A SUSPECT has been charged with the nearly three-decade-old disappearance of an 11-year-old girl who went missing in 1996.
Jamison Fisher, 50, is accused of luring little Trudy Appleby into his car and strangling her before disposing of her body.
Police have been looking for answers since Trudy vanished from her home in Moline, Illinois, about three hours east of Chicago, on August 21, 1996.
Detectives said she was last seen getting into a vehicle with a white man in his twenties, but they never found a suspect.
Trudy had asked her father if she could go swimming with a friend on the day she went missing, but he declined.
After reviewing phone records, cops determined that the little girl had snuck out of the house without her parents’ knowledge.
Her remains are still missing.
On Thursday, a grand jury blamed her disappearance and murder on Fisher, who was already in jail for an unrelated narcotics offense.
Fisher has been considered a person of interest in Trudy’s death since 2020.
In 2023, the Moline Police Department dug up Fisher’s backyard in search of additional evidence.
At the time, he denied any involvement with the incident.
Investigators identified two other suspects years before charging Fisher. Both of those suspects are now dead.
Moline Police Chief Darren Gault stated that the breakthrough occurred after decades of police work and collaboration with Henry County law enforcement.
He stated that detectives will pursue any new leads that arise during court proceedings, including clues that may lead them to her remains.
“The arrest of Fisher marks a turning point in this mystery that has spanned nearly three decades,” according to him.
“While nothing can bring young Trudy back to her family, the never-ending pursuit of justice honors her memory and the unwavering support of her loved ones and our community.
“The Moline Police Department is committed to seeking the truth for Trudy and her family and to ensure that justice is served.”
EERIE EVIDENCE
Trudy was last seen with William “Ed” Smith, who died in 2014 when he was 72 years old, according to a witness who knew the girl.
The witness stated that Smith drove in front of them, with Trudy in the passenger seat.
Before they drove away, another witness reported seeing Trudy in the passenger seat of an older gray vehicle.
Smith had a car that fit this description, but detectives believe it was scrapped after Trudy disappeared.
Cops discovered that Smith frequently visited nearby Campbell Island, which could only be accessed by boat.
His son-in-law, David L Whipple, a registered sex offender who died in 2022, owned a home on the island that investigators have searched.
Smith and Whipple were both named as persons of interest, but no charges were filed against them. Both of them denied any involvement in Trudy’s disappearance.
Police linked Fisher to the crime because he was a longtime family friend of the two suspects.
FAMILY’S HOPE
Trudy’s heartbroken family has held a candlelight vigil on August 21 every year since she disappeared.
They plan to meet again this year at the Moline Police Department.
Last year, cops at the vigil hinted that they were close to making a significant breakthrough in the case.
Detective Michael Griffin stated at the time, “The people involved, who are still alive, are aware that we are approaching.
“We’re not giving up, and this isn’t going away.”
Fisher is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealing a homicidal death.
Officials said they suspected him of kidnapping but were unable to file charges due to the statute of limitations.
