On April 29, 2003, 13-year-old Tabitha Danielle Tuders leaves her home in East Nashville, TN, sometime between 7:30 and 8:00 AM to catch the bus to Bailey Middle School, two miles away. The straight A 7th grader routinely catches the school bus at one of two stops a few blocks from her house, but this morning, instead of boarding the bus, Tabitha Tuders vanishes into thin air, somewhere along her route. When Tabitha doesn’t return home from school by the late afternoon, her parents know something is wrong. And by that time, the young girl has been missing for nearly 10 hours and the trail has already gone cold. Nineteen years later, no trace of the young teen has ever been found, but neither police nor Tabitha’s family has given up hopes of finding her and bringing her home.
If you have any information about the disappearance of Tabitha Tuders, anonymous tips can be made to Nashville Crime Stoppers at 615-74CRIME, or call the Metro Nashville Cold Case Unit at 615-862-7329, or leave a tip at unsolved.com.
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Did you check out teachers in her school or anyone she was particularly close with at the time? They said she wasn’t the type to climb into a strangers car. If that’s the case it must of been someone she knew. There also wouldn’t be anything that they could threaten a 13 year-old with. There’s also a possibility that the kidnapper wasn’t working alone. maybe he had a partner? I would look at the boyfriend again. He could of borrowed a relatives car or a friend’s car. The red car could’ve also been a rental or stolen.
MTL could have been a movie star, band member, or TV show actor who she liked. As kids you often have crushes on people like that. Just a thought! I hope one day this is solved.
Watched a segment of this case a couple of days ago. It’s a shame the police were unable to see the chat’s Tabitha was having on the library computer. I am no Sherlock Holmes but I remember the chat room’s in the late 90’s and early 2000’s before social media. They could be a veritable cesspit and predators could easily find prey. I fear Tabitha may have arranged to meet someone considering it looks like she willingly got into the green car. I hope and pray that one day the family finally has closure.
Just watched the episode of Disappeared on Amazon Prime of Tabitha, I am no Sherlock Holmes but I remember the chat rooms in the early 2000’s before the world of social media. It could be a veritable cesspit and youngsters could easily fall prey at the hands of sick, manipulative individuals. The fact the police couldn’t see the chats Tabitha was having on the library computer is crucial. I believe she arranged to meet with someone and dread to think what may have happened next. My prayers go out to the family.
I don’t want to think but she was a 13 year old teenager, did she have access to a computer? Because that note they found in her room reminds me of a “crush” note. TDT-N-MTL = Tabitha Danielle Tuder-n- MTL
Do they know of anyone with those initials? Have they checked all devices in the house or friends devices she might of used?
Has anyone figured out that little intials note yet? I just happened to stumble on to this podcast and now I am vested in this.
Someone above said child missing cases should be left up to the FBI, well I agree they should lead the cases with the help of all authorities. Children are precious and deserve the world not despair.
My thoughts and prayers for her and her family!
Did they ever question her friends??? I don’t know why people seem to be in denial about this but 13 yr olds keep secrets. It’s just a fact of life. I don’t care how close she was with her family — she’s a teenager. I guarantee her friends knew who the other set of initials was or heard her at least reference this person. Why is there no mention of talking to her friends at school??
The sisters Boyfriend was a Bravo Mike and drove a red car, could they not let the student look at his picture or car to see if that was him? I don’t care about the time card, or polygraph this can be manipulated. Let’s get a new set of cold cases detectives on this case.
The sister’s boyfriend did NOT drive a red car–he didn’t even own a vehicle, period. He also passed a polygraph and was thoroughly investigated.
Now about this white hood you dropped on the floor…
lol Bravo Mike! It appears it was the older sister that was living a high risk lifestyle. She’s lucky to be alive.
Nashville PD blew early & promising leads on this poor child’s case. Failed to question known local pedophiles & other leads that were given to them EARLY on in the case. Missing kid cases SHOULD NOT be turned over to LOCAL COPS!! Special task force should be used on all cases involving missing kids or child deaths.
I love this family like it’s my own. I was aprr of the search and the tears and I still hold up hope that she will return one day. Bo and Debra were like parents to me so for anyone’s suggestions that she ran away that’s totally not true because they are wonderful parents and a great close knit family. Everytime I’m out and about I always look in the faces of girls and women just hoping to catch a glimpse of her. My prayers go out to the Tuders family and always know I will never stop praying for you and Tabitha.
I never even Tabitha or her family & I do NOT believe she’s a runaway. I am just basing that on information that I have read.
I think the Nashville Police dropped the ball in this case and it led to her disappearance from then on. I lived about 15 minutes from your area at the time and knew of 2 guys that bragged of sharing a young girl they new from there. One was a long haired white Guy known as Joe and the other one a mixed black guy I don’t remember his name. If we are on the same page we should chat. I know a place where Joe might have stashed her. Its probably bulldozed over by now and thats why she was never found….Let me know…the police ignored evidence I gave them at the time as unfounded.
Did the police check for sex offenders who lived in the area at that time that fit the physical description of the person the witness saw and drove a red car (or had a connection to a red car)? They may have, but I didn’t hear that on the podcast. May generate some leads. Such a sad story.
Did the police look at sex offenders in the area that fit the physical description of what the witness saw and drove a red car at that time (or may of had a connection to a red car)? I’m sure they did, just didn’t hear that discussed in the podcast and that may generate some leads. Sad story.
The first podcast that brought tears to my eyes. God Bless this family and please bring home Tabitha.