Account
Apr 05, 2013
Sep 15, 2020
Jessi
Short
37
25
62 inches
130 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
In the winter of 2013, a 25-year-old mother named Jessi Machell Short vanished from Shenango Township, Pennsylvania. She was last seen on or about January 27, 2013, after spending a few nights at her mother's residence. At the time of her disappearance, Jessi was described as a white female with brown hair and brown eyes, standing at 5'2" and weighing around 130 pounds. When she was last seen, she was reportedly wearing a white, long-sleeved terrycloth shirt, a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and gray work boots. Jessi did not drive and relied on others for transportation, often walking to her destinations. Her mother, Linda Whitesell, reported her missing on February 10, 2013, after not hearing from her for about two weeks. Jessi’s life before she went missing was fraught with challenges. She was a mother to a young son and struggled with a severe addiction to opiates and crack cocaine. Despite multiple attempts at rehabilitation, she consistently relapsed. These struggles led her into a high-risk lifestyle; to support her drug habit, she was known to engage in sex work in areas of Shenango, and frequented locations in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Butler County, Pennsylvania, as well as parts of Ohio near the Pennsylvania border. It was not entirely out of character for Jessi to be out of contact for short periods, but her family says she had never been gone for such an extended time. The circumstances of her disappearance are considered unclear, but her lifestyle placed her at a significant risk. The investigation into Jessi's disappearance has been ongoing for years, handled by the Shenango Township Police Department and later involving the Pennsylvania State Police. Her case has been entered into national databases for missing persons. Over the years, authorities have received various tips, including some that suggest foul play might have been involved in her disappearance. One unconfirmed account claimed she was with a group of people near a local creek when she was killed and her body disposed of in the river. Despite numerous interviews conducted by law enforcement, these stories have not been substantiated, and her case remains unsolved. The lack of concrete evidence and the passage of time have left her family, particularly her mother and her son, without answers and in a state of perpetual uncertainty. The case of Jessi Short is a somber story of a young woman who disappeared while battling personal demons, leaving behind a family searching for closure.
Jan 27, 2013
Shenango Township
Pennsylvania
Lawrence County
16101
No
13352
Shenango Township Police Department
New Castle
Pennsylvania
Lawrence County
16101
1000 Willowbrook Road, Pennsylvania
7246542243
Local
Law Enforcement
13-0212
2013-02-10
Shenango Township Police Department
Brown
Brown
Brown
No
05/27/2026
