UPDATE (Dec. 13) – Officials announced on Dec. 13, 2022 that they positively identified the remains of Lauren Elizabeth Thompson, who had previously been missing since 2019.
A work crew in Panola County found skeletal remains in July. The cause of Thompson’s death is still being investigated.
For more information, read this updated story:
PANOLA COUNTY, Texas (KETK) Ms. Lauren Elizabeth Thompson has been missing since Jan. 10, 2019.
She went missing from the Rock Hill community at the age of 32. Currently, she would be 33.
Ms. Thomas is white, 5’5”, and weighs about 135 to 190 pounds.
On the night of the 17th, Thompson called 911 believing she was being followed.
Her cell phone died during the call and she has not been heard from since.
Sheriff Kevin Lake said in a statement that Thompson said during the call she was in a wooded area and thought someone was chasing her.
The statment said Thompson sounded disoriented and confused in the call.
“One person she was with told us they had been in the area, reportedly fishing.” The friend had been in the car with Lauren when he said she ran off the road. “He said he then told her he was going to walk to his house to get a vehicle to get them out of the mud, but then she took off running into the woods.”
Officers were able to get a relative fix on her location based on cell phone pings.
They later found her car in a ditch off Farm-to-Market Road 1794, just west of Rock Hill.
A search was conducted for several hours using “off-road ATV, tracking dogs and a law enforcement heat detecting drone with no positive results.”
Investigators remained throughout the night and are still searching for leads.
Lauren’s three children, aged 3, 5, and 9, are currently living with Colvin in Fort Worth.
Thompson’s family has offered a $5,000 reward for information in the case.
If you have any information, please call the Panola County Sheriff’s office at 903-693-0333.
