annie hearin
Missing since: July 26, 1988
White female
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5’4’’
Weight: 120 lbs.
Age (at time of disappearance): 73
Last seen wearing: a light-colored blouse and khaki-colored linen skirt
Identifiable Feature(s): Back appears arched forward due to scoliosis and arthritis
***Has a condition, if left untreated can be fatal. Her medications were left at her residence***
case details:
Hearin was very prominent and active in her community in Jackson, Mississippi. She hosted her biweekly bridge club at her home at 139 Woodland Drive on July 26, 1988. Her last guest left around 2:30 p.m. Shortly thereafter, around 3:00 p.m., her housekeeper left for the day.
Hearin’s husband, Robert, returned home at approximately 4:30 p.m. He noticed that Hearin’s vehicle was parked in the driveway but she was nowhere to be found inside of their home. Robert assumed she had left with a friend and would be home later.
When Hearin had not returned by 7:30 p.m., he called his son-in-law, who helped him look for her. When they still were not able to locate her, they called the police at 9:49 p.m.
Blood, later determined to be Hearin’s, was found in droplets on the carpet near the front door and smeared on the front door. Authorities believe she was standing in the doorway and was struck by an intruder.
A ransom note was found near the door. Robert had taken ownership of a business called School Pictures. The person who wrote the ransom note listed 12 franchisees that he must pay a ransom in order to have Hearin safely returned. It also stated not to call the police.
Jackson media withheld the story of Hearin’s abduction for a day, but on July 28th they announced her kidnapping in a press release.
In early August, authorities released Newton Winn as their person of interest. He was a civil attorney in St. Petersburg, Florida, and franchisee of Florida School Pictures. Neighbors also stated they had seen a white van with Florida tags in the neighborhood close to Hearin’s home on the day she went missing.
Robert made a plea to the public for his wife’s safe return in September of 1988. He received a letter in the mail shortly after that was postmarked from Atlanta, Georgia. It read: “Bob, If you don’t do what these people want you to do they are going to seal me up in the cellar of this home with only a few jugs of water. Please save me, Annie Laurie”
The note did have some features of Hearin’s signature. Investigators are unsure if the letter was penned by Hearin or not.
Robert mailed nearly one million dollars in ransom money to the 12 franchisees listed in the first note. Winn was arrested in March of 1989 and convicted in 1990 of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, extortion, and perjury in connection with Hearin’s case. Two accomplices were pardoned but testified against Winn in court proceedings. He was sentenced to 19 years and 7 months in prison. He was released from prison in 2006.
Hearin was declared legally dead in 1991 though her body has never been located.
Investigating Agency Information:
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Division
(601)948-5000
NamUs ID#: MP91046
Additional Resources: