Hattie Gertrude Brown 48, Missing 5/16/09 South Boston VA

[Nut44x4]

Posted: 2:40 PM May 13, 2010

Police Ask for Help to Find Woman Missing Since May 2009
Halifax County

A year ago Sunday, a Halifax County woman disappeared and the Virginia State Police wants the public's help. The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, South Boston Police Department and Virginia State Police continue to aggressively pursue the case of missing Halifax County woman, Hattie Gertrude Brown.

It will be a year ago Sunday that she was last seen at a gas station outside of South Boston with her nephew, Derrick Brown. At this stage of the investigation, investigators do suspect foul play in Hattie's disappearance.

During the past 12 months, law enforcement have recovered her car, a 2003 silver Volkswagen Jetta, interviewed numerous individuals, and even conducted several dives and searches along the Hyco River in the hope of locating the missing 48-year-old woman.

Brown was last seen at 2:33 a.m. on May 16, 2009, at the Sheetz gas station at the intersection of Route 501 and Route 58, just outside South Boston. A video camera captured her, her nephew and her vehicle at the gas station.

Her car was discovered July 7, 2009, abandoned behind an old barn on property in the southeastern corner of Halifax County. The vehicle had been completely destroyed by fire.

Brown is a black woman with brown eyes and black, shoulder-length hair. She is approximately five-feet-four-inches tall, 155 pounds and was last seen wearing a sleeveless top and pants with side stripes.

The investigation into her disappearance also indicates that she left her residence without her purse or critical medication.

“We are confident that this case can be solved,” says Lt. Joe Rader, Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office. “We just need that one courageous person to come forward with information. Finding Hattie would provide considerable closure and peace to her family, who has spent this past year suffering from not knowing what’s happened to their loved one.”

The family is offering a reward of $10,000 for information and tips that result in the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for her disappearance.

Anyone with information concerning Hattie's whereabouts is asked to contact the Virginia State Police Appomattox Division. If in Virginia, call toll-free at 800-552-0962 or at 434-352-7128.

Virginia State Police can also be contacted by email at Troy.LaRue@vsp.virginia.gov.

To contact the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office or South Boston Police Department with information on this case, please call 434-476-3334.

http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/93701024.html

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=12471371
(video)
Family of missing Halifax Co. woman mark one year since her disappearance
May 12, 2010


Hattie Brown went missing May 16th, 2009 She was last seen at a Sheetz in Riverdale around 2:00 that morning.
One year has passed, but the disappearance of a Halifax County woman remains unsolved.

Hattie Brown went missing May 16th, 2009

She was last seen at a Sheetz in Riverdale around 2:00 that morning.

Since that time, only her car has turned up.  It was found abandoned and burned out in Virgilina last July.

"It's just hard to believe that May 16th has been one year and we are still trying to figure out what happened to my sister," says Diane Brown, Hattie's sister.

Brown hoped, by now, she'd have more answers.

"You just don't have words for it," says Brown.  "That's just how painful it is. You just don't have words for it."

Brown's dealing with the stress of not only losing a sister.  She's quietly dealing with the fact that her nephew, Derek Brown, is a suspect.

"It's tough enough knowing that our sister's missing," says Brown, "but to have a family member that's been beefed up to a suspect, that's hard."

Derek Brown hasn't been charged with a crime.  Diane says investigators can't arrest anyone until they have more details.

"We're just praying and hoping that something will come up," says Brown.  "It's just like a puzzle right now."

One piece of that puzzle investigators need is Hattie. After a year of searches, no trace of her body has been found and Diane has come to terms with the fact that her sister is, most likely, no longer alive.

"It's the not knowing that's really painful," says Brown.  "Right now we're kind of stuck."

Stuck, but not without hope.

Diane takes comfort in her sister's faith.

"Years ago, she accepted Christ as her personal savior," says Brown.  "Knowing that is a peace of mind and contentment for all of us."

Further peace will come when Hattie is located.  For that to happen, Diane says the people who know where Hattie is will have to talk.

"I just hope they will find it in their heart to make an anonymous call, to drop a letter, anything," says Brown.  "We just want to close this chapter so the rest of my family can move on."

If you know anything about Hattie Brown's whereabouts, call the Halifax County Sheriff's Office at 434-476-3334 or Virginia State Police.

[MuffyBee]

Here's an older article:

http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=10806219
Family member named suspect in disappearance of Halifax County woman
July 28, 2009


30-year-old Derek Brown was the last person seen with his aunt, 48-year-old Hattie Brown.


Hattie Brown was last seen May 16th. She is 5'4" tall, weighs 155 pounds and was last seen wearing a sleeveless top and pants with side stripes.

The nephew of a missing Halifax County woman is now a suspect in his aunt's disappearance.

30-year-old Derek Brown was named a suspect by Virginia State Police Monday.  Brown was the last person seen with his aunt, 48-year-old Hattie Brown, before she disappeared May 16th.

Hattie's 2003 Volkswagen Jetta was found burned in a southeastern corner of Halifax County July 7, but her body has not been located.

Because there is no body, police can't charge Derek Brown with a specific crime, so he has not been arrested.

Hattie Brown's family is offering a $10,000 award for an arrest and conviction in Hattie's disappearance.  Hattie is a black woman with brown eyes and black, shoulder-length hair. She is 5'4" tall, weighs 155 pounds and was last seen wearing a sleeveless top and pants with side stripes.

If you have information about Brown that can help investigators, call Virginia State Police at 1-800-552-0962.  You can also call the Halifax County Sheriff's Office at (434) 476-3334.

[MuffyBee]

For the sake of background information, here's an article from November 2009:

http://www.nbc12.com/Global/story.asp?S=11457857
Missing: Hattie Gertrude Brown
November 6, 2009


HALIFAX CO. (WWBT) - The on-going investigation into the whereabouts of a missing Halifax County woman, Hattie Gertrude Brown, has now identified the woman's nephew as a suspect in her disappearance. Derek E. Brown, 30, of Virgilina has been elevated from a person of interest to a suspect in the missing person's case. 

Hattie Gertrude Brown, 48, was last seen Saturday, May 16, 2009, at a Sheetz gas station at the intersection of Route 501 and Route 58 just outside South Boston in Halifax County. A video camera captured the woman and her car at the gas station at approximately 2:33 a.m. It has been determined that she was accompanied at the gas station by her nephew, Derek E. Brown.

Eight weeks later, on July 7, 2009, Ms. Brown's 2003 silver Volkswagen Jetta was discovered on private property in the southeastern corner of Halifax County. The property owner found the abandoned vehicle behind an old barn and immediately notified investigators. The Volkswagen Jetta had been set on fire.

Additionally, Brown's family has increased their reward to $10,000 from $2,500 for the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the disappearance of their loved one.

Brown is a black female with brown eyes and black, shoulder-length hair. She is approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, 155 pounds, and was last seen wearing a sleeveless top and pants with side stripes. The investigation into her disappearance also indicates that she left her residence without her purse or critical medication.

Virginia State Police, Halifax County Sheriff's Office and South Boston Police are still seeking information on the whereabouts of Ms. Brown.

Anyone who might have information about her disappearance is still encouraged to contact investigators. You may reach the Virginia State Police Appomattox Division, if in Virginia, by dialing toll-free 1-800-552-0962 or (434) 352-7128. Virginia State Police can also be contacted by email at Troy.LaRue@vsp.virginia.gov.

To contact the Halifax County Sheriff's Office or South Boston Police Department with information on this case, please call (434) 476-3334.

[klaasend]

I think this is Hattie's facebook

http://www.facebook.com/#!/hattieb1?v=wall&ref=search

I think this is Derrick's facebook

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1200614817&ref=sgm

[MuffyBee]

http://www.gazettevirginian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1164:a-year-goes-by-search-goes-on-for-missing-woman&catid=34:news&Itemid=54
A Year Goes By, Search Goes On For Missing Woman
May 17, 2010


Hattie Gertrude Brown

he Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, South Boston Police Department and Virginia State Police continue to aggressively pursue the case of missing Halifax County woman Hattie Gertrude Brown.

It was a year ago yesterday she was last seen at a gas station outside of South Boston with her nephew, Derrick Brown.

At this stage of the investigation, investigators do suspect foul play in Brown’s disappearance, according to Corinne Geller, Virginia State Police public relations manager.

During the past 12 months, law enforcement officers have recovered Brown’s car, a 2003 silver Volkswagen Jetta, interviewed numerous individuals and even conducted several dives and searches along the Hyco River in hopes of locating the missing 48-year-old woman, Geller said in a press release.

Brown was last seen at 2:33 a.m. on May 16, 2009, at the Sheetz gas station at the intersection of Route 501 and Route 58 just outside South Boston. A video camera captured the woman, her nephew and her vehicle at the gas station.

Her car was discovered July 7, 2009, abandoned behind an old barn on property in the southeastern corner of Halifax County. The vehicle had been completely destroyed by fire.

Brown is a black female with brown eyes and black, shoulder-length hair. She is approximately 5 feet 4 inches, 155 pounds, and was last seen wearing a sleeveless top and pants with side stripes.

The investigation into her disappearance also indicates that she left her residence without her purse or critical medication.

“We are confident that this case can be solved,” said Lt. Joe Rader, Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office. “We just need that one courageous person to come forward with information. Finding Hattie would provide considerable closure and peace to her family, who has spent this past year suffering from not knowing what’s happened to their loved one.”

The family is offering a reward of $10,000 for information and tips that result in the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for her disappearance.
Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Brown is asked to contact the Virginia State Police Appomattox Division, if in Virginia toll-free at 1-800-552-0962, or at (434) 352-7128. Virginia State Police can also be contacted by email at Troy.LaRue@vsp.virginia.gov This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

To contact the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office or South Boston Police Department with information on this case, persons are asked to call (434) 476-3334.

[MuffyBee]

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/HAIT20_20100519-211203/345584/
Family still awaits word on Halifax woman who disappeared a year ago
May 20, 2010

SOUTH BOSTON -- Surveillance video recorded at a Sheetz gas station just outside South Boston one year ago holds the last images of Hattie Gertrude Brown.

In the 12 months since the Halifax County woman's disappearance, investigators have performed dives and searches along the Hyco River. They found the burned-out shell of her car abandoned behind an old bar, but virtually no trace of the missing retired Army sergeant.

For Brown's siblings, the 48-year-old's disappearance has left a hole in their lives. Without knowing what happened to her, there always will be the hope that she's alive. Without knowing, they are unable to move on.

"It's bittersweet. In my heart, I don't feel like she is alive anymore, but there is still that glimpse of hope," said Randy Brown, her brother. "There is not a day, there's not a night that I don't pray for her and for closure."

Hattie Brown disappeared May 16, 2009, a Saturday. She had been helping plan a bridal shower for Barbara Brown, who was marrying into the large family. When she didn't show up that day, her family became concerned.

Investigators said she left her house without her purse and medication. None of her accounts has been touched. The Halifax County Sheriff's Office and the Virginia State Police believe there is foul play in Brown's disappearance, according to a police news release.

Almost two months after her disappearance, on July 7, the burned shell of her 2003 silver Volkswagen Jetta was discovered behind a barn near Virgilina, which is about 22 miles south of Halifax. State and local authorities conducted ground and air searches for two weeks.

Investigators, who say they still have been receiving tips, have done multiple water and land searches, including two last month.

Preteasta "Tee" Barksdale of Campbell County said she just wants to know what happened to her sister.

"There is no way to describe the feeling of what this family is going through," Barksdale said. "A missing person is worse than having someone die. There's no closure with a missing person. There is no knot at the end of the string."

Barksdale said she is grateful that her family was raised to work out their problems and always say "I love you."

"We are confident that this case can be solved," said Lt. Joe Rader of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Appomattox field office.

"We just need that one courageous person to come forward with information. Finding Hattie would provide considerable closure and peace to her family, who has spent this past year suffering from not knowing what's happened to their loved one."

Brown's family is offering a $10,000 reward for information that results in the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for her disappearance.

"People who have information, they don't know how much it helps us," said Barbara Brown, Hattie's sister-in-law. "It helps us to know they care enough to share that information. Even if we don't find her, it helps when you share what you know."
**************************************************

Related Info

Hattie Gertrude Brown was last seen with her nephew Derrick Brown at 2:33 a.m. on May 16, 2009, at a Sheetz gas station in South Boston.

Brown is a black female with brown eyes and black shoulder-length hair. She is 5 feet 4 inches and weighs 155 pounds. She was last seen wearing a sleeveless top and pants with side stripes. She left her house without her purse and critical medications.

Anyone who might have information about her disappearance is asked to call the Virginia State Police at (800) 552-0962.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wpcva.com/articles/2010/05/24/brookneal/news/news87.txt
Police still searching for missing woman
May 24, 2010

The Halifax County Sheriff's Office, South Boston Police Department and Virginia State Police continue to aggressively pursue the case of missing Halifax County woman, Hattie Gertrude Brown.

It will be a year ago Sunday, May 16, that she was last seen at a gas station outside of South Boston with her nephew, Derrick Brown. At this stage of the investigation, investigators do suspect foul play in Ms. Brown's disappearance.

During the past 12 months, law enforcement have recovered Brown's car, a 2003 silver Volkswagen Jetta, interviewed numerous individuals, and even conducted several dives and searches along the Hyco River in hopes of locating the missing 48-year-old woman.

Brown was last seen at 2:33 a.m. on May 16, 2009, at the Sheetz gas station at the intersection of Route 501 and Route 58 just outside South Boston. A video camera captured the woman, her nephew and her vehicle at the gas station. Her car was discovered July 7, 2009, abandoned behind an old barn on property in the southeastern corner of Halifax County. The vehicle had been completely destroyed by fire.

Brown is a black female with brown eyes and black, shoulder-length hair. She is approximately 5 feet 4 inches, 155 pounds, and was last seen wearing a sleeveless top and pants with side stripes. The family is offering a reward of $10,000 for information and tips that result in the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for her disappearance.

Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Brown is asked to contact the Virginia State Police Appomattox Division, if in Virginia toll-free at 1-800-552-0962, or at (434) 352-7128. Virginia State Police can also be contacted by email at Troy.LaRue@vsp.virginia.gov. To contact the Halifax County Sheriff's Office or South Boston Police Department with information on this case, please call (434) 476-3334.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wset.com/story/18439808/family-marks-third-year-of-hattie-browns-disappearance
Family Marks Third Year of Hattie Brown's Disappearance
May 16, 2012



South Boston, VA - Three years ago Wednesday, Halifax County woman Hattie Brown went missing.

Last seen at the Sheetz in South Boston, Brown's body was never found. While the formal investigation into her death has come to a close, her family says they'll never give up hope. As recent as a month ago, the family erected a billboard in South Boston asking for information on her disappearance.

 ::snipping2::
One of the case's largest leads was the discovery of Brown's car in a nearby lake back in 2009. Brown would have been 51 years old.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wset.com/story/19599744/fundraiser-saturday-to-find-missing-hattie-brown
Fundraiser Saturday to Find Missing Hattie Brown
September 20, 2012

South Boston, VA -  Three years since a Halifax County woman went missing, her family is refusing to give up hope.

Hattie Brown was last seen in a Sheetz parking lot in South Boston in 2009. Friday will be Brown's 52nd birthday and her family is determined to find out just what happened to her.

The family is planning a community-wide fundraiser in the heart of South Boston.

"We'll have something for the teenagers and the kids. We're having the bounce house. We're also having Sunshine the clown. We're having an auction as well," said Brown's sister Diane Brown.

Constitution Square will be filled with live music, food and fun. There will also be plenty of opportunities for folks to donate and support the family in their search for answers.

"We're trying to raise enough money in order to hire a private investigator. Hopefully we will have a good support from the community," said Diane Brown.

Police have no new leads in the case, since Brown's car was found in a lake in 2009. But her sister is hopeful this fundraiser will keep her memory alive and spur someone to come forward with information that will bring closure.
 ::snipping2::
The fundraiser will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Constitution Square in South Boston. Admission is free.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.gcronline.com/findhattie/about.htm
Find our Missing: Hattie Brown

[Nut44x4]

It really bothers me that so many cases like this one fall off the radar so fast

[MuffyBee]

It really bothers me that so many cases like this one fall off the radar so fast

I know what you mean, Nut.  It's sad.