Missing From Fairmont, North Carolina: Have You Seen Sara Graham?
Fairmont, NC- Sarah Nicole Graham, 18, was last seen by family members leaving home for her morning shift at Walmart at 6:30 AM Thursday February 4th. Graham is the daughter of Robeson county sheriffs deputy.
Sarah Graham
“There were no signs of struggle,” Robeson County Sheriff Kenneth Sealey said Friday. “The vehicle looked like it was just pulled up there and parked, and the vehicle was locked when we arrived.”- Kenneth Sealey
Sarah Graham’s van was found abandoned at approximately noon, 5 hours past the time of the start of her shift with no signs of forced entry and was clearly visible from the road.
Anyone with information about Graham’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office at 910-671-3170.
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Blink
That is one funny story about your great grandfather. At least you got to see him and know him. Musicians have great senses of humor and have fun doing things like you described.
Because of the way my family on the maternal side produced children, I never knew my great grandfather or my grand father. MY great grandfather was born in Anson county, North Carolina in July 1819 when Anson county was mostly everything West of the Pee Dee river and from the South Carolina line North to some unknown marker. Presently Anson county is four counties West of Robeson county. This whole area is gently rolling hills between 325 and 400 ft. MSL containing timber and farm land suitable for growing cotton, corn and wheat.
Well, this is something…I guess? Looking outside of NC now maybe???
http://www.wral.com/fbi-joins-search-for-missing-robeson-county-woman/14496043/
Love your great granddad story, dear Ms. B. ATG, come visit us sometime and get in touch with your NC roots!
My first reaction is to say that as I feared, there are components of this case that involve the former FBI investigation of RCSD.
(O/T: Thank you, no shortage of personality in the fam that’s fo shizz)
B
Thanks for the invitation Tar Heel Gal
It has been about thirty-five years since I visited North Carolina. We have always planned vacation trips with several historic areas in mind.
On that particular trip, we had Churchill Downs on our list in Kentucky among other places, then spent time in Knoxville and Gattlinburg, Tennessee. From Gattlinburg we drove thru the center of the Smokey Mtn. park and the Cherokee Indian Reservation and then over to Ashville. No matter how much planning is done, sometimes one spends too much time in a location or two that are interesting. On that trip we planned to go to Charlotte, but didn’t make it.
Your link about Sara ties in with one of my early posts on this thread. It is just a short drive to the South Carolina line. With all the good roads we have today,one or two hundred miles can be covered in a short time. When I am on the highway, I usually target 100 miles in one and one-half hours.
LE in Robeson County must have something that leads them to believe Sara was transported South into South Carolina.
Rose says:
February 8, 2015 at 9:50 am
Unless something happened in the home itself the night before.
————————-
Actually I didn’t even notice this comment when you made it. Now it seems more likely every day. With the FBI coming in I’m hopeful they can get to the bottom of this.
OT @Jack, Blink. wrt Feldman, It seems to me it could be
no other than 10 month boyfriend, who could become suicidal as you say.
I don’t know how far they have gotten to rule him out- but I do know that they are interested in “someone she has had contact with in the past.”
B
In keeping with Rose’s comment about the local boyfriend, there could be another boyfriend from Texas who showed up. We are not privy to details of her life in high school at Belton.
Some young men are afflicted with a mental concept of ownership and will do whatever they can think of to make that true. This is often a driving force that results in the death of one they want to own. “If I can’t have you, then no one will”.
Agreed in concept ATG- but every interview I have done indicates Sara did not have a boyfriend in either area.
B
Hi ATG. I was off topic with Alison Feldman, apologies.
Where was Sara attending college? Nothings been said but she must of been right out of high school and so many good universities right around there. Citadel is just a 2 1/2 hour drive and Wheatly is about the same. The drive to UVA is only 4 1/2 hours. Doable. But she must’ve taken off the spring semester or she wouldn’t have been home on February 4.
She was not attending college or any other school- but I understand she was working to save $$ so she could.
B
Been hearing a lot about they have found a body, she has been burnt up and she has been cut up. Hearing by stepmom and possible with help from a son or brother. Is this rumors or real information? There has been absolutely no media coverage lately. I have a daughter and I am very concerned for Sara’s whereabouts. At first I was thinking kidnapped but I am confused and about everything now.
Sara has not been located so that is a definite rumor. If you are a resident I would continue to be vigilant about your daughter’s safety and practice “safety precautions”.
B
NO news whatsoever? So sad…
Blink – what do you make of this “kidnapped for ransom” case of Denise Huskins in Vallejo, CA?
Unfortunately I believe this will ultimately be a domestic situation.
B
O/T-the police have been mum on this latest Modesto, CA area tragedy…
http://www.modbee.com/news/local/crime/article15277085.html
Deputy Connie Graham has been terminated from employment with Robeson County sheriffs department effective March 19, 2015. No details as to the reason for the termination. A complete article can be found at Robeson County sheriffs department Facebook site.
Thank you Inda- I have excerpted it below.
B
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office is grateful for your assistance in publicizing Sara Graham’s disappearance on social media, fliers, and word of mouth. I know citizens are eager to know more about our investigation. Please understand that publicly sharing specific details of our case could be harmful to the integrity of our investigation and would not be in the best interest of our efforts to find Sara. RCSO detectives, in conjunction with the FBI, are working day and night on this case and we won’t stop until we find her.
Former Deputy Connie Graham has been terminated from her employment as a deputy sheriff as of March 19, 2015. Her termination is a personnel matter.
Thank you to all for your understanding to assist us with this investigation. I will release more about this ongoing investigation as soon as I am able.
Again, thank you all for your concern for Sara, her family, & for your understanding about protecting details of our investigation.
Just saw a news piece kinda expanding on the above posted by Inda and Ms. Blink, FBI possibly considering stepmom a suspect…Dang:
http://www.wral.com/questions-surrounding-disappearance-of-robeson-woman-grow/14544261/
It is a growing concern. It is my understanding that she is/was the lone witness to sara leaving that morning. If I were to post what looked like developments in this case since she disappeared from this area it would make your head spin.
B
On Feb 6 the Robesonian reported the Sheriff thusly: The 18-year-old was [b]last seen by her family[/b] before leaving their home on the 4000 block of Centerville Church Road at about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday,[b] according to Robeson County Sheriff Kenneth Sealey. Sealey said “everything was fine” [/b] when Graham left for work at Walmart in Pembroke, but that she never arrived.
Seems like a strange statement for the sheriff to be making if her stepmother was the loan witness to Sara leaving that morning. Wonder why the contradiction?
http://www.robesonian.com/news/news/151696088/Search-continues-for-missing-teen
I’m wedded to this case so you can spin away.
I’d like to know any and all developments you can share.
Inda- yes ma’am, you are. I thank you for that. I do not speak for her of course, but I am certain Miss Sara does as well.
I am aware that Ms. Connie Graham stated that she and Sara left at the same time in the morning- as you point out, she was the lone witness.
As has always bothered me- Sara’s phone was powered off the prior evening. That was an unnatural event, but not necessarily unusual, according to close friends.
My sources say it was unusual in their estimation- as she had a web-enabled phone, I can say that it was powered off in the location of her home.
That said- anyone familiar with cases of le parents ( albeit step-mom) who get fired when a child or relative is missing who do not end up as defacto suspects or actual suspects? Not judging- just saying.
B
Blink says on SM
“As I prioritize what I consider leads in need of exclusion- I have not gotten past the Tarnished Badge angle yet. That does not mean there is a direct nexus, it just means that Sara’s Dad and step Mom seemed to maintain some pretty close ties to officers that were involved.”
http://scaredmonkeys.net/index.php?topic=15566.0
Blink, could anything in this statement from your post at SM be linked to the step Moms recent employment troubles? I am sure both Sara’s Dad, Mom and step Mom’s life have been examined closely.
That is my belief Ode, yes. I would like to say I have only heard very strong praise for Sheriff Sealey and that includes private references from Fed agents with involvement in the current case and that may have been involved in the Operation Tarnished Badge.
This Soooo reminds me of Bobo where the same names of the same families who live very close (still) to this family are resonating almost daily.
B
“…the same families (insert tarnished shield officers) who live very close (still) to this family are resonating almost daily.”
surrounding Bobo families had names.
Why aren’t there names?!
There are. They match legacy families that were involved in tarnished badge and live among this family still.
B
if I were Counsel to Sheriff’s Dept, I’d say terminating her was insane & now she needs to go hire John Edwards for a her own tort
I can see leave with or without pay if charged formally, & termination if convicted. Anything else probably has some cause of action.
“That said- anyone familiar with cases of le parents ( albeit step-mom) who get fired when a child or relative is missing who do not end up as defacto suspects or actual suspects? Not judging- just saying.”
I am glad info is leaking a bit. Perhaps info was closely held because to do otherwise would alert suspects or present danger to other family members. I thought this perhaps happened in the home, but instead it sounds like stepmother was mixed up with the wrong people who targeted Sara, and her supervisors learned of possible criminal associations of hers. Do you think Sara is alive?
wral always seems the best connected source
http://www.wral.com/questions-surrounding-disappearance-of-robeson-woman-grow/14544261/
shared by Tar Heel Gal above
Connie had a 23 year old roladex with knowledge of
violent, previously juvenile, offenders she could tap for important jobs.
I just want to hurl. Can you imagine what it takes to get fired with that tenure in that county? As I stated in the beginning- why was Sara’s phone off the night before her disappearance?
B
I just want to hurl. Can you imagine what it takes to get fired with that tenure in that county? As I stated in the beginning- why was Sara’s phone off the night before her disappearance?
B
*****
I agree…hurling with you.
what I imagine. drug running protection, say meth,
discovered in the course of the investigation.
How could something happen in the home at night & father not know?
I don’t know the answer to that- or I do and I don’t like it. All I know is that her phone was powered off and that was not a natural occurrence for her according to witnesses I have interviewed.
B
It appears that the earlier reported rummers may have some basis in facts.
A resignation from a LE organization during a criminal investigation is usually because the person has some amount of culpability.
I think step mom has some real problems.
Some names
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n294/a02.html
James owen Hunt (+ 22 other deputues)
Billy wayne Strickland
crimes
–stealing property
–planting evidence
–beating people
–theft
–cash from drug dealors on I95
–a card mfged & sold that allowed satellite tv capture for free
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1175/a09.html
eugene strickland
billy wayne strickland
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1175/a09.html
Drug gangs
Eugene Strickland (life)
Travis Strickland
Marshall Strickland
Robert Neal Steickland Jr
allegation: gang served as CIs in order ro gain protection from deputies & eliminate business rivals
Robeson Cty Drug Enforcement Division
former deputies
–C.T. Strickland
–Steven Lovin
–Roger Taylor
–Kevin Meares
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2052243/
more deputies
Paul Pittman
Billy Hunt
for doing $500 worth of campaign work for their boss, the then Sheriff &
would’ve gotten out in 2013, and they cooperated
Joey Smith
Patrick Ferguson
(It’s wonder that no one went after this hanging judge.)
others
http://policecrime.proboards.com/thread/1833/operation-tarnished-badge-more-abuses
deputies
Vincent Sinclair
Roger Taylor
Add a Locklear and another one escaping me at the moment.
B
Is your theiry of exclusion deputy-related or drug gang related?
I am comfortable saying it is tangential to Operation tarnished badge in some way.
B
How long has father been Domestic Violence Coordinator on the civil side?
(presumably serving ROs)?
http://www.ncsheriffs.org/pdf/nc_78.pdf
Do not quote me but about 13 years. He serves the ugly stuff. Did you catch the head of IAD name?
B
iad: related? ex?
townsfolk comments on articles are not kind to her on
both brains & character but say he is very honest.
–
I had also noticed aStrickland & a Locklear.
Do not quote me but about 13 years. He serves the ugly stuff. Did you catch the head of IAD name?
B
http://www.ncsheriffs.org/pdf/nc_78.pdf
*****
Is he Sara’s uncle?
I can’t confirm the relation- complete lockdown of info.
B
http://www.wncn.com/story/28131915/2-arrested-1-sought-in-hope-mills-shooting
Add a Locklear and another one escaping me at the moment.
B
Is this Locklear tied in to Sara’s missing in anyway? What is her stepmom’s maiden name?
I believe there was some concern it was- nobody is talking now except to say that they no longer think that. Ode- I can’t get a straight answer even off the record.
B
Gotcha. Add as needed.
B
I find this case disturbing. It almost seems that a lot of people know what happened, but no-one wants to talk about it. I don’t have definite evidence, but that is the “vibe” I get from this case.
There may be links to past corruption, but it is hard to see how it links to this particular young woman at this particular time. Possibly she could have been dragged into a messy situation as an informant, but it seems unlikely that a small police department would use the child of two officers (dad and step-mom) as an undercover operative.
I have the same vibe. Sara’s stepmother is a definite suspect, but she is not alone. That is from a trusted source.
B
I think they are keeping it quiet due to being a law and who ever done it should be punished and no matter whether or not she was in college is not a concern they had no right to do her like that
Ms. Thompson, thank you for weighing in. You will find agreement here.
B
I can’t and keep it private at the same time, lol.
It is my personal belief that Sara is deceased, that RBSD is aware of that fact and that her step mom and at least 2 others are suspects.
B
How did Stepmother accrue that power over Sara?
So 3 types of people could have helped SM:
1) bent cops she’d worked with for years, on the force or now off;
2) violent juvenile offenders known to her from her workiload;
3) her family system.
What would the motive be, Sara was working.
Maybe Sara learned of illegal SM activities.
That would be cause for SM’s termination, not an uncharged murder.
I honestly cannot find a motive Rose. Which may mean, a rash act? According to those very close to her, Sara never mentioned any issues with her step mom- but my sources are adamant Connie Graham is a suspect- does not mean she is responsible- just means in the eyes of LE she remains a suspect and the FBI has taken the helm.
B
Please someone tell me I’m not the only one who thinks this is…bizarre, not right, inappropriate, something! 18 yo daughter/stepdaughter just vanishes off the face of the earth in early February. FBI finally makes some vague comments and stepmom is relieved of LE duties. Dad and stepmom’s FB page has NO update activity since November 2014 when they post a family (?) picture (sans Sara). Nothing about Sara missing. All of a sudden, recent activity shows 2 pics of a shiny motorcycle and a stunning sports car, which become the FB profile pics! There are some comments about the shiny vehicles, one is directed to Mr. Graham and there is a response about “dream car.” What the hay? Don’t really think I could be thinking about dream anything with my 18 yo totally gone poof and suspicions abounding.
https://www.facebook.com/hubert.graham.92
(You have to be logged in to FB to see their page). I have a screen capture if it goes poof but don’t know how to post…or if I even could/should. Can email to Ms. B if needed.
Biomom’s FB has been inactive recently but does have missing info posted.
IF something really really bad happened to this young lady and a relative is responsible, I don’t think it was planned and happened suddenly. How on earth is that household staying sane?!
I know. unreal.
B
It seems odd only the SM a suspect and not the father as well. Not to be rude but just as law enforcement tends to look at things. And this county, it almost seems freakish.
This case makes me think of Hannah Graham in one way, both girls to in the wrong place at the wrong time. To me it seemed Hannah should have gone to a smaller, private school. And Sara interrupting her education to work at Walmart in NC, the worst county in NC at that. *sigh*
Blink, do you know of any searches done besides the few that have been published via media?
I know of a few local searches conducted by LE, but to my knowledge those were based on investigative leads and unannounced even to RCSD. When you have a suspect located within the SD- who still maintains jurisdiction of the case ( to my knowledge) this stuff becomes need to know basis and in some instances the FBI is not even sharing info.
B
Inda
Sara’s bio mom was on military duty outside the country. Sara had graduated from high school in Belton, Texas a town East of FT. Hood. I think that Sara traveled to North Carolina to spend time with her father. I don’t think Sara was aware of any of the tarnished badge events prior to making the trip. She may have learned of them after arriving in NC.
At this time we have almost no information regarding the events of the morning that Sara disappeared. Only that her step-mom reported her leaving the house at her regular time. Maybe Sara did leave at her regular time, but just speculating that she did not leave by herself and may have been abducted with the knowledge of her step-mom. The vehicle could easily been a plant. The phone being off the evening before indicates that Sara was not in control of it.
Hannah Graham would have been ok if she had not traveled alone to the mall in Charlottesville and encountered the stalker Jessie Mathew in the wee hours of the evening. The stalker that should have been serving five to ten years for a road rage assault and additional time for the attempted rape and assault with the possiblityof murder of the young woman at Fairfax.
The problem is that the justice system in Charlottesville was in failure mode,including police and the courts. It took the death of Hannah to make the required changes. Even then, they did not understand that they should be searching everything along Red Hill road looking for Hannah. It took them a month to find her and then only from a tip. The chief of police finally took charge and made finding Hannah priority one including finding her killer.
While I support LE, there are agencies that sometimes become compromised or just staffed by under-trained and over-promoted personnel. The peter principle is not limited to business. It affects everything where people work and learn.
What would be the reason for local media stopped asking questions and demanding updates? Clearly pushing and nudging gets us a little closer to a story but this blackout of information is getting ridiculous.
Knowledge they will not be answered.
B
I cannot find a corresponding report link on their website, but I did hear Sara’s name float out on the WRAL late afternoon news feed yesterday (5-4). Raced to the remote and rewound, but it was just a < 45 second rehash of what little has been released, marking the anniversary of her disappearance. I did have my heart catch last week when there was news of a female body found in north-neighbor Cumberland Co. But it was finally identified as a missing older Af-Am woman. The creepy silence on this case is soooooo similar to little lost Kyron…..
thank you for updates tar heel gal.
—
on reading around & reflection, it seems to me her disappearance & vehicle disposition were highly organized, like Kyron. I suggest her demise occurred after her work shift the prior day. It may have been early evening. I don’t think a stepmother rivalry or an impulsive altercation is adequate explanation.
Blinkie, I cannot find Hubert still listed in sheriff’s departmental roster? Is he still employed, or separated as was Connie? Poor Sara… so truly sad. Please update with what you are able. Xxx
Will do Sally- I am just not getting a confirmation on that either way.
B
When Sara first went missing the sheriffs department conducted a ground search for days looking for evidence. And the sixth day they searched some of that same ground again this time using 200 volunteers. At the time it seemed like a search for a body. Did they find evidence in the house such as luminal evidence, or blood or tissue splatter that would be consistent with a death but not a large enough quantity to prove a death occurred?
Are you referring to the search around the van location Inda?
B
Rose:
I don’t think a stepmother rivalry or an impulsive altercation is adequate explanation.
Inda:
I agree Rose but I can’t think of a good explanation.
I’m wondering if Sara’s health plays into this.
I’m sorry I brought up the issue of Sara’s health. It’s not my business to say anything about it. If you want to make that comment visible I don’t mind I just really do not want to comment further about her health. Also, it is not mine intention to mess up your lovely website with these ridiculous changes. I’ve been trying to just stay away from here.
Inda- I am not sure what you meant by her health. I have only interviewed a handful of people close to her- but none were aware of any maladies or health problems?
Which in my book is not proof positive she did not have any, just that those folks were unaware.
B
Understood, thank you.
B
Blink – not sure which topic to ask this under, but are you following the Savopoulos DC mansion arson/murders?
I am aware of the case, however, no plans to cover at this time as much as I would like to. My sources tell me this will be resolved timely. What I will say is this was an inside job and there will be a betrayal of an associate or staffer to the family who knew them intimately. Extremely disorganized quadruple homicide points to younger and uneducated offenders with a prior criminal background.
Torturing a child in his own bed and controlling 3 adults simultaneously at a point we know they were all alive takes more mature resources. Mature enough to allow the parents to think if they listened and performed as requested that they would save their child and hopefully themselves and with strength/weaponry/fear enough to keep them trying something to alert others to the situation.
This was planned to intercept cash and in some components was similar to The Petit family murders in CT ( although nobody was followed home here- this was perpetrated based on intel from inside).
Lastly- it is going to have a racial impact when arrests are made.
B
Inda. I personally hope you don’t stay away.
You needn’t post personal knowledge, but you can
correct the rest of us, at least me, when we err.
I second that, thanks Rose! We are all advocates here for Sarah.
B
Blink, a health issue needn’t be a malady.
You are absolutely right. Sometimes my brain goes textbook mode, lol
B
@Inda. A similar kind of search, including repeat coverage, happened in the Kyron Horman case, & it was the mark of a Sheriff’s Dept without training &experience in knowing how to investigate the disappearance as a crime. So, mcso
did what it knew how to do–search–and as a side benefit generated lots of personnel overtime.
It seems to me a health issue could bring in a 3rd party nonfamily member, even from Texas.