Michelle Ellis, 23: Vanished In 1978, Car Was Found Abandoned
She left home at 8:00 a.m., but an hour later Michelle Ellis had disappeared and her car was found out of gas near a service station.
In 1978, Michelle Ellis lived with her parents and worked part-time as a model while studying at the Herron School of Art at Indiana-Purdue University. Michelle had also worked at a Sears department store in Indianapolis, Indiana, but she decided to leave her job as a cashier at an automotive shop and reportedly quit on July 28.
On August 2, Michelle was last seen leaving her home around 8:00 a.m., and just an hour later, her vehicle—a 1973 Oldsmobile Omega—was located near a service station. It had run out of gas. No one has seen the 23-year-old since that time.
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Upon inspection, the driver's-side door of Michelle’s vehicle was found to be locked. However, the passenger side was accessible. Her personal items were still inside, including her purse, car keys, driver’s license, checkbooks, credit cards, identification, and $2 in cash.
Michelle seemingly vanished without a trace, that is, until a little over two years after she went missing.
It was then that her parents received a phone call from someone who said, “This is Michelle.” While authorities never confirmed that the caller was indeed Michelle Ellis, the call adds to the mystery surrounding this case.
Michelle Ellis: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Michelle Eliis stood 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 115 pounds. She had black/dark brown hair and brown eyes. Michelle was last seen wearing a gray sweater with multi-colored stripes and black cuffs, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. She would be 66 years old at the time of this publication.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department at (317) 327-6160 or their local authorities.
Case Number: 521195EA
Agency: Indianapolis Metro Police Department
Phone: 317-327-6160
Email:
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