In the spring of 1992, a 28-year-old woman named Devonne Dubose vanished from Charlotte, North Carolina, leaving behind a life of hardship and a family who would spend decades searching for answers. On the morning of March 25, 1992, Devonne spoke with her family, a conversation that would be their last. After that day, she was never seen or heard from again.
At the time of her disappearance, Devonne was experiencing homelessness and was known to frequent the areas of Tryon Street and Rozzelles Ferry Road. She was last seen in the 300 block of Green Needles Court. Devonne was described as a Black female with black hair and brown eyes, standing between 5'2' and 5'4' and weighing around 100 to 120 pounds. She had a known history of intravenous drug use, which had left needle tracks on her left arm, and she also lived with diabetes.
Devonne's sister grew worried when she failed to collect her monthly Social Security check, an act that was entirely out of character for her, and she was officially reported as a missing person. The investigation into her disappearance revealed that she was involved with crack cocaine and often spent time in drug houses. A troubling connection emerged as her case was linked to that of her friend, Rita Maxwell, who had also disappeared from Charlotte in the same month. Both women shared similar lifestyles and frequented the same high-risk areas, leading investigators to suspect a connection between their cases. In 1996, a tip suggested that the two women may have been killed and their bodies left in a vacant house, but this lead was never confirmed.
The disappearances of Devonne Dubose and Rita Maxwell cast a dark shadow over Charlotte, a city that was already on edge due to a series of murders of Black women. Authorities have considered the possibility that Devonne and Rita may have been victims of the serial killer Henry Louis Wallace, who confessed to murdering eleven women in the area in 1994. Although Wallace was never charged in connection with their cases, and did not confess to their murders, both women fit the profile of his known victims. Decades have passed since Devonne was last seen, and her case remains one of the oldest open missing person cases in Charlotte. With no new leads or evidence, the circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain a mystery, leaving her family with the enduring pain of not knowing what happened to her. Her case is a somber reminder of a life interrupted and the many unanswered questions that continue to haunt a community.Last Seen: Mar 25, 1992
