Account
Mar 14, 2017
Jan 10, 2022
Stephanie
Smith
71
24
70 inches
71 inches
130 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
In the early summer of 1977, Stephanie Lee Smith, a 24-year-old woman with a promising future, was carving out a life for herself in New Orleans, Louisiana. Having moved to the area in early 1976, she resided in the Jackson Landing Apartment complex in Algiers. Friends and family knew her as a tall, striking woman with blue eyes and brown hair styled in the popular "Farrah Fawcett" look of the era. Originally from Dunedin, Florida, where her father had served as the chief of police, Stephanie was a graduate of Dunedin High School and had attended St. Petersburg Junior College and McNeese University. She was close with her parents, maintaining regular contact with them back in Florida. In New Orleans, she worked as a secretary for an offshore oil company. On the morning of June 9, 1977, Stephanie spoke with her mother on the phone, making plans to call her again that evening. Later that day, she attended a job interview at the LSU Medical Center on Tulane Avenue. She was last seen at approximately 12:30 p.m. leaving the interview. What happened to Stephanie after that moment remains a mystery. She never made her scheduled call to her mother that evening, and all attempts to contact her went unanswered. The silence was deeply concerning for her family, who knew it was out of character for her to be out of touch. A day or two following her disappearance, Stephanie's white 1975 MGB convertible was discovered in a parking lot a few blocks from her apartment complex. The vehicle was found to be unusually clean, and there were no signs of a struggle or any foul play. Investigators also examined her apartment and found nothing amiss; there were no signs of forced entry, and none of her personal belongings appeared to be missing. At the time she was last seen, Stephanie was wearing a peach-colored blouse and slacks, along with a collection of distinctive jewelry, including a gold wristwatch with a red face, a gold ring with a small ruby, a gold necklace with a diamond chip and an opal, and a silver charm bracelet. Despite extensive investigations by the New Orleans Police Department, no credible leads emerged to explain her sudden disappearance. The case of Stephanie Lee Smith has remained unsolved for decades, leaving her family with unanswered questions and a profound sense of loss. Over the years, various theories have been considered, but none have been substantiated with evidence. The lack of any signs of a struggle, robbery, or forced entry has made the circumstances surrounding her disappearance particularly perplexing for investigators. The discovery of her clean car and untouched apartment suggests that she may have known the person or people involved in her disappearance. Despite the passage of time, the investigation into what happened to Stephanie remains open, a haunting reminder of a young woman who vanished without a trace from the streets of New Orleans.
Jun 09, 1977
New Orleans
Louisiana
Orleans Parish
Unknown
37466
New Orleans Police Department
New Orleans
Louisiana
Orleans Parish
70119
Daniel McMullen
Detective Sergeant
715 South Broad Street, Louisiana
5046585315
Local
Law Enforcement
L-2908-82
New Orleans Police Department
Brown
Blue
Blue
No
05/28/2026
