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Police: Search underway for missing Fayetteville woman

Police say 28-year-old Shelby Ratliff was last seen leaving the entertainment district around 2 a.m. on Thursday, May 5.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark — The Fayetteville Police Department is searching for a woman who has been missing since Thursday, May 5. 

Police say 28-year-old Shelby Ratliff was last seen leaving Dickson Street in Fayetteville around 2 a.m. on Thursday. Ratliff was dropped off by a rideshare service at a friend's apartment off Beechwood Ave.

Her family says they became worried when she didn't show up for work. They are now passing out flyers in hopes that someone will recognize her. 

Ratliff's aunt, Robin Gauntt, says this is not like her to disappear. She says she's very close with her family and talks to her mom and sister every day.

“We are so concerned, she has never been gone any amount of time," Gauntt said. 

Ratliff’s mom got a call from her daughter’s boss on Thursday, May 5, that she didn’t show up for work and that’s when she got concerned. Ratliff’s family filed a police report on Friday, May 6, when they still had not heard from her. 

Her aunt says Ratliff is the most caring and loving person. 

"She would help a stranger and that is also our concern is that she would never meet a stranger, she would talk to anybody and that’s one of our main concerns is that she wouldn’t think about herself, she would help someone is someone was in need," Gauntt said. 

Ratliff was last seen wearing a beige shirt with mushrooms, brown and red flannel shirt, cut-off jean shorts and white Dr. Martens.

“We just want to get her face out there. Anybody that was on Dickson that night if they can contact Fayetteville Police give them any information. Even the smallest detail would make the biggest difference,” Gauntt said. 

Fayetteville Police Sergeant Anthony Murphy says this missing person’s case stood out immediately due to the circumstances. He says their investigators are looking at different scenarios as to what could have happened that morning. 

“It was extremely stormy and there was bad weather that night, so that is something our detectives are looking into if the weather could have anything to do with this incident along with other things. Nothing is off the table at this point,” he said. 

Murphy says they have received several tips that are detectives are following up on. 

“There is no evidence so far in the investigation that leads us to believe that there is any foul play in this case, but it is an evolving case, other things could come to light at a later period,” said Murphy. 

 

No further details have been released at this time. 

Anyone with information on her whereabouts or the case is asked to contact the Fayetteville Police Department at (479) 587-3555.

Posted by Fayetteville Arkansas Police Department on Sunday, May 8, 2022

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