Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
Nelda Hardwick missing person case profile photo

Nelda Hardwick Missing Person Case

Last seen in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Oct 14, 1993

Victim Details

Dec 12, 2008

Jan 10, 2022

Nelda

Hardwick

67

34

63 inches

110 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

Oct 14, 1993

Lake Charles

Louisiana

Calcasieu Parish

6540

Calcasieu Parish Coroner's Office

Lake Charles

Louisiana

Calcasieu Parish

70601

Charles Hunter, Jr.

Chief Investigator

707 E Prien Lake Rd # B, Louisiana

3374777537

County

Coroner

93-054275

Calcasieu Parish Coroner's Office

4685

Brown

Brown

Brown

Sep 21, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP625) and 6 other sources
In the late evening hours of October 14, 1993, 34-year-old Nelda Louise Hardwick vanished from her home on 18th Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She left a note for her live-in boyfriend stating that she was going to a nearby store and would be back shortly. Her boyfriend reported her missing the following day when she did not return. Nelda was a devoted mother to her four children, and her loved ones do not believe she would have willingly abandoned them. At the time of her disappearance, she was described as being 5'3' tall and weighing 110 pounds, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. She had a distinct physical characteristic: her left leg was shorter than her right, which caused a noticeable limp. Authorities have classified her disappearance as a homicide and suspect that foul play was involved.

A significant development in the case came years later when investigators considered a possible link between Nelda's disappearance and an unidentified woman who was struck and killed by a vehicle on Interstate 10 in Hancock County, Mississippi, on May 8, 1998. In 2013, after viewing photographs of the deceased woman, Nelda's relatives believed it was her. The Hancock County coroner also noted strong similarities and stated there was a high probability that the Jane Doe was Nelda. This led to a theory that Nelda might have been abducted and held captive for years, only to be killed in a tragic accident after a potential escape.

Hoping to find definitive answers, a judge ordered the exhumation of the Jane Doe's grave to obtain a DNA sample for comparison with Nelda's family. However, when the grave was opened, it was discovered that the coffin contained the remains of a man, not a woman. A mix-up at the cemetery meant the actual location of the Jane Doe's remains could not be determined, bringing the investigation to a standstill. The unidentified woman from the interstate accident remains unidentified, and Nelda Louise Hardwick's case continues to be a painful and unresolved mystery for her family, who are still searching for answers about what happened to their beloved mother.
Last Seen: Oct 14, 1993

Links to Additional Sources (6)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Missing Person / NamUs #MP625
  • Nelda Louise Hardwick - The Charley Project
  • 1002DFLA - Nelda Louise Hardwick - Doe Network
  • Nelda Hardwick - International Missing Persons Wiki - Fandom
  • Family of missing woman pleads to have 'Jane Doe' exhumed - WLOX
  • Missing: Darleta Hurt and Nelda Hardwick - gone-podcast.com

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (2)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    78%Possible
    Jane Doe — Houston, Texas - unidentified case UP614
    Jane Doe — Houston, Texas
    UP614 • Found Nov 22, 1994
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 35–40 vs 34 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 68%135 mi away
    TimingFound 13 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'2" vs 5'3"
    Weight 23%156 lb vs 110 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    75%Possible
    Jane Doe — Houston, Texas
    UP710 • Found Nov 28, 1994
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 25–40 vs 34 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 68%133 mi away
    TimingFound 13 months after last seen
    Height 84%5'5" vs 5'3"
    Weight 69%138 lb vs 110 lb

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

    Latest News

    View All

    Forum Posts (1)

    It's baffling to think how Nelda's case led to the exhumation of a body only to find it was a man's.... ...Read More
    10/07/2024

    Other Missing Cases from Lake Charles, Louisiana

    Lakisha Taylor missing person case in Lake Charles, Louisiana

    Lakisha Taylor

    Missing: Jun 13, 2008
    LaKisha Shantella Taylor, a 27-year-old mother of three, vanished from Lake Charles, Louisiana, on ...Read More
    Joyce Dupont missing person case in Lake Charles, Louisiana

    Joyce Dupont

    Missing: Sep 8, 1994
    In the late summer of 1994, a young mother named Joyce Lynn Dupont vanished from Lake Charles ...Read More