In February of 2020, the life of 21-year-old Jessica Diane Vanzant Dietzel took a deeply unsettling turn, leading to her mysterious disappearance from Albany, Georgia. A young mother, Jessica was last seen on surveillance footage at an Enmarket convenience store on Clark Avenue on February 13, 2020. She was wearing a light blue Nike shirt, leggings, and black Nike slides while carrying a mustard-colored bag. Though her mother had last been in contact with her via Facebook on February 4, the last known communication from Jessica occurred on February 18. On that day, she used an acquaintance's phone to log into her Facebook Messenger account. In a series of alarming messages to a friend, she asked them to call her, stating she was scared and admitting, 'I know I'm in too deep.' This communication was traced to the area near the former Deep South Motel in Albany. After this, Jessica's presence vanished, and she has not been seen or heard from since.
The investigation into her disappearance began after her mother officially reported her missing on March 1, alarmed that Jessica had not reached out for her own daughter's third birthday. The man whose phone Jessica had used, Gary Potter, became a person of interest in the case. Authorities searched his home and seized property, including his truck, where a hair was found that could potentially belong to Jessica. However, Potter claimed not to know Jessica and was uncooperative with investigators. Another individual on the investigators' radar was Jessica's ex, Kenneth Dietzel, who had been released from jail just days before she went missing and reportedly had a history of harassing her. The case took another strange turn six months after she vanished when a notebook belonging to Jessica was discovered in a parking lot in Oglethorpe, Georgia. The notebook was in surprisingly good condition, appearing as though it had been recently placed there, not exposed to the elements for an extended period.
The circumstances surrounding Jessica Dietzel's case remain unresolved, leaving her family with unanswered questions and profound grief. Authorities have stated their belief that she was involved with dangerous individuals around the time she went missing. Her mother has tirelessly advocated for her daughter, navigating painful theories and sometimes frustrating interactions with law enforcement. The investigation has been handled by the Lee County Sheriff's Office and the Albany Police Department. Despite the passage of time, the case remains an active investigation, a painful puzzle of a young woman who sent a final, desperate message before disappearing, leaving a void in the lives of those who love her.
Last Seen: Feb 16, 2020
