ELGIN, S.C. — The Elgin community is working to keep alive the memory of one woman who has now been missing for 11 years.
"We are here to celebrate Adrianna [Laster]'s 39th birthday and bring attention to the fact that she's been missing for 11 years -- that's 11 birthdays, 11 years that her daughter is not going to have -- and also bringing awareness for domestic violence," said Sargent Michelle Sinclair with the Elgin Police Department.
Sinclair hosted the candlelight vigil and has been working to solve the case of Adrianna Laster, who has been missing since Sept. 4, 2011. She was last seen walking down Kelly Street on her way to church.
"There's not a week that goes by that I'm not in contact with somebody, I'm not conducting an interview, I'm not handing out flyers," Sinclair said.
Adrianna's daughter, Crystal Laster, and her grandmother, who live in Homestead, Florida, asked the town to host the vigil on her mom's 39th birthday to keep her memory and name alive in hopes of bringing closure to the case.
"She called me every day, that was one, we talked every day, and then when we didn't talk, there were the letters," said her daughter, Crystal Laster.
"If we knew where she was, if she had a proper burial, you know, at least she could go to the graveyard to the cemetery, you know to say to say hey mom, I love you, I just want you to know somebody to please help us go to the next chapter," Crystal's paternal grandmother Phyllis Horn said.
At the time of her disappearance, Laster was living with a man named Freddie Grant, who later pleaded guilty to killing 17-year-old Gabbiee Swainson in Richland County.
Sinclair said Grant remains the only person of interest in this case, although he has never been charged in this case.
If you have any information, police ask you to contact Crimestoppers anonymously in any of the following ways:
- Call 1-888-CRIME-SC.
- Use the P3 Tips mobile app.
- LOG ON to www.midlandscrimestoppers.com, and click on the red “Submit a Tip” tab.