Aletha Jo Williams, 25: May Have Been Killed By Friend’s Husband
If speculation is to be believed as truth, then Aletha Jo Williams may no longer be alive. It is a somber way to begin her story, but the investigation into this disappearance has long caused investigators to ask more questions than receive answers that will close the book on this case.
Exactly when Aletha went missing is unclear, as agencies list her last date of contact as March 6, 2002, although she wasn’t reported as a missing person until May of that year. However, authorities think she may have been missing as early as November 2001, making that last date of contact questionable.
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, Aletha Jo Williams was last seen on the corner of 1700 South and West Temple in Salt Lake City. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System stated that Aletha dropped off her personal belongings at a relative’s home and said she would return later after visiting a friend’s house. There was no indication that she intended to leave permanently, especially considering Aletha was six months pregnant and had a young son.
Aletha’s Family Shared Their Theory
It has also been reported that Aletha struggled with substance abuse and had even been convicted of crimes tied to drugs and stolen property charges. She was known to disappear for short periods because of her addiction, but Aletha never stayed away too long and would always reach out to her family.
“Whether good or bad, give us some closure so that we might be able to get over this and get past this and bring her home,” Aletha’s sister, Lovoina Ortega, told ABC 4 Utah in 2014.
“I think somebody did something to her,” added stepfather Rick Martin said. “She wouldn’t just disappear and not come back around. Not this long.”
The Investigation Yields A Suspect
Over a decade after Aletha Jo Williams vanished, investigators reportedly took another look at her case and spoke with a man named Ricky Lee Vincent. It was in 2014 that he was charged with felony obstruction of justice after authorities believed that he knew more about Aletha than he was telling. Vincent was not believed to be actively involved in her disappearance, but police had a suspect who was later revealed to be Ricky’s brother, Michael Vincent. The obstruction charges were later dropped, but eyes were still on the person of interest.
As detectives reexamined Aletha’s case, they spoke with witnesses who shared that, according to the word on the street, the 25-year-old had been murdered. One of Aletha’s best friends was a woman named Wendy, who just happened to be Michael Vincent’s wife. Vincent was well known to the authorities as his criminal history included instances of domestic violence, drug charges, and assault. It is unclear what evidence initially pointed authorities in his direction.
The Suspect’s Family Confirms His Guilt
Further, it was Vincent’s daughter who allegedly told police that the day Aletha Jo Williams went missing, he was “covered in blood.”
Vincent’s significant other also claimed that he said he had killed a Black woman and cut her fingertips off after the murder.
“Clearly from the description, he was guilty of some sort of violent crime, just the description of the blood on his body and large number of scars on his arms and neck,” said Jason Jensen, an investigator with the Utah Cold Case Coalition.
No charges were filed against Vincent or anyone else concerning this case. In July 2021, Michael Vincent was reportedly killed during a domestic violence incident, taking whatever secrets he may have had about this case to his grave.
Aletha Jo Williams: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Aletha Jo Williams stood 5 feet 2 inches tall to 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed anywhere between 100 to 145 pounds. She had black/dark brown hair and brown eyes. Her ears were pierced, but she was not known to wear earrings often. Aletha’s tongue was also pierced. She had discoloration on an unknown part of her head and a scar on the left side of her face. She had a tattoo of the name “Shawn” on her right wrist, and there may have been a removed tattoo on her right forearm. Aletha would be 45 years old at the time of this publication.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Salt Lake City Police Department at (801) 799-3565, 801-799-3000, or their local authorities. They may also leave anonymous tips by texting the keyword TIPSLCPD plus the information they have to CRIMES 274637. The agency case number is 02-79626.
Please share this story about Aletha Jo Williams to help reignite the investigation into her disappearance and bring a resolution to this case. She is our sister, and her life matters.
[via][via][via]*Updates 11/2023*
