A $10,000 reward and newly reported witness information have renewed attention on the disappearance of a Virginia grandmother who walked away from her Petersburg home three years ago and has not been seen by her family since.
Sherell Renea Brown was 52 when she disappeared near Hanover and Patterson streets in Petersburg, Virginia, on Sept. 1, 2023. Her whereabouts remain unknown, and the Petersburg Bureau of Police continues to investigate. In September 2026, WTVR CBS 6 and the Reopen the Case Foundation reported that people interviewed during a renewed review of the case described encounters that were not part of the publicly known timeline when Brown first went missing.
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Sherell Walked Away From Home After 11 P.M.
Earlier accounts of Brown’s disappearance centered on the home she shared with her husband and two grandchildren, whom the couple had custody of.
Brown’s mother, Brenda Blackwell, visited her around 7 p.m. that evening. Blackwell later told WTVR that her daughter asked for a ride somewhere, but she encouraged Brown to remain home. Brown had recently experienced seizures and was still physically weak.
After 11:00 p.m., Brown’s husband returned home and found her sitting outside with their 11-year-old granddaughter. According to information compiled by The Charley Project, he went inside for several minutes. When he returned, Brown was gone.
The granddaughter reportedly said Brown told her she needed to get help and would return before walking away.
Brown did not take her cellphone or medication. She has diabetes and a seizure disorder and had reportedly suffered two seizures during the two weeks before she disappeared. Her husband searched for her that night, and she was reported missing on Sept. 4.
Blackwell told WTVR that her daughter was deeply involved in raising her grandchildren and had fought to obtain custody of them. She said she could not imagine Brown voluntarily staying away from them.
“She would be here for the children,” Blackwell said.
Her family also reported no known activity on Brown’s bank card after she disappeared.
New Witnesses Describe Seeing Sherell That Night
The publicly known timeline has shifted as additional people have described possible encounters with Brown after she left her home.
In September 2026, WTVR reported that Lachelle Gates said Brown appeared on Augusta Avenue late that night and asked for a cup of water. Gates said she and her daughter later gave Brown a ride home but did not remain to see whether she went inside.
WTVR also reported that neighbors told journalist Jon Burkett they saw Brown get into a white van with an unidentified man and woman. According to those witnesses, Brown later became sick and was put out of the vehicle.
Those claims differ from information released closer to Brown’s disappearance, when her granddaughter was described as the last known person to see her. Authorities have not publicly explained how the newer witness accounts fit into the official investigative timeline or whether detectives have independently verified each sighting.
The Reopen the Case Foundation has been working with CBS 6 to review Brown’s disappearance and develop information that was not publicly available during the original investigation.
A $10,000 reward is now being offered for information that helps move the case forward.
Her Family Has Spent Three Years Waiting
Brown’s disappearance left two children without the grandmother helping to raise them and a mother who has repeatedly asked the public for help finding her daughter.
Two months after Brown vanished, Blackwell told WTVR that family milestones were passing without her. Brown missed her grandson’s birthday on Sept. 19, 2023, and the family was approaching its first holiday season without knowing where she was.
Blackwell described how Brown normally helped plan family gatherings and meals and remained closely involved in her grandchildren’s lives.
By December 2023, she had bought Christmas gifts for Brown and still hoped her daughter would walk through the door.
Brown remains missing three years later.
Sherell Renea Brown: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Sherell Renea Brown stood at approximately 4 feet 11 inches to 5 feet tall and weighed between 175 and 185 pounds.
She has brown eyes and black or brown hair. Her ears are pierced, she wears eyeglasses, and she often wears wigs. When she disappeared, Brown was reportedly wearing a blue-and-white shirt, blue shorts, light-colored shoes with orange accents, and a black bob-style wig.
Some missing-person materials spell her name “Sherrell” and list her middle name as “Renae.”
She has diabetes and has experienced seizures since 2011. Brown requires medication for her medical conditions and left home without it.
Anyone with information can contact the Petersburg Bureau of Police at 804-732-4222. The department’s Major Crimes Unit can be reached at 804-203-4466. You can also provide information to the Reopen the Case Foundation at 1-833-RTCFNVA or tips@reopenthecase.org.
Please share this story about Sherell Renea Brown to keep her missing person case in the spotlight. She is our sister, and her life matters.
Case Number: 23-003818
Agency: Petersburg Bureau of Police
Phone: 804-732-4222
Email: tips@reopenthecase.org
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