In the rural community of Section, Alabama, eleven-year-old Haleigh Culwell, a fifth-grade student at Macedonia School, vanished without a trace alongside her mother, 36-year-old Kimberly Whitton, on June 21, 2007. The mother and daughter lived in a secluded log cabin on a forty-acre property, accessible only by a long driveway with two locked gates. On the day of their disappearance, Kimberly, a dedicated employee at Cloverdale Manor Nursing Home, went to her workplace to pick up some papers.
She made a brief phone call to a friend on her way home, but the poor connection cut their conversation short, with Kimberly promising to call back in five minutes—a call she would never make. A week later, on June 28, Kimberly's concerned coworkers reported her and Haleigh missing when they failed to hear from them.
The investigation into their disappearance quickly focused on Haleigh's stepfather and Kimberly's husband of eight years, Barry Whitton. When questioned by authorities, Barry claimed that Kimberly and Haleigh had left their home in a white Ford van or truck shortly after Kimberly returned from work. He stated that he had given his wife $20,000 in cash and that they might have been headed to Montana. However, this account was met with skepticism by those who knew Kimberly and Haleigh, as it was uncharacteristic for them to leave without informing anyone. Kimberly had been a reliable employee for seven years, only missing work for one of Haleigh's school trips. The subsequent investigation into Barry's background revealed a troubling criminal history, including convictions for receiving stolen property.
A deeper look into Barry Whitton's past unearthed even more disturbing connections. His first wife, Michelle Townsend Whitton, had also disappeared in late 1997 under similar circumstances, with Barry claiming she had simply left. Michelle's body was discovered six weeks later in a shallow grave, and she had been beaten and stabbed to death. During the search of the property he shared with Kimberly and Haleigh, authorities found illegal firearms, leading to Barry's arrest and subsequent conviction as a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to ten years in prison. While incarcerated, witnesses testified that Barry had bragged about murdering three people and discussed methods of body disposal. Although he was considered a suspect in the disappearance of Kimberly and Haleigh, he was never charged in their case. In 2015, while still in federal prison for the weapons charge, Barry Whitton was indicted, and later convicted, for the 1997 murder of his first wife, Michelle, and sentenced to life in prison. The disappearance of Haleigh Culwell and her mother, Kimberly Whitton, remains an unsolved case, a painful mystery that has left a lasting scar on their community and family, with foul play strongly suspected.Last Seen: Jun 21, 2007
