Новый закон в Миссисипи обязывает полицию сразу начинать расследование по факту исчезновения людей

Angela Freeman case highlights changes in missing person investigations PETAL, Miss. (RHCJC News) - Nearly 33 years after 17-year-old Angela Freeman disappeared in Petal, her unsolved case illustrates the challenges investigators face when a missing-person investigation becomes a decades-old cold case. Freeman was last seen at a Pizza Hut in Petal on Sept. 10, 1993. Multiple agencies have investigated her disappearance, and authorities continue to review leads. Now, a new Mississippi law changes some requirements for how law enforcement agencies handle missing-person reports. House Bill 377, which took effect July 1, prohibits agencies from requiring a waiting period before accepting a credible report. The Forrest County Sheriff’s Office now begins investigating when it receives a missing-person report, said Jamie Humphrey, major of operations. Deputies go to where the person was last seen and assess circumstances that could include a runaway, medical emergency, kidnapping or possible foul play. Investigators examine a missing person’s habits, relationships and frequently visited places. Searches can involve law enforcement, firefighters, volunteers and family members, using tools including drones, aircraft and infrared technology. As cases age, investigators face different obstacles. “The older the case is, obviously, you get into situations where witnesses or suspects have died,” Humphrey said. Humphrey began working on Freeman’s case in 2016 as part of a cold case unit. He said reviewing earlier investigative work and reinterviewing people uncovered new information. Technology can provide investigators with options unavailable in 1993, but Humphrey said traditional investigative work remains important. “Use the old stuff, the old ways. That still works,” he said. Freeman’s family will mark 33 years since her disappearance with a remembrance ceremony at 6 p.m. Sept. 12 at Hinton Park in Petal. Click here to subscribe to our daily newsletter! Copyright 2026 WTOK. All rights reserved.