OK MICHELLE CRAWFORD: Missing from Lawton, OK - 8 June 1999 - Age 21

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Michelle D. Crawford disappeared from Lawton, Oklahoma on June 8, 1999.


edited by staff to add media link


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Doe Network:
Case File 1769DFOK


Michelle Crawford
Missing since June 8, 1999 from Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma
Classification: Missing

Vital Statistics

Age at Time of Disappearance: 21 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'3"; 125 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blonde hair that went down to the middle of her back; blue eyes. Fair complexion.
Clothing: Shorts of unknown color or description
Marks, Scars: Heart surgery.
Dentals: Available
DNA: Available
Circumstances of Disappearance
Michelle Crawford from Lawton, Oklahoma has been missing since June 8, 1999. She she left home to see a movie on that night.
Her car with her personal effects was found on June 13 in Lawton, OK.
Michelle was a Junior in College in Lawton, an "A" student, and worked at the Gibsons department store when not in school.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Lawton Police Department
Detective Talavero
580-581-3475
580-581-3250
E-Mail

Agency Case Number: 1999-5071

Source Information:
Missing Michelle
NamUs MP #14428

http://doenetwork.org/cases/1769dfok.html
 
Circumstances of Disappearance
Michelle Crawford from Lawton, Oklahoma has been missing since June 8, 1999. She left home to see a movie on that night.
Her car with her personal effects was found on June 13 in Lawton, OK.
Michelle was a Junior in College in Lawton, an "A" student, and worked at the Gibsons department store when not in school.
 
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMyst ... lawton_ok/


This woman went missing from my hometown in 1999. I was in high school at the time. I eventually went to the same college she was a student at. I vaguely remember this story and just saw it on the Doe Network site. Any ideas? Theories?
Here's what happened:
She was 21 years old.
She was a junior at Cameron University.
She worked for Gibson's Discount Center, which was a locally-owned Walmart-type store.
She lived with her parents in the 2200 block of NW Lincoln Ave.
At 11 p.m. on Tuesday, June 8, 1999 she told her parents she was going to a movie.
Her car was found on June 13, 1999 in front of an apartment complex at 1127 E. Gore Boulevard (situated along Interstate-44 and with a high percentage of Army tenants).
Here is a map of the town with her house, the three movie theaters, and the location where her car was found
Here is the original article:
"Police search for missing woman Mc Nelly Torres Lawton police detectives are asking for the public's help as they continue the search for a 21-year-old woman >who has been missing for two weeks. Michelle Crawford is described as a white woman standing 5 feet, 3 inches tall, and weighing 120 pounds. She has blond hair and blue eyes. Crawford was last seen late June 8 when she told her parents, John and Kathy A. Crawford, she was going to the movies. According to a missing person report filed at the Lawton Police Department, her parents spoke with her last at 11 p.m., before she left the house. The Crawfords were already in bed when Michelle went in the bedroom to tell her parents she was going out. Her mother said the conversation was casual, and she didn't think at the time that anything was strange or out of place. Kathy Crawford said she remembers her daughter was wearing short blue jeans and black open-strap sandals early that day. She could not tell if her daughter was still wearing the same clothes because it was dark when >Michelle Crawford entered the bedroom, but she believes Michelle might have changed clothes before going out. Crawford was still living at home while attending Cameron University and working part-time at Gibson's during the school year, Kathy Crawford said Wednesday. An English major, Crawford had just completed the spring semester. "It's very unusual for her to leave without any clothes," her mother said, noting her daughter didn't take any clothing or belongings with her. Days after her daughter disappeared, Kathy Crawford decided to search for Michelle herself. After calling several of her daughter's friends and co-workers, she began driving the streets of Lawton, looking >for any sign of her daughter. "I needed to get out, and we kept driving and driving ...," the mother said. The Crawfords found Michelle's 1986 four-door gray Honda Accord at approximately 2:30 p.m. June 13, parked >in front of an apartment complex at 1127 E. Gore. "The car didn't look well parked," she said, adding the driver's door was the only door unlocked. Crawford's purse and the contents that a woman would normally take with her were found in the backseat of her car, said Lawton Police Detective John Whittington. Her bank account is also intact, her mother said. Police have placed Crawford's information in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) missing persons list, so law enforcement officers have access to information on her disappearance. Meanwhile, detectives continue to follow any lead that might help explain Crawford's sudden disappearance and assist in her return. "The investigation is open and active," Whittington said, adding people with any information on the case should call him or LPD Detective Tommy Harrell at the Lawton Police Department, 581-3240 or 581-3270."
Is it possible she never intended on going to the movies? She was 21 and lived with her parents. Perhaps she told her parents that and went instead to a local bar? There was a very popular nightclub at that time located just a mile or so east of where her car was found.
It's also likely her killer was active-duty military (Lawton is an Army town). That could explain how someone has kept quiet about it all this time. I'm not making any judgments on soldiers in general. I am an Army veteran myself. But soldiers are just like anyone else, could be a killer, and are relatively transient.
 
http://members.ebay.com/ws2/eBayISAPI.d ... stertech01

MASTERTECH01 YEAR 2014...MISSING MICHELLE

,
OUR DEAR MICHELLE IS MISSING!

I am modifying my me page for our missing beloved daughter Michelle Crawford who disappeared on June 8th 1999, in Lawton Oklahoma. A me page is only as strong as the life that makes you who you are and Michelle is so much what makes my life worth living. She is 5'3", shoulder blade length blonde hair, blue eyes, fair complexion, and approximately 125 lbs. Michelle is a Junior in College here in Lawton, and "A" student, and worked at the Gibsons department store when not in school. She paid her way through school with hard work, and had very little time for entertainment. She cares for people, offers her time freely to help others when she has free time, and was a parents ideal hope for how they would want their child to turn out in life. She took the opportunity to go out to a movie, she was telling us, and when she kissed us goodbye for the evening on 8 June, that was the last time we, or any one else she knew have ever seen her. We are very heavy hearted and frightened with this horrible nightmare and if anyone see's our sweet Michelle we pray you will report her sighting to Police or myself. My email address is mastertech011@gmail.com or phone (580-355-3744) or call Lawton Police at (580-581-3250) Your prayers are very much welcome and appreciated. My name is John Crawford.
UPDATE MAY 2000...Thanks so much for all your support these past months. As of this time there still has been no sightings of our dear Michelle, no witnesses, no evidence of anything since finding her car and posessions 5 days after her disappearance. We continue to hope and pray for her return...God bless you all and God bless our Michelle....

UPDATE JAN 2001..... well its now been a year and a half since we have seen or heard from Michelle. Our hearts remain heavy with our loss, yet we still hang on to the hope that someone somewhere will step forward and offer their help in solving the mystery of our beloved daughters disappearance. Though there have been very scant details at all, there is someone who knows..someone who carrys the burden of knowledge of the truth. We can only pray that one day it will be revealed to us so that we can have hope of closure in this excruciating delima. Our greatest hope is for a miracle...but alas so much time has passed and we must accept the reality of fact. God bless the many of you who have shared your time, resources, love, hope and prayers for our benefit, and on our childs behalf. I will never be able to repay it all but I know that God will bless you many times over for your kindness, love and compassion. We have in our home a little lamp..it is a figurine of an Angel..it has been on display near the front room picture window with the lamp burning 24 hours a day since the day Michelle was stolen from our lives..it shall remain so untill she is restored unto us..it is a symbol of our undieing love,hope and faith. Michelle was our first born and was a wonderful young woman who blessed us with such joy, and showed us what strength she had in battling all her Illnesses and heart operations, and won these battles to fight to the top of the ladder in all her achievements...and in her honor and example we shall not let this defeat us.. God Bless you all and thanks again for your love and especially prayers. In Gods hands are we, and in Gods hands we shall find our beloved Michelle...

UPDATE JAN 2 2002....Many of my great friends and strangers alike have asked about any news of Michelle. To this date there is still nothing new, no new clues, no new answers.

Michelle, your angel lamp still burns 24/7 for you. We love you so dearly, and miss you and think of you each and every passing day. We know our Lord is with you, and in no better hands can you be than his. He blessed us with your presence, your joy, your love, and we will forever be gratefull for those years of our lives that you were with us to touch our hearts.

We thank all those who have stood by us to help us in our grief and who have helped encourage us. May God bless you all. John and family

UPDATE JAN 1 2003... Its hard to believe that it has been 3 1/2 years since losing our Michelle. So much has happened in this world that she has missed. Many happy and many sad. Michelle was a great friend to many, but perhaps her friendship was most missed by her pals right here in the home. Kathy misses that friend she could share so much with, her closest friend in the world, who also happened to be her daughter. I miss so much all the great things she did to make us so proud. Her scholarly grades, her pride in her work, both at school and on the job. Her personal accomplishments that shone out like stars in our eyes. And most of all, those little hugs and butterfly kisses Mothers and Fathers love so much from thier children, no matter what stage of life you are in. And her sister Melissa misses her buddy and mentor to a degree that only a sister would know. We miss you so very much Michelle and our only comfort is in knowing that you have the Lord in your heart and that he is and always will care for you... for eternity. And to that we look forward in sharing with you one day.

Again God Bless all those who have tendered out your love and compassion and help in our continued process of healing from a loss that will never stop aching one way or another. Your words of encouragement have given us another arm of hope and strength to carry on. We love you all and are eternally gratefull for your presence in our lives.

Update May 22 2004 It is incomprehensible to me that is has now been almost 5 years since Michelle has disappeared with no news to offer. Not one new clue, not one person has stepped forward with information. It is clear that the person or persons responsible simply have no conscience or remorse. We are resigned to the fact that this mystery may never be solved and that it will be unto God to levy out all judgement for this, and we can live with that. We find solice in his devine power and we know that even should the entire world forget Michelle and what has happened, our Lord will always know and will deal with them in his way. I know of no better way to find peace than to release it all unto him and trust him. Early on I was angered with the Police, with the press and thier seeming lack of concern, and with those whom withheld information. But as time has gone by, I have learned to be less judgemental and more understanding. I have seen many documentaries and read many stories of how all the best criminal investigations and great volumes of press interest still netted little in the resolve of terrible crimes by terrible people. Many people are in the same predicament of my family and myself. We are not alone in our grief, but also are not alone in our faith. Our Lord has provided comfort when no comfort could be imaginable. He has shown us how to be courageous and how to carry on in spite of great tragedy. He gives us hope in even the darkest hours of despair and we know he was with her in her time of need and holds on tightly to her to this day. No one can take that away from her. Michelle has something that no force of evil can in anyway steal from her, and that is her everlasting promise from our Lord.

Over these years we have recieved great amounts of encouragement and love and prayers from thousands of freinds and strangers alike. People who have children and people who do not. People who have experienced the loss of a child, and others who can only imagine the horror, but know the fear. I have links to this page posted from many sources. And I am gratefull to others for offering links from thier sites. The message I hope to convey more than any other is a simple one if for no other. Love your children as you love yourself. Give them every moment of your attention as they seek it. Never take thier presence for granted or let a day go by without expressing your love, commitment, and compassion to thier needs. Never let them feel for even a moment that they should fear coming to you with any problem, no matter how complex or humiliating it may seem. It only takes one moment of insecurity and fear of disappointment to cause them to believe they cannot approach you with a serious problem. That moment of insecurity could casue them to take matters unto themselves that could open them to extreme danger. A danger that no one can protect them from. You are the key to thier future, and you can either make a great difference for thier good, or place other things in priority and lose focus, and in a twinking of an eye, lose everything. For the loss of your child in my opinion, can be tantamount to losing all that you built your life around, and will leave your life an empty shell of what it was and could have been. Your children are INDEED your future, so PLEASE dedicate all your efforts toward THEIR future.

God Bless all whom have shared with us, and thanks to all for the many prayers you have offered up for our Michelle.
 
http://charleyproject.org/case/michelle-d-crawford

Michelle's Charley Project page has been updated.

Details of Disappearance


Crawford was last seen in Lawton, Oklahoma at 11:00 p.m. on June 8, 1999. She lived with her parents in the 2200 block of northwest Lincoln Avenue at the time. She told her family members that she planned to go to the movies with a friend that evening. She has never been heard from again.

Crawford's parents found her gray four-door 1986 Honda Accord parked crookedly in the 1100 block of east Gore Boulevard, between the Best Western Hotel and Montego Bay Apartments, on June 13. Her purse and other belongings were in the backseat of the car, and all the doors were locked except the front driver's side door. There was no sign of her at the scene.

Crawford had only two close friends, according to her parents, and neither of them had plans to go with her to movies the night of her disappearance. Since she went missing her bank account has not been touched.

Crawford was a junior at Cameron University in 1999; she majored in English and made good grades, and had earned a full scholarship for the next semester of school. She was also employed part-time at Gibsons' Department Store in Lawton. Her family describes her as a generous, responsible, hard-working person and it is uncharacteristic of her to leave without warning.

There's a theory that Crawford's remains are buried on privately owned land in the Mountain View, Oklahoma area. Foul play is suspected in her case, which remains unsolved.
 
http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Ol...1 ... &mode=text

Family holds out hopes missing woman still alive after 20 years

The family of a Lawton woman who vanished in 1999 is holding out hope that she is still alive — nearly 20 years later.

Michelle Deanne Crawford, who was a 21-year-old Cameron University student at the time of her disappearance, went to the movies at 11 p.m. June 8, 1999, and never returned home to 2219 Northwest Lincoln, where she lived with her parents, John and Kathy Crawford, according to a missing person report filed June 9, 1999, by the Lawton Police Department.


Michelle’s cousin, Jackie Melton, of Kansas City, recently contacted The Lawton Constitution and requested that awareness be raised of Michelle’s disappearance. Michelle was born Sept. 26, 1977.

According to the 1999 missing person report, at the time of her disappearance, Michelle was described as a blonde-haired, blueeyed white woman standing 5 feet, 1 inch tall and weighing about 120 pounds.

The 1999 report states that when Michelle didn’t come home, Kathy Crawford, Michelle’s mother, called Gibson’s, where Michelle worked part-time, and was told that she didn’t show up to work or call, the 1999 report states.

“Michelle has never done anything like this before,” Kathy Crawford told police, according to the 1999 report.

An article about the oneyear anniversary of Michelle’s disappearance was published in The Lawton Constitution on June 14, 2000, after Constitution reporter McNelly Torres interviewed Kathy Crawford.

Kathy Crawford told the Constitution that she and her husband, John, were already tucked into bed for the night when their daughter came into their bedroom to tell them she was headed out to see a movie, the 2000 article states.

The conversation between Michelle and her parents was “casual,” and Kathy Crawford “didn’t think there was anything strange,” according to the 2000 article.

Lawton Police Capt. Bill Mathis told The Constitution that there was “no evidence that points to foul play so far,” and the “lack of leads makes cases extremely difficult for investigators” who are trying to find the truth, the 2000 article states.

Kathy Crawford told The Constitution in 2000 that her daughter’s disappearance didn’t make sense — Michelle left everything behind, including her clothes, money, ID and vehicle.

“It just doesn’t seem good,” Kathy Crawford said. “I have played so many scenarios that I don’t know what to think.”

The 2000 article states that Kathy and John Crawford set out to find their daughter, but instead of finding her, they found her 1986 four-door gray Honda Accord on June 13, 1999, in front of an apartment complex at 1127 E. Gore Blvd.

“The car wasn’t well parked, and the driver’s door was the only door that was unlocked,” according to the 2000 article.

In the back seat of the car was Michelle’s purse, which still contained its contents. Her bank account was also not touched, the 2000 article states.

Police entered Michelle’s information into the National Crime Information Center’s missing persons list, the 2000 article states. In April 2012, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System created a missing person case for Michelle, which is available to read at NamUs.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/14428.

Case remains an ‘open investigation’

Det. Charlie Whittington of the Lawton Police Department said on Friday that the case is not “cold” — nor is it “closed.”

“It’s still an ongoing investigation,” Whittington said.

Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 355-INFO (4636) or submit a tip online at lawtoncrimestoppers.com . Those whose information leads to an arrest and charges being filed may be eligible for a cash reward.
 
http://www.swoknews.com/local/family-ho ... r-20-years

The family of a Lawton woman who vanished in 1999 is holding out hope that she is still alive nearly 20 years later.

Michelle Deanne Crawford, who was a 21-year-old Cameron University student at the time of her disappearance, went to the movies at 11 p.m. June 8, 1999, and never returned home to 2219 Northwest Lincoln, where she lived with her parents, John and Kathy Crawford, according to a missing person report filed June 9, 1999, by the Lawton Police Department.
 
https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/lo ... 2014496351

Special Report: Disappearance of Michelle Crawford nearly 20 years later

LAWTON (KFDX/KJTL) - All last week, KFDX and Texoma's Homepage put a spotlight on missing person cases in our series, Mayberry, Texas, but now the spotlight has turned to someone in Texoma.

Michelle Crawford, 21, was an English major at Cameron University in Lawton, hoping to one day be able to impact lives as a teacher. Those who knew her said she was a straight "A" student, liked by everyone, and would have been a great teacher.

On June 8, 1999, Michelle came home after work to her parent's house on the 2200 block of Northwest Lincoln Avenue to tell them she was going to hang out with a friend.

"She had gotten off from work and we were both just getting off work ourselves and Kathy was getting ready to go to bed," her dad John Crawford said. "It was about 9 p.m. I was still up on my computer. Michelle came in and said she was going to go to a movie with a friend."

When they woke up, Michelle wasn't home, but her parents didn't think anything of it because she sometimes would get up early and go work out at the gym. When she hadn't returned home by that evening they knew something was wrong.

"Kathy had actually gotten home and her employer had called to find out if Michelle was there because she hadn't shown up for work," John Crawford said. "That's when we knew there was a problem. We found out from my youngest daughter who still lives with us that she hadn't been home all day. That's when I flagged down a police officer and we made a report."

Officials found Michelle's car in between the Best Western and Montego Bay Apartments is where. All of the doors were locked except for the driver side door and all of her personal belongings were found in the back seat. That is why John said he believes foul play was involved.

"We think that something happened to her arranged but we don't know who, what, when, or where," John Crawford said. "We just know she's gone and we've never seen from her again or heard from her again."

"She had an account with money in it in the bank that's never been touched," John Crawford said. "Her credit cards have never been used. Her IDs have never been used. Her Social Security Number has never been used. As far as we know she just vanished."

Regional Programs Specialist for the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System Mike Nance was a former homicide investigator. He said there are certain steps investigators will take to try to solve these cases. "If you left your home to go meet somebody at a drug deal, who were you last talking to on the phone just prior to disappearing," Nance said. "Those type of things provide leads for investigators to follow-up."

In Michelle's case, no new information has surfaced and there weren't many leads to go on to begin with. Nance said the lack of new information, and having exhausted all leads, makes this case so difficult.

"She left home one evening and no one has seen her since," Nance said. "That's what makes these type of investigations so difficult, the lack of physical evidence or any information to be able to follow-up on."

Nance said he's not sure if this is a case that will ever be solved unless the person or persons who know what happened to Michelle come forward. "Somebody knows what happened to Michelle," Nance said. "Hopefully they've talked to somebody else about it and hopefully it weighs heavily on the people who know what happened to Michelle and come forward."

John Crawford said he and his wife Kathy might not have many years left and now they just want to know what happened to their daughter. "We know that there's somebody out there who knows," John said. "Not just whoever did it. There's others that know what they know. We just wish they would step forward someday. We would love to give her, if she's gone, we would love to give her a Christian burial and have a place to lay flowers. Just love her."

If you have any information on this case you are urged to call Crime Stoppers at 580-355-4636.
 

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