBPUETDMLPE2JKS5#lastPost

 

[Julessleuther]

Nothing from the topix posts yet. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[Julessleuther]

Bumping for Missie and Bekki!