Resources for Missing Persons

According to current statistics, 4,000 people in the United States go missing every day. Sometimes a child suddenly vanishes from the bus stop or the local park or even from their own yard or bedroom. Or a teenager doesn�t return home after a walk to the neighborhood grocery store or a bike ride or a party with friends. Other times, an adult is mysteriously absent from their job or neighbors haven�t seen them for several days, and family and friends haven�t heard from them either.

Missing Person Case Updates with Photos

Shirley Ann Carpenter Trapp




Trapp, date, approximate 2004; Larry Bright, date, approximate 2010
Date Missing 08/26/2004
Missing From
Peoria, Illinois
Missing Classification Endangered Missing
Sex Female
Race
Black
Date of Birth 06/25/1959 (63)
Age 45 years old
Height and Weight 5'4, 130 pounds
Medical Conditions Trapp is diabetic.
Markings and/or Distinguishing Characteristics African-American female. Black hair, brown eyes. Trapp has a scar between her eyes and a surgical scar extending from her collarbone to her navel. Her lower left front tooth is chipped. She is sometimes referred to as Shirley Ann Trapp, Shirley Ann Carpenter, or Shirley Trapp Carpenter. She does not usually wear makeup or jewelry.
Details of Disappearance Trapp was last seen at approximately 6:00 p.m. on August 26, 2004, at her residence in the vicinity of the 1100 block of George Street in Peoria, Illinois. She has never been heard from again. A friend reported her missing two days later, on August 28.
It is uncharacteristic of Trapp to leave the Peoria area for very long without contacting someone; she stayed in close touch with her children prior to her disappearance. She is described as a streetwise woman who usually carried a weapon and would fight to protect herself if necessary. Her children do not believe she would willingly get into a vehicle with someone she did not know. Trapp lived with her boyfriend on west George Street in Peoria at the time of her disappearance.
Authorities theorized Trapp was the victim of a suspected serial killer who targeted African-American female drug addicts and prostitutes in the Peoria area. Larry D. Bright, a former concrete worker, confessed to the deaths of eight women, including Trapp, over a 15-month period. He led police to sites where he says he dumped his victims' remains.
In May 2006, he pleaded guilty to all the murders. He stated he had deliberately killed seven of them and had unintentionally caused the death of another with a drug overdose.
According to Bright, he had picked up Trapp on the north side of Peoria and taken her back to his own residence in the 3400 block of west Starr Court. They smoked crack cocaine together and had sexual intercourse, then Trapp got nervous and tried to leave.
Bright struck her on the head and strangled her to death, then set her body on fire and kept it burning for about a day before disposing of the ashes. Detectives found some charred bone fragments in his backyard, but these weren't proven to be Trapp's remains.
Bright was sentenced to seven of life in prison and one term of thirty years; he could have faced the death penalty if he had been convicted at trial. He will probably never be freed. A photo of him is posted with this summary.
Trapp remains missing and foul play is suspected in her due to the circumstances involved.
Investigating Agency
Peoria Police Department
309-494-8302
Other
NamUs
The Peoria Journal Starr
PhillyBurbs
The Lincoln Courier
The Quad-City Times
Illinois Department of Corrections
Murderpedia

Missing Person Photos

A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are unknown. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2 to 5 percent of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. A number of organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and images of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.

Resources for Missing Persons

According to current statistics, 4,000 people in the United States go missing every day. Sometimes a child suddenly vanishes from the bus stop or the local park or even from their own yard or bedroom. Or a teenager doesn�t return home after a walk to the neighborhood grocery store or a bike ride or a party with friends. Other times, an adult is mysteriously absent from their job or neighbors haven�t seen them for several days, and family and friends haven�t heard from them either.

Missing Person Case Updates with Photos