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Missing Judith Dunton Osteen 
Osteen, approximately 2007; Sketch of Osteen's abductor Date reported missing : 12/15/2007 Missing location (approx) : Old Town, Florida Missing classification : Endangered Missing Gender : Female Ethnicity : White DOB : 03/12/1947 (74) Age at the time of disappearance: 60 years old Height / Weight : 5'2, 120 pounds Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos : Caucasian female. Brown hair. Osteen has a scar on her face near her eye. She smokes 305 brand cigarettes. Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Osteen was last seen in Old Town, Florida on December 15, 2007. She shared a home with her 64-year-old developmentally disabled sister more than nine miles north of U. S. 19/98, off State Road 349. Osteen's sister stated they went to sleep in separate bedrooms that night, and she woke up when a strange man came into her room and forced her onto the floor. Osteen walked into the room at that point and the man grabbed her and forced her out of the home. Osteen's sister stayed in her room for several hours after the abduction without summoning authorities because she was afraid for her life. The sisters' housekeeper reported the abduction the next morning. Osteen's sister was unable to provide a good description of the abductor; she said only that he was Caucasian and had short gray hair and a receding hairline. A sketch of him is posted with this case summary. The abductor has never been identified. Authorities found no sign of forced entry to Osteen's house. There were no tire tracks or footprints nearby, but rain on the night of her disappearance could have erased any tracks. Her purse and her shoes were left behind. Osteen's live-in boyfriend, Charles Carr, was shot and killed in 2004 after he interrupted a burglary at his furniture and appliance store. James Kenneth "Jimmy" Lawrence Jr. was convicted of first-degree murder in that case and sentenced to life in prison. Carr's heirs gave her a lifetime estate to his home, meaning she could live there until she died. Authorities investigated whether her abduction was related to Carr's murder, but they do not believe there's any connection. At the time of her abduction, Osteen had a flea market booth in Fanning Springs, Florida where she sold miscellaneous items. She was a frequent computer user and knew many people over the internet. Police searched her hard drive for clues in her case and spoke to some of her online friends. Her case remains unsolved. Other information and links : ncy Dixie County Sheriff's Office 352-498-1231 September 2021 updates and sources The Tallahassee Democrat Florida Department of Law Enforcement The Gainesville Sun The Ocala Star-Banner WCTV The Dixie County Times WCJB TV-20 A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece. October 12, 2004. November 19, 2020; Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos : updated. |