1 00:00:02,467 --> 00:00:05,867 [narrator reading] 2 00:00:05,867 --> 00:00:08,667 [woman 1] I sent a dire message to her. 3 00:00:08,667 --> 00:00:11,767 "Sheena, are you okay? I'm really worried about you. 4 00:00:11,834 --> 00:00:15,333 I haven't heard from you. You're not returning my calls. Are you all right?" 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:17,667 [woman 2] I felt alarmed, 6 00:00:17,667 --> 00:00:21,867 because you just never think that this kind of thing could happen to someone you know. 7 00:00:21,934 --> 00:00:24,667 [narrator] Her family is desperate for answers. 8 00:00:24,734 --> 00:00:28,767 Was there some kind of connection that the boyfriend had... 9 00:00:28,767 --> 00:00:31,266 What does it mean when you have someone you're close to 10 00:00:31,333 --> 00:00:34,667 that you're hiding from the rest of the people that you're close to? 11 00:00:34,667 --> 00:00:37,867 Someone took her against her will... 12 00:00:37,867 --> 00:00:40,834 or she's in trouble somewhere. 13 00:00:42,500 --> 00:00:48,166 [narrator] This episode of Disappeared retraces Sheena's last known steps. 14 00:00:48,233 --> 00:00:50,467 [woman 3] Chicago can be one of the most beautiful places on Earth 15 00:00:50,533 --> 00:00:53,066 but it also can be very dangerous. 16 00:00:53,066 --> 00:00:57,467 [woman 4] I find it weird that they said that Sheena was at a Greenleaf hostel. 17 00:00:57,467 --> 00:01:00,467 I can't see my friend being here. 18 00:01:00,467 --> 00:01:04,166 The mystery seems to grow as the case grows colder. 19 00:01:04,166 --> 00:01:07,000 There are so many unknowns. 20 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,967 [woman 4] This whole time I just have so much hope because she's a fighter. 21 00:01:11,033 --> 00:01:14,467 She ain't dead to me. I have no reason to think she's dead, 22 00:01:14,533 --> 00:01:17,467 'cause we don't got her. Just find her. 23 00:01:17,467 --> 00:01:20,166 [narrator] The more people who know Sheena's story, 24 00:01:20,166 --> 00:01:22,934 the greater the chance of bringing her home. 25 00:01:23,667 --> 00:01:26,266 Share on social media, get the word out. 26 00:01:27,166 --> 00:01:28,467 Help find her. 27 00:01:29,166 --> 00:01:31,266 [narrator reading] 28 00:01:43,266 --> 00:01:46,767 [Bethany] Sheena Gibbs disappeared in Chicago, Illinois 29 00:01:46,767 --> 00:01:49,433 in early November, 2021. 30 00:01:50,266 --> 00:01:52,166 And she's still missing. 31 00:01:55,266 --> 00:01:58,967 My name is Bethany and Sheena Gibbs is my friend. 32 00:01:58,967 --> 00:02:01,834 I've known Sheena for over 20 years. 33 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,066 Sheena was living in Chicago, Illinois, 34 00:02:05,133 --> 00:02:08,533 but she's actually from a small town in Iowa. 35 00:02:12,100 --> 00:02:13,967 My name is Lilita Kelly, 36 00:02:13,967 --> 00:02:17,433 and Sheena Gibbs and I have been friends since we were children. 37 00:02:19,100 --> 00:02:23,000 I moved to Muscatine, Iowa, in 1991. 38 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,367 I was in the seventh grade and Sheena was in the sixth. 39 00:02:26,367 --> 00:02:30,000 That how we met. We were both 11-years-old. 40 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,367 We just loved each other. 41 00:02:31,433 --> 00:02:34,266 From the time we met each other, we just never missed a beat. 42 00:02:34,266 --> 00:02:38,066 We did everything together. We would go down to the Mississippi, 43 00:02:38,066 --> 00:02:39,567 and skip rocks in the water. 44 00:02:39,634 --> 00:02:42,467 We loved the library. So we loved to read. 45 00:02:42,467 --> 00:02:44,967 We used to get in trouble a little bit, too. 46 00:02:45,033 --> 00:02:48,567 But overall, everything we did it was just always fun. 47 00:02:48,567 --> 00:02:52,867 She loved to dance. She loved that, those African dancers. 48 00:02:52,867 --> 00:02:55,233 She's just extraordinary. 49 00:02:55,967 --> 00:02:59,367 Then she moved to Chicago for college. 50 00:02:59,433 --> 00:03:03,333 She said that was really fun. She really liked that. 51 00:03:06,166 --> 00:03:11,767 I met Sheena in the early 2000s at college in Chicago. 52 00:03:11,767 --> 00:03:15,166 We were both in the psychology class together. 53 00:03:15,166 --> 00:03:20,767 And she was this beautiful, tall woman who carried this energy, and... 54 00:03:20,834 --> 00:03:24,967 was wearing a bright yellow shirt that said, "I am black history." 55 00:03:24,967 --> 00:03:27,667 And I was wearing, um, my Malcolm X shirt 56 00:03:27,667 --> 00:03:32,166 and we both kind of just gravitated toward each other after class. 57 00:03:32,166 --> 00:03:35,266 She and I ended up starting a psychology club there, 58 00:03:35,266 --> 00:03:37,767 and just spending a lot of time together, 59 00:03:37,767 --> 00:03:41,066 and kind of forming this cluster of friends. 60 00:03:42,900 --> 00:03:45,967 My name is Sarah. Sheena Gibbs is my friend. 61 00:03:46,767 --> 00:03:48,767 I met Sheena in college. 62 00:03:48,834 --> 00:03:52,767 There was a group of us who would study together, hang out on the beach, 63 00:03:52,767 --> 00:03:55,367 play board games, go to Moody's Pub, 64 00:03:55,367 --> 00:03:58,767 which is, uh, has a great burger in Chicago. 65 00:03:58,767 --> 00:04:03,066 We sort of connected because Sheena had passion for African culture. 66 00:04:03,133 --> 00:04:04,867 My first husband was African. 67 00:04:04,867 --> 00:04:08,367 So we sort of connected over that. 68 00:04:08,367 --> 00:04:12,100 [Bethany] We spent a lot of nights on the beach talking about our hopes and dreams, 69 00:04:12,100 --> 00:04:17,000 the type of careers we wanted to have, love, adventures, 70 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:18,533 all kinds of things. 71 00:04:21,567 --> 00:04:27,567 For Sheena, the importance for her future was about giving back 72 00:04:27,567 --> 00:04:31,266 to this earth and to people. 73 00:04:31,333 --> 00:04:37,767 She's always been focused on finding a way to serve people who are suffering 74 00:04:37,767 --> 00:04:39,767 and marginalized communities. 75 00:04:39,767 --> 00:04:46,066 And that's why she picked Anthropology and social sciences to study in school. 76 00:04:46,066 --> 00:04:49,867 She's super smart, super-- Always was super smart since I met her. 77 00:04:49,934 --> 00:04:52,100 She did all kind of jobs. 78 00:04:52,100 --> 00:04:54,333 Sheena's definitely a motivator. 79 00:04:56,567 --> 00:05:01,367 [Sarah] Sheena's mom fell seriously ill in the Fall of 2021. 80 00:05:01,433 --> 00:05:06,467 Her mom needed some help and so she had already worked as a home healthcare worker. 81 00:05:06,467 --> 00:05:11,367 And so, to her the natural solution was to go to Iowa to care for her mom. 82 00:05:12,700 --> 00:05:16,066 She loved her family. She knew her mom didn't want to be in nursing home, 83 00:05:16,066 --> 00:05:17,734 Sheena was the one that would help her mom. 84 00:05:24,567 --> 00:05:29,867 Sheena had travelled back and forth from Chicago to Iowa to care for her mom. 85 00:05:29,867 --> 00:05:33,467 And she was considering relocating to Iowa. 86 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,767 At that time the majority of our communication 87 00:05:38,834 --> 00:05:41,767 was via text or phone call, or Facebook. 88 00:05:41,767 --> 00:05:44,867 But gradually I started noticing, 89 00:05:44,867 --> 00:05:47,967 Sheena wasn't really calling me back when I would call. 90 00:05:47,967 --> 00:05:51,667 So after two or three times of this, couple of months, 91 00:05:51,667 --> 00:05:54,767 I started becoming increasingly concerned 92 00:05:54,834 --> 00:05:58,233 because it wasn't a normal pattern for her not to call back. 93 00:05:59,567 --> 00:06:04,367 So finally in October of 2021 94 00:06:04,367 --> 00:06:07,467 I sent, like a dire message to her. 95 00:06:07,467 --> 00:06:11,033 [Sarah reading] 96 00:06:15,166 --> 00:06:18,867 And then I would say within two or three days 97 00:06:18,934 --> 00:06:22,667 she responded, and she was like, "Oh, yeah. Sorry, I've been busy." 98 00:06:22,667 --> 00:06:24,967 And, "How are you doing?" 99 00:06:24,967 --> 00:06:27,567 So I thought, oh, okay. She's all right. 100 00:06:27,567 --> 00:06:30,166 She's fine. She's just been busy. 101 00:06:30,233 --> 00:06:32,000 People get busy and things happen. 102 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,166 I know Sheena was busy travelling back and forth 103 00:06:35,166 --> 00:06:38,867 from Iowa to Chicago, taking care of her mom. 104 00:06:38,867 --> 00:06:44,166 But there was something very abnormal about the lack of communication. 105 00:06:45,100 --> 00:06:47,533 And I wasn't the only one that noticed it. 106 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,967 [Bethany] The second week of November of 2021, 107 00:06:51,967 --> 00:06:56,266 I was at home doing some work on the computer 108 00:06:56,266 --> 00:07:01,100 and I saw a message from someone I didn't know 109 00:07:01,100 --> 00:07:04,767 asking if I had talked with Sheena recently. 110 00:07:04,767 --> 00:07:08,667 And saying that Sheena was missing. 111 00:07:08,667 --> 00:07:13,266 And I was confused and thought, this is some kind of weird joke. 112 00:07:13,266 --> 00:07:16,867 But I will copy this message and send it to Sheena 113 00:07:16,934 --> 00:07:19,767 so that if she knows this person she can reassure them. 114 00:07:19,767 --> 00:07:21,467 And so that's what I did. 115 00:07:21,467 --> 00:07:24,567 I didn't really think too much of it because... 116 00:07:24,567 --> 00:07:27,867 you just never think that this kind of thing could happen to someone you know. 117 00:07:28,567 --> 00:07:31,000 I didn't hear back from Sheena. 118 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:35,867 And then I got a call from her aunt... 119 00:07:35,934 --> 00:07:39,734 and she told me she had been missing. 120 00:07:41,100 --> 00:07:42,834 I felt alarmed. 121 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,767 But also some disbelief. 122 00:07:46,767 --> 00:07:50,166 I didn't really think it could be that she's really missing. 123 00:07:50,166 --> 00:07:54,567 And it just seemed like some sort of miscommunication or misunderstanding. 124 00:07:54,567 --> 00:07:58,000 So I called her, text her and message her. 125 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:03,000 And eventually it became real that she really was missing. 126 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:08,000 And this was serious and scary. 127 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:12,166 [Sarah] I was having dinner with my family when I got the call from a friend 128 00:08:12,166 --> 00:08:14,867 that Sheena was missing. 129 00:08:14,867 --> 00:08:18,967 At first I just kept thinking there had to be some kind of mistake. 130 00:08:19,033 --> 00:08:21,567 But then I started thinking about how 131 00:08:21,567 --> 00:08:25,367 she had sort of been distancing herself a little bit 132 00:08:25,433 --> 00:08:28,166 and not returning phone calls as much. 133 00:08:28,166 --> 00:08:32,467 But Sheena's not someone who would just go missing. 134 00:08:32,467 --> 00:08:36,967 Sheena's aunt told us that she had taken the bus back to Chicago from Iowa, 135 00:08:36,967 --> 00:08:38,867 November 1st. 136 00:08:38,934 --> 00:08:43,066 Sheena was supposed to take the bus back to Iowa a couple days later on November 8th. 137 00:08:43,066 --> 00:08:45,867 But Sheena never came back to Iowa. 138 00:08:45,867 --> 00:08:49,533 We weren't sure if she had even made it back to Chicago or not. 139 00:08:53,266 --> 00:08:58,667 I believe Sheena's aunt notified the Chicago Police Department, November 8th. 140 00:08:58,734 --> 00:09:01,333 Shortly after, they could not get ahold of her... 141 00:09:02,100 --> 00:09:04,967 and filed a missing person's report. 142 00:09:04,967 --> 00:09:07,967 Police department in Iowa was also notified 143 00:09:07,967 --> 00:09:12,266 because we weren't sure, had she made it back to Iowa or not. 144 00:09:12,266 --> 00:09:14,467 Both police stations were notified. 145 00:09:18,967 --> 00:09:24,467 My name is Linda Cook and I am a reporter for WHBF in Rock Island, Illinois. 146 00:09:24,467 --> 00:09:28,867 I've been covering Missing Persons cases for quite some time. 147 00:09:28,867 --> 00:09:32,767 One of the missing case I focused on is Sheena's Missing Person case. 148 00:09:32,834 --> 00:09:37,166 It's believed that Sheena went missing in early November of 2021. 149 00:09:37,166 --> 00:09:39,166 The case was difficult for me to follow, 150 00:09:39,166 --> 00:09:42,266 and I think it's been difficult for everyone, including officials to follow 151 00:09:42,266 --> 00:09:46,467 because Sheena's movements from November of that year really aren't very clear. 152 00:09:46,467 --> 00:09:50,767 In late October, 2021, we know she was with her family in Iowa. 153 00:09:50,767 --> 00:09:54,667 Her family thinks Sheena made it back to Chicago November 1st. 154 00:09:54,667 --> 00:09:58,100 But even that can't be ascertained for sure. 155 00:09:58,100 --> 00:10:01,166 No one really knows what her movements were. 156 00:10:01,233 --> 00:10:04,767 You have two different states, you have two different counties. 157 00:10:04,767 --> 00:10:10,100 It would be a massive, massive initiative to put all of that together 158 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:12,767 for one huge hunt. 159 00:10:12,767 --> 00:10:15,767 At this point her friends and family are considering 160 00:10:15,767 --> 00:10:18,467 that Sheena could be literally anywhere. 161 00:10:19,900 --> 00:10:21,433 [Lilita Kelly] How do you go missing... 162 00:10:22,367 --> 00:10:24,767 if you've been in Chicago all these years 163 00:10:24,834 --> 00:10:26,266 right when you finna come home, 164 00:10:26,333 --> 00:10:29,066 right when you finna come back to where you're from. 165 00:10:29,133 --> 00:10:33,066 So I just find that very strange. 166 00:10:33,133 --> 00:10:37,767 And I feel so bad, 'cause I'm like, why didn't I talk to her in two weeks? 167 00:10:37,767 --> 00:10:40,767 Like, we talk so much. It's like the couple of weeks that I didn't talk to you, 168 00:10:40,767 --> 00:10:42,166 and now you missin'? 169 00:10:42,166 --> 00:10:44,967 What the heck? That just hurts my heart to the bone. 170 00:10:48,667 --> 00:10:51,567 [Bethany] I think I was in shock. 171 00:10:51,567 --> 00:10:56,667 I was in disbelief. I still find myself in disbelief sometimes. 172 00:10:56,734 --> 00:11:01,266 And my mind went to, what do I need to do? What do we need to do... 173 00:11:01,266 --> 00:11:06,166 to find her. She lives in Chicago, it shouldn't be that difficult. 174 00:11:06,233 --> 00:11:13,767 But because Sheena had grown more distant in 2020, 2021, we did not have any leads. 175 00:11:13,767 --> 00:11:19,000 I had heard that Sheena had a boyfriend in 2021, that she was staying with. 176 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,467 I hadn't met him, but that was what I had heard from mutual friends. 177 00:11:23,467 --> 00:11:28,567 I think maybe she knew we might not approve of her boyfriend. 178 00:11:28,567 --> 00:11:32,166 [Bethany] I think Sheena was dating someone before she went missing. 179 00:11:32,233 --> 00:11:37,066 I don't know if that relationship was ongoing at the time she went missing, 180 00:11:37,066 --> 00:11:39,266 'cause it sounds like it was on and off. 181 00:11:39,266 --> 00:11:42,667 But I didn't know the name of this person, 182 00:11:42,734 --> 00:11:45,667 or how to contact them, any contact information. 183 00:11:45,734 --> 00:11:52,266 She kept that part of her life very private over the last, I'd say, five years. 184 00:11:52,266 --> 00:11:54,667 [Linda Cook] What does it mean when you have someone you're close to... 185 00:11:54,734 --> 00:11:57,266 that you're hiding from the rest of the people that you're close to? 186 00:11:57,266 --> 00:12:00,567 Was there some kind of connection 187 00:12:00,634 --> 00:12:03,333 that the boyfriend had that Sheena was trying to hide? 188 00:12:10,700 --> 00:12:13,667 [Bethany] About two weeks after Sheena went missing 189 00:12:13,667 --> 00:12:16,266 I am thinking, time is ticking, 190 00:12:16,333 --> 00:12:21,767 and Sheena is likely suffering or in danger. 191 00:12:21,767 --> 00:12:25,467 And we need to find out if there's any other relevant information 192 00:12:25,467 --> 00:12:26,834 about her boyfriend. 193 00:12:32,700 --> 00:12:34,867 [Sarah] Years before she went missing 194 00:12:34,867 --> 00:12:37,767 Sheena was diagnosed with cancer at 25. 195 00:12:37,834 --> 00:12:42,266 It was a really difficult time for her but she was determined to fight it, 196 00:12:42,333 --> 00:12:43,667 to push through. 197 00:12:44,667 --> 00:12:47,734 She was diagnosed with cervical cancer. 198 00:12:48,767 --> 00:12:53,767 She went through a very long and difficult battle 199 00:12:53,767 --> 00:12:56,100 with chemo and radiation. 200 00:12:56,100 --> 00:13:02,066 And she was pretty much on her own in Chicago through all of this. 201 00:13:03,100 --> 00:13:05,266 [Sarah] Sheena was able to get a hysterectomy, 202 00:13:05,266 --> 00:13:09,767 and after a couple of years Sheena finally went into remission. 203 00:13:09,767 --> 00:13:13,266 [Lilita] When we were 26 she had to get that hysterectomy. 204 00:13:13,266 --> 00:13:17,867 So she knew like, right then, "Hey, I'm not never gonna be able to have kids." 205 00:13:17,934 --> 00:13:21,667 That was the only thing that probably set her down for a second. 206 00:13:21,667 --> 00:13:26,367 [Bethany] I think going through that battle with cancer 207 00:13:26,367 --> 00:13:29,667 did take a toll on her emotionally. 208 00:13:29,734 --> 00:13:34,367 And then beyond that it may have left her a little depressed 209 00:13:34,367 --> 00:13:36,767 or emotionally taxed. 210 00:13:36,834 --> 00:13:43,266 And it was a slow process to regain her strength after that experience. 211 00:13:44,867 --> 00:13:48,767 Something did change after her battle with cancer. 212 00:13:48,767 --> 00:13:55,467 And I think she felt a part of her was maybe damaged beyond repair. 213 00:13:55,467 --> 00:13:59,100 [Sarah] Over time, after her cancer diagnosis, 214 00:13:59,100 --> 00:14:02,867 I noticed that the caliber of men that she was dating 215 00:14:02,867 --> 00:14:06,166 seemed to be a little bit more questionable. 216 00:14:06,166 --> 00:14:10,266 Her previous boyfriends that I knew had been really, really awesome guys. 217 00:14:10,266 --> 00:14:12,066 But after the diagnosis, 218 00:14:12,066 --> 00:14:16,066 I wasn't sure why she was making the choices she was making. 219 00:14:16,133 --> 00:14:19,533 I have a feeling she didn't have great self-esteem at that time. 220 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:25,767 Before Sheena disappeared after her cancer diagnosis, 221 00:14:25,767 --> 00:14:28,967 one day when I was at her house she was talking to me 222 00:14:29,033 --> 00:14:32,266 about a boyfriend she was dating at that time, 223 00:14:32,266 --> 00:14:35,867 and she had told me that they had gotten into an altercation. 224 00:14:35,934 --> 00:14:38,066 I think a mug had been thrown. 225 00:14:38,066 --> 00:14:42,166 It raised a red flag. And I said, "Sheena, that's concerning. 226 00:14:42,166 --> 00:14:43,967 I'm worried about your welfare." 227 00:14:43,967 --> 00:14:47,066 And I started becoming increasingly concerned. 228 00:14:47,066 --> 00:14:50,567 Because it became a normal pattern for her not to confide in me 229 00:14:50,567 --> 00:14:52,233 about the guys she was dating. 230 00:14:57,100 --> 00:15:02,467 [Bethany] The last time I saw Sheena was in June of 2021. 231 00:15:02,467 --> 00:15:05,567 She was living with her new boyfriend at the time. 232 00:15:05,567 --> 00:15:09,066 And there had been an altercation or disruption. 233 00:15:10,367 --> 00:15:14,367 She came to my house, and she was pretty upset, 234 00:15:14,367 --> 00:15:19,066 and needed a few hours to talk and calm her nerves. 235 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,767 A couple of weeks after she came to my house, 236 00:15:23,767 --> 00:15:27,567 I sent her a text just asking if everything was okay, 237 00:15:27,567 --> 00:15:30,066 and the situation had gotten any better. 238 00:15:30,066 --> 00:15:32,867 And she sent a message back that she was fine, 239 00:15:32,867 --> 00:15:35,967 and she was grateful that I could be there for her. 240 00:15:36,033 --> 00:15:41,567 I believe that relationship was tapering down, but I don't know. 241 00:15:41,634 --> 00:15:44,767 [Sarah] We realized that we knew she had this boyfriend, 242 00:15:44,834 --> 00:15:47,166 but we didn't know anything about him. 243 00:15:47,166 --> 00:15:50,000 No name, phone number, address... 244 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:51,567 We needed him to help us, 245 00:15:51,567 --> 00:15:55,834 trying to figure out what's going on, trying to find out where Sheena is. 246 00:15:57,100 --> 00:15:59,767 [Linda] Most of the time when there's a disappearance, 247 00:15:59,767 --> 00:16:03,266 police look at those closest to the victim first. 248 00:16:03,333 --> 00:16:07,266 And often suspects or persons of interest are family members, 249 00:16:07,266 --> 00:16:12,367 whether they are spouses, boyfriends, sons, daughters. 250 00:16:12,433 --> 00:16:17,066 It's possible Sheena was living with her boyfriend in the Summer of 2021. 251 00:16:17,066 --> 00:16:20,100 And that possibly the relationship had become toxic. 252 00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:22,467 But we don't know this for sure. 253 00:16:22,533 --> 00:16:25,166 [Sarah] Domestic violence is also a possibility. 254 00:16:25,166 --> 00:16:28,467 Statistically, out of domestic violence murders, 255 00:16:28,467 --> 00:16:30,867 70 percent are women who are murdered. 256 00:16:30,867 --> 00:16:36,467 And out of all female murders, 45 percent are murdered by someone they know, 257 00:16:36,533 --> 00:16:39,266 a intimate partner. 258 00:16:39,266 --> 00:16:43,467 So we passed along that she may have been dating someone to the police. 259 00:16:43,467 --> 00:16:46,033 And that it seems like she may have been scared. 260 00:16:47,166 --> 00:16:49,667 Her latest boyfriend was the one that she, 261 00:16:49,667 --> 00:16:51,166 she obviously really liked him. 262 00:16:51,166 --> 00:16:52,767 It seemed like she really liked him. 263 00:16:52,834 --> 00:16:56,166 I figured maybe he was controlling, he was always bothered, like... 264 00:16:56,233 --> 00:16:57,266 You know, how we talkin' on the phone, 265 00:16:57,266 --> 00:16:59,000 her conversations kinda shortened up. 266 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,467 But she didn't never say anything wrong about that boy. 267 00:17:02,467 --> 00:17:06,567 Only thing weird to me about him from my own personal view, 268 00:17:06,567 --> 00:17:09,266 is I just couldn't understand why he didn't reach out. 269 00:17:09,266 --> 00:17:10,667 That was my whole thing. 270 00:17:10,667 --> 00:17:14,233 I said to myself, it just seemed like it was too obvious to me. 271 00:17:15,266 --> 00:17:17,634 And... but not saying that it's not. 272 00:17:20,467 --> 00:17:23,100 Person of interest is one thing, suspect is another. 273 00:17:23,100 --> 00:17:25,066 And there has been nothing. 274 00:17:25,066 --> 00:17:28,634 There's still not enough evidence to lead police to a person of interest. 275 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,467 At this point, we don't have any new leads 276 00:17:33,533 --> 00:17:36,867 or if the police do, they're not sharing with us. 277 00:17:36,934 --> 00:17:41,467 We don't know if the police were following up on the tips I was giving them. 278 00:17:41,467 --> 00:17:46,367 I'm feeling angry with the police, with everyone, just the situation 279 00:17:46,367 --> 00:17:49,367 and frustrated and restless 280 00:17:49,367 --> 00:17:52,567 wanting to figure out what to do, how to solve this 281 00:17:52,567 --> 00:17:54,166 and get Sheena back home. 282 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:07,166 [Linda] It seems like every element of this case that's known 283 00:18:07,166 --> 00:18:09,166 creates a thousand more that are not 284 00:18:09,233 --> 00:18:13,667 and the mystery seems to grow as the case grows colder. 285 00:18:13,667 --> 00:18:17,567 Sometimes in cases of disappearance domestic violence is a factor. 286 00:18:17,634 --> 00:18:19,567 Now that's not necessarily meaning 287 00:18:19,567 --> 00:18:22,567 that there was violence that resulted in a death. 288 00:18:22,567 --> 00:18:26,266 Sometimes people leave on their own to get away from the situation. 289 00:18:26,266 --> 00:18:28,166 We have to leave that open, too. 290 00:18:28,233 --> 00:18:32,266 Is it possible Sheena is missing by her own choice? 291 00:18:39,900 --> 00:18:43,867 Sheena is not the type of person to run from problems 292 00:18:43,867 --> 00:18:47,667 or challenges, or anything, to be honest. 293 00:18:47,667 --> 00:18:50,567 I don't see her running away. 294 00:18:50,567 --> 00:18:53,867 Her community was here, her family was nearby. 295 00:18:53,867 --> 00:18:56,667 And she loved both of those things. 296 00:18:56,667 --> 00:19:01,166 I definitely ruled out the possibility that Sheena ran away. 297 00:19:01,166 --> 00:19:05,266 Didn't happen. Sheena will never give up. She's a fighter. 298 00:19:05,333 --> 00:19:08,467 [Sarah] Someone asked me if I think maybe Sheena was scared, 299 00:19:08,467 --> 00:19:11,166 she's in hiding, or she ran away. 300 00:19:11,900 --> 00:19:14,266 But I actually believe, knowing Sheena, 301 00:19:14,333 --> 00:19:16,767 that she could've gotten herself into deep trouble 302 00:19:16,767 --> 00:19:19,567 by facing things head-on and not running away. 303 00:19:19,567 --> 00:19:22,533 'Cause that was Sheena. Sheena always took things head-on. 304 00:19:23,567 --> 00:19:27,166 [Bethany] I think Sheena did not leave voluntarily. 305 00:19:27,166 --> 00:19:31,066 I think someone took her against her will, 306 00:19:31,133 --> 00:19:34,467 or she's in trouble somewhere. 307 00:19:34,467 --> 00:19:39,934 I think Sheena would not be away from her family and friends by choice. 308 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:50,767 So at the end of November I'm feeling devastated for Sheena's family, 309 00:19:50,767 --> 00:19:52,667 devastated for myself. 310 00:19:52,667 --> 00:19:55,767 A lot of pain in my heart, missing my friend. 311 00:19:55,767 --> 00:19:59,767 I know Sheena was living on the north side of Chicago. 312 00:19:59,767 --> 00:20:02,767 But I didn't know exactly where. 313 00:20:02,767 --> 00:20:05,367 My spouse and I were kind of the people 314 00:20:05,433 --> 00:20:09,000 on the ground in Chicago to help with the investigation. 315 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,467 I also know that police don't put up flyers. 316 00:20:11,533 --> 00:20:13,467 They rely on family and friends to do that. 317 00:20:13,467 --> 00:20:15,467 So that's where we started. 318 00:20:15,533 --> 00:20:18,767 We put up flyers in Rogers Park and surrounding communities 319 00:20:18,834 --> 00:20:23,967 because we knew Sheena was living around that area at that time. 320 00:20:24,033 --> 00:20:29,266 If Sheena made it back to Chicago, she would be staying here. 321 00:20:29,266 --> 00:20:33,667 So we also created an email for tips, along with the police phone number, 322 00:20:33,667 --> 00:20:36,567 and we put those all over. 323 00:20:36,634 --> 00:20:41,467 After that we started getting a lot of emails and questions from friends, 324 00:20:41,467 --> 00:20:44,467 and people who knew her in the community, store owners, 325 00:20:44,467 --> 00:20:47,667 and some people who had actually seen her. 326 00:20:47,667 --> 00:20:50,767 Any tips we received we forwarded to police 327 00:20:50,767 --> 00:20:52,934 in hopes that they would act on them. 328 00:20:54,700 --> 00:20:56,667 [Sarah] While we were looking for Sheena, 329 00:20:56,667 --> 00:21:00,367 a friend found out that she had had contact 330 00:21:00,367 --> 00:21:04,000 or had become friends with an Uber driver. 331 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:07,166 We realized that he would be an important person to talk to. 332 00:21:07,166 --> 00:21:09,967 He might have more information about Sheena's whereabouts. 333 00:21:11,166 --> 00:21:13,667 [Bethany] He had given her rides to different places. 334 00:21:13,667 --> 00:21:16,767 They had also met up for lunch a few times. 335 00:21:16,767 --> 00:21:21,767 And when I first called him, he had said he'd last seen her about a month ago 336 00:21:21,767 --> 00:21:25,266 in early November. He had dropped her off at a hotel called Greenleaf. 337 00:21:25,266 --> 00:21:29,066 And she told him she's going back to Iowa the next day. 338 00:21:29,066 --> 00:21:32,333 This was right before Sheena disappeared. 339 00:21:33,567 --> 00:21:37,567 We were really excited about this rideshare driver, 340 00:21:37,567 --> 00:21:40,767 because we didn't know where she was. 341 00:21:40,834 --> 00:21:45,967 But now we have information that's pinpointing her whereabouts that November. 342 00:21:46,033 --> 00:21:50,567 Up until this point we didn't know if she had made it back to Chicago. 343 00:21:50,567 --> 00:21:55,367 So we had a solid lead, we knew where she was staying. 344 00:21:55,367 --> 00:21:58,066 So it was a really good find. 345 00:22:00,467 --> 00:22:03,467 [Bethany] I contacted the owners of Greenleaf Hotel 346 00:22:03,533 --> 00:22:06,567 and they were able to confirm that Sheena stayed there 347 00:22:06,567 --> 00:22:09,567 the days before she went missing. 348 00:22:09,567 --> 00:22:14,467 Sheena was staying at the Greenleaf House, November 1st to 5th, 2021. 349 00:22:14,533 --> 00:22:18,333 That would also confirm that she made it back to Chicago from Iowa. 350 00:22:19,166 --> 00:22:22,567 I believe Sheena was living with her boyfriend. 351 00:22:22,567 --> 00:22:25,867 So I'm not sure why she was at that hotel. 352 00:22:25,934 --> 00:22:30,166 I find it weird that they said that Sheena was at that Greenleaf hostel. 353 00:22:30,166 --> 00:22:32,567 I can't see my friend being here. 354 00:22:32,567 --> 00:22:35,467 This ain't stuff that Sheena do, you know what I'm sayin'? 355 00:22:35,467 --> 00:22:39,567 Like, that looked like a little boarding house or something. 356 00:22:39,567 --> 00:22:41,567 Sheena would've got a real hotel. 357 00:22:41,567 --> 00:22:45,266 So it's like y'all tryin' to place her somewhere and put this story on her. 358 00:22:45,266 --> 00:22:49,066 Like she was a prostitute, or like, this is the kind of life she lived. 359 00:22:49,133 --> 00:22:50,767 I'm like, that ain't Sheena. 360 00:22:52,300 --> 00:22:57,266 It's confirmed that Sheena checked out of the hotel on the 5th. 361 00:22:57,333 --> 00:23:01,266 But we don't know where she was after that. 362 00:23:01,333 --> 00:23:04,166 What happened? How could this happen? 363 00:23:04,166 --> 00:23:07,667 Where is she? How can I find her? 364 00:23:09,367 --> 00:23:12,667 [Sarah] We were able to get the information from the hotel manager 365 00:23:12,667 --> 00:23:16,166 to get in contact with people who had stayed at the Greenleaf House 366 00:23:16,166 --> 00:23:19,367 in early November when Sheena had stayed there. 367 00:23:19,367 --> 00:23:24,000 We had spoke to several people and only one remembered Sheena. 368 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,166 The man that remembered Sheena was Nigerian. 369 00:23:27,166 --> 00:23:29,767 And Sheena had a passion for African culture, 370 00:23:29,767 --> 00:23:33,066 so there could've been a connection there 371 00:23:33,066 --> 00:23:35,467 and they could've really talked 372 00:23:35,467 --> 00:23:39,767 and that could be why this person remembered her. 373 00:23:39,767 --> 00:23:44,266 And they also asked specifically if they had been able to get the camera footage 374 00:23:44,333 --> 00:23:46,467 from the motel, which was odd. 375 00:23:46,467 --> 00:23:49,867 Why would you be aware of where the cameras are, 376 00:23:49,867 --> 00:23:52,266 and that there's camera footage? 377 00:23:52,266 --> 00:23:55,367 It seemed a little out of the ordinary, to say the least. 378 00:23:55,433 --> 00:23:57,867 Was he asking about the camera footage 379 00:23:57,867 --> 00:24:00,367 because that might show what happened to Sheena? 380 00:24:00,367 --> 00:24:02,333 We needed to see that footage. 381 00:24:04,467 --> 00:24:09,166 [Bethany] The hotel owner mentioned that there is security cameras 382 00:24:09,166 --> 00:24:11,367 in the common areas of the hotel. 383 00:24:11,367 --> 00:24:14,166 I feel like seeing footage of Sheena 384 00:24:14,166 --> 00:24:16,667 and her final days before she went missing 385 00:24:16,667 --> 00:24:20,000 would be very crucial to this investigation. 386 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:21,867 [Lilita] This whole time I just had so much hope 387 00:24:21,867 --> 00:24:23,767 because if something is wrong... 388 00:24:23,767 --> 00:24:25,767 Sheena is definitely a fighter. 389 00:24:25,767 --> 00:24:29,133 So if we find Sheena, we'll know what happened to her. 390 00:24:30,100 --> 00:24:34,166 At this point we have no idea what happened to Sheena. 391 00:24:34,166 --> 00:24:39,467 We're just hoping that this video footage will give us a clue. 392 00:24:39,467 --> 00:24:43,533 But the footage could only be obtained if the police requested the footage. 393 00:24:44,900 --> 00:24:46,567 So there's a possibility now 394 00:24:46,567 --> 00:24:49,767 to see where Sheena was, when she was there, who she was there with, 395 00:24:49,767 --> 00:24:51,367 what was happening. 396 00:24:51,433 --> 00:24:54,767 Sheena didn't just disappear. Something happened to Sheena. 397 00:25:01,266 --> 00:25:04,367 [narrator] Sheena Gibbs was last seen November 8th, 2021. 398 00:25:04,433 --> 00:25:08,767 If you have any information, please contact the Chicago Police Department, 399 00:25:08,767 --> 00:25:14,166 Area 3 SVU, at 312-744-8266. 400 00:25:19,900 --> 00:25:23,767 [Bethany] On December 17th, I called the detective 401 00:25:23,767 --> 00:25:29,367 and let her know that the Greenleaf Hotel had security cameras. 402 00:25:29,433 --> 00:25:35,166 Unfortunately we found out that the footage would only be kept for 60 days. 403 00:25:35,166 --> 00:25:38,100 [Linda] The police tried to follow-up on the surveillance footage. 404 00:25:38,100 --> 00:25:42,266 But by the time they got there to follow-up, it was gone. 405 00:25:42,266 --> 00:25:47,266 I think having this footage of Sheena would have revealed something 406 00:25:47,266 --> 00:25:51,367 about the case. Something about what was on her mind, 407 00:25:51,367 --> 00:25:55,667 or how she was feeling, or who she was with, even. 408 00:25:55,734 --> 00:26:00,467 We don't know and this footage is now gone forever. 409 00:26:00,533 --> 00:26:04,266 [Lilita] I stayed calling the Chicago Police Department. And I just never got nowhere. 410 00:26:04,333 --> 00:26:07,567 I tried to just keep it to myself, you know. I get a little angry. 411 00:26:07,634 --> 00:26:11,166 I don't wanna talk about that, 'cause it just makes me angry sometimes, you know? 412 00:26:11,233 --> 00:26:13,767 I just... I get upset. 413 00:26:13,834 --> 00:26:15,967 [Sarah] I have a lot of respect for the police. 414 00:26:15,967 --> 00:26:18,166 They're doing a job and it's not an easy one. 415 00:26:18,166 --> 00:26:19,867 I would not wanna do their job. 416 00:26:19,867 --> 00:26:22,667 That being said, in my opinion, 417 00:26:22,734 --> 00:26:27,266 there was gross negligence in this case. 418 00:26:27,266 --> 00:26:31,567 This footage could've provided answers, but now we'll never know. 419 00:26:32,667 --> 00:26:34,467 [Bethany] I know that the police are very busy, 420 00:26:34,467 --> 00:26:36,266 and I know that they're likely understaffed, 421 00:26:36,266 --> 00:26:40,867 but it really felt like Sheena wasn't important to them, 422 00:26:40,934 --> 00:26:44,967 and her friends and family were doing more of the detecting 423 00:26:45,033 --> 00:26:46,734 than the actual detectives. 424 00:26:47,700 --> 00:26:52,667 I feel really angry that police did not take action. 425 00:26:52,734 --> 00:26:56,233 I wish they had contacted the hotel sooner. 426 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:01,166 [Sarah] Everything that we learned about Sheena 427 00:27:01,233 --> 00:27:03,667 we always passed on to the detective 428 00:27:03,667 --> 00:27:08,066 to make sure that they had any and every possible lead that could be helpful. 429 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,767 But I felt like the police had given up hope. 430 00:27:12,767 --> 00:27:17,066 It felt like if the police aren't looking for Sheena, 431 00:27:17,133 --> 00:27:19,166 who was gonna be looking for Sheena? 432 00:27:22,066 --> 00:27:24,767 [Linda] Chicago can be on of the most beautiful places on Earth, 433 00:27:24,767 --> 00:27:26,967 but it also can be very dangerous. 434 00:27:27,033 --> 00:27:33,567 In 2021, 3,000 black and brown women went missing in Chicago, 435 00:27:33,567 --> 00:27:37,467 that we know of. If the police did only that, 436 00:27:37,467 --> 00:27:40,266 maybe they could make a dent in those numbers. 437 00:27:40,266 --> 00:27:45,266 But they have so many other things to do that have to be done right away. 438 00:27:45,266 --> 00:27:48,066 Black women and girls make up more than a third 439 00:27:48,066 --> 00:27:50,166 of the nation's missing person cases. 440 00:27:50,233 --> 00:27:52,467 [reporter] Mayor Lori Lightfoot saw the numbers, 441 00:27:52,467 --> 00:27:56,166 listened to the victims, and determined that fighting the shadow pandemic 442 00:27:56,233 --> 00:27:58,667 would require the full force of city government, 443 00:27:58,667 --> 00:28:00,734 not simply the cops and courts. 444 00:28:02,166 --> 00:28:04,066 [Linda] Think about the state of policing right now. 445 00:28:04,133 --> 00:28:06,667 Police officers are few and far between. 446 00:28:06,667 --> 00:28:11,867 So there are fewer officers addressing what we call "breaking news," 447 00:28:11,867 --> 00:28:14,567 whether it's a robbery, a burglary, a shooting. 448 00:28:14,567 --> 00:28:17,066 And those things that need to be addressed now 449 00:28:17,133 --> 00:28:19,333 make everything else take a back-burner. 450 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,066 [Sarah] I understand the police are overworked. 451 00:28:23,066 --> 00:28:28,000 I understand a lot of black and brown people go missing. I get it. 452 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:33,367 But, dude. Do your job. Like, seriously. Just do your job. 453 00:28:33,367 --> 00:28:36,867 I have, let's say, some unresolved anger at this point. 454 00:28:36,934 --> 00:28:39,367 It's a problem. It's a problem. 455 00:28:39,367 --> 00:28:40,767 It's a problem. 456 00:28:57,066 --> 00:29:00,867 [Bethany] I felt really angry and frustrated 457 00:29:00,934 --> 00:29:04,667 that I could not get police to follow-up on these tips. 458 00:29:04,667 --> 00:29:09,367 That's when we realized we need to take things further. 459 00:29:09,367 --> 00:29:15,467 And maybe the police don't have the resources, or is not at invested 460 00:29:15,467 --> 00:29:19,467 in following-up on this case as we once thought. 461 00:29:19,467 --> 00:29:25,166 So we tried to just take action to get people with higher status, 462 00:29:25,166 --> 00:29:29,166 and higher publicity onboard for Sheena's case. 463 00:29:29,233 --> 00:29:33,333 And we found the alderwoman of the Rogers Park area. 464 00:29:36,066 --> 00:29:39,967 My name's Maria Hadden. I'm alderperson here in Chicago's 49th Ward. 465 00:29:39,967 --> 00:29:44,266 This is where Sheena Gibbs lived before she went missing November 8th, 2021. 466 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,166 When Sheena went missing, her friends were very much involved 467 00:29:49,166 --> 00:29:51,166 in trying to elevate the case. 468 00:29:51,166 --> 00:29:55,367 A lot of times our detectives are overwhelmed with caseloads, 469 00:29:55,367 --> 00:29:57,867 and it can be difficult for them to prioritize, 470 00:29:57,867 --> 00:29:59,967 and they're being pulled in a lot of different directions. 471 00:30:00,033 --> 00:30:04,467 And so sometimes also having an alderperson or other community reach out, 472 00:30:04,467 --> 00:30:06,967 offering to help, bring in more attention, 473 00:30:06,967 --> 00:30:09,467 or being a person that can help coordinate even that contact, 474 00:30:09,467 --> 00:30:10,834 can make a really big difference. 475 00:30:11,967 --> 00:30:16,467 [Sarah] Alderwoman Maria Hadden has been very helpful. 476 00:30:16,467 --> 00:30:19,767 in stepping forward and trying to get things rolling. 477 00:30:19,834 --> 00:30:22,100 When the alderwoman responded, 478 00:30:22,100 --> 00:30:25,567 she was able to put some pressure and get things going in Sheena's case 479 00:30:25,567 --> 00:30:27,467 a little bit more. 480 00:30:27,467 --> 00:30:30,734 Eventually they did change the detective. So that was good. 481 00:30:31,567 --> 00:30:33,867 [Lilita] That's when we started getting 482 00:30:33,867 --> 00:30:36,667 a couple of responses for Chicago Police Department. 483 00:30:36,667 --> 00:30:40,266 That's when they act like, "okay, we're gonna act to be involved." 484 00:30:40,266 --> 00:30:42,767 They did have, like, four different detectives on this case 485 00:30:42,767 --> 00:30:44,100 that did nothing at all. 486 00:30:44,100 --> 00:30:46,567 Maybe 'cause I watch all these channels all the time. 487 00:30:46,567 --> 00:30:48,467 I said, well, you watch these things, 488 00:30:48,467 --> 00:30:50,567 and it be that one cop that comes 489 00:30:50,634 --> 00:30:54,066 that be really serious. There's this one detective just like, 490 00:30:54,133 --> 00:30:55,934 "I won't stop until I find her." 491 00:30:58,567 --> 00:31:02,000 [Sarah] About seven months after she had disappeared, 492 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:05,066 to bring attention and bring awareness to Sheena's plight 493 00:31:05,066 --> 00:31:09,567 Alderwoman Maria Hadden and artist Damon Lamar Reed 494 00:31:09,567 --> 00:31:15,166 were able to put together an event where he created a beautiful mural of Sheena 495 00:31:15,233 --> 00:31:20,967 and were able to bring awareness to the fact that she was missing. 496 00:31:21,033 --> 00:31:24,967 [Bethany] Damon Lamar Reed is part of the Still Searching Project. 497 00:31:24,967 --> 00:31:30,467 And he painted the mural on the side of The Glenwood Bar in Rogers Park. 498 00:31:30,533 --> 00:31:32,166 Sheena loved Rogers Park. 499 00:31:32,166 --> 00:31:36,467 And the Glenwood Bar, we were so grateful they opened their business up 500 00:31:36,533 --> 00:31:40,467 for this opportunity and to aid the cause in finding Sheena. 501 00:31:42,100 --> 00:31:46,000 Sheena Gibbs was last seen here in Rogers Park late last year. 502 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:50,667 Her family hopes this mural will bring renewed attention to her case. 503 00:31:50,667 --> 00:31:55,166 [Sarah] This mural of Sheena was unveiled on May 22nd, 2022. 504 00:31:55,166 --> 00:31:58,667 Friends and family attended, the community attended. 505 00:31:58,667 --> 00:32:02,367 And it was really a beautiful event, 506 00:32:02,367 --> 00:32:05,867 [Bethany] He ended up painting a beautiful mural of Sheena 507 00:32:05,867 --> 00:32:08,867 and there was a lot of media attention surrounding that 508 00:32:08,934 --> 00:32:12,767 so that took the efforts and the action a step further. 509 00:32:12,767 --> 00:32:15,367 [Maria Hadden] The day of the mural commemoration, 510 00:32:15,433 --> 00:32:18,266 dozens more people learned Sheena's story. 511 00:32:18,266 --> 00:32:22,967 And that mural is there so that people still know she's missing. 512 00:32:23,033 --> 00:32:27,667 And it contains information how you can get in contact. 513 00:32:27,667 --> 00:32:31,066 [Bethany] So we had different tips coming because of the mural. 514 00:32:31,066 --> 00:32:34,767 It was really, really amazing to see that people still cared, 515 00:32:34,767 --> 00:32:37,567 that people wanted to find Sheena. 516 00:32:40,900 --> 00:32:43,667 So in June of 2022, 517 00:32:43,667 --> 00:32:47,667 the police started asking if Sheena had any friends 518 00:32:47,667 --> 00:32:51,867 or associates in the Winthrop Harbor area in Illinois, 519 00:32:51,867 --> 00:32:55,166 because that was the last known ping on her cellphone 520 00:32:55,166 --> 00:32:59,066 on November 8th, 2021, which is the day she disappeared. 521 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:04,567 My understanding is that it took seven months 522 00:33:04,634 --> 00:33:07,467 for them to trace her phone. 523 00:33:07,533 --> 00:33:10,967 Something that I feel should've been done a lot sooner, 524 00:33:10,967 --> 00:33:14,367 but something that was probably being done at this point 525 00:33:14,433 --> 00:33:17,367 because of alderwoman Maria Hadden... 526 00:33:17,367 --> 00:33:21,367 and pressure that was being put politically on the police department. 527 00:33:22,367 --> 00:33:25,967 So when I got the call about Winthrop Harbor, 528 00:33:26,033 --> 00:33:27,567 I looked it up on Google Maps. 529 00:33:27,634 --> 00:33:29,567 I'd never heard of it, never been there. 530 00:33:29,567 --> 00:33:32,467 Didn't know of any connection to Sheena to that area. 531 00:33:32,533 --> 00:33:36,467 But I saw that it was quite a drive away, 532 00:33:36,467 --> 00:33:39,667 about a couple of hours away from Chicago. 533 00:33:39,734 --> 00:33:45,066 So I really was surprised that her phone had surfaced so far away. 534 00:33:45,066 --> 00:33:49,567 [Linda] Police discovered that Sheena's phone had pinged in Winthrop Harbor. 535 00:33:49,634 --> 00:33:53,634 Like, just because it pinged there doesn't mean that's where she was. 536 00:33:56,767 --> 00:34:00,567 I just felt like, well, maybe we're finally getting somewhere. 537 00:34:00,634 --> 00:34:04,867 Maybe with this Winthrop Harbor thing, and her cellphone, 538 00:34:04,867 --> 00:34:06,467 maybe then we're gonna find something. 539 00:34:06,467 --> 00:34:09,367 Maybe something new is gonna pop up. 540 00:34:09,367 --> 00:34:13,834 So I was sort of in a way almost optimistic because it was a lead. 541 00:34:15,467 --> 00:34:17,066 [Lilita] And I'm like, "ah, Sheena, where are you?" 542 00:34:17,066 --> 00:34:20,367 She ain't dead to me. I have no reason to think she's dead, 543 00:34:20,367 --> 00:34:22,634 'cause we don't got her. Just find her. 544 00:34:30,767 --> 00:34:32,467 [Bethany] In late August 545 00:34:32,533 --> 00:34:36,266 they announced that there would be a search in that area 546 00:34:36,266 --> 00:34:38,667 in September 2022. 547 00:34:38,667 --> 00:34:43,166 Learning about the ground search was actually comforting, 548 00:34:43,166 --> 00:34:47,767 and the fact that it showed me the police were still interested, 549 00:34:47,767 --> 00:34:51,767 and were still working on this case and finding Sheena. 550 00:34:51,767 --> 00:34:54,867 Finally we were finding a way to move forward. 551 00:34:54,867 --> 00:34:58,066 The police were requesting volunteers. 552 00:34:58,066 --> 00:35:01,166 They were gonna do a search of the area in Winthrop Harbor 553 00:35:01,166 --> 00:35:04,767 where Sheena's phone had last pinged and the surrounding areas. 554 00:35:04,834 --> 00:35:10,333 The Winthrop Harbor search occurred on September 6th, 2022. 555 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:14,567 A group of us came out to search for Sheena, 556 00:35:14,567 --> 00:35:17,100 or anything that could've belonged to Sheena. 557 00:35:17,100 --> 00:35:22,066 They told us, if you find anything in the woods that could belong to a woman, 558 00:35:22,066 --> 00:35:26,767 or belong to Sheena, pull it out so they can let the dogs sniff it. 559 00:35:26,767 --> 00:35:30,166 So they went through several wooded areas with dogs, 560 00:35:30,166 --> 00:35:34,867 and we went through wooded areas and pulled out anything we could find. 561 00:35:34,934 --> 00:35:39,667 And the whole search culminated at an electronics recycling plant, 562 00:35:39,734 --> 00:35:42,667 which is where they thought the phone might've been tossed. 563 00:35:42,667 --> 00:35:44,734 The whole search took about six hours. 564 00:35:46,166 --> 00:35:49,100 It's my understanding that they never found the phone, 565 00:35:49,100 --> 00:35:52,567 because the phones there are destroyed fairly quickly, 566 00:35:52,567 --> 00:35:55,133 after three days or something. 567 00:35:56,667 --> 00:35:59,767 [Bethany] I don't believe they discovered anything on that search. 568 00:35:59,767 --> 00:36:01,667 If the police did find something, 569 00:36:01,667 --> 00:36:04,166 they haven't released any information about it. 570 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:08,367 After the search I spoke with the detective 571 00:36:08,433 --> 00:36:13,867 and I asked her, "Can you tell us when is the last time that Sheena was with her phone, 572 00:36:13,867 --> 00:36:17,367 that we know she texts on it, or she called on it." 573 00:36:17,367 --> 00:36:19,767 "Was she with her phone in Winthrop Harbor?" 574 00:36:19,767 --> 00:36:22,467 And the detectives said, "We don't know." 575 00:36:22,467 --> 00:36:26,266 The last known time we have Sheena utilizing the phone 576 00:36:26,266 --> 00:36:29,834 was November 8th, 2021, in Chicago. 577 00:36:31,100 --> 00:36:35,066 [Maria] So it's unclear whether Sheena had ever been there herself. 578 00:36:35,066 --> 00:36:37,867 Whether it was just her cellphone that was there. 579 00:36:37,934 --> 00:36:42,166 Especially with so much time having passed between her disappearance 580 00:36:42,166 --> 00:36:43,867 and the ping of this phone. 581 00:36:43,867 --> 00:36:48,867 I think there were some hopes, but some slim hopes of maybe this being a good lead, 582 00:36:48,934 --> 00:36:54,667 and after the search it seemed like that lead also was a dead-end. 583 00:36:54,734 --> 00:36:58,667 So we have no way of knowing if the phone was in Sheena's hand when it pinged, 584 00:36:58,734 --> 00:37:00,567 or if it had been tossed there. 585 00:37:00,567 --> 00:37:02,066 In my opinion, 586 00:37:02,133 --> 00:37:06,567 oftentimes the most likely scenario is the most obvious scenario. 587 00:37:06,567 --> 00:37:10,266 I think that if she was in a toxic relationship, 588 00:37:10,266 --> 00:37:11,834 that needs to be looked at. 589 00:37:14,266 --> 00:37:17,066 [Maria] I know that recently some folks think that 590 00:37:17,133 --> 00:37:20,467 Sheena's disappearance might be related to some gang involvement 591 00:37:20,467 --> 00:37:22,734 that allegedly her boyfriend is involved in. 592 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:27,767 Maybe he's just one of those hood, you know. One of them hood people 593 00:37:27,767 --> 00:37:30,166 that's just... I don't mess with them, you know? 594 00:37:30,166 --> 00:37:33,767 'Cause I'm thinking, that's the type of person he is. 595 00:37:33,767 --> 00:37:36,166 'Cause I know people like that. 596 00:37:36,166 --> 00:37:38,166 I've grown up in the hood. 597 00:37:38,166 --> 00:37:43,367 [Maria] What we think of as gangs are really small block by block cliques almost. 598 00:37:43,367 --> 00:37:46,367 And more commonly, especially in a neighborhood like Rogers Park 599 00:37:46,367 --> 00:37:48,767 a lot of it's really low level... 600 00:37:48,834 --> 00:37:51,667 In my personal opinion, I think it's unlikely 601 00:37:51,734 --> 00:37:54,333 gang involvement has a role specifically in her disappearance. 602 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:59,767 [Linda] Gangs are everywhere. They're certainly in Chicago. 603 00:37:59,767 --> 00:38:03,667 Now, do we know that there's a gang related element to this case, 604 00:38:03,734 --> 00:38:06,734 absolutely not. But we can't rule that out. 605 00:38:13,166 --> 00:38:17,667 [Bethany] So it's been over a year since Sheena's been missing... 606 00:38:17,667 --> 00:38:20,166 We don't have any new leads, 607 00:38:20,233 --> 00:38:23,266 or if the police do, they're not sharing with us. 608 00:38:23,333 --> 00:38:28,233 But we won't give up and we remain hopeful that we'll find Sheena. 609 00:38:29,667 --> 00:38:33,967 The problem with cases like this, particularly as far as a reporter goes, 610 00:38:33,967 --> 00:38:35,767 we want to deal with just the facts, 611 00:38:35,834 --> 00:38:38,767 is that there are so many unknowns. 612 00:38:38,767 --> 00:38:40,767 She could've disappeared on her own. 613 00:38:40,767 --> 00:38:42,967 She could've been a victim of foul play. 614 00:38:43,033 --> 00:38:46,000 She could've decided to leave and go somewhere 615 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:48,333 with someone who we don't even know about. 616 00:38:49,166 --> 00:38:51,967 This is such a mystery because not only are we 617 00:38:52,033 --> 00:38:55,767 dealing with so few real, confirmed facts, 618 00:38:55,767 --> 00:39:00,767 but also we're dealing with a huge metropolitan area where anyone could get lost 619 00:39:00,834 --> 00:39:02,066 and disappear. 620 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:08,266 I think that I want the world to know 621 00:39:08,266 --> 00:39:12,867 that Sheena is a great person, independent, 622 00:39:12,867 --> 00:39:14,867 just don't give up on her, please. 623 00:39:14,934 --> 00:39:18,367 She's counting on us. I know Sheena's waiting on us to find her. 624 00:39:18,367 --> 00:39:20,967 She's waiting on us to find her. Just bring her home. 625 00:39:22,066 --> 00:39:27,266 There's a very intense, prolonged form of grief 626 00:39:27,266 --> 00:39:30,266 that happens when someone you love is missing. 627 00:39:30,266 --> 00:39:35,166 And it's like a stabbing pain that just doesn't go away. 628 00:39:35,166 --> 00:39:39,000 And torments you in your sleep, in your dreams, 629 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:43,266 in your waking hours, and is just inconsolable, 630 00:39:43,266 --> 00:39:46,266 and so frustrating. 631 00:39:46,266 --> 00:39:51,367 I would like to say if anybody knows anything about where Sheena was 632 00:39:51,367 --> 00:39:54,867 prior to her disappearance, or after, 633 00:39:54,934 --> 00:39:57,266 please, please reach out. 634 00:39:57,333 --> 00:39:58,567 It could make all the difference, 635 00:39:58,567 --> 00:40:02,066 even if if seems little, please reach out and let us know. 636 00:40:02,133 --> 00:40:06,333 Think of if your sister or your mother or your friend went missing. 637 00:40:08,166 --> 00:40:11,767 We know that there's a lot of information out there 638 00:40:11,834 --> 00:40:14,166 about Sheena still to be discovered, 639 00:40:14,166 --> 00:40:18,567 and if anyone has any kind of knowledge about Sheena, 640 00:40:18,634 --> 00:40:20,867 even if they think it's insignificant, 641 00:40:20,934 --> 00:40:24,333 please contact Chicago SVU... 642 00:40:26,367 --> 00:40:28,667 [Sarah] If I could see Sheena again, 643 00:40:28,667 --> 00:40:31,634 I don't think I could even talk, I would hug her first. 644 00:40:32,567 --> 00:40:35,266 And I would probably just break down crying. 645 00:40:35,333 --> 00:40:37,233 And then I would just tell her I love her. 646 00:40:38,867 --> 00:40:44,066 If I could see Sheena I would hug her so hard... 647 00:40:44,967 --> 00:40:47,634 um, and tell her I love her... 648 00:40:48,767 --> 00:40:52,767 and to never go away again. 649 00:41:12,900 --> 00:41:17,066 One day, Alex told me that he was leaving for Kauai. 650 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:21,867 We thought, "What if he did get involved into a cult?" 651 00:41:21,867 --> 00:41:24,567 We're gonna go to Hawaii now and look for our friend. 652 00:41:24,634 --> 00:41:26,967 That island is scary and dangerous. 653 00:41:27,033 --> 00:41:29,900 This is not some fun adventure, this is life and death.