The person at the center of this case
Ella Murray
Missing Person · Open
28 years waiting · since 1997
Missing Person: Ella Murray
Justice for Ella Murray — the trail went cold in 1997, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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witness
Lead #1Who reported the unconfirmed Wal-Mart sighting and can they provide additional details about her appearance or behavior?
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evidence
Lead #2What was the extent of her memory problems and confusion—could she have traveled far from Bartow?
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location
Lead #3Were there any other locations she frequented or family members she might have sought out?
Ella Murray, an 80-year-old woman, disappeared from her Gordonville residence in Bartow, Florida on August 22, 1997, while experiencing memory problems and confusion. She was last confirmed in contact on the morning of her disappearance, though an unconfirmed sighting placed her at a local Wal-Mart the following day. Nearly three decades later, her case remains unsolved and investigators continue seeking information about her whereabouts.
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
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person
Lead #4Did her roommate or other contacts notice any patterns in her behavior before the disappearance?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP5676. Missing person: Ella Murray.
Last known contact: 1997-08-22 in Bartow, Polk, FL. Circumstances: Ms.
Murray was reported missing from her Gordonville residence by her roommate on the morning of 08-22-97. At the time of her disappearance, she was experiencing memory problems and confusion.
There was an unconfirmed sighting of her at the Bartow Wal-Mart on the day after her disappearance. Demographics: 80 years, Female, Black / African American.
Physical description: 5 ft 0 in, 120 lbs, hair: Gray or Partially Gray, eyes: Brown. Clothing and accessories: Clothing: Lavender pants with a red and white shirt.
Investigating agency: Polk County Sheriff's Office | 97-133781.
Timeline of Events
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1997-08-22
morningReported Missing
Ella Murray reported missing from her Gordonville residence by her roommate
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1997-08-23
Unconfirmed Sighting
Unconfirmed sighting of Ms. Murray at Bartow Wal-Mart
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:August 22, 1997 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:June 9, 2026
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Phone: 8632986834
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Case Information
Incident:August 22, 1997 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:June 9, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 8632986834
You can remain anonymous