On July 28, 2012, Latrice Armstead, a devoted mother of three, vanished without a trace from her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Amid the turmoil of an abusive marriage and an ongoing divorce, her sudden disappearance has left her family in a state of unrelenting grief and uncertainty.
Despite years of searching and countless investigative efforts, Latrice remains missing, and the case has grown cold. This article explores the details of her mysterious disappearance, the desperate search by her family, and the lingering questions that haunt them to this day.
The Disappearance
Latrice Armstead, a 38-year-old mother of three, has been missing since July 28, 2012. She was last seen around 11 a.m. in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Latrice had recently moved to St. Louis, Missouri, attempting to escape an abusive relationship with her estranged husband, Tony Bledsoe. On the day of her disappearance, she never returned home, leaving her family in a state of distress.
Three days later, on July 31, 2012, her car was found burned out near Little Simmons Road in Clarksdale, Mississippi, over an hour away from where she was last seen. This discovery intensified the fears of her loved ones that something sinister had happened.
The Search
Her sister, Brinda Armstead, recalls the immediate panic and dread that set in when Latrice failed to check in on her children, a habit she rarely missed. “When I realized that I hadn’t heard from her, I started looking around for her,” said Brinda. “Then by the next morning when I hadn’t heard anything, I really knew something was wrong.”
Brinda recounts her sister as a “family-oriented” person, who would share whatever she had with a friend. It was completely out of character for Latrice to disappear without any communication, especially since she had custody of her three sons and had just started the divorce process from Tony Bledsoe. With her car found abandoned and burned in Coahoma County, Mississippi, the search for Latrice took on an urgent and grim tone.
Due to the discovery of her car in Mississippi, the Coahoma County police are involved in the investigation. Anyone with information about her case is urged to contact investigators at (662) 624-3085.
The Case Today
As the years have passed, Latrice Armstead’s disappearance remains a cold case, causing ongoing heartbreak for her family. Every day without new information or leads makes the wait more excruciating for them. Brinda Armstead, expressing her suspicion towards Tony Bledsoe, highlighted his violent history. “I absolutely suspect him,” she said, noting her sister’s broken jaw, which was the result of Tony’s abuse.
During the investigation, the family learned more about Bledsoe’s history of domestic abuse. To date, Tony Bledsoe has not been charged with any crime directly related to Latrice’s disappearance, despite being seen with her on two occasions the day she disappeared. He was, however, arrested for violating the order of protection Latrice had taken out against him.
The family remains deeply convinced that Tony had the motive to harm Latrice, especially since she had custody of the children. As there were no other known individuals with a motive to harm her, suspicion overwhelmingly falls on him. Brinda emphasizes the unlikelihood of Latrice’s disappearance being voluntary, saying, “Given her personality and how she was, people just don’t disappear.”
If you have any information about Latrice Armstead’s whereabouts, you can leave an anonymous tip with Memphis Police by calling CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH. The family continues to hope for answers and justice for Latrice.
