Barbara Smith Vanwinckle Missing from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware age 61

Case Description

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Barbara Smith Vanwinckle, a 61-year-old woman, was last seen on May 21, 1994, in the 500 block of Ocean Breeze Drive in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and has not been heard from since. Nearly three weeks later, on June 9, her green 1993 Ford Crown Victoria was discovered abandoned and unlocked in the parking lot of the Mid-Sussex Shopping Center in Millsboro, Delaware. The vehicle, bearing Delaware license plate number 83783, was found at the Rose's Department Store. Inside the car, investigators fo ...Read More
Last Seen: May 21, 1994

Links to Additional Sources (8)

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Barbara Smith Vanwinckle - The Charley Project

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Victim Details

Created

Jan 26, 2026

Case Added

Jan 26, 2026

Firstname

Barbara

Lastname

Smith Vanwinckle

Current Age

61

Age At Disappearance

61

Height

5'4 - 5'5 inches

Weight

135 lbs

Ethnicity

White

Gender

Female

Notes

Vanwinckle was last seen in the 500 block of Ocean Breeze Drive in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware on May 21, 1994. She has never been heard from again. On May 9, her green 1993 Ford Crown Victoria with the Delaware license plate number 83783 was found unlocked and abandoned in the parking lot of Rose's Department Store at the Mid-Sussex Shopping Center on Route 113 in Millsboro, Delaware. Vanwinckle's keys were lying on the driver's side floor and her purse was on the passenger seat, covered by a sweater. Nothing was missing from the purse. Vanwinckle's live-in boyfriend did not report her missing; the report was filed by another close friend. Investigators found this suspicious and searched their residence after her disappearance was reported. Two bedrooms inside the home had bloodstains, leading authorities to declare Vanwinckle's case a homicide. The prime suspect in Vanwinckle's disappearance died by suicide two months after her disappearance, but investigators still hope to resolve her case and recover her remains.

Last Seen

May 21, 1994

City

Rehoboth Beach

State

Delaware

Zip Code

Rehoboth Beach

Vehicles

10

Agency Name

Delaware State Police

Agency Phone

302-739-5939

Last Updated

01/26/2026

Barbara Smith Vanwinckle
Missing

Case Description

Links to Additional Sources (8)

Victim Details

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