FBI Joins Search For Linda Stoltzfoos

The FBI has now joined in on day 3 of the search for Linda Stoltzfoos. Via Lancaster Online:

The FBI has joined East Lampeter Township police as the search for a missing 18-year-old woman enters day 3, according to East Lampeter Township police.

Linda Stoltzfoos, of East Lampeter Township, was last seen in Bird-in-Hand wearing a tan dress, white apron and a white cape on Sunday after church, according police.

“We’re making a plea to Linda that if this was a case where she left on her own, that she’s not in trouble and to call (the police station) to verify that she’s OK,” public information officer Lt. Matthew Hess said.

I took this as a shred of good news:

He added that there’s been no evidence to support any foul play as of Wednesday afternoon.

Many have turned out to help look for Linda:

Hundreds of people have volunteered to help in the search, Lt. Rob Eachus said on Tuesday at the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company.

On Monday, Eachus estimated between 250 to 300 people showed up to help look, using a variety of tools like drones, horses, ATVs and regular foot patrols.

On Tuesday at noon, more than 100 volunteers had turned out.

Here’s the info on Linda’s disappearance from the original report:

East Lampeter Township Police issued the following missing person advisory:

“On Sunday 6/21/2020, Linda Stoltzfoos (18 year old / white female / 5’10” approximately 125 lbs.) failed to return home after a church service and is considered a missing person. She was last observed on a farm on Stumptown Road (Bird-In-Hand) wearing a tan dress, white apron and white cape. Anyone with information is requested to contact East Lampeter Township Police Department at 717 291-4676.”

Here’s the Facebook page for her search. WGAL news footage here. Anyone with information is asked to call the East Lampeter Township Police at 717-291-4676 OR you may submit a tip to the department’s CRIMEWATCH page.

Update 1 (July 3): FBI Releases Composite Photo Showing Linda Stoltzfoos In English Clothing

The FBI got involved in the Linda Stoltzfoos search last week. It was not said exactly what they were doing in the case. One of their tasks has now been revealed – they’ve created a “composite photo” showing what Linda might look like with an “English” appearance:

They’ve basically simulated an image of Linda with her hair down and wearing non-Amish clothing. You can see why the FBI created the composite. Composite photos can be helpful if a person’s appearance could have changed, either due to intentionally changing it, or simply due to aging. A photo like this might be useful if, despite general belief, Linda did leave of her own free will from her family and community. Or if she has been kidnapped and made to wear English clothing.

For that matter, I’ve only seen the one photo of Linda. Perhaps it’s the only one, or just the best quality one. Here’s the FBI Missing Person poster for Linda (view large size here):

Meanwhile, though authorities began winding up involvement leading physical searches last week, members of the Amish community have continued looking for Linda, including in a creek area.

Authorities are still saying that nothing has been ruled out, but that they have no evidence of foul play. It’s now been 11 days since Linda’s disappearance.

Anyone with information is requested to call the East Lampeter Township Police Department at 717-291-4676. If you happened to be on any of these five Lancaster County roads on June 21, please contact police. You can also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Update 2 (July 10): FBI Offers $10,000 Reward For Linda Stoltzfoos Info

It’s been nearly three weeks since Linda Stoltzfoos disappeared on June 21. The FBI is now offering a monetary reward for information. From crimewatchpa.com:

The East Lampeter Township Police Department and the FBI continue to ask for the public’s assistance in locating Linda Stoltzfoos. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Linda’s recovery and the identification, arrest, and conviction of the subject(s) responsible for her disappearance.

Linda has been missing since Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, 2020, when she didn’t return home after a church service. She was last observed at a farm on Stumptown Road, between the intersection of Beechdale Road and Gibbons Road in Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Linda is described as a white female, 18 years of age, approximately 5’10” tall and 125 pounds. She is a member of the Amish community and was last seen wearing a tan dress, white apron, and black head covering.

Anyone with information on Linda’s whereabouts or the circumstances of her disappearance is asked to contact us at 717-291-4676, click on the submit a tip button below, 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov. (original article removed)

You could read the wording of that reward offer to suggest that the FBI is convinced that she was taken by someone or someones. But I haven’t seen where they’ve definitively stated that is the case. Statements from authorities have generally seemed to lean to the idea that Linda did not leave of her free will, but they have also left open the possibility with repeated statements that there have been no signs of foul play.

Obviously the “best case” scenario here is that those who know Linda best completely missed any signs, if there were any, of her wanting to leave the community. Linda re-appearing of her own free will does not seem likely, but it would be a lot better than the alternatives, and I have to think her loved ones must be hoping and praying for an outcome like that.

This news led me to wonder if monetary rewards actually help people or suspects involved in crimes to be found? This NPR article goes into some detail on the use of reward payments in such cases. An excerpt:

Law enforcement agencies have a long history of offering rewards in an effort to solve crimes. The FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list has been up and running since 1950, when the agency first teamed up with a news wire service to publicize the toughest criminals it was trying to capture. The FBI now offers a minimum — a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to a direct arrest of anyone on that list.

In the 1970s, Crime Stoppers, a new effort that used reward money, the media, and citizen help, got underway. It lets people call in anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers programs across the United States. Typical rewards, up to $1,000 funded by public, private and corporate donations, are offered if a tip leads to an arrest. Larger rewards are offered for more heinous crimes.

Barb Bergin, chairwoman of Crime Stoppers USA, says the prospect of higher rewards for cases that receive more publicity may increase the number of tips or calls. That doesn’t necessarily mean those tips help solve the case or lead to higher rewards being paid out.

“Nationally we are seeing programs who are paying out as little as 15 to 20% of their available rewards,” Bergin says. “I think the highest that you’ll see around the country is somewhere around 60 to 70% of their rewards get collected.”

Besides this, there hasn’t been a lot of news in the case since our last update on the FBI’s release of a composite photo of Linda in English clothing a week ago. Previous to that authorities asked those who’d been on any of five area roads the day of Linda’s disappearance to contact them.

The FBI missing person poster for Linda: