I think it was too much on his heart, his mother Laurie told Dateline. [4] She had previously attended a private school, but transferred to a public school that year. On October 27, her abandoned car was discovered in Chalamont Park in west Little Rock. Cadaver dogs are much less likely to find remains if they're not fresh. Unsolved Homicide: Who Put Ebby Steppach in the Drainpipe? It was at this party that Ebby claimed to have been raped by 4 men, who also recorded the act. As such, on March 31, 2018, they held a fundraiser for PATH, also known as Parents Against Trafficking Humans. Lauries family also hired TJ Ward, an Atlanta based P.I. He received no response and found she wasnt home when he arrived. Law enforcement never reached out to him. At this point in the investigation, they still listed her as a runaway, as no signs of foul play or a struggle were present inside or outside of the vehicle. Ebby said, Im fucked up, and then hung up. "Maybe if we ignore it, it will go away." I wish my job worked that way. Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, she lived with her mother, Laurie Jernigan; her stepfather, Michael Jernigan; her older brother, Trevor; and her younger sister, Harris. However, it was noted that the officers implicated were no longer with the Major Crimes Unit. Her mother Laurie told Dateline that Ebby had texted Michael around 8 p.m. on October 24, 2015, and told him she had been raped by a group of men at a party and that the assault had been videotaped. In May 2017, the case was reassigned to homicide detectives within the Little Rock Police Department. Learn how your comment data is processed. Something was there. Ebby Jane Steppach was born March 31, 1997 at 6:30 a.m. She died October 25, 2015, the day her car was abandoned at Chalamont Park in West Little Rock. Andrea Cavallier is a Digital Producer for Dateline NBC. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. So when the vibrant eyeshadow palettes and tubes of lipstick were found broken and scattered throughout her car just days after she was reported missing, Ebbys mother knew something was wrong. But again, the case hit a snag when Hudson recently announced he was again retiring and relocating across the river, where he will help out at the North Little Rock Police Department cold case unit. [4], Steppach last had contact with her older brother, Trevor, around 2p.m. on October 25, 2015, in a phone call. who worked the case of Natalee Holloway. It has taken a toll on our entire family.. He also added that they have persons of interest in the case and have interviewed multiple people, but no one had been named a suspect at this time. And Ebby seemingly vanished without a trace. After Tuesdays discovery, Steppachs family released a statement asking for privacy, THV11 reports. Ebby Steppach died six years ago today, still no arrests Debi believes someone is responsible for her granddaughter's death, saying, "there is somebody or somebodies that know exactly what happened to her." Her prayer is that whoever is responsible will come forward and confess, leaving no more questions, only good memories, behind. When the Little Rock Police Department began investigating the case as more than a runaway, it was handed to the Violent Crimes Division. It has been through your support, many prayers and Gods strength that they have been able to make this journey., God hears and answers all prayers, it continued. This would later be increased to $50,000. So Ebbys mom and stepfather, Michael, told her she needed to behave in a respectful manner or she needed to move out. The blockage was pulled up by the bulldozer and turned around and there she was, right in front of me, Hudson said. She abruptly decided to switch to Central after attending private school all her life [EDIT: Ebby attended LISA Academy, which is a charter school, not a private school]. It is a shame, because the culprits seem pretty obvious. Little Rock Police spokesman Officer Steve Moore said cold case investigators were following up on Ebby Steppach's disappearance Tuesday when they found the skeletal remains in an underground. [4], The following day, October 24, 2015,[6] Steppach arrived at her mother's home, and informed her stepfather that she had been gang raped by four individuals[7] at the party and wanted to report the incident to authorities. The next evening around 5:30 p.m., Ebby called her brother, Trevor, and told him that she was in her car, but didnt know where she was. But her stepdad and I were really strict. Arkansas Online series about Ebbys disappearance: https://www.arkansasonline.com/ebby/, Stories of the Unsolved blog post: https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2019/02/02/the-murder-of-ebby-steppach/, Arkansas Online article about police mishandling evidence & acting inappropriately: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/may/31/report-of-smell-dismissed-in-15-2018053/?page=2, THV11 follow up one year after remains were found: https://www.thv11.com/article/features/one-year-later-the-search-for-justice-in-ebby-steppach-case-continues/91-beb932ec-171e-481a-83a8-068ac173a8e2. Photo provided by Ebby's mother Laurie Jernigan. While neither were human remains, it piqued the interest of investigators and thus the pipe was excavated. Ebby was a young woman with big dreams and a fiery personality, who loved her family and had a big heart for those less fortunate. Ebby Thatcher, San Jose CA, 3-4-61. Searches were conducted of the park and the woods near where the car was discovered, but no evidence was found. [15], Dec 2017 Ebbys disappearance was on Dr. Phil, "Dead teen's loved ones question Little Rock police", "Parents, friends hold out hope for missing Arkansas teen", "Ebby Steppach case: Skeletal remains found in drainage pipe ID'd as long-missing teen", "Remains Found in Underground Pipe Confirmed as Teen Ebby Steppach Who Has Been Missing Since 2015", "What Led Up To The Disappearance Of 18-Year-Old Ebby Steppach", "Ebby Steppach case gets new life with help from Dr. Phil", "Human Remains Found in Little Rock Park Confirmed to be Missing Teen Ebby Steppach", "Remains of teen Ebby Steppach, who went missing in 2015, found in drainage pipe in Arkansas park", "Remains Found at Little Rock Park ID'd as Missing Girl's", "Little Rock park to be searched for woman missing since 2015", "Friends of Ebby Steppach question how Little Rock police handled case", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Ebby_Steppach&oldid=1125336746, May 22, 2018, Chalamont Park, Little Rock, This page was last edited on 3 December 2022, at 13:27. Steppachs family released a statement on Wednesday after her remains were positively identified. While initially believed to possibly be related to the case, it was later determined the leg bone belonged to an animal. That's what I'm wondering, too. When he died, I thought, now he knows what happened to her. Shortly following the news of Hudson's retirement, Little Rock Police Department released a statement about Ebby's case: The Little Rock Police Department is committed to work collectively to resolve all cold cases; more specifically the Ebby Steppach case. Ebbys cellphone records indicate she made two calls to police that night, each about a minute long, but strangely Little Rock Police say they have no record of her calls. Remains of Teen Girl Missing for Over 40 Years Found at Serial Killer's Florida Home: Police, Police Confirm Remains Found Deep in Amazon Are Those of Missing Journalist Dom Phillips, Skeletal Remains Found in 1974 Identified as Missing Teen Susan Poole, Possible Link to Florida Serial Killer, Dismembered Body Found in Detroit ID'd by Relative as Mother of 4 Who Went Missing in December, Human Remains Found in Florida Park Belong to Brian Laundrie, FBI Confirms, Human Remains Found in Bag 40 Years Ago Identified as Guitarist of R&B Group The O'Jays, Human Remains Found in Sunken Vehicle Connected to 1998 Missing Persons Case in Arkansas, Body Found in Search for Texas Woman Who Vanished in May, as Ex-NFL Player Boyfriend Is Suspect, Floating Human Remains Discovered by Fishermen Are Identified as Florida Mom, Who Died by Homicide, Authorities Investigating TikTok Video That May Show Missing Ark. Instead of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to non-profits H.A.L.O.S. The daughter of two hair stylists, she was already immersed in that world and the craft came naturally. The remains of an Arkansas teen who vanished more than two years ago have been found, and police tell Oxygen.com that what had been a missing persons case is now a homicide investigation.Ebby Steppach, 18, was last seen alive on October 24, 2015. 26 related questions found. Im so glad this is becoming standard fare in these subs vs dogs being infallible. The men implicated in Ebbys rape have been spoken to by investigators, but there have been no formal searches of their cellphones for the alleged video of her rape. Then, Eric, Ebbys on-again, off-again boyfriend, reveals vital information on Ebbys behaviors right up until her disappearance. And definitely her contacts. He has the answers he was looking for.. If she was a runaway like the police kept saying, she wouldve taken her makeup. They were only 60 feet away from where her car had been abandoned. Remains found in an underground pipe in a Little Rock park have been confirmed as those of Ebby Steppach, who went missing in 2015. And it was broken all over the car. My faith is so strong and I trust that God will bring answers, Laurie said. Laurie said she later found out that after Ebby disappeared, Trevor spent his lunch hours searching the trunks of abandoned cars for his sister and traveling to other states following up on tips. Her car was found abandoned in a West Little Rock park days later, but her body wasn't discovered until May of 2018 . There was a drainage pipe not far from the car, and it had rained in the days after she went missing, he said. Her death has been classified as a homicide. She saved her money and worked hard to buy really nice makeup, Laurie said. Ebbys mother Laurie told Dateline she was devastated to see Hudson leave, but is hopeful that Maxwell will solve the case and finally get justice for Ebby. The search to find her lasted until May 2018, when her remains were found in a drainpipe in Chalamont Park. Laurie said the days since Ebby died, have been filled with trying to find out what happened to her daughter in October of 2015. The equipment hit obstructions on both ends of the drainage pipe and Hudson was given the go-ahead to dig up the section of pipe. According to to a text sent to a friend, Ebby said four men had been involved and that she had felt forced into the encounter. And she started to push back rebel.. Hudson obtained maps of the drainage pipes from the city and took a team back down to Chalamont Park, where they sent cameras down drainage pipes. They first entered the top drain, near where the car was found, and hit an obstruction approximately 70 feet down. She said she was outside his house, but when he went outside, she wasnt there. Ebby Steppach death has been reported as a homicide. When asked why she had waited to file the complaint, Laurie explained she feared retaliation and thus waited until it had been transferred to detectives in another department. The final time she was with more unknown men. On October 23rd, 2015, Ebby attended a party. Ebby, thats not a good position, dont put yourself in that. But then kind of that week, I stopped putting such a huge emphasis on it. She also mentioned it had been recorded without her knowledge or consent. Searches of the woods around the park were undertaken, but no sign of Ebby was found. She was survived by her parents, Laurie and Michael Jernigan; her father, Peter Steppach; her sister, Harris Elizabeth; brother, Trevor; stepbrother, Ethan; her. They are all good bois and gals but the science just isnt there. What Led Up To The Disappearance Of 18-Year-Old Ebby Steppach Watch on Ebby was featured on Dr. Phil with Corinna Slusser On October 27, Ebby's abandoned car was discovered in Chalamont Park in Little Rock. Ebby Steppach, 18, of Little Rock, Arkansas mysteriously vanished on October 24, 2015. He came in and saved the day on Ebbys case, Laurie said. They hired private investigator Monty Vickers to see what he could find out. [4] Wanting independence from her parents, Steppach decided to move out of her family's home at the beginning of the school year,[5] but was mainly staying with her grandparents and friends. At just 35 years old, he died of a massive heart attack. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Working dogs also take non-verbal clues from their handlers. Teen, Man Charged in Abduction of Cleo Smith, 4, Girl Found Alive After 18 Days in Western Australia, Pregnant Caretaker Was Abducted While on the Job, and Man Is Charged with Murder After Body Found. When she wasnt at her grandmothers house [the following day], thats when thing started to get like, Well, where is she?,' Steppachs stepdad, Michael Jernigan, told the station at the time. At the time, Little Rock police believed Steppach ran away. That was the last time anyone in Ebbys family saw her. That is truly awful. Little Rock Police Capt. In November 2015, the family offered up a $3,000 reward for information leading to her discovery. Ebby was a young woman with big dreams and a fiery personality, who loved her family and had a big heart for those less fortunate. Laurie, who has met with Dr. Phil twice, returns because she says she is now pleading with the public to share any information they may have. I'm so sorry. However, they claim they have no records of these calls having been placed. But as time passed, they became more and more worried. The daughter of two hair stylists, she was already immersed in that world and the craft came naturally. While he isnt one hundred percent certain the girl he saw was Ebby, he says she does resemble the images of Ebby hes been shown. Could it help solve the mystery? Now-retired Little Rock Police homicide detective Tommy Hudson stepped in and took over Ebbys case in 2017. Rules and Guidelines. They said they couldnt due to a lack of resources. By that time, I just knew in my soul that something was really wrong, Ebbys mother, Laurie Jeringan, told Dateline. What worried her mother most of all was the condition of Ebbys makeup. On February 12, 2018, Laurie filed a complaint with the Little Rock Police Department, alleging a Captain, a Lieutenant and a Sergeant had sent her threatening text messages, had yelled at her during questioning and had refused to update her on the case during the early days of the investigation. The park has been searched multiple times since Steppachs disappearance, police spokesman Officer Steve Moore said. If for no other reason to set a precedent that shoddy half ass police work is unacceptable. The remains were confirmed by the Little Rock Police Department, according to a reporter for KARK 4 News on Wednesday. What worried her mother most of all was the condition of Ebbys makeup. And that's something that has given me solace.". Ebby Steppach was born on March 31, 1997, and lived in Little Rock, Arkansas with her mom and step-dad, Laurie and Michael Jernigan, and two siblings, Trevor and Harris. She wanted Michael to go to the police with her to report the incident. Its unclear what compelled investigators to search the pipe specifically on Tuesday. Her step dad Michael says thinks she may have gone out to confront her rapists. They are thankful for the life they got to share with her and ask for continued support and prayers as they work through this difficult time, the statement read. Ebby had spent the day with her grandparents, and left their house around 8 p.m. telling them she was going to meet her stepfather. [8] The Steppach family offered a reward of $50,000 with information leading to their daughter's discovery. Ebbys family contacted everyone they knew and anyone they thought may have been in contact with Ebby. [4] Trevor described her as seeming "disoriented" during their conversation. So I kept thinking she might have been washed into the pipe, which would have made it more difficult to find her.. In 2017, Laurie participated in Closer to Home Arkansas Takes Action, which was hosted by Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. General. They're together. [4] Throughout the evening, cell phone records showed Steppach sent text messages to several of the men she had implicated in her rape, threatening to report them to police. By Harriet Sokmensuer. Site Map. Detective Bruce Maxwell has access to all of Hudsons work on the case and they are in constant contact. During the multiple searches for Ebby, a team looking through a remote wooded area of Little Rock stumbled across a site, consisting of clothes, handcuffs, a skeletal leg bone and a shoe that resembled one that the missing girl would wear. Ebby opted to move out and bounced around between staying with friends and her older brother, Trevor. No one heard from or saw Ebby again. She crashed with friends frequently as well. In 1991 a woman was found dead by suicide in a hotel. Tragic all the way around. The security guard explained that Ebby met a man there on multiple occasions. As of today, the case is still open and unsolved. My grandson has lost his dad. [4] That evening, two brief calls lasting approximately one minute each were placed to the Little Rock Police Department from Steppach's cell phone, though the police department would state they had no record of receiving a report. She remained a missing person for nearly three years before her body was discovered in a drainage pipe in the immediate vicinity of her car in May 2018. [4] On October 21, 2015, Steppach missed school. So he delved deep into the case, determined to solve it. In early fall, Laurie and Michael began receiving calls from the high school reporting Ebbys truancy. She had been dead since the time her car was found three years prior. Those with information regarding the case are being asked to call the Little Rock Police Department at 501-371-4829. When Ebbys remains were found, Laurie was devastated. Ebby Steppach was creative. After Guy notified police, he waited 2 hours for an officer to arrive however none did. The nightmare only continued for Ebbys family as they noticed mistakes they said police had made from the beginning and believed her case was not being taken seriously. She saw the best in people and loved anyone who came into her life with a fierceness that was unmatched. Margie Foley, a family friend and mother of one of Steppachs best friends, claimed that she had smelled decomposition while doing a private search of the area and alerted the authorities. Ebby Jane Steppach was an 18-year-old senior at Little Rock Central High School, Arkansas. There was a drainage pipe not far from the car, and it had rained in the days after she went missing, he said. When Vickers reached out to the security guard at Chalamont Park, he claimed it was the first time hed been contacted about the case. Ebby Steppach death: New theories revealed on Dr. Phil Show 2,786 views May 19, 2022 A Dr. Phil episode aired on Thursday focusing on the disappearance and death of Little Rock's Ebby. Police arrived over an hour later and after a quick inspection, told her it was sewage. And I just became hysterical.. Surveillance footage was also located about a week after Ebby went missing, which showed her car travelling along Cantrell Road in west Little Rock. [11] Extensive searches for Steppach at Chalamont Park had been held in the past. Just when I thought she had it down, you know, she didnt. Five months into the investigation, he spoke with the security guard who found her car. She was survived by her parents, Laurie and Michael Jernigan; her father, Peter Steppach; her sister, Harris Elizabeth; brother, Trevor; stepbrother, Ethan; her grandparents . We were told that we couldn't file a police report for 12 hours, Laurie said. "She would still be dead if they found her in a week," Laurie said. And the burden of being the last person to talk to Ebby.. Its Going To Take Someone Coming Forward, Says Mother Of Little Rock Teen Whose Death Remains Unsolved, Private Investigator Refutes Police Theory That Teen Found Dead In Drainpipe Crawled Down There On Her Own, I Knew Instantly Someone Had Taken Her, Says Mother Of Teen Whose Body Was Found In 2018, This Is Not A Cold Case, Says Retired Detective About Ebby Steppachs Death, Sponsored: Dr. Phil McGraw Teams Up With Sundae To Help Homeowners Sell As-Is. Her stepfather thinks at this point Ebby tried to track down the men to acquire the video of her rape in an attempt to regain her independence. If you have any information about the disappearance and murder of Ebby Steppach, please call the Little Rock Police Department at (501) 404-3128. Bob never drank again until his death . Ill be back, dont lock the door. Ebbys mother said Little Rock Police refused to check which tower Ebbys phone pinged off when she made the final call to her brother. Throughout the evening, cell phone records showed Ebby sent text messages to men she had implicated in her rape, threatening to go to the police if they didnt delete the video. By that stage, the 18-year-old had been missing for nearly three years. The case made national news and people from all over the world contacted the Little Rock Police Department and the family with bogus tips, some even claiming to be holding Ebby captive as they demanded money for her safe return. For Ebby's family and friends, they just want answers. Ebby Steppach. Vickers tried to contact the police for three months to offer assistance with the investigation, but his calls and emails went without reply. Listen iHeartPodcast's " Hell and Gone " is back with a 4th season, and this time, host Catherine Townsend is diving into the murder of Ebby Steppach. The keys were in the ignition and the car was out of gas as if it had been left running. But Ebbys specialty was makeup. Unknown Ebby Steppach Killer- Arkansas- 2015 . May 22, 2019 1 year since Ebbys remains were recovered. Upcoming on In Pursuit. These remains were subsequently confirmed to be those of Steppach. Vanished: Heidi Broussard (33) and Margot Carey (2wks). She submitted recordings of conversations, text message threads, emails and provided witnesses as evidence. Could it possibly be one of the men who raped her,? The case made national news and people from all over the world contacted the Little Rock Police Department and the family with bogus tips, some even claiming to be holding Ebby captive as they demanded money for her safe return. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Although Hudson would not tell Dateline how Ebby died, because he believes it would interfere with the investigation, he said her death is being investigated as a homicide. Ebby Steppach case still open, preliminary cause of death determined but wont be released, One year later | The search for justice for Ebby continues, Days after Ebby Steppach disappeared, police shrugged off pipe odor, caller says, Mysterious 911 call and the disappearance of Cheyann Klus, Dr. Dharmesh Patel (41) attempted to kill his family by driving their Tesla off a 300 foot cliff, Ana Walshe is missing after her husband googled 'how to dispose of a 115 pound womans body', Jennifer Fairgate and her briefcase of bullets, Florida Cosplay/Cam Girl, Melissa Turner stabs her boyfriend to death and waits 4 hours to call 911, Tristyn Bailey (13) was stabbed 114 times, allegedly by her 14 y/o classmate. Anyone with information about Ebby Steppachs case is asked to call the Little Rock Police Department Cold Case Unit at (501) 4043128. I just knew it, everything in my soul, I knew something had happened to her, Laurie said. And I knew it was Ebby.. It was an open secret who did it. [4] On Friday, October 23, she attended a party at some point during the evening. April 2019 Ebbys older brother, Trevor, dies from a massive heart attack at just 35 years old. He had retired earlier in the year, but returned just months later to help with the new cold case unit. Her phone records also indicate she stopped opening messages that night a major red flag. He initially hesitated to take the case, but once he saw the shotty investigation he knew he had to do something and began tracking Ebbys final movements. On the morning of Wednesday, October 21, 2015, Ebby skipped school, telling her friend Danielle she wanted to avoid all that drama. Danielle didnt know what she meant. [7] She initially told him she was parked outside his house, but upon hanging up and walking out to the street, he did not see her car. 5 min read 8657 Werger road, Windham The man who called 911 to report an armed neighbor in his garage asked authorities for permission to shoot her, criticized police for. The daughter of two hair stylists, she was already immersed in that world and the craft came naturally. Sep. 22 2021, Published 6:32 p.m. And that's something that has given me solace.". The blockage was pulled up by the bulldozer and turned around and there she was, right in front of me, Hudson said. That was when they discovered Ebby's remains just 60 feet from where her car had been found. A Celebration of Ebbys Life will be held by the family at a local church, Christ Community Church, on May 26 at 2 p.m. Steppach went missing on Oct. 24, 2015, after she was supposed to meet her stepfather at her grandmothers home in West Little Rock, KATV reports. Her remains were found in a drainage pipe. October 25, 2015. Targeted Because 0f Your Race or Religion? Ebby is found. Mother hopeful new detective will solve 2015 murder of daughter Ebby Steppach 18-year-old Ebby vanished in October 2015, but her remains weren't found until May 2018. Poor Ebby. "There was some evidence we were looking at that was found at the scene when she initially disappeared that bothered us," Hudson said. Her bones were found last Tuesday in a park drainage pipe in a Little Rock suburb, steps from where her car was discovered after she disappeared.

Is There School On Columbus Day In Illinois, Camasunary Fishing Lodge, Eu4 Combat Width Chart, Export Management Company Advantages Disadvantages, Why Did John Ford Wear An Eye Patch, Articles E