The Unsolved Disappearance of Trudy Applebee: A 1996 Illinois Cold Case

The Disappearance of Trudy Applebee

• 👧 Trudy Applebee, an 11-year-old girl, vanished from Moline, Illinois, on August 20, 1996.
• ☀️ She was last seen the day before, August 20th, walking home from a friend's house and was expected to call her friend the next morning.
• 📞 When Trudy did not call and could not be found, her father became concerned, but police initially delayed a full investigation due to the 24-hour waiting period.

Key Suspects and Witness Accounts

• 🚗 A neighbor reported seeing Trudy get into a gray or silver vehicle with an unknown white male in his 20s with brown curly hair on the morning of August 21st.
• 🏝️ Other witnesses saw Trudy that day on Campbell's Island with William Edward Smith, a friend of her father's.
• 🚤 Smith was seen taking life jackets to the boat docks and was later seen without Trudy. He allegedly threatened the witness.
• 🚗 Smith's vehicle, a silver Chevy, was reportedly scrapped within a week of Trudy's disappearance, a detail that raised suspicion.

The Investigation and Lingering Questions

• ❓ Smith was interviewed multiple times but never cooperated, and he died in 2014 without admitting involvement.
• 👨‍👧 Trudy's father suspected Smith and his associates early on, believing an accident or foul play occurred on Campbell's Island.
• 🤫 Detectives believe Smith did not act alone and that others involved are still alive and withholding information.
• 📢 In 2017, police publicly named Ed Smith as a suspect and appealed for information, highlighting the cover-up aspect of the case.

Keeping Trudy's Memory Alive

• 💔 Trudy's case remains a significant cold case in the Quad Cities area, filling six file cabinets at the Moline Police Department.
• 🕯️ A candlelight vigil is held annually for Trudy, with her family and friends remaining vigilant in keeping her memory alive.
• 🗣️ Trudy's father believes family members of Smith know what happened and urges them to come forward to provide closure.
• 😥 Trudy's mother, who was dedicated to ensuring her daughter was not forgotten, was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 2014, weeks after an annual vigil.
• ❓ Despite the passage of time, police continue to receive weekly tips, and the family desperately seeks answers, emphasizing that little girls don't just disappear without a trace.