Unsolved 4: A lacking lady, a seek for fact
Alexis Patterson’s stroll residence from Hello-Mount Elementary College in Milwaukee was simply 242 steps.
Alexis, 7 years previous and in first grade, at all times acquired residence from faculty round 2:50 p.m. When she hadn’t arrived by 2:55 on a Friday in Could 2002, her mom, Ayanna Patterson, started to fret. At 3, Patterson ran to the varsity in a panic.
“That’s after I discovered that my child by no means made it,” Patterson advised USA TODAY. “She by no means made it to high school.”
The story of Alexis’ disappearance began with a large seek for the little lady and sympathy for her household, however that shortly modified as her mother and father grew to become suspects. Over time, there have been conspiracy theories and false leads and instances of mistaken identification. Nonetheless, her mother has by no means given up hope that Alexis will come residence once more sometime.
In Season 4 of Unsolved, we work to resolve what actually occurred to Alexis, what efforts have been made to search out herand why so many lacking Black youngsters in America are by no means discovered.
Regardless of Milwaukee’s historical past of segregation and mistrust between Black residents and police, the entire metropolis comes collectively to seek for Alexis, who beloved faculty and beloved to sing.
Alexis’ stepfather, LaRon Bourgeois, has a troubled historical past with police. That’s sufficient to lift their suspicions after she disappears.
Police provide you with the idea that Alexis ran away after her mother tells them about an argument over cupcakes.
Some witnesses say they noticed a crimson truck outdoors Alexis’ faculty across the time she vanished. Might it have belonged to a serial killer?
Fourteen years after Alexis disappeared, a person from Ohio comes ahead to say he believes his estranged spouse is likely to be the lacking lady.
Two reporters journey to Ohio to see if they’ll resolve the claims {that a} younger girl there’s Alexis.
After a three-year delay in reporting due to the coronavirus pandemic, we ask the consultants to judge the DNA profiles of Alexis’ mom and the lady in Ohio to determine, as soon as and for all, whether or not the 2 are associated.
After greater than 20 years of turning us down, the Milwaukee Police lastly launch greater than 10,000 pages of data on their investigation of Alexis’ case. A few of the contents are utterly sudden.
Read our investigation into disparities in missing children’s investigations
Find out more about Alexis Patterson
Watch: States of America speaks with Ayanna Patterson
Reporter, author, producer: Gina Barton, USA TODAY
Reporter: Ashley Luthern, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Sound engineer: Invoice Schulz, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Editors: Amy Pyle, USA TODAY; Greg Borowski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Composer: Evan Johnson
Artist: Lou Saldivar, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Season one, launched in 2015, explores the circumstances surrounding the demise of 14-year-old John Zera, who disappeared from his highschool in 1976. By means of many years of lifeless ends, investigators maintain on to hope of discovering the killer.
Season one hyperlink: https://projects.jsonline.com/topics/unsolved-season-one/
Season two, launched in 2017, examines the case of toddler Michelle Manders, who vanished from her bed room in the course of the evening in 1981. Did she wander alone into the darkness? Or was she kidnapped?
Season two hyperlink: https://projects.jsonline.com/topics/unsolved/index.html
Season three, launched in 2019, tells the story of Father Alfred Kunz, a Catholic priest whose throat was slit inside St. Michael College in 1998. Some imagine his demise was linked to his battles towards evil. Others imagine his all-too-human flaws have been in charge.
Season three hyperlink: https://projects.jsonline.com/topics/unsolved/season-three/the-devil-you-know.html
Contact Gina Barton at (262) 757-8640 or gbarton@gannett.com. Comply with her on Twitter @writerbarton.
Printed
Up to date