In the summer of 2007, eleven-year-old Haleigh Breann Culwell, a fifth-grade student at Macedonia School, vanished without a trace from her home in Section, Alabama. She was last seen with her mother, Kimberly Whitton. The two lived in a log cabin set on a secluded forty-acre property, accessible only by foot due to two locked gates on the driveway. On the day of their disappearance, Kimberly had gone to her job at Cloverdale Manor Nursing Home in Scottsboro to collect some papers.
She placed a call to a friend while driving home, but the poor connection cut their conversation short. Kimberly promised to call back in five minutes, a promise she was never able to keep. It wasn't until a week later, on June 28, that Kimberly's coworkers reported her and Haleigh missing.
The authorities' investigation soon focused on Haleigh's stepfather and Kimberly's husband of eight years, Barry Van Whitton. He told investigators that his wife and stepdaughter had left their home shortly after Kimberly returned from work. According to Barry, he gave Kimberly $20,000 in cash, and they drove away in a white Ford van or truck with Alabama license plates, possibly heading to Montana. However, this account was met with suspicion, especially given Barry's past. His first wife, Michelle Townsend Whitton, had also disappeared in late 1997. Barry claimed she had left to get breakfast and never returned. Tragically, her body was discovered six weeks later in a shallow grave; she had been beaten and stabbed to death. While investigating the disappearances of Haleigh and Kimberly, authorities found firearms on Barry's property. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from owning them, leading to his arrest on weapons charges. He was subsequently sentenced to ten years in prison.
Years later, while serving his sentence for the weapons charges, a significant development occurred. In December 2014, Barry Van Whitton was indicted for the murder of his first wife, Michelle. A former cellmate testified against him, and in September 2015, Barry was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Despite his conviction for Michelle's murder and the deep suspicion surrounding his involvement in the disappearance of his second wife and stepdaughter, Barry has never been charged in connection with their cases. The disappearances of Haleigh Breann Culwell and her mother, Kimberly Whitton, are officially considered endangered missing persons cases, with foul play strongly suspected. Haleigh had blonde hair and brown eyes, and though she once wore braces, they were removed before she went missing. The case remains unsolved, a lingering mystery that has left a family and community searching for answers for many years.Last Seen: Jun 21, 2007
