FORT SMITH, Ark. — Dec. 1, 2023, marks the 29th anniversary of 19-year-old Melissa Witt's abduction from the Bowling World parking lot in Fort Smith.
Detectives said the well-liked teen planned to surprise her mother who was in a bowling league, but Witt never made it inside the building on South 36th Street. Reports from the case show investigators found blood in the parking lot, in her vehicle, and apparent signs of a struggle.
For more than a month, the community, investigators, and Witt's mother searched endlessly for her. They passed out flyers and knocked on doors.
On Jan. 13, 1995, Witt's body was found by two hunters in the Ozark National Forest near Turner Bend in Franklin County. Investigators said her body was nude and near a headstone-like rock. According to officials, Melissa had been strangled and her killer took her clothes, shoes, and jewelry which included a Mickey Mouse watch. Her clothes have not been found.
Although her body was found, her killer never was.
For the past 29 years, Witt's case has remained open. To this day, investigators still receive leads from time to time and continue to conduct interviews in the case, and groups that are dedicated to finding justice for Witt are offering a reward to hopefully close the cold case.
The latest on the investigation:
On the 29th anniversary of Witt's murder, All the Lost Girls and Who Killed Missy Witt Investigative Team began offering a $29,000 reward for "critical pieces of information," according to the release.
The information being sought in exchange for this reward includes:
- Information that leads to Melissa Witt's Mickey Mouse watch and the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for her kidnapping and murder.
- Or any information that can help identify any of the individuals described below:
- A short male with a mustache, and glasses, who was allegedly wearing a blue shirt, jeans, brown boots, and a white or light-colored baseball cap on the day of the kidnapping. Officials say the man was seen standing outside of Bowling World on the sidewalk smoking that day. Officials say it is likely that this man "heard and/or saw the very loud altercation" between Melissa and her abductor.
- A couple with a young child who was at the time between 8 to 10 years of age. These people were allegedly seen "walking across the parking lot and going into Bowling World that day," the release says. The woman is described as short, blonde, with "fluffy" hair. She was also said to have been wearing a "tan/light colored" striped sweater. The man she was with was described as taller than the woman.
Anyone with information on the individuals described is asked to call 1-800-440-1922 or email whokilledmissywitt@gmail.com.
The release says a $29,000 reward will be paid to anyone who can "positively identify one or more of these individuals and this identification leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murder of Melissa Ann Witt."
Co-founder of All the Lost Girls and Private Investigator LaDonna Humphrey hopes the reward will tie the case together. She has been involved with Witt's case since 2015 and has been sharing her story by writing two books and directing "Uneven Ground: The Melissa Witt Story."
"This was a young girl who had her whole life ahead of her and somebody took it from her. And it left behind people who were devastated and have had to try to go on with their lives for 29 years without justice," Humphrey said. "I'm a mom, I have five daughters. And, you know, that speaks to me, like, I would want somebody to do this for one of my kids."
Humphrey said they're looking for information from a credible witness and believes they may be afraid to come forward.
Details from Melissa Witt's diary led Humphrey to believe the killer, who may have known her, kept the Mickey Mouse watch.
"Like a memento. Like I still care about her. I want to remember her. This is the best way I believe he's got that watch and I believe that he's probably dated other people that have seen it. He's got family members that have seen it. He's got friends that know about it. I believe that firmly," Humphrey said.
Humphrey said there is DNA evidence in the Witt case but explained investigators are being cautious.
"I think the investigators are just waiting for continued technology because, you know, you've only got a small sample left, you're looking at all kinds of problems, and it's 29 years old," Humphrey explained.
As interest grows and more information is provided, Humphrey believes justice is close.
"I believe that we're gonna see it solved in the next year, I firmly believe that," Humphrey said. "I really am so encouraged that even after 29 years, people are saying we can't let this go on another year, we don't want to get to the 30th anniversary, we want answers now."
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