On November 18, 1984, 26-year-old Sandee Elaine Cornett disappeared from her home in Charlotte, North Carolina. That evening, she had dinner with her fiancé at her residence on Eaglewind Drive. After he returned to his home in South Carolina, he called her, letting the phone ring once as a signal he had arrived safely. She was expected to call him back later that night but never did.
The following day, November 19, when Sandee, a reliable employee, failed to show up for her job as an insurance claims adjuster, a concerned neighbor reported her missing. Investigators found no signs of a struggle or forced entry at her home. Her car was still in the driveway, and the television was on. Inside, her purse had been emptied onto her bed, but her keys, driver's license, and checkbook were left behind. The only items noted as missing were the dark blue velour jogging suit she was likely wearing, a dictating machine she used for work, and her ATM card.
The investigation soon revealed suspicious activity related to Sandee's missing ATM card. In the weeks following her disappearance, the card was used on three separate occasions to withdraw approximately $1,000 from her bank account at ATMs in east Charlotte. Bank employees reported seeing both a man and a woman, who matched Sandee's description, using the card. Ten days after she vanished, a woman telephoned the bank, provided Sandee's account number, and inquired about the balance before attempting to transfer funds and then abruptly hanging up. Bank staff did not believe the caller was Sandee. Several months into the investigation, authorities identified Larry Gene Bell, a man Sandee knew through a former boyfriend, as a person of interest. Bell had previously attended a party at her home. Although he was interviewed by multiple agencies at the time, he was not charged in connection with her disappearance.
For decades, Sandee Cornett's case remained a painful mystery for her family, who remembered her as a vibrant young woman with a promising future. She had earned an associate's degree and, in addition to her work in insurance, was a part-time model. Her wedding was planned for the spring following her disappearance. The prime suspect, Larry Gene Bell, was later convicted and executed in 1996 for the 1985 kidnapping and murders of two young women in South Carolina. While incarcerated, Bell made statements that suggested knowledge of Sandee's case but never confessed. In February 2025, after a comprehensive review of four decades of evidence, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Cold Case Unit officially named Larry Gene Bell as the individual who would have been charged with Sandee's kidnapping and murder if he were still alive. The case is now considered cleared by the death of the offender. Despite this resolution, Sandee Cornett's remains have never been found, and her family continues to hope for the day they can provide her with a proper burial.Last Seen: Nov 18, 1984
