Search for Missing Halifax County Woman Comes Up Empty

Roanoke Rapids, N.C. — A search for a missing Halifax County woman on Friday turned up no new leads, authorities said.

Shonda Stansbury's family reported her missing on Dec. 9. Investigators initially thought she left on her own, but a 911 call received five days later has authorities concerned.

A woman called Warren County 911 on Dec. 14 to report that she thought she saw Stansbury in trouble near the Information Grocery store off N.C. Highway 158 in Halifax County.

The woman's cell phone dropped the call, and it was several days before Roanoke Rapids police were able to talk with her and learn that she saw two men chasing a naked and bloodied woman into a wooded area near the grocery store.

Deputies scoured the woods near the store Friday afternoon, but didn't find anything that offered a promising lead in the case, authorities said.

Stansbury, 24, was last seen wearing blue jeans, a gray blouse and white tennis shoes. Authorities said they hope someone will answer their call for help in finding her.

"I don't think she would have left on her own. I think someone took her," said Patsy Cashwell, Stansbury's aunt.

Stansbury's family put up missing posters in Wilson County this week after getting a tip that someone thought they saw her in that area. Investigators said they've exhausted all leads in the case, however.

"We were all upset, scared, worried to death that she might be dead. ... We're hoping she's not," Cashwell said. "It gets harder and harder every day we have to go through all this."

4 Comments

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Latest Comments

My thoughts and prayers are with the family

diwanicki
January 6, 2007 4:19 p.m.

Great. More police criticismm tinydancer. Let's not assume just because WRAL covered the story that we now know all the details of the investigation. Please, let the investigators do their job without assuming you've got it all based on 2 short stories on the news. My prayers go out to this woman, her children, family & friends.

UmmmK
January 6, 2007 7:22 a.m.

I sure hope this wasn't the FIRST time the authorities have looked for her in the vicinity of 911 call!! Also the article says the 911 call was dropped so it took sheriff deputies several days to even find out who called. It is a shame that there is not enough cell phone coverage that emergency call was dropped in the first place. Admittedly this is a very rural area, but the volume of construction in the Lake Gaston area (Warren & Halifax counties) and resulting increase in traffic along 158 has not yielded much improvement in cell phone towers or coverage. We have Alltel and constantly have problems with dropped calls or no reception throughout Warren County (158 Warrenton/Macon as well as Lake Gaston area). God bless Ms Stansbury and her family. Let's all keep praying for her safe return.

tatum
January 6, 2007 6:09 a.m.

So somebody called 911 on Dec. 10 reporting a naked and bloodied woman being chased by two men, and they finally get around to checking it out now? wonderful.

anastasia
January 5, 2007 11:42 p.m.