In the autumn of 2021, 47-year-old Bethany Lee Buckles was living in Asheville, North Carolina, and looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. She and her mother, Jolinda, who was in Atlanta, Georgia, were on the phone making plans and creating a shopping list for their celebration. The last verbal contact anyone had with Bethany was on the night of November 17, 2021, when she spoke with her mother. After that conversation, Jolinda never heard from her daughter again.
Concern grew when Bethany failed to return to her residence on Ravencroft Lane, and her family reported her missing to the Asheville Police Department on November 20, 2021.
The initial investigation into Bethany's disappearance uncovered a few troubling details. A single charge was made on one of her accounts at a BP gas station in Asheville during the very early morning hours of November 18th. Later, her black Hyundai Elantra was found abandoned in the Swannanoa area. When her mother arrived in Asheville and went to Bethany's condo, she made a heartbreaking discovery: Bethany's small dog had been left locked inside for days without food or water, a behavior that was described as being very out of character for her. According to her family, Bethany had some mental health issues and was sometimes seen panhandling in the downtown area. At the time of her disappearance, she was described as being 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing around 200 pounds, with blue eyes and long, sandy blonde or dark-colored hair. She has a scar on her abdomen and a tattoo of a flower on her left ankle.
Years have passed since Bethany Buckles was last seen, and her case remains unsolved, leaving her family with unanswered questions. The Asheville Police Department has continued to ask for the public's help, periodically renewing their plea for any information that might lead to a breakthrough. They have emphasized that even the smallest detail could be the crucial piece of information needed to locate her. The investigation has yet to yield any significant leads, and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain a mystery. The overview of the case is one of a sudden and unexplained departure from a life that included making future holiday plans, which has left a void in the lives of her loved ones. The discovery of her abandoned car and the state of her neglected pet suggest an abrupt and possibly unplanned event.Last Seen: Nov 17, 2021
