She Disappeared In 2021 After Going Boating With Her Boyfriend And Reportedly Exiting The Boat To Walk Out Of The River Bottom, Leaving Behind Footprints, A Single Boot, And A Coat
Jessica Stacks was born in Houlka, Mississippi, and went on to attend Itawamba Community College. Then, while married to her ex-husband, Jacob, the pair had three children together.
However, she and Jacob ultimately divorced, and in 2021, Jessica was 28 years old and living in New Albany, Mississippi. She also had a 45-year-old boyfriend named Jerry.
But, after a supposed boating trip gone wrong, Jessica tragically disappeared on January 1, 2021 – New Year’s Day.
That day, she and her boyfriend reportedly first visited a convenience store known as Poolville Quick Stop, located in New Albany, at about 6:00 a.m.
Then, after leaving the store, the pair headed to the Tallahatchie River and launched a small boat – which they reportedly borrowed from a friend. The boat did not have a motor or oars and was launched close to the County Road 46 bridge.
Later that same morning, around 10:00 a.m., the boat hadn’t floated far down the river. Yet, it reportedly began to take on water, and Jessica and Jerry pulled up to a sandbar to empty some of it.
Jessica reportedly asked her boyfriend Jerry to get out of the boat – saying she wanted to walk out of the bottom of the river toward State Highway 30.
Once Jessica exited the boat, Jerry reportedly continued traveling down the river alone – eventually landing on the left bank. Afterward, he supposedly called his son and asked for a ride.
It wasn’t until late that same night, at 10:15 p.m., that Jerry contacted the Union County Sheriff’s Office and reported Jessica missing after she did not return home.
Facebook – pictured above is Jessica
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The following day, January 2, 2021, she was supposed to attend her brother’s birthday party. Yet, she was never seen or heard from again after reportedly getting out of the boat – leaving behind her cell phone, purse, and car keys.
Once an investigation into Jessica’s disappearance was launched, a Union County resident turned her phone in to the police. The resident claimed that he’d helped Jessica and Jerry while launching the boat into the river.
As for why the resident had held onto Jessica’s phone, he claimed that the couple was supposed to call him when they reached the end of their river excursion and needed to be picked up.
Authorities first launched an extensive search in the river with the aid of dive teams, thermal imaging drones, and cadaver dogs. But, no evidence connected to Jessica’s disappearance was found.
However, once investigators searched a region located on the north bank – where Jessica reportedly exited the boat – they discovered footprints. Additionally, they found one boot and a coat, which supposedly resembled the one Jessica had been wearing when she disappeared.
The single boot was a green rubber boot that had its top cut off. Jerry told investigators that Jessica had previously cut that part of the boot off since it was irritating her leg.
As for the footprints, they continued for approximately 100 yards – heading west up the river bank toward County Road 46. Then, they turned north toward Highway 30 before vanishing into standing water on a crop field.
Investigators discovered no other evidence or motive for foul play in Jessica’s disappearance, and her case remains unsolved.
But, an interview conducted by NewsNation in February 2023 has raised some questions about the accuracy of Jerry’s story.
Journalists reached out to Jerry via phone regarding Jessica’s case, and he reportedly shared a very different story than what he told authorities.
In fact, Jerry reportedly claimed that he was never in a boat with Jessica since neither of them could swim. Additionally, he said that he was working on January 1, 2021.
“The last time I saw Jessica was a few days before then,” Jerry reportedly stated.
NewsNation reportedly shared this information with police, who said it would be brought to the district attorney. But, since this interview was not with police officers, the sheriff said he wasn’t sure if Jerry’s statements would impact the investigation.
Jessica’s mother created a Facebook page entitled Justice For Jessica Stacks after her daughter went missing. Jessica’s loved ones also maintain their belief that something else happened to her.
“The whole story is just made up. There’s no way she would have been in a raging river. No paddle is in the boat, no motor in the boat. He did something to her, and then they fabricated the whole story of the boat,” said Jessica’s stepsister, Sarah Hudson.
According to Jessica’s mother, Cathy Paden, she’s tried to share evidence with police that’s been ignored. So, she wants an outside agency to investigate the case, but she cannot afford to hire an investigator herself.
“I want to bring us closure. We deserve some kind of closure. Because Jessica didn’t just fall off the face of the heart. She didn’t just run away. And she sure wouldn’t run away from her kids,” Cathy said.
At the time she vanished, Jessica was five foot four, weighed between 110 and 125 pounds, and had blonde hair and green eyes.
If you have any information regarding her case, you are urged to contact the Union County Sheriff’s Office at (662) 534-1943.
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