On the morning of August 21, 1996, Trudy Appleby, an 11-year-old girl from Moline, Illinois, missed her scheduled 9:00 AM phone call with her best friend. Thirty minutes later, Trudy was seen getting into a car, believed to be a Chevy Celebrity, with a white man in his twenties. She was never seen again.
Trudy's father came home during his lunch break and made lunch for Trudy, assuming she was out playing with friends. But when he returned at the end of the workday, the lunch was still on the table, untouched—and Trudy was nowhere to be found.
A massive investigation was launched, and persons of interest were eventually identified, however, Trudy has never been located. It’s been more than 28 years since Trudy vanished, and investigators are still searching for her...
Trudy Appleby was last seen at around 9:30 AM on the morning of August 21, 1996, near her home located near 41st Street and 23rd Avenue in East Moline, Illinois. A witness reported seeing her getting into a gray or silver four-door Chevrolet Celebrity with a white man, now believed to be William “Ed” Smith.
At the time, Trudy was wearing a black one-piece swimsuit, spandex shorts, blue tennis shoes, socks, and a t-shirt. She was also carrying a beach towel.
Law enforcement has named three persons of interest in the case: William “Ed” Smith, David Whipple, and Jamison “Jamie” Fisher. To date, no one has been charged in connection with Trudy’s disappearance. Police believe they are just missing a few key details to solve the case.
Anyone with information about Trudy Appleby’s case is encouraged to contact the Moline Police Department at 309-534-2140 or Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities at 309-762-9500. There is currently a $10,000 reward for information.
Editor: Shannon Keirce
Research/Writing: Haley Gray
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