Kathryn Griffin, 43: Rode Away On Bike & Never Was Seen Again
William Perry was just eight years old when his mother disappeared. He was with his sister, Wilmesha, and his grandmother, Linda Archie, when they stopped by Perry’s Cutz in Portsmouth, Virginia. His mother, Kathryn Griffin, often worked there to help her boyfriend. It was the barbershop where Kathryn was last seen on January 7, 2012, by her boyfriend after she asked to borrow his bicycle. Kathryn rode away from the shop around noon and has never been seen or heard from since.
“Last thing she said to me was that she loved me, and she loved my sister, too,” William told 13 News Now back in 2016 when he was 11. Further, at the time, Kathryn’s eldest son was enrolled at the University of Arizona. William added at the time, “I miss my mom, and she missed out on a lot of my birthdays, and a lot of events that happened with me in school, and things like that.”
A Mother Waits By The Phone
Kathryn’s loved ones don’t believe she simply walked away from her life and left her children behind. Linda Archie and her daughter were said to be close and spoke to one another on the phone daily. Over the years, Linda has continued to hold out hope, but whenever there were news reports about remains being located, she feared that he daughter would be identified.
“Sometimes I said, ‘Well, Lord, maybe she is gone.’ Maybe somebody did something to her,” said Linda. “Over time, you just believe they’re gone until something else comes up.”
According to reports, Kathryn Griffin faced several struggles throughout her life. In the 1990s, her infant son passed away, and later, she served jail time for violating her probation and drug charges. Kathryn’s children were in the care of her mother when she disappeared, so it was common for Kathryn to reach out daily to speak with her kids. Linda admitted that Kathryn had issues with drugs but insisted that her daughter loved and cared for her family.
Leads Have Run Dry
Investigators have searched nearby wooded areas as well as waterways, but nothing has materialized in helping them locate the 43-year-old missing woman. There were reports that Kathryn may have been seen days after January 7 at the barbershop once again riding away on a bicycle. Leads have been exhausted, and investigators claim they don’t have any information that could help resolve this case at this time.
“I don’t believe she is somewhere and not contacting us,” Linda said. “I don’t believe my child would put us through that.” Young William made plans for when he would speak to his mother next. “I’d tell my mom that I do good in school. My behavior’s good, and I play the viola,” the then-11-year-old said in 2016. “If she comes back one day, I would like to play for her.”
Kathryn Griffin: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Kathryn Griffin stood 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 150 pounds. She had black/dark brown hair and brown eyes. Kathryn reportedly has a large scar on her abdomen. She was last seen wearing a plaid jacket, black smock, and blue jeans. Her middle name is “Bene,” Kathryn would often be called that by loved ones. She would be 53 years old at the time of this publication.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Portsmouth Police Department at (757) 393-5300, the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (562-5887), or your local authorities. There isn’t a case number listed.
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Sources
NamUs
The Virginian Pilot
13 News Now
