Cherryl Pearson Missing Person Case

Dec 20, 2009

Jan 08, 2024

Cherryl

Pearson

61

37

66 inches

67 inches

160 lbs

Black / African American

Female

On a cold January night in 2002, the life of Dr. Cherryl Lamont Pearson, a respected 37-year-old pediatrician, took an inexplicable turn, leaving her family and community with a void that has yet to be filled. On the evening of January 4th, Cherryl, a season ticket holder, attended a Memphis Grizzlies basketball game at the Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee. After the game, she returned to her home on Daybreak Drive in Bartlett. Friends visited with her there until about 1:00 a.m. on January 5th. She had plans to babysit her sister's children later that morning, something she was looking forward to. However, when her sister arrived to drop off the children, Cherryl and her car were gone. This was highly out of character for the dependable and family-oriented doctor. The situation was made more urgent by the fact that Cherryl was a Type 1 diabetic and required insulin, yet her insulin pump and other medical supplies were left behind in her home. The initial investigation into Cherryl's disappearance uncovered few immediate clues at her residence. There were no signs of a struggle or forced entry, suggesting she may have left on her own accord. However, investigators found her cell phone and pager, items she would have certainly taken with her as she was on call that weekend. A significant and mysterious detail emerged from her phone records: a five-second phone call was made to her home at 1:58 a.m. from a payphone at a nearby gas station. The identity of the caller and the nature of this brief conversation remain unknown, but it is a focal point in the timeline of her disappearance. Two days later, on January 7th, her dark blue 2001 Audi was discovered in the parking lot of an apartment complex, just a short distance from her home. The vehicle showed no signs of violence, but it had been meticulously wiped clean of any fingerprints, including her own. Inside the trunk, authorities found her medical bag, keys, and an envelope containing $140 in cash. Years have passed since Cherryl Pearson was last seen, and despite the efforts of law enforcement and her loved ones, her case remains unsolved. Foul play is strongly suspected in her disappearance. Investigators looked into various individuals, including her brother-in-law, who had a criminal record and was the husband of the beneficiary of Cherryl's $150,000 life insurance policy. However, he had an alibi and no evidence was found to connect him to her case. In 2009, Cherryl Lamont Pearson was declared legally dead. The prevailing theory is that she left her home after receiving the mysterious phone call, intending a short trip from which she never returned. The case is a haunting puzzle of a responsible and loved individual vanishing without a trace, leaving behind only perplexing questions. The Bartlett Police Department continues to hold out hope that someone in the community has information that could finally bring closure to Cherryl's family.

Jan 05, 2002

Bartlett

Tennessee

Shelby County

No

7933

Bartlett Police Department

Bartlett

Tennessee

Shelby County

38133

Beky Anderson

Detective

3730 Appling Road, Tennessee

9013855565

Local

Law Enforcement

http://www.cityofbartlett.org/68/Police-Department

20105009

Bartlett Police Department

Black

Brown

Brown

No

07/12/2026