Evelyn "Laverne" Mackey, a 41-year-old woman from Hernando County, Florida, disappeared on November 5, 1981. She was last seen by her teenage daughter after making breakfast that morning. Her husband, Mearl Mackey, dropped their daughter at school and later told the family that Evelyn had gone to Ohio to care for a sick relative. However, her family discovered that no such visit was planned, and Evelyn never arrived at her supposed destination. Suspiciously, shortly after her disappearance, Mearl began emptying Evelyn's bank account, and his inconsistent stories about her whereabouts only fueled concerns.
Authorities were unable to make headway in the case at the time, and it went cold for over three decades. However, in 2015, renewed interest in Evelyn’s case led to an arrest, thanks to investigative efforts and the assistance of the TV show *Cold Justice*. Mearl Mackey was eventually charged with Evelyn’s murder. During interrogation, Mearl admitted that Evelyn had died accidentally while they were fishing, claiming she fell, hit her head, and stopped breathing. He further confessed to disposing of her body by tying it to an anchor and sinking it in a nearby waterway. Despite this confession, Evelyn's body has never been recovered.
In 2018, Mearl pleaded guilty to second-degree murder under the sentencing guidelines in place at the time of the crime and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. His conflicting stories and actions after Evelyn’s disappearance led investigators to suspect that financial motives played a role in her death. Despite the conviction, the exact location of Evelyn's remains remains unknown, leaving part of the mystery unsolved.
Last Seen: Nov 5, 1981
