Shadows of Westwood Avenue: The Unsolved Disappearance of Melissa and Jasmine Collins

A Mother and Daughter Vanish Without a Trace

On August 8, 1991, 17-year-old Melissa Ann Collins and her 8-month-old daughter, Jasmine Kirlissa Collins, disappeared from their apartment on Westwood Avenue in Akron, Ohio. Melissa's mother had dropped them off at 4:00 p.m., and around 7:30 p.m., the young mother and her baby left on foot to visit a grocery store just four blocks away. They never returned, and no one has seen or heard from them since.

A Life Interrupted

Melissa was a biracial teenager—African-American and Caucasian—with brown hair, brown eyes, and a scar on her upper left arm. She wore eyeglasses and had both her ears and nose pierced. Known for her trusting nature, Melissa had previously run away for a month while pregnant with Jasmine but maintained contact with her family during that time. She relied heavily on her mother for transportation, as she did not possess a driver's license.

Unsettling Clues at Home

When Melissa's mother visited her daughter's apartment after the disappearance, she found no signs that Melissa had planned to leave. Melissa's purse was in the bedroom, her clothes were freshly washed and folded, and there was a stock of diapers and baby bottles filled with formula in the refrigerator. Melissa had not cashed her last welfare check, further indicating that she had not intended to leave permanently.

The Prime Suspect: Raymond "Sweet Pea" Smith Jr.

The last person to report seeing Melissa and Jasmine was Raymond "Sweet Pea" Smith Jr., a 37-year-old man with a history of violence, drug abuse, and mental illness. Smith was staying with a woman who had sublet her apartment to Melissa. He claimed to have seen Melissa and Jasmine leave for the store and stated that he left shortly after them. When he returned to the apartment a day or two later, a witness noticed that his clothes were stained, possibly with blood. Unfortunately, this observation was not reported to the police until it was too late to test the clothing. ...Read More

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