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Elizabeth Smith Missing Person Case

Last seen in Kingsport, Tennessee on Jun 1, 1982

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Victim Details

May 4, 2018

Apr 29, 2024

Elizabeth

Smith

83

39

60 inches

65 inches

100 lbs

120 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

Jun 1, 1982

Kingsport

Tennessee

Sullivan County

No

32576

Kingsport Police Department

Kingsport

Tennessee

Sullivan County

37660

Martin Taylor

Detective Sergeant

200 Shelby Street, Tennessee

4232299300

Local

Law Enforcement

https://www.kingsporttn.gov/police-department/

18-015038

May 21, 2018

Kingsport Police Department

10655

Brown

Hazel

Hazel

Oct 4, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP43346) and 3 other sources
In the summer of 1982, a 39-year-old woman named Elizabeth Ann Smith vanished from her home in Kingsport, Tennessee. Known to her loved ones as 'Liz,' she was a mother whose disappearance would leave a void of unanswered questions for decades to come. The circumstances surrounding the last time she was seen are clouded with uncertainty. One of her sons recalls seeing her sometime in 1982 or 1983, during warm weather that suggested it was summer break, but the exact date remains unknown. At the time of her disappearance, Elizabeth was described as a white female, standing between 5'0' and 5'5' tall, and weighing between 100 and 120 pounds. She had brown hair and hazel eyes. A distinguishing feature was the presence of two tattoos, one of which was located on her right ankle.

The investigation into Elizabeth's disappearance has been fraught with challenges from the very beginning. The lack of a definitive date for her last sighting has made it difficult to establish a clear timeline of events. Years after she was last seen in Kingsport, a piece of information surfaced suggesting she might have been alive and living in Nashville, Tennessee, as late as 1989. However, this lead has been described as circumstantial, and it is unclear if it was ever substantiated. The passage of time has further complicated efforts to uncover what happened to her. The case was officially entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System on May 4, 2018, with a report filed with the Kingsport Police Department on May 21, 2018, many years after she was last seen.

Despite the decades that have passed, the search for answers in the case of Elizabeth Ann Smith continues. Her case remains open with the Kingsport Police Department, a stark reminder of a family's enduring hope for resolution. The lack of significant leads over the years has left her family in a painful state of limbo, without knowledge of her fate or whereabouts. The overview of this case is one of profound and prolonged uncertainty. A mother disappeared under vague circumstances, and the trail grew cold with the passage of time. The few pieces of information that have emerged have been either unreliable or uncorroborated, leaving investigators with very little to go on.
Last Seen: Jun 1, 1982

Links to Additional Sources (3)

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  • Missing Person / NamUs #MP43346 | NamUs
  • - YouTube
  • Elizabeth Smith Missing Person Flyer | Kingsport, TN | CaseTrace

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (1)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    75%Possible
    Jane Doe — Littleton, West Virginia - unidentified case UP14234
    Jane Doe — Littleton, West Virginia
    UP14234 • Found Feb 13, 1983
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 39
    Race 100%White
    Location 51%244 mi away
    TimingFound 8 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'0"–5'5"
    Weight 93%135 lb vs 100–120 lb
    Hair 50%Red vs Brown

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

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    Forum Posts (1)

    Hey everyone, I can't stop thinking about Elizabeth Ann Smith's case, especially the part about her... ...Read More
    07/09/2024

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