Rebecca Paulk Disappearance in Lauderdale County Mississippi

Rebecca Henderson Paulk was born on December 25, 1988, in Meridian, Mississippi, to Glenn and Janet Paulk. She grew up in a close-knit family environment alongside her older brother James, learning the value of hard work and compassion from an early age. Her parents, both educators, instilled a love of learning and an abiding sense of integrity that would shape her character throughout her life. As a child, Rebecca displayed an adventurous spirit, spending weekends exploring the wooded areas near her grandparents’ farm and cultivating a deep appreciation for the natural world. Friends and family recall her laughter echoing across open fields as she ran with boundless energy, always curious and eager to engage with her surroundings. During her teenage years at Meridian High School, Rebecca excelled academically and socially, participating in the Girl Scouts, playing on the cross-country team, and volunteering with environmental clean-up initiatives. Her teachers often praised her leadership skills and her ability to bring people together for common causes.

After graduating with honors from Meridian High, Rebecca pursued higher education at East Mississippi Community College, where she enrolled in the Occupational Safety and Health program. Her decision to study occupational health and safety was driven by a deep-seated desire to protect workers and improve workplace conditions across various industries. Rebecca balanced her rigorous coursework with part-time work as a veterinary assistant at a local animal clinic, demonstrating her innate compassion for both people and animals. Colleagues remembered her as meticulous and empathetic, always willing to lend a hand or share her insights. Upon completing her associate degree, Rebecca relocated to Linden, Alabama, a charming town surrounded by rolling fields and quiet neighborhoods. There, she accepted an entry-level position at a regional construction firm, where she applied her newly acquired skills in conducting site inspections, documenting hazards, and recommending safety protocols.

Rebecca’s warm and outgoing personality made her a beloved presence among friends and coworkers. She possessed a quick wit and a ready smile, which she deployed generously in conversation. A dedicated runner, she maintained her passion for cross-country by training on local trails and occasionally participating in charity races. Her love of the outdoors extended to weekend camping trips, where she would often organize group outings, teach basic survival skills, and document their adventures with her camera, capturing candid moments of friendship amidst starlit skies. Music also featured prominently in her life; she enjoyed a diverse range from indie folk to classic rock, often attending local concerts and sharing new finds with her social circle. Rebecca’s ability to blend professional dedication with personal enthusiasm earned her respect and admiration in every setting.

On the evening of Labor Day, September 7, 2015, Rebecca left her parents’ home in Linden around 5:00 p.m., telling them she planned to run errands in Meridian and would return later that night. Her silver Honda Civic was in good working order, and she appeared in high spirits, looking forward to wrapping up paperwork for a new certification course and meeting a friend for dinner. She dressed casually in blue jeans and a comfortable t-shirt, leaving her laptop, purse, and wallet securely stored in the trunk. She kissed her mother goodbye, exchanged a few jokes with her father, and set off down County Road 2, waving as she merged onto the two-lane highway. That was the last confirmed sighting of Rebecca alive.

The following afternoon, on September 8, local residents reported a vehicle abandoned in a shallow ditch along a quiet stretch of Pearson Road in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, near the small community of Whynot. Responding deputies from the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department found Rebecca’s Honda Civic unlocked with the keys still in the ignition. Inside the car, her laptop lay open on the passenger seat, her purse rested on the floorboard, and an iPad was positioned neatly on the backseat. There were no visible signs of a struggle—no blood, no broken glass, no overturned items—creating an eerie sense of unexplained calm. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot while investigators quantified the scene and began searching the surrounding area on foot.

In the hours after the vehicle’s discovery, family members and volunteers converged on the rural terrain, combing over dense brush and backroads. Search dogs accompanied deputies, tracing scents through fields and along irrigation ditches, but found no clear path leading away from the car. Local hunters and farmhands with intimate knowledge of the countryside joined forces, but the expanse of farmland and intersecting creek beds rendered the search challenging. By nightfall, residents set up lanterns and floodlights, determined to keep hope alive. Despite exhaustive ground searches and aerial reconnaissance by law enforcement helicopters, there was still no trace of Rebecca herself, fueling speculation and deepening the community’s anxiety.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department quickly elevated the case to a full-scale missing person investigation, coordinating efforts with state and federal agencies. Investigators catalogued every item in the car, photographed footprints in soft gravel, and canvassed nearby homes for surveillance footage. Phone records indicated Rebecca’s last outgoing call was to a friend in Meridian at 4:47 p.m. on September 7, with no subsequent activity. Cell tower pings suggested she remained on Highway 39 until about 5:12 p.m., before her phone went silent. Detectives interviewed acquaintances, coworkers, and strangers, seeking any information that might explain her abrupt disappearance, yet common threads failed to emerge.

Early in the inquiry, authorities identified 57-year-old John Bentley Poisso Jr., a Lauderdale County resident who admitted to having been seen with Rebecca near a Meridian coffee shop prior to her disappearance. Deputies executed a search warrant on his property on September 24, examining vehicles, outbuildings, and digital devices. While Poisso cooperated with questioning and voluntarily submitted to interviews, investigators found no forensic evidence linking him to Rebecca’s case. He was cleared of suspicion and never charged, leaving a void where answers had been anticipated. Over the next year, dozens of purported tips arrived from across the region—some credible, others misinformed—but none led investigators closer to locating Rebecca.

News of Rebecca’s vanishing reverberated beyond Lauderdale County, drawing attention from regional news outlets, radio talk shows, and social media campaigns. Her family established the Rebecca Paulk Foundation, promoting missing persons awareness and offering rewards for information. Volunteers produced posters featuring her warm smile, plastering them across convenience stores, highway overpasses, and church bulletin boards. Fundraisers provided resources for private investigators and additional search operations. Evening prayer vigils at local churches kept Rebecca’s name alive, and community leaders called on anyone who might know more to come forward, emphasizing the value of even the smallest detail.

As time passed, speculation swirled regarding what might have happened to Rebecca. Some posited that she attempted to assist a stranded motorist or encountered foul weather that forced her off-road. Others feared she fell victim to human trafficking, noting the proximity of major highways and distributive networks. Alternate theories suggested she may have met with an unknown acquaintance in Meridian, or that a medical emergency rendered her disoriented. Without concrete evidence, each hypothesis remained conjecture, debated on online forums and discussed in hushed tones at local diners. The absence of any definitive clues compounded the mystery, leaving more questions than answers.

Despite the passage of years, Rebecca’s loved ones have refused to let her story fade. They maintain a dedicated website and social media presence, regularly updating supporters on rewards, search initiatives, and press appearances. Janet Paulk speaks openly about the emotional toll, describing nights of restless anguish and days spent piecing together any new lead. Her father, Glenn, organizes volunteer search parties on anniversary dates, hoping fresh eyes might uncover overlooked evidence. Siblings, cousins, and close friends have testified before legislative committees to advocate for improved missing persons protocols and better inter-agency communication. Their resilience and unity underscore a family’s unwavering commitment to finding Rebecca or learning the truth of her fate.

As of 2025, Rebecca’s case remains classified as an active missing person investigation by the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department. Advancements in forensic technology, such as enhanced DNA analysis and mobile device forensics, offer renewed hope that dormant evidence could yield breakthroughs. Cold case investigators periodically revisit Rebecca’s file, reexamining footprints, reinterviewing earlier witnesses, and cross-referencing national databases. Meanwhile, the Rebecca Paulk Foundation funds scholarships for students in criminal justice and public safety fields, honoring Rebecca’s dedication to workplace protection. Her story has sparked broader discussions on rural disappearance risks and the importance of early intervention. Though Rebecca’s whereabouts remain unknown, her legacy endures through community solidarity, legislative advocacy, and a collective vow that her light will not be extinguished.