On a late summer evening in Joplin, Missouri, 57-year-old Sandra Spoon was last seen on August 28, 2005. At approximately 10:00 p.m., she left the residence she shared with her sister, accompanying a coworker to an acquaintance's home on Pearl Street. Witnesses reported that another individual at the gathering, Edward G. Monroe, made advances towards Sandra, which she rejected. Later that evening, Monroe offered Sandra a ride home in his brown, four-door 1981 Oldsmobile Omega.
He allegedly told someone present that he intended to spend the night with her, but he returned to the Pearl Street residence alone within two to four hours. Sandra Spoon, a nurse's aide at the Meadows Care Center, was never seen or heard from again. She was reported missing by her family two days later when she failed to return home or show up for work.
The investigation into Sandra's disappearance quickly focused on Edward G. Monroe, the last person known to have seen her. When questioned by the Joplin Police Department, Monroe claimed that he had dropped Sandra off at the corner of 22nd and Byers, which was only about a block from her home. He stated that they had spent the time in between driving around the vicinity of Pearl Street. However, a witness reported seeing Monroe walking out of a wooded area near Shoal Creek to his car. Despite being considered a suspect in her disappearance, Monroe was never charged in connection with the case. He passed away in August 2007, leaving many questions unanswered. The vehicle Sandra was last seen in was later found in the 2800 block of Picher in Joplin.
Sandra Spoon was a white female with red or brown shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. She was 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighed approximately 100 pounds. At the time she went missing, she was wearing a multi-colored shirt and capri pants and carrying a small black purse. She has previously fractured bones in her face, has double-pierced ears, and wears a full set of dentures. The Joplin Police Department continues to investigate her case, and for a time, a $1,000 reward was offered for information regarding her whereabouts. The disappearance of Sandra Spoon remains an unsolved case, a lingering mystery for her family and the community, leaving them to wonder what happened on that August night. Her case serves as a somber reminder of the many individuals who vanish without a trace, and the enduring pain felt by those left behind.Last Seen: Aug 28, 2005
