Gabriel Scott Johnson, 7 months old, was last seen on December 27, 2009, in San Antonio, Texas, with his mother, Elizabeth Joanne Johnson. The disappearance unfolded against a backdrop of a contentious custody dispute with Gabriel's father, Logan McQueary. Elizabeth had taken Gabriel from Tempe, Arizona, to San Antonio, arriving on December 22, 2009, and staying in two local motels.
On December 27, she left San Antonio via a Greyhound bus without Gabriel, leaving her grandfather's car behind. She failed to appear at a custody hearing in Arizona the following day, which led to a warrant for her arrest for custodial interference. Elizabeth was apprehended on December 30 in Miami Beach, Florida, without her son.
Following her arrest, Elizabeth Johnson provided conflicting and disturbing accounts of Gabriel's fate. She initially sent text messages to McQueary claiming she had killed Gabriel and disposed of his body in a dumpster. She later recanted this confession, asserting that she had given the baby to a couple she met in a San Antonio park for a closed adoption. This couple's existence has never been verified. Elizabeth was indicted on charges of kidnapping, custodial interference, and child abuse. In October 2012, she was convicted of custodial interference and unlawful imprisonment, but the jury could not reach a verdict on the kidnapping charge. She was sentenced to five and a quarter years in prison and was released in July 2014. Since her release, she has had another child and has legally changed her name twice.
The investigation into Gabriel's disappearance also focused on Tammi Peters Smith and her husband, Jack, an Arizona couple who had been pursuing the adoption of Gabriel. McQueary had refused to relinquish his parental rights, creating a point of contention. The Smiths were considered persons of interest, and authorities believed they might be withholding information. In February 2010, Tammi Smith was arrested and charged with forgery, custodial interference, and conspiracy to commit custodial interference. Prosecutors argued that Smith was manipulative and conspired with Elizabeth Johnson to keep Gabriel from his father. In May 2012, Tammi was convicted on all charges.
Despite numerous investigative efforts, Gabriel Scott Johnson has never been found, and his case remains a kidnapping and homicide investigation. A private investigator hired by McQueary believes Gabriel was sold to a couple in San Antonio in an illegal adoption. This theory is supported by the fact that one of the motels where Elizabeth and Gabriel stayed is known in adoption circles as a meeting place for birth mothers and adoptive parents. The last known photos of Gabriel, taken on his mother's phone, show him appearing lethargic. Authorities have considered filing murder charges against Elizabeth Johnson, but a lack of evidence has prevented them from doing so. Gabriel's father, Logan McQueary, continues to search for his son.Last Seen: Dec 27, 2009
