The Heartbreaking Case Of Phoenix Coldons Disappearance And Why Her Parents Think The Police Share Some Of The Blame. Her mother Gloria Reeves eventually married a man named Lawrence Coldon who adopted her. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call St. Louis County Police at (314) 889-2341. We are desperately hoping she is still alive and we can get . Despite the police officer who found the car saying it was "empty", Phoenix's shoes, purse, ID and her glasses were still inside the vehicle. It may not display this or other websites correctly. It remains unclear why the family was not told about the vehicle sooner or why police allegedly missed the items found inside. All Rights Reserved. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Though the car was found the night she went missingand wasjust a few miles from her home, these two pieces of information weren't put together until a friend of the family found the impounded car onan independent search. School wasnt going [well] towards the end. They did not have the same values of wanting to be truly productive citizens.. Although African Americans make up just 13 percent of the U.S. population, we account for 33 percent of the missing in the Federal Bureau of Investigations database. The Black And Missing Foundation Aims To Find People Of Color, December 2011 disappearance of 36-year-old Stacey English, online donation via PayPal, PhoenixMissingFund@Hotmail.com. ", Fronhert replied, "Yes, you do, you look like my friend Phoenix.". When we checked the vehicle at the impound there was lots of things in it, including her glasses, her purse with her drivers license and her shoes.. In all honesty to them, I dont know what they could have done any differently than what theyve done.. The Story Of Legs Diamond, The Prohibition-Era Gangster Who Was Nearly Invincible, The Twisted Case Of Mark Winger, The Man Who Almost Got Away With Murdering His Wife, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. She also claimed there were two men in the group with this group of women who "looked like they could be pro football players.". It was discovered about a 25-minute drive from her home, at Ninth and St . "They don't say it, but I know it's because she's black. He retired in 2017, but says he was stunned by Coldons story. Wherever Phoenix went in East St. Louis, no one has heard from her since. Investigations uncovered Coldons secret boyfriend and two birth certificates. It was just his idea of a joke. "We argued about something stupid. When Phoenix was 18 she had moved out of her parents home and told them that she was living with a female friend and attending college classes. It has been nearly seven years since 23-year-old Phoenix Coldon backed out of her familys driveway in December. When the plane landed, Fronhert went up to a Southwest Airlines counter and said: I think that I saw a missing person on my airplane." March 18, 2021 May 4, 2021 - by Ivona - 2 Comments. Curiously enough, Coldon recorded a video before disappearing in which she yearned for a new life. and our On Dec. 27, English's disappearance was reported to police. "And I looked at her face. Coldon said she believes her daughter's case is being ignored because she is black. Not only did police appear to pay little attention, but there was scarce media interest in Coldons disappearance. August 17, 202115 items. But a friend claims she in fact did see Phoenix after she went missing. Her parents thought she was going to a . These people we found out were not part of Phoenixs personality. While the car was located within hours, it was found abandoned in East St. Louis and thus impounded in the state of Illinois. Then, learn about nine-year-old Asha Degrees disappearance from North Carolina. "She was like, 'Well, I'm leaving.' On the outside, the smart, outgoing Phoenix had a bright future ahead of her. She drove off for a quick trip to the store, but was never seen again. Location Last Seen: Phoenix was last seen leaving her driveway in her vehicle, a 1998 4-door Chevrolet Blazer with tinted windows. The police never made an inventory of the car and claimed there was nothing inside. "Oxygen has been covering women of color specifically who have gone missing and murdered in the past. It wasnt until after she went missing that her parents say they learned some things about the people her daughter was hanging out with that they didnt like. Weve heard of so many women who went missing with a nearly identical story. On Dec. 18, 2011, Coldon visited her parents in Spanish Lake. Get them to go out of town, tell them that theyve got a modeling contract in a different city, luring them out of town. The keys were in the ignition with the vehicle running and the driver's door open. Phoenix Coldon was last seen in the driveway of her family home in Spanish Lake, Missouri, on Dec. 18, 2011. And look where it was found. Thats not true at all. Another is that she vanished on purpose, perhaps to start a new life. Phoenix Coldon has been missing since 2011. David Leavitt/YouTubeSome believe Phoenix Coldon was abducted by sex traffickers. "She does that often," Coldon's mother told reporters. To date, it is still unknown whether Rico is alive and what had happened to him. Phoenixs case has a lot of lessons for parents. On Jan. 1, Coldon's family found out the missing Chevy Blazer had been impounded at 6:23 p.m. the day she disappeared. Southwest called the police, searched the airport, but was unable to locate the woman, according to Fronhert. Of the foreclosure, Phoenixs mom said It is just money and it is just a houseWe did what we had to do for Phoenix. I think this television miniseries offers a very real possibility that it will generate leads to finding Phoenix Coldon. Here is the latest update.~~~https://www.oxygen.com/the-disappearance-of-phoenix-coldon/crime-time/friend-of-missing-phoenix-coldon-says-she-saw-her-on WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPEN TO PHOENIX COLDON? ", "Looking back now, obviously she was keeping something from me that she really didn't want me to know," Baker continued. It wouldn't shock me if she turned up on their doorstep one day as if she never left. A 23-year-old student at the University of Missouri State, Coldon sat in her mothers black 1998 Chevy Blazer while talking into her cell phone. This is a very interesting story. Her glasses, purse and ID were inside. Case Type: Endangered. By December 18th 2011 though, Phoenix was back residing with her parents in Spanish Lake Missouri. He passed out from drinking and she managed to escape. "All they had to do is call and say, 'do you know where your vehicle is?' It was said to not be parked in a way of someone who intended to exit the vehicle. ", Other accounts have mentioned her father seeing her getting into her car, while adocumentary about her disappearance didn't mention the presumed phone call, simply stating that Coldon walked out of the house "with conviction.". When I looked out again, her vehicle was gone. She was a square and they were circles and she was trying to fit in, added the Mother. Dont worry, you can unsubscribe any time you like. The circumstances -- the running car in the street -- are very similar.". At 3pm on December 18, 2011, 23-year-old Phoenix Coldon got in her card and left her family home. Phoenix's family is described as a tight-knit close religious family. . Unfortunately, the recent hoax has not been the first cruel prank the family has had to endure. It was kind of 'don't date until you're married,'" Baker said. The family already had invested much of their money to search for Phoenix, she said, but spent the remainder of their savings on private investigators to follow up on the lead. They interviewed many people extensively, he said. I completely agree with this! The impounded vehicle was not discovered until January 1 when a friend of the Coldon family did her own sleuthing. She's a champion fencer. "There are so many vacant lots and abandoned buildings in East St. Louis," Goldia Coldon explained. Her parents have raised criticism about the conduct of local law enforcement, and spent their money and home following leads. The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 101: Two Phones, The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 101: 6 Years Later, The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 101: Human Trafficking, The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon 101: Endless Possibilities. By all accounts Phoenix Coldon was a bright and busy young girl. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Phoenix Coldon can call St. Louis Police at (314) 615-8630, Crimestoppers at (866) 371-8477 or contact the Black and Missing Foundations confidential Tip Line. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! If you have information about a true crime case involving a BIPOC person you would like me to write about, please contact me here. But if you have any information regarding her case please contact the St Louis County Police Department at 314-615-5317, https://charleyproject.org/case/phoenix-lucille-coldon. The Chevy Blazer was towed to an impound lot and entered into the police computer as abandoned by 6:23 pm, just a little over three hours after Coldon's parents last saw her. Sadly, this was notthe last time the Coldonfamily would face severe financial hardships and bureaucratic difficulties related to Phoenix's disappearance. Seven years later her grieving parents still pray for answers. Despite the police officer who found the car saying it was empty, Phoenixs shoes, purse, ID and her glasses were still inside the vehicle. Phoenix did not leave here with the intention of not coming back, said Goldia. If Phoenix didn't leave on her own accord, I think Goldia murdered her child or she's hidden in the freezer or locked in a storage box in basement. Why do men think they gone get a 22 year old at 38 with a bad hairline/grey hair and belly fat? Raw, honest feedback on handling this heartbreak? There were people still boarding. DNA testing showed no other DNA in her black 1998 Chevy Blazer other than her own and that of her immediate family. But Coldons parents, Lawrence andGoldia Coldon, say they recently received some encouraging news from their private investigator but are unable to share details because of the ongoing investigation. The disappearance grew stranger the more time passed. A 911 call came in around 5 pm about an abandoned vehicle. She was a junior at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, but . Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. So those kinds of things, I think, had an impact on her. Delia also shared law enforcement interviewed countless people, including friends and former boyfriends. Weve created a community powered by horror fans like you and we need you in it. During part one of Oxygen's two-night special " The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon ," investigative reporter Shawndrea Thomas and retired deputy Police Chief Joe Delia sat down with the friends of Phoenix Coldon, who vanished from her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri in 2011. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. After that Oxygen special, I felt this too. I have always believed that Phoenix is alive and well.. On December 18, 2011 Phoenix Coldon disappeared forever. To find out more about Coldon's double life and learn whatThomas and Delia think happened to the missing 23-year-old, watch part two of "The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon" on Oxgen November 4 at 7/6c. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. NewsOne has partnered with the Black and Missing Foundation to focus on the crisis of missing African Americans. A promising lead about the whereabouts of Phoenix Coldon turned out to be a cruel hoax, causing the missing Missouri woman's family additional pain, their entire life savings and their home. Weeks before going missing, Phoenix came to her mom and told her she wanted to get counseling. "I don't know if she was just trying to scare me, but she carried around a knife. Ultimately, investigators believe the three most likely conclusions to his mystery are that Phoenix Coldon was either abducted by sex traffickers, ran away on purpose, or died in some unknown act of foul play. Absolutely, he said. She was with a group of women. They later found out she was in fact living with a boyfriend. "We did what we had to do for Phoenix. According to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, 53-year-old Julie Ann . She was born to Goldia and Lawrence Coldon and brought up by them until the family moved for her father's job to Missouri. In the video, she said: I just want to be happy, man. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. LAST KNOWN LOCATION MAP After church, around 3 p.m. on December 18, 2011, 23-year-old Phoenix Coldon backed her SUV out of the driveway of her family's home in Spanish Lake, Missouri - and vanished. And we talked to multiple friends, added Delia. The deeply religious family upbringing had sheltered the young woman from the dangers of the world around her. She seem more irritated, more like down. Yet Phoenix's glasses, purse, shoes and driver's license were still inside the Blazer. Tag: Phoenix Coldon found. While speaking with childhood friend Tim Baker,Thomas and Delia learned Coldon had been keeping various secrets in the months prior to her disappearance. 00:38:08. Phoenix Lucille Coldon began her life in California as Phoenix Reeves on May 23, 1988. Status. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. [3] Her father told reporters that she was supposedly headed to a convenience store around the street or possibly a friend's house. The woman was traveling with several young women and two men who looked like they could be pro football players and didnt engage with Fronhert as a result. After her disappearance, all activity on her bank accounts, cell phone and social media accounts ceased. It's not like she was ridiculously wealthy and ran off with a large sum of cash money to live off of. She was expected home later that night, but has never been seen again. Phoenix Coldon, 23, was last seen in the driveway of the family's St. Louis County home at about 3 p.m. Dec. 18. Goldia Coldons car was found deserted on the corner of 9th Street and St. Clair Avenue in East St. Louis, Illinois, at 5:27 p.m. The 23-year-old lived at home with her parents in Spanish Lake, Missouri. Why did we have to learn from someone else where our vehicle was?". After turning 18, Coldon managed to get her parents to co-sign a lease for an apartment she moved into with a friend. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Cruel Hoax Costs Family Of Missing Woman Life Savings, Home (EXCLUSIVE). What happened to this beautiful young college student? Her vehicle, a 2006 Volvo S60, was also reported missing. You are using an out of date browser. ", PHOTOS OF PHOENIX COLDON (Article Continues Below). Unsolved Disappearances. She hasn't been seen since. However, the majority of people who go missing voluntarily eventually get in contact with their family. This compounds the problem because if little information is available about a case, it will be harder for people to make podcast episodes or write articles that bring new attention to the case. Racist Ex-University Of Kentucky 'Karen' Sophia Rosing Is Charged For Assaulting Black Student, Mississippi Cops Beat, Waterboarded Handcuffed Black Men, Shot 1 For Dating White Women': Lawyers. "All they had to do is call and say, 'do you know where your vehicle is?' Phoenix never left the house without saying something, said Goldia Coldon. The truck was found in East St Louis, Illinois. He told Fox News: If Phoenix had looked like Natalee Holloway, we would not have had this problem., Delia said police tried everything possible to locate Coldon. A 23-year-old student at the University of Missouri State, Coldon sat in her mother's black 1998 Chevy Blazer while talking into her cell phone. You must log in or register to reply here. My gut is telling me that mom knows more than what shes saying though. Its not a home anymore because she is not here, her mother Goldia Coldon told NewsOne in an interview. The door was slung open, the engine left running, and the driver was missing. In the U.S., 609,275 people were reported missing last year. They spent $50,000 on a private investigator and faced having their house going in to foreclosure. Police do such a negligent job investigating missing Native American women, do not even have a count of how many Native American women are murdered or go missing each year, who later said he made the whole thing up for attention. 2 Cherrie Mahan . "Phoenix is a regional fencing champion. She drove off for a quick trip to the store, but was never seen again. We've done one on the (1990) disappearance of the [Dannette and Jeannette . It was not until after the family's money was gone that the man who provided the tip admitted he fabricated the story, Coldon said. Her car was found abandoned in a crime-ridden area of East St. Louis in 2011. Box 38645, Saint Louis, Missouri 63138. By 1:30 a.m. on December 19th Goldia couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Satara Stratton Death & Background. Over time, evidence of her secret life started bubbling up to the surface. August 16, 2022 1 Min Read. Hours later, Phoenix's 1998 black Chevy Blazer was found abandoned in a dangerous section of East St. Louis. She had left her glasses, her purse, a pair of shoes, and her ID inside the vehicle. Foster, meanwhile, learned Coldon had two birth certificates one in her mothers maiden name and one in her adoptive name. Part 2 will be our regular episode next week. We are desperately hoping she is still alive and we can get her home to celebrate.". Coldons parents didnt even know he existed. Yet they were not informed that the vehicle have been impounded. ", To find out more about Coldon's double life and learn whatThomas and Delia think happened to the missing 23-year-old, watch part two of ". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch revealed authorities eventually learned that Coldon had not enrolled for the upcoming semester in college and had previously lived with a boyfriend before moving back in with her parents. And when you look at the time frame of what happened from when Phoenix left her house to the time her car was found was a pretty short time frame.. Baker then informed Thomas and Delia that Coldon had been living with Michael B. while she was in college. As for her secret boyfriend, he was cleared of any wrongdoing. Cookie Notice A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. Tragically, Gloria and Lawrence Coldon spent all of their savings and family home on a promising lead that turned to ash. Retired police officer Joe Delia participated in the documentary alongside investigative reporter Shawndrea Thomas.Delia, who served as a task force agent for over 10 years and was previously assigned to the FBI and DEA, received national recognition for directing an investigation into the largest child prostitution ring ever prosecuted in the U.S. ", Coldon said police also did not complete an inventory sheet when the vehicle was found. They discovered that the officer who had initially found the vehicle claimed there was nothing inside of it. This Is Part One Of A Two Part Interview. It's terrible," she said. But theres no record of Phoenix or her body ever being recovered. The disappearance of Phoenix Colden is similar to the December 2011 disappearance of 36-year-old Stacey English in Atlanta.