The Mystery of Angela Hammond: A Troubling Case of Mistaken Identity?

Angela Hammond was a 20-year-old pregnant woman who disappeared from a payphone in Clinton, Missouri, on the night of April 4, 1991. She was talking to her fiancé, Rob Shafer, when she told him that a suspicious man in a pickup truck was circling the parking lot.

She described the truck as having a mural of a fish jumping out of water on the back window. Then, Shafer heard Hammond scream and the phone went dead. He immediately drove to the payphone, but on his way, he passed by the truck and heard Hammond call his name. He tried to chase the truck, but his transmission failed and he had to stop. He never saw Hammond again.

The police launched a massive search for Hammond and the truck, but they found no trace of them. They also had no suspects or motives for the abduction. Hammond had no enemies and was looking forward to getting married and having her baby. She was four months pregnant at the time of her disappearance.

The Theory of Mistaken Identity

One of the theories that emerged over the years was that Hammond was a victim of mistaken identity. Some speculated that the kidnapper was actually looking for another woman who resembled Hammond and had a connection to the fish mural.

Also living in Clinton, Missouri, when Angela went missing was a police informant who had helped ruin several narcotics businesses. Coincidentally, the informant had a daughter called Angela, who had a striking resemblance to Angela Hammond.

A ransom note that was sent to a local police informant on the same night of the abduction supported this theory. The note, which was revealed in a 2021 episode of Unsolved Mysteries, said:

“Hello no (redacted). We know you are no (redacted) people like you deserve what you get. We know where your foxy daughter is at (sic) she will see us soon. Tell (redacted) she has our deepest sympathy in our further loss. Good by (sic) (redacted).”

The note was addressed to the informant by a number that was given to him to keep his identity secret before a court case. It also mentioned his estranged wife by her first name. The police believed that the kidnapper had mistaken Hammond for the informant’s daughter, who looked similar to her and lived in the same town.

The informant had testified against a drug dealer, who was sentenced to life in prison. The police suspected that the dealer’s associates had sent the note and abducted Hammond as revenge.

The police tried to track down the sender of the note, but they faced several challenges. The note was typed on a typewriter, which made it hard to identify the source. The note also had no fingerprints or DNA. The police also had no evidence that the kidnapper and the truck driver were the same person. They also had no proof that Hammond was still alive or where she was taken.

The ransom note remains the only clue that could link Hammond’s abduction to a possible suspect. The police are still hoping that someone will recognize the note or the truck and come forward with information. They are also still working with the FBI to analyze the note and the truck for any new leads.

Hammond’s family and friends are still waiting for justice and closure. They have held vigils, fundraisers, and awareness campaigns to keep her case alive. They have also offered a reward of $200,000 for any information that leads to Hammond or her kidnapper.

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Hammond’s disappearance remains one of the most baffling and heartbreaking cases in Missouri history. It is a case that could be solved by a ransom note that was sent 30 years ago.

References:

(1) Update in the Angela Hammond Disappearance - Thirty Years Later.

(2) Eerie letter in cold case kidnapping of woman resurfaces

(3) Angela Marie Hammond: Disappeared in 1991 : True Crime Diva