However, the majority of people who go missing voluntarily eventually get in contact with their family. Phoenixs friends say that because her parents were religious and strict (Phoenix was homeschooled for this reason) she hid things from them. Some of the people she started hanging out with were of dubious means and didnt have the same faith values that she was raised with, said Lawrence. The truck was found in East St Louis, Illinois. The area where Phoenixs car was found was East St. Louis, which has one of the highest crime rates in the country, said Delia. Date of Birth: May 23, 1988. After learning about Phoenix Coldon, read about the disappearance of 17-year-old Brittanee Drexel. The disappearance grew stranger the more time passed. ", Coldon said police also did not complete an inventory sheet when the vehicle was found. Oxygen/YouTubePhoenix Coldons belongings found in the car, none of which police entered into their report. Born Phoenix Reeves on May 23, 1988, in California, Coldons family moved to Missouri for her fathers job when she was still a child. Phoenix was mostly home-schooled and played a variety of musical instruments and was the local junior fencing champion. This was demonstrably false as Coldons family retrieved it from the lot to find it littered with her belongings. I followed this case for years but it wasn't until the Oxygen special aired about a year ago that I started to feel differently about Phoenix's disappearance. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Truthfully, I want to help bring some closure to the family, he told Fox News. They told me what the family had gone through. But Coldons parents, Lawrence andGoldia Coldon, say they recently received some encouraging news from their private investigator but are unable to share details because of the ongoing investigation. We hear you like all things creepy we do too. Dont worry, you can unsubscribe any time you like. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. In fact police would never officially inform them. On a chilly December afternoon in 2011, Phoenix Coldon, a 23-year-old University of Missouri-St. Louis student and champion fencer, left her family's home in the St. Louis suburb of Spanish Lake, MO. [3], In 2016, her case was profiled on the podcast The Vanished.[6]. Hours after Coldon disappeared, her 1998 black Chevy Blazer was reportedly discovered abandoned in a crime-ridden section of East St. Louis. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Why didn't they check around the area to make sure somebody was not injured or passed out nearby? For years family and friends have pleaded with the public to come forward with any information on Phoenixs possible whereabouts. She was using some drugs. Given Fronhert's description, there may be more reason to believe Phoenix is still alive. "And that's the part that's aggravating and frustrating to me. I'm going to pack up my stuff and I'm just gonna go,'" remembered Hogan. Coldons mother had to contact the mayors office in order to have the $1,000 impound bill waived. This is strange because the vehicle was registered in Phoenix's mom's name and all her identifying paperwork was in the glove box. [1], Phoenix Coldon is the daughter of Goldia and Lawrence Coldon. She played multiple instruments and was a fencing champion. Black Excellence All-Around: Ari Chambers Interviews Gymnasts Konnor McClain, Shilese Jones & Jordan Chiles | #TeamUSA. Former NBA journeyman Anthony Morrow facing charges on assault of a female, strangulation etc. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. She was mainly home-schooled and played a combination of musical instruments. When thefamily picked up the vehicle from the impound lot, they found many of Phoenix Coldon's belongings inside, including her glasses, her shoes, and a purse containing her driver's license. Without saying, Im going down the street. Coldon was born in California as Phoenix Reeves and raised there until the family moved for her father's job to Missouri, where she was adopted by Lawrence Coldon. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [3] Upon an independent search by her family afterwards, the vehicle was discovered to still contain her glasses, purse, shoes, ID and a cell phone bill that had been sent to collections.[5]. It had either been picked up by a family friend or relative but the parents didn't find out about it until 2 weeks later. This is about 25 minutes away from her parents home in Spanish Lake Missouri. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. But there are lots of clues to suggest that Phoenix is alive and is out there somewhere. "It cost us dearly and it led absolutely nowhere. ", To learn more about Coldon's double life,Thomas and Delia met with Coldon's best friend, Akira Hogan. Cases involving African Americans also tend to receive less media coverage than missing Whites, with missing men of color getting even less attention. Missing Date: December 18 . "I just wish those police had done what they were supposed to do by running those plates and seeing that the vehicle was registered to me," Goldia Coldon said. Phoenix Coldon was 23 years old when she was last seen. Her parents also discovered after her disappearance that she had dropped her college classes and the time that she had lived away from home she had been living with a secret boyfriend. Only three hours after Phoenix Coldon left home, her car was discovered abandoned with the door open and was then towed and impounded. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 102 Bonus: Sighting of Phoenix, The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 102: Space to Breathe, Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 102: Human Trafficking Recruitment Techniques, Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 102: A Family's Job. Because of the possibility her daughter could have been forced to work in the sex trade, Goldia Coldon and other family members have visited exotic dance clubs and interviewed local prostitutes. By subscribing, you agree to the terms of our Privacy Statement. Unfortunately, the recent hoax has not been the first cruel prank the family has had to endure. He took money, time and energy that we could have been using to follow other leads because he wanted to perpetrate a joke.". Get them to go out of town, tell them that theyve got a modeling contract in a different city, luring them out of town. We had to find out if someone had Phoenix, said Goldia. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! discovery+; Domestic Violence Awareness; In Pursuit With John Walsh; . The door was slung open, the engine left running, and the driver was missing. Case Type: Endangered. When Lawrence looked out the window again around 3 pm he saw Phoenix backing out of the driveway still on her phone. Hogan said Coldon had moved back in with her parents prior to withdrawing from her college courses, which was about six months before she disappeared. The police never made an inventory of the car and claimed there was nothing inside. Lauryn Garrett Found Alive. She has reddish brown hair and pierced ears. "Unfortunately, we will now be losing our family home," the missing woman's mother, Goldia Coldon, told The Huffington Post. The pair plan to find a new place to live and continue their search for Phoenix. "We need to raise awareness because we have not found Phoenix and we just need people to know that she is still out there somewhere," Coldon said. She was expected home later that night, but has never been seen again. She was never seen or heard from again. She will be 24 years old on May 23. Another is that she vanished on purpose, perhaps to start a new life. After attending church with her family in the morning, she left the home in the afternoon to run normal errands and never returned. Kun 23-vuotias Phoenix Coldon katosi vuonna 2011, tapaus ei saanut julkisuutta eivtk poliisit pitneet katoamista epilyttvn. That was not true, said Gloria Coldon. During part one of Oxygen's two-night special "The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon,"investigative reporterShawndrea Thomas andretired deputy Police ChiefJoe Delia sat down with the friends of Phoenix Coldon, who vanished from her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri in 2011. Not only did police appear to pay little attention, but there was scarce media interest in Coldons disappearance. According to her parents, Phoenix Coldon left their home at around 3 pm on December 18, 2011. Absolutely, said Delia. Her mother saw her sitting in her black 1998 Chevy Blazerin the driveway and assumed that she wastaking a call. Its been a little over a year since Coldon went missing, but her parents refuse to give up the search for her. We are desperately hoping she is still alive and we can get her home to celebrate.". It is said it is not unusual for Phoenix to use her cell phone in her car and being a young woman I'm sure she wanted her privacy away from her parents. On December 18, 2011, 23-year-old Phoenix Coldon left her family home in Spanish Lake, Missouri and disappeared. A month before she disappeared, Phoenix uploaded a troubling video of herself in emotional distress. According to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, 53-year-old Julie Ann . Of the foreclosure, Phoenixs mom said It is just money and it is just a houseWe did what we had to do for Phoenix. The St. Louis County Police Department did an extensive investigation looking for Phoenix, he explained. At the time, Hogan also remembered that Coldon seemed "paranoid," felt like people were following her and believed "something" was after her. I just read this. And I looked up, and that's when I saw her. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Phoenix Coldon can call St. Louis Police at (314) 615-8630, Crimestoppers at (866) 371-8477 or contact the Black and Missing Foundations confidential Tip Line. Phoenix Coldon is 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighs about 125 pounds. Her mother Gloria Reeves eventually married a man named Lawrence Coldon who adopted her. Jljill. According to Hogan, that is when Coldon's life "went downhill": "She start changing after a while because she start arguing with her parents more. 2010 The Thought & Expression Company, LLC. And Fronhert isn't the only person to claim to have seen Phoenix since she disappeared. Because of the lack of police effort in finding Phoenix Coldon, the Coldon family spent their own money on private investigators. I dont know what to believe. And then [the network] contacted me. So those kinds of things, I think, had an impact on her. Delia also shared law enforcement interviewed countless people, including friends and former boyfriends. They discovered that the officer who had initially found the vehicle claimed there was nothing inside of it. Police do such a negligent job investigating missing Native American women, do not even have a count of how many Native American women are murdered or go missing each year, who later said he made the whole thing up for attention. Last Seen Wearing: Gray sweatpants (UMSL or Linderwood printed vertically down one pant leg), dark hoodie (black or blue), and tennis shoes. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. I know this is an old comment, but Im watching the documentary on Hulu again. She was at her parents' residence playing . No one that seems interesting is liking me back on hinge, Attractive women wield more power in their households, study finds. She had left her glasses, her purse, a pair of shoes, and her ID inside the vehicle. This is a two part series! If Im not mistaken, her mom was even trying to deny her mental health state so that gave me a good look into what type of mom she was and its totally possible for her to have had a mental health breakdown, ran off and is either dead or living on the street. "She is very responsible, very sweet, very athletic and very intelligent," she said. "That was not true. Phoenixs mother says unlike other highly publicized disappearances of young women, the news media wouldnt give us the time of day.. To learn more about Coldon's double life,Thomas and Delia met with Coldon's best friend, Akira Hogan. Over time, evidence of her secret life started bubbling up to the surface. Missing for 11 years, 1 month and 8 days. It wouldn't shock me if she turned up on their doorstep one day as if she never left. I think this television miniseries offers a very real possibility that it will generate leads to finding Phoenix Coldon. Here is the latest update.~~~https://www.oxygen.com/the-disappearance-of-phoenix-coldon/crime-time/friend-of-missing-phoenix-coldon-says-she-saw-her-on WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPEN TO PHOENIX COLDON? 5 Anna Christian Waters . Her vehicle, a 2006 Volvo S60, was also reported missing. While speaking with childhood friend Tim Baker,Thomas and Delia learned Coldon had been keeping various secrets in the months prior to her disappearance. Hours after she left, her car was found abandoned in the middle of the street just 25 minutes from home. "Her mental state, like, it wasn't Phoenix. Police do such a negligent job investigating missing Native American women that we as a country do not even have a count of how many Native American women are murdered or go missing each year. Phoenix Coldon has been missing since 2011. "I was already seated on the flight. Wherever Phoenix went in East St. Louis, no one has heard from her since. English was last seen alive on or about Christmas Day. A tip that led the family to Texas came from a man who claimed to know Coldon's whereabouts and provided her family with very convincing details, Goldia Coldon said. And what theyll do is theyll shower her with gifts and attention. She also claimed there were two men in the group with this group of women who "looked like they could be pro football players.". They continue to post updates to the Missing Phoenix Coldon page on Facebook. Phoenix Coldon, 23 had recently moved back into her parent's home in the Spanish Lake suburb of St. Louis Missouri. It was like she was denying everything her daughter was going through. The picture they depicted was one of a very complicated girl. She was at her parents' residence playing basketball in the front yard. In the video, she said: I just want to be happy, man. Later on, it came out that she had not enrolled in the last semester, and I did not know about that. She said that the officer told her he"did not do an inventory sheet because there was nothing in the car. She hasn't been seen since. She prayed and talked about running away. She said, Mom, I need counseling, and I said, I am so glad to hear that.. When I looked out again, her vehicle was gone. School wasnt going [well] towards the end. And then there was this other side of Phoenix who was experimenting in rap music and drugs. But a friend claims she saw her in 2014. After her disappearance, all activity on her bank accounts, cell phone and social media accounts ceased. The family of 23-year-old Phoenix Coldon of Missouri is now trying to determine if her case could be linked to the disappearance of 36-year-old Stacey English of Georgia. The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 101: Two Phones, The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 101: 6 Years Later, The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 101: Human Trafficking, The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 101: Endless Possibilities. resident. Mom seems really sus. According to Coldon, her daughter's disappearance is highly out of character. The way pimps work in human trafficking is they look for vulnerable girls. "She does that often," Coldon's mother told reporters. The East St. Louis Police Department has not returned calls for comment from HuffPost. "They said he made it up to get attention," she said. Investigative reporter Shawndrea Thomas later claimed Coldon was communicating with multiple different men in the months before she vanished and even had a second cell phone that her secret boyfriend didnt know about. The Woman Who Left Her Family To Do Last Minute Christmas Shopping And DisappearedForever, Gabby Petito Disappeared On A Road Trip With Her Fianc, He Wont Tell Her Family WhatHappened, The Teen Girl Who Disappeared From A Sleepover And Was Never SeenAgain, Her Alleged Murderer Was Found Dead In The Trunk Of Another WomansCar. He retired in 2017, but says he was stunned by Coldons story. Pastor Mark Miller believed Coldon led a somewhat sheltered life, explaining,"It was very clear that she wasn't particularly worldly. If people apologize for their mistakes, are you obligated to forgive them? Retired police officer Joe Delia participated in the documentary alongside investigative reporter Shawndrea Thomas.Delia, who served as a task force agent for over 10 years and was previously assigned to the FBI and DEA, received national recognition for directing an investigation into the largest child prostitution ring ever prosecuted in the U.S. She's smart. I know she had a few secrets from her parents but I don't think that's that abnormal for young ladies. Then her father Lawrence, next saw her sitting in her black Chevy Blazer talking on her cell phone. It was a conscious decision on our part. Coldon said she believes her daughter's case is being ignored because she is black. Coldons parents Goldia and Lawrence reported her missing the next day, but only heard that the car had been found two weeks later when a family friend spotted it while driving past the impound lot. "I just wish those police had done what they were supposed to do by running those plates and seeing that the vehicle was registered to me," Phoenix's mother, Goldia Coldon, said. Phoenix was a person who had many different facets of a personality, said Delia. "There have been hopeful developments in the case that she will be found alive and well," said . She walked right in front of me," Fronhert said. Still, Delia has faith Coldons family will finally learn what happened to their daughter. However, Goldia told the publication in 2012 she didnt believe the man was involved in her daughters disappearance. And then the whole thing with not telling Phoenix that the father listed on her birth cert wasn't her real fatherGoldia just strikes me as someone who keeps her own mistakes private while shaming other people for their mistakes - her daughter included. youd think most of these missing people were attractive upper middle class white women. So twice in the same day Phoenix's parents have failed to be informed about their vehicle being found abandoned. Oxygen did a whole special on her. A 911 call came in around 5 pm about an abandoned vehicle. Phoenix never left the house without saying something, said Goldia Coldon. Cookie Notice Some believe Phoenix Coldon was abducted by sex traffickers. When Phoenix was 18 she had moved out of her parents home and told them that she was living with a female friend and attending college classes. On " The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon ," airing on Oxygen, Phoenix's friend, Kellie Fronhert, said she saw the missing young woman on a flight from Las Vegas to St. Louis. Grown Folk Talk: How do you guys relieve stress that's job related once you're at home? This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. That friend would later turn out to be her boyfriend. Phoenixs case has a lot of lessons for parents. Because of this personality shift, Hogan said they stopped talking the week before Coldon vanished. If Phoenix didn't leave on her own accord, I think Goldia murdered her child or she's hidden in the freezer or locked in a storage box in basement. I'm about to begin my journey in rewriting my life after all the trauma, pain, and loneliness. It was later discovered English's vehicle was impounded around the time she is believed to have disappeared. I do not see his name mentioned in any of the articles. When it was located, the vehicle was found abandoned 20 miles from English's home with its engine running. When Thomas and Delia spoke to Coldon's fencing partner Brad Kemph, he echoed a lot of what Coldon's parents, pastor and fencing instructor have all said about the missing young woman that she was polite, friendly, intelligent, and was well-liked by everyone. So I did some research. Southwest called the police, searched the airport, but was unable to locate the woman, according to Fronhert. She was with a group of women. You are using an out of date browser. They spent $50,000 on a private investigator and faced having their house going in to foreclosure. It was said to not be parked in a way of someone who intended to exit the vehicle. "Phoenix is a regional fencing champion. Coldons parents and friends participated in this documentary and provide insight into the young womans life before her disappearance. Fronhert said she would place them around "35 to 40" years old. And now one law enforcement veteran is hoping a new documentary will encourage those who may know what exactly happened to come forward. Perhaps most chilling, the ex-girlfriend of one of Coldons secret boyfriends once asked him if he knew where she was. ", "The authorities said there is nothing they can do to the man. Her parents believed this due to her race, leading them to contact the Black & Missing foundation to spur attention. On Jan. 23, English's decomposing body was found under a tree in a heavily wooded area roughly a mile from where police found her car. To Gloria Coldons shock, the East St. Louis Police officer handing it over claimed that they never created an inventory sheet for the vehicle because no personal items were found inside it. Suicide Note Revealed After Shocking Death, Indicted! Unsolved Disappearances. Name: Miles Austin Stanton Age: 21 years old Last seen: October 20, 2022 Location: Tualatin, Oregon Status: Found deceased in November 2022 Case One theory about Phoenix Coldons disappearance is that she may have been swept up into a sex trafficking ring as her car was found along the 1-70 corridor in East St. Louis, which is known as one of the top sex trafficking corridors in the United States. They left her car running in the road and took her to a house in Illinois where a group of guys drugged, beat and raped her," Coldon said. Murdered and Missing in Montana adds to Oxygen's investigations into missing women of color. Parent (s) Goldia Coldon (mother), Lawrence Coldon (father) On December 18, 2011, 23-year-old Phoenix Coldon left her family home in Spanish Lake, Missouri and disappeared. Phoenix Coldons Car Was Found Abandoned In The Middle Of The Road, And She's Still Missing. All they had to do is call and say, do you know where your vehicle is?'. She vanished without taking any of her possessions, even her glasses. English was last seen alive on or about Christmas Day. The vehicle is found 25 miles away in the roughest part of St. Louis. Coldons parents insisted their daughters disappearance wasnt treated with urgency by law enforcement and the media becauseof their daughters race. He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. "We have tried to explain the situation to our mortgage company but they don't care.". What's your top five cities for overall quality of life for ADOS? Seven years later her grieving parents still pray for answers. The family already had invested much of their money to search for Phoenix, she said, but spent the remainder of their savings on private investigators to follow up on the lead. Missing the version of my siblings I knew before becoming estranged. Her bank account has never been accessed since her disappearance. She excelled at fencing and played a variety of musical instruments, including the piano, violin, and guitar. Part 2 will be our regular episode next week. The Fulton County Medical Examiner has ruled the death accidental, saying it was likely caused by exposure. I was a policeman for almost 28 years and I thought I saw everything at some time or another in my career. There's this Phoenix that I know and this Phoenix that I don't know.". Anyone with information on the case is asked to call St. Louis County Police at (314) 889-2341. Despite being homeschooled, she became the junior fencing champion of St. Louis County. Its not a home anymore because she is not here, her mother Goldia Coldon told NewsOne in an interview. Meanwhile, they hired private investigator Steve Foster to dig deeper. Yet they were not informed that the vehicle have been impounded. When his ex-girlfriend asked him about Phoenix, she says Mike responded Why are you worrying about someone whos dead? One of Phoenixs friends says Phoenix was worried about her safety before she disappeared and had started carrying a knife. By 1:30 a.m. on December 19th Goldia couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Missing child- Anna Waters . The circumstances -- the running car in the street -- are very similar.". She will be 24 years old on May 23. NewsOne has partnered with the Black and Missing Foundation to focus on the crisis of missing African Americans. There have been others, including one by a young woman who called the home and pretended to be Phoenix Coldon. Needless to say the vehicle was never investigated regarding her disappearance. . After using the last of their money to investigate a tip by a man in Florida, who later said he made the whole thing up for attention, the family lost their home. Yes, DEEP in denial. Phoenix Lucille Coldon. Her mother was totally overbearing and just ridiculous especially in the special. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. I probably would have been in a better situation if I would have stuck with how it used to be.. Does anyone else feel behind because we lost two years due to pandemic? It has been nearly seven years since 23-year-old Phoenix Coldon backed out of her familys driveway in December. And we talked to multiple friends, added Delia. ", PHOTOS OF PHOENIX COLDON (Article Continues Below). We wouldve had a two-week start if wed known where the car was, said Lawrence Coldon. It was discovered about a 25-minute drive from her home, at Ninth and St. Clair in East St. Louis. Why didn't they check around the area to make sure somebody was not injured or passed out nearby? And you have to wonder whether Phoenix just couldn't deal with it anymore. Join the Lipstick Alley 2023 NCAA Tournament Challenge. But if you have any information regarding her case please contact the St Louis County Police Department at 314-615-5317, https://charleyproject.org/case/phoenix-lucille-coldon. 23 year old Phoenix Coldon was last seen leaving her family home in the 12600 block of Countrybrook Drive in Spanish Lake, Missouri on December 18, 2011. Episode 2 is available ad-free right now at the $5 tier on our Patreon. Though Coldon'sparents didn'trealize she was missing for some time, her car was found abandoned in the middle of the street at the corner of 9th and St. Clair in St. Louis, just 25 minutes from her house. ", "Looking back now, obviously she was keeping something from me that she really didn't want me to know," Baker continued. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. As for her secret boyfriend, he was cleared of any wrongdoing. Though he actually spoke with Phoenix the day she disappeared it was earlier in the day and I believe his alibi must check out as authorities do not believe he is involved. But theres no record of Phoenix or her body ever being recovered. Missing Since 12/18/2011 Missing From Spanish Lake, Missouri Classification Endangered Missing Sex Female; Race Black; Date of . They later found out she was in fact living with a boyfriend. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch added it wouldnt be until Jan. 2 that a relative found the truck at an East St. Louis tow yard. It was just his idea of a joke. They interviewed many people extensively, he said. I think she left on her own accord. Home-schooled since sixth grade, Kemph said Coldon "didn't really go out" much and was extremely dedicated to their sport. At 3pm on December 18, 2011, 23-year-old Phoenix Coldon got in her card and left her family home. They brought cadaver dogs to the scene, they spent countless man hours trying to figure out what happened. In my opinion, he impeded the investigation. Her glasses, purse, shoes, and ID were all inside . 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Weve heard of so many women who went missing with a nearly identical story.