Linda Stoltzfoos Update

Day 6 since Linda Stoltzfoos was last seen. Readers have been asking for updates on the situation. So I’ll share the freshest reporting on it. These points are taken from an article yesterday at Lancaster Online:

  • Authorities have gotten hundreds of tips. Many are vague, but they are processed to see if patterns develop
  • East Lampeter Police are “winding up their involvement in leading the search” of the area where Linda was last reported seen – in order to focus more on these tips. “There’s only so many times you can search the same area over again” said Lieutenant Matt Hess.
  • Volunteers were still searching as of yesterday
  • Hess repeated that they have found no evidence of foul play
  • The FBI has been involved since Wednesday, but the way they are helping was not disclosed. It’s not unusual for the FBI to provide assistance in missing persons cases
  • If, despite what is believed, Linda disappeared of her own choice, “police want her to know she is not in trouble and to contact police”

Some photos, mostly from the search Facebook page.

At 5′ 10″, Linda is rather tall. She looks to be about the tallest of her group of friends.

Searching for Linda. Photo by Andy Blackburn/Lancaster Online.

Searchers and other community members.

Praying for Linda.

A “missing” poster in Lancaster City.

Missing since June 21.

Putting up a sign.

Men waiting by the phone in case she should call. It sounds like people are waiting for a call round-the-clock.

Needless to say Linda being missing for nearly a week is not good news. I have heard from a local person the same things that have been said in media – that of all people, Linda would not be one to run away.

Those who know her best must be praying to be wrong about that.

Here’s the Facebook page for the search for Linda. 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.

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    36 Comments

    1. Meredith Sommers

      Thanks for keeping us updated on this.

        1. sandra dubble

          need info from another page

          I saw that they were asking people if they had been on certain roads….I just cannot find it again. thank you 🙂

          1. Chris

            https://amishamerica.com/were-you-on-any-of-these-5-roads-on-june-21-please-contact-police-linda-stoltzfoos-search/

    2. michelle

      Missing Linda

      This is unfathomable. With little to go on, or at least law enforcement are not saying much. I sure hope they find her in a good way. Im curious, did she leave on foot, alone from church services? Did the last person who saw her give any indication she was ok, happy, sad? So many questions so little answers. Just because nothing was found to indicate foul play, doesn’t mean she wasn’t taken without her consent. I wonder why she was alone walking home. Just wondering if family involvement perhaps???? Has the family given any information? Was her room in order? Im hoping she left on her own and doesn’t want to come back or be found. Is there a potential bf in picture? Sure hoping she does call if she can. praying hard she is not being hurt or was hurt. Many Prayers to her and her family.

      1. A lot of good questions there Michelle. I’m sure those are the kinds of things they’ve been going over with investigators. I don’t believe any of that info has been made public (at least not in official sources). Will update again if we learn more of substance.

    3. Geo

      Attention

      After all the attention from the community and the FBI etc, I can imagine a shy person feeling too mortified and fearful of coming forth even to reveal she is OK (or not). I hope she is at least heard from soon.

      1. Michelle

        Linda/Geo comment

        Yes she has been described as shy. Most Amish Females at that age are usually very quiet and shy. So that leads me to believe she didn’t leave on her own accord. It would be too difficult for her In a worldly world we live in. I sure hope I am wrong ,and they find her happy and safe where ever she may be and who ever she may be with. Very sad either way. The family must be distraught as the community. Please pray she returns … safe

    4. Adrienne McGinley

      Missing Linda

      Having that Facebook picture of her has turned out to be a blessing for those searching. While I totally agree with the Amish stand on the subject, without a picture, the search would be that much more difficult. My prayers go out to the family & community.

    5. Julie Harper

      Prayers

      I’m from Oregon and my prayers for the family and community.
      She made the local news here, and I have posted for my family and friends to keep a look out. God be with you Linda.

    6. Leigh Morton

      Praying for Linda’s safe return. I’m checking almost every hour or so for updates on this case. If you’re on Facebook, look up a guy called Sparky Grace. He is an Englischer who has been renting from the family and is close with Linda’s father. He says Linda would not leave, and that the family is very close and loving, and have been very kind to him. He says Linda’s dad is devastated. I don’t think anyone in the family is involved. Like the Amish schoolhouse shooting in 2006, I think the evil in the world has once again touched their idyllic, bucolic lifestyle…I pray I’m wrong.

    7. Tracy

      Hope she is found

      Unusual if she left on her own with no note to the family. I hope she is found well and the family can have peace.

    8. Mary

      Praying for her safety

      Breaks my heart. I heard that the K-9 picked up her sent on the road and are leaning toward an abduction. Horrible people out there.
      This is so strange to say, but I had a dream the other night and I looked back in my dream ( I was in a vehicle) and I seen Linda standing in a door way of a trailer in a trailer park wearing English clothes! I remember thinking that’s that Amish girl. I’m still praying for her safe return. I hate hearing stories like this.

      1. Praying for her safety (mary)

        Mary,
        That’s interesting that you had a dream about it. Last night, I prayed for a dream to show me where Linda is, but I didn’t get one. Maybe you did??

        1. Mary

          I hope so!

          I hope they are knocking on all those trailer park doors!

          1. Dream and trailer park

            I may just be crazy but my hair stood up and I got a chill down my spine with goose bumps when I read about the dream and it got worse with the trailer park mention.. I pray its not true.And I Pray for her safety and to come home safe. Prayers are out there for Linda.And I know Our Lord is hearing all Prayers for Linda Her family friends and All searching for her. Keep the Faith

            1. Mary

              I know. It’s hard to not feel upset when you know the evil that lives out in this world.Still praying for her to be found

      2. Elam

        Mary

        Could you by any chance remember where you were in the dream? Please contact the police, this could help them find her.

        1. Mary

          Not sure

          I’m not familiar with the area as I’m from Another state. I wish I could say.

    9. Lynn Maniscalco

      Linda Stoltzfoos Update

      Good thing there is a photo, but why would that exist–a posed photo, I mean.

      1. Carolyn

        During rumspringa the youth often take pictures.

        1. sandra dubble

          rumspringa

          Linda is too old…she is past the age for rumspringa.

          1. Uh, that’s incorrect. She’s right in the middle of the age range. Amish usually start “going with the youth” at age 16.

    10. We’re still praying for Linda. Hope she is alright.love and prayers.

    11. Debbie Messner

      I have checked so many times everyday hoping there is news of her return. I am praying that whoever knows where she is will have it in their heart to bring her home to her family.

    12. Dorothy H.

      Question—

      Has it ever been said how far the church is located from her home…is this in the area Bird In Hand?
      So many of the roads crisscross through the area…
      One minute you travel a road then suddenly come upon the next …

    13. Pamela R Trappler

      Prayers

      This is truly heartbreaking! I have been praying for Linda’s safe return home to her family and friend’s. I pray she is found safe and sound soon. God bless

    14. John Michael

      Hopeful Linda is Found Safe

      This is such a scary thing for any parent, their child goes missing without a trace. Hopefully she is found safe and returned home!

    15. Praying in Texas

      My friend and I were in this part of the country on vacation and saw Linda’s pics everywhere. We prayed with an Amish woman for her return. This is heartbreaking and as I arrived back in Texas last night I found myself opening the facebook page this morning to see if there were any updates. Praying for the family and for everyone involved in this massive search.

    16. michelle

      Linda update

      I have never been so interested and prayful in hoping that Linda is returned unharmed. A tid bit of info that made me more hopeful is that news of an older sibling living the Amish many years back. It may be possible that she too has left not wanting to be found or disappoint the parents. One never knows but the alternative is much worse… abduction. Please if anyone knows anything that could bring peace to this family and community call the police with honest truthful and helpful information so this can be solved. Linda where ever you may be know that many are thinking of you and you are safe.

    17. S. Landis

      More Info

      I live in a few miles from Linda’s home. Hopefully this will answer some of your questions.
      An Amish friend of her grandparents told me they are sure Linda would not have left on her own, it was simply not in her nature to do something like that. Her sister would normally have walked home from church with her, but she was staying behind to attend her 3rd instruction class to join the church. Linda went home to change her clothes for the youth group meeting that afternoon. When her parents got home, her mother noticed the dessert Linda had made for the youth gathering was still in the refrigerator, but she thought Linda had just forgotten to take it with her. The youth wondered where she was, but thought that perhaps since her sister couldn’t come along (because of her class), maybe Linda decided to stay home. The family thought she was at the youth gathering. Around 1am the baby cried and awakened the parents. Her father noticed the candle they keep lit until the last one comes home was still lit. They looked around to see who was missing and found Linda’s room empty and her change of clothes to attend the youth group gathering was still laid out on her bed. They immediately called the police, who during the night interviewed all the youth, neighbors and friends. A rigorous search started early the next morning throughout the surrounding area. My understanding is that the police dogs picked up Linda’s scent for a stretch along Stumptown Road, then lost it briefly, then picked it up again for a very short distance and lost it completely. The family friend told me it’s a little more than a half mile walk from the church to Linda’s home. There was a homeless guy living out of his van who the family had befriended over the past month who some were concerned about, but the police found him and his van the next morning. He has now moved on to New York City. As far as we know, there are no leads, but then the police and FBI probably would not make it public if they knew anything. So we need to continue providing our prayer support.

      1. Regina

        Looking for Linda

        I have been looking every day to see if Linda has been found. I pray every day that Linda is found safe. I live in Arkansas but my heart goes out to her family.

    18. Search for Linda

      The longer that she is missing the more worried I get that this isn’t going to turn out in a positive way. I am praying HARD that I’m wrong and that she is safe. It seems to me that the search for Linda has been very well publicized. I think that she would have confided in a family member or friend if she was going to leave of her own accord. Also, I would think that she would have left a note to at least let her parents know that she was leaving. It would have killed my soul to think of hurting my parents or making them worry if I left home all of the sudden. I pray that if someone has kidnapped her that they would let her go. Drop her off in a public place. For some reason I keep thinking that if Linda was anywhere that she could contact her family that she would have by now. Praying for Linda’s safe return and for her family/community.

    19. L Lewis

      Prayers for Linda and the Community

      I live in Texas and I heard about Linda’s disappearance. My family is praying for Linda and the entire community. May G_d hold everyone and comfort all. May G_d provide Linda’s safe return and bring peace, joy and celebration upon her home coming.

    20. Michelle

      Linda

      It has been many days without any updates. Please don’t give up in search of her. It is heartbreaking to think about what has happened and where she is .. I pray alive. Do we know if any leads are helping or has this case gone cold. Continuing with faith for a positive ending and soon!

      1. Michelle we had a couple of updates in the meantime that you might not have seen. In the latest, the FBI has created a composite photo of what Linda might look like in English clothing. They are still actively searching for her, apparently there have been hundreds of tips so part of the task is processing that info.

        https://amishamerica.com/merv-fisher-donald-kraybill-linda-stoltzfoos-search/

        https://amishamerica.com/were-you-on-any-of-these-5-roads-on-june-21-please-contact-police-linda-stoltzfoos-search/

        https://amishamerica.com/fbi-releases-composite-photo-showing-linda-stoltzfoos-in-english-clothing/