On September 5, 2017, a 20-year-old woman named Abby Lynn Patterson vanished from Lumberton, North Carolina. She was visiting her mother at the time, having recently completed a drug rehabilitation program. That morning, around 11:30 a.m., Abby told her mother she was going to run some errands and would be back in about an hour. She was last seen wearing a white blouse and brown shorts, walking down East 9th Street and getting into a brown Buick.
Her mother later reported her missing at 6:00 p.m. when she didn't return and calls to her phone went straight to voicemail.
The person driving the brown Buick was identified as an acquaintance of Abby's. When questioned by police, the driver stated that Abby had been dropped off at another location, though authorities have not publicly disclosed where that was. In the days and weeks that followed, there was no contact from Abby, and her phone remained inactive. The FBI joined the Lumberton Police Department in the investigation, and a reward was offered for information leading to her whereabouts.
Abby's case is particularly troubling due to the discovery of the bodies of three other women in the same area of Lumberton in the months preceding her disappearance. While law enforcement has stated they do not believe the cases are connected, the timing and location have raised concerns within the community. Described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a distinctive tattoo of three birds on her right shoulder, Abby's disappearance has left her family with unanswered questions. The investigation into what happened to Abby Patterson remains ongoing, a painful and unresolved chapter for her loved ones and the community of Lumberton.Last Seen: Sep 5, 2017
