A college student disappears from a pay phone and is later seen under the control of a mysterious man.
 Elizabeth Campbell
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Missing:
Gender: Female
DOB: 5/31/67
Height: 5’2”
Weight: 96 to 106 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Defining Characteristics: Has scars on her forehead, elbow, under her chin and on her right eyebrow. She has a mole on her back between her shoulder blades and a small birthmark on her right buttock.
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CASE DETAILS
Police sketch of suspect
On the night of April 25th, 1988, 20-year-old college student Elizabeth Campbell, of Lampasas, Texas, had a fight with her boyfriend. Rickie Ray, took her books, and stormed out of his house. Forty-five minutes later, Rickie says, she called him from a pay phone 11 miles away:
“Elizabeth called me from a convenience store and wanted me to come pick her up. We got into a little disagreement there, because I was asking her why she left my house without telling me. I didn’t understand why she’d do something like that because it’s not like her.”
That phone call was the last anyone ever heard from Elizabeth Campbell. However, her family and friends believe that Elizabeth may still be alive.
Elizabeth disappeared after making a call
Elizabeth lived a fairly sheltered life at home, but was planning to go to Texas A & M in the fall. Her father, Tom Campbell, was immediately worried when she disappeared:
“As soon as we knew she was missing, we knew something had happened to her. It’s too much out of character for her to not tell her mother where she was when she wasn’t at home .”
A witness claimed she saw her at a gas station
Elizabeth’s parents immediately distributed thousands of flyers throughout central Texas. Their efforts soon paid off. Only six days after she was reported missing, a girl matching Elizabeth’s description was spotted by convenience store clerk, Roger Anyon, about 85 miles from where she disappeared:
“This car drove up to the fuel tank and a man got out of the car and took a young woman by the arm and brought her into the store with him, holding on to her arm. It wasn’t as if it was a boyfriend/girlfriend type hold, it was his hand was above her wrist. I was up at the counter, and he pushed a twenty-dollar bill out with one hand. The girl looked up at me, and I said ‘Yes, can I help you?’ He said something to her in a language that I didn’t understand, and she dropped her head, and looked down, as if she was being punished for trying to say something. She just hid, put her face down, and that was the end of that.”
Fliers were handed out by her parents
Then, another eyewitness, Michelle Christenson, came forward with a second sighting of the couple that matched the first in nearly every detail:
“The first thing that caught my eye was that he had a real mean, rough look to him. He gave the attitude that he didn’t want her to talk, just to stay silent, and that’s a weird situation because if someone wants to talk, they usually talk. But she didn’t. When I handed the strawberry cone to him, Elizabeth Campbell looked up at me. She looked like she was being pulled around. She wasn’t with him by choice.”
He seemed to be controlling her
Despite these two sightings, local police were not convinced that Elizabeth was the young woman under the control of the rough-looking man. But two months later, on July 10 th , a woman named Virgie Johnson claimed to have seen Elizabeth, this time at a gas station over 150 miles from Kileen:
“I had just left my car, going in to pay for the gas, and I bumped into Elizabeth coming out of the store. Elizabeth acted as if maybe she was frightened of someone, or maybe she was being watched. When I saw a photograph of Elizabeth, I automatically knew that that was the girl that I had bumped into in Garland. I was just positive that that was Elizabeth Campbell.”
“She acted as if she was frightened …”
Now they had three sightings. Elizabeth’s parents were more and more convinced their daughter was alive and being held against her will. The Campbells fear that Elizabeth was being forced to work as a prostitute. Lois Lee is founder of Children of the Night, an organization that rescues young people from prostitution by providing counseling and helping them find shelter:
“Usually, when someone abducts another person for purposes of prostitution, they have a process by which they strip away their identity and supply them with a new one. Oftentimes, it involves being repetitively raped. They’re deprived of food, they’re deprived of light, they’re deprived of water, of whatever it takes in order to strip away their identity and to force them to assume another one. The pimp creates an invisible leash by presenting himself as if he’s omnipotent. It’s like he’s saying, ‘No matter where you go, no matter what you’re doing, I’ve got someone who works for me, or a friend of mine, watching you’. That’s why she would never make eye contact with anyone. And if she does, and she looks like she’s asking for help, then she goes back to the closet, until she has learned.”
To this day, Elizabeth has not been found. But her parents refuse to give up hope. Tom Campbell:
“There’s no way we can give up until we find out where she is, what’s happened to her. She’s our daughter, not what somebody’s trying to make her. She’ll always be our little girl.”
UPDATE: In 1992, Elizabeth Campbell’s purse was located in the property room of the Crockett County Sheriff’s Department. It is unknow how it got there, or how long it had been there.
Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season two with Robert Stack and in season six with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu.
SUBMIT A TIP
Jessica D.M.
Regarding that Fall County unidentified doe, the description does look like a match, but I was wondering if someone could just ask her family if those pendants found with the Doe are something Elizabeth owned? Surely that would help rule this doe out either way.
Jonathan
I agree. I emailed Texas DPS about the Jane doe possibly being Elizabeth . They need to DNA compare the doe with her mother.
Jonathan
The pendant necklace she could’ve gotten after her abduction.
Anonymous
Fort Hood is the Bermuda triangle of missing people in Texas. Even the military is not safe from disappearing there. Those investigations are very frustrating, because you have to go through so many agencies to rule everything out. Border patrol is the most difficult.
Heather
Such a heartbreaking story and am praying for closure to this case. I agree the boyfriend should have been investigated thoroughly and there are important pieces missing from this story. May you be at peace Elizabeth Campbell
Lee
The police actually located the guy who dropped her off at the pay phone. It was a classmate from school. Before she used the pay phone, she went inside the store and used their phone to call her boyfriend. He refused to come pick her up. The store clerk verified all of this. She then went outside to the pay phone to call her brother for a ride. His # was long distance, and she didn’t want to use the store’s phone to make a long distance call. Reddit has a very thorough write up on this case.
TrueHeart
This again proves how some US cops are incompetent in this job!
Anonymous
And that is just the bottom line. If she was with the ID they would have at least check for warrants. But when it comes to lost and found anyone could tell them they lost a purse and collect all kinds of things.
Family friend
I lived there in copperas cove Texas went to school with her and her bother and sister ,she would have never left her family. There has been night that I have cryed my self to sleep over this. We did have some bad cops back then. I was in Germany when this show came on I could not believe it.Her parents where very nice. As much traffic that went by the store I myself can not believe no one saw any thing, there has to be someone out there that saw something so please step up.Lets bring her home I know her parents have past away but her sister and brother need closer.Copperas Cove cops needs to get off there ass and find her it has been to long of a wait for her family.I also walked by the store where she was taken from it could have been any of us kids back then. I do tell my grandkids about her for that they can be safe as possible. I loved her and her family alot. Keep looking for her.
Relative
Mr Campbell passed away in 2018. Mrs Campbell is alive and well as are Elizabeth two sisters and brother
SAMANTHA
🙁 yall never stop looking
Sara
She will NOT be found cause law enforcement don’t care about the case like they didn’t care 30 something years that she’s been missing. I have tried to help, but they will NOT listen to me.
Rick Counter
Sara,
My name is Rick Counter and I am a Sgt with the Copperas Cove Police Department. I was once a Detective in the Criminal Investigations Division and assigned the Elizabeth Campbell case. I would love to listen to any information that you might have about the case.
Carter
Rick, re open the case and investigate the boyfriend, it’s obvious he was the last person to see her alive and there is something not quite right of his response, then do off the purse or items found in that purse, search his home something ..
Antonio Montjoy
Hey Rick anyway I can speak with you directly?
Monica
I dont know why I thought this was solved.. The Jane Doe found in Falls county does look similar to EC. Im sure the remains found were bones and no flesh, therefore we cant match the many scars listed in the description above. Just from my amateur sleuth knowledge, its obvious there is more to this story. At first, I thought, BOYFRIEND.Im not so sure. He said he didnt know she left he may have meant he didnt know she actually left like walked away far enough to be picked up. No one told her to walk away is what he is saying. If I am not mistaken he didnt go to pick her up bc he was mad that she left to begin with. He shouldve been interviewed via UM so that he could give a more clear explanation.
What I have an issue with is the purse turning up in evidence. Who found it, which officer collected it and when?? Clearly, someone turned it in..
Another case on Um where the girl let her bf drive her car and he broke the stick shift . He parked her car and went to a friend’s , never picking her up from work. Remember, she went to where he was, took her car keys then left walking to where he had left the car. I just knew he killed her. I mean he had to. He was mad that she was mad he broke her car! There were no other possibilities in my mind. I was wrong..Some serial killer’s DNA was later found on her..
So, maybe the bf is innocent. Im sure if he werent and it could be proven he wouldve been charged.. I dont think the sightings were her either. I dont understand how ppl can not THINK before calling in these tips. I do not believe for a second that anyone that called saw her. I truly think thats her they found in falls county..But it would seem like by NOW that lead wouldve been checked. I mean so many ppl have said the same.
Anonymous
That is a very good observation. The Jane Doe could be her. The left temple has a distinctive slant that matches Elizabeth Campbell.
Jonathan
Yes , I think so too. Copperas cove is only 60 miles from where the Jane doe was found .
Peggy Thomas
I was hoping that this woman had been found and returned to her family. I know it has to be devastating for them not knowing asked you was there she was if she was well. God be with you. You’re in my prayer. I can’t even imagine how I would feel if it was my daughter. I hope and pray that one day comes home.
gerald
The Long Island Serial Killer has similar features as the same guy who took EC.
look it up people!
Mary Hlad
Law enforcement should concentrate on finding the man who was with Elizabeth Campbell. If they find him, they’ll find her. More than likely, she’s alive. Whomever the man was wouldn’t lose profits by killing her, unless she tried to escape.
Sandy
Law enforcement need to be re-interviewing the boyfriend, I think he knows more than what he’s telling. They should have continued questioning him because he probably would have kept changing his story
Mary Hlad
I agree. It seems that Elizabeth Campbell’s boyfriend has something to do with her disappearance. I think he knows who the mystery man is.
Ali
I also think it was the boyfriend. Seems likely to me they got in a fight and he killed her. Then he went to a payphone and called his own house so there’s be a record of a phone call so he could say she had left. Otherwise, why would he not have asked more questions in the phone call like, who drove you? And if she was scary as she said, she would have gone into the store
Unknown
I have said this all along – he is very sketchy. Told this to the investigator a couple years ago when they called me because they reopened the case.
Marvin
Excellent article from April 2018: https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Copperas-Cove-PD-continues-looking-for-clues-on-30-year-old-case-480894621.html
Elizabeth’s purse was found in 1988-89. Police only realized it was hers in 1992. (Seriously!?)
I think either the boyfriend or man who gave her a lift might have had something to do with her disappearance. It just doesn’t make sense that if she was abducted that the person would walk around in public with her.
Risa Johnson
To Ms Campbell’s parents keep the faith and God bless. You’re in my prayers and so is your daughter. May she come home to you soon!
Charles
Just watched this case last night. I think this is likely a human trafficking case. Although I tend to agree with the police department official at the beginning of the story—she was likely murdered. I hate to say that because it can cause such pain for the family. However, after 30 years you have to wonder what the outcome could be. I had a female friend go missing in 2014 and four years later, not a trace of her can be found. She hasn’t logged into her facebook, which she was very active on, or anything. She had fallen on hard times and was homeless in downtown Mobile, AL at the time of her disappearance. You just have to wonder what the possibilities are. Like Elizabeth, Molly, which is her name, was also very popular and had lots of friends.
Anonymous
If she did go into all of that she could of had some offspring. Too bad DNA technology can’t find descendants. It is more focused on ancestors. (People before you.) Finding other family members could connect the dots.
Sarah
I think the spottings of her were either of another woman, or lies. If you’re in the business of kidnapping grown, intelligent, well-liked women in their home country, you don’t go parading them around public gas stations. You keep them locked in a brothel and high on drugs and alcohol.
thinkingoutloud
boyfriend seems a little controlling. upset that after they had a fight, she left and he’s upset she didn’t mention anything to him? and how did he not know she left the house for a whole 45 mins? i think he’s lying. maybe he killed her during that argument and he’s trying to cover it up.
and if it is true she was seen with another controlling man, it sounds liek human trafficking / prostitution to me. the boyfriend sounds controlling so maybe he worked for a pimp or whoever and willingly gave her up
Daniel
Has it been confirmed yet that she is not the unidentified body found in Falls County?
http://web.archive.org/web/20160304105107/http:/www.txdps.state.tx.us/mpch/UnidentifieddetailsPrint.asp?id=U0802020&Person=Unidentified
This description and reconstruction are about as close as one could possibly get.
Anonymous
Human trafficking check into strange front company that could be a lead
Anonymous
What the heck was her purse doing at the police department? I wonder if someone that worked there could have been involved?
Dave
Plus this article is not accurate – she was from Lampasas, TX, was attending a community college in Killeen, TX. She vanished after making a phone call from a convenience store in Copperas Cove, TX which is between Killeen and Lampasas.
Dave
This article needs to be updated. Four years after she disappeared her purse was found in the evidence room of a sheriff’s department nearly 300 miles west of Copperas Cove – the city from where she vanished. The sheriff’s department had no record of anyone turning in the purse or where it came from.
Anonymous
It seems almost obvious that the boyfriend is lying. My money is on that he killed her. His statements conflict.
Anonymous
What statements?
Chanita
Oh my god that’s Terrible I Hope That Man Will Bring Her home safely She Needs Her Family!
Anonymous
This transcript made a mistake on Elizabeth’s age at the time of her disappearance. It listed her age as 21, even though she was actually 20. By her 21st birthday, May 31, 1988, Elizabeth had already been missing for well over a month.
james
Statement says that she had a fight with boyfriend then stormed out of the house, but then he says she couldn’t figure out why she left the house without telling him. If they had just argued and she stormed out then he already knew that she left! I’d look into the boyfriend again, she may have not even left the house in the first place
Nicki
I hope Elizabeth is found soon I’ll keep her in my prayers.
Brika
Blonde 5’6 brown 6’0
David
Has anyone in Texas or outside of Texas ever seen that woman before? She would be 48 going on 49 years old today. She might still be going around with that man who seems to be controlling her. If you have, call the police, right now. Let’s just hope that man hasn’t killed her if he’s still has her alive no matter what.
Angela Scullion
Why has everyone just ruled the boyfriend out ?
I would bring him in for questioning again as something is not quiet right with his story
Alien
@Kristle I really hope someone looks into the possibility that the unidentified remains found in Texas could be Elizabeth. It looks to me like it could be her….
Kristle
There is a article on Facebook about a woman’s remains found in falls county in 2000, they have not yet identified her. But the description sounds like Elizabeth Campbell.
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/mpch/UnidentifieddetailsPrint.asp?id=U0802020&Person=Unidentified
Ashley
Can you repost this link please.
johnny
http://bit.ly/2tog5T6
steve
i pray that she returns home
Sondra
I am praying for Elizabeth Campbell and hope that she is returned to her family.
Black Bieber
I agree with you 100%. If Elizabeth Campbell is still alive (she would be about 49 years old now), then I pray to God she is found alive & well.
Dahlia
She was beautiful and looked like the actress Anna May Wong. I hope she is found alive soon.