In early March 2017, the life of 61-year-old Mary Magdalene Smith took a turn that left her family searching for answers. Following a disagreement at her sister's home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Mary left with two trash bags of clothing, intending to stay at a local motel. She checked into the Motel 6 on North Patterson Avenue, a place now known as the Rodeway Inn, and paid for a room through March 9th. The last confirmed sighting of Mary was on March 4, 2017.
At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a white t-shirt, a black hooded sweatshirt, black wind pants, and gray Champion sneakers with lime green trim. Mary is a Black female with black, medium, curly hair and brown eyes. She has several distinguishing physical characteristics, including pins in her right wrist and extensive skin grafts covering a large percentage of her body from previous burns. She also has a scar on her chest.
Mary lived with schizophrenia and a heart condition, and she was classified as disabled. Her family grew deeply concerned when she failed to collect her monthly disability checks, a routine she never missed. The last check, amounting to $600, was cashed in March, and it is believed she had this money with her when she vanished. This uncharacteristic break in her routine was a significant red flag for her loved ones, solidifying their fears that something was terribly wrong. The family's anxiety was compounded by the fact that two months passed before she was officially reported missing, a delay that can be critical in such investigations.
The investigation into Mary's disappearance has faced numerous challenges. The motel where she was last seen was sold, and her room was renovated before it could be examined for forensic evidence. Additionally, old security videos from the motel had been discarded. Despite these setbacks, the Winston-Salem Police Department has continued to investigate, at one point questioning over 130 people who were staying at the motel. Mary's family has been relentless in their own search for answers, conducting searches of the area around the motel. During one of these searches, they discovered a red bookbag they believe belonged to Mary in a vacant lot about a mile from where she was last seen. This discovery prompted an extensive police search of the eight-acre lot, which unfortunately yielded no new leads. Although her family fears she may have met with foul play, her case officially remains an endangered missing person case and is unsolved.Last Seen: Mar 4, 2017
