10/07/2022
The Disappearance of Alexis Patterson
Alexis Patterson was born on April 4, 1995 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The daughter of parents Ayanna Patterson and Kenya Campbell, she was known for being bubbly and having a bossy personality. A lover of roller-skating and the colour pink, she was often referred to by her nicknames, “Lexi” and “Pie”.
LEAD UP TO DISAPPEARANCE:
Two weeks before Alexis went missing, parents at Hi-Mount Boulevard School had received letters warning them of man who had tried to abduct a little boy near the school. A week later, a teacher spotted Alexis talking to an unknown woman at the back of the school. Despite be lectured by her mother, she was seen speaking to the same woman two days later, which worried Ayanna.
On May 2, 2002, Alexis and her mother got into an argument because she’d failed to properly complete her homework, which was due the next day. As a result, she was told she wouldn’t be allowed to bring in cupcakes for her classmates, which upset her, as May 3 was her day to bring in a snack for her class.
At 8:00am the next day, LaRon walked Alexis to school, which was located at 4291 West Garfield Avenue. He watched her walk across the crosswalk, toward the school’s playground, before he returned to the house.
DISAPPEARANCE:
That day, Alexis did not attend any of her classes. Many students reported seeing her crying on the playground both before and after the school day had ended, but none recalled seeing her in the school itself. However, despite this, Alexis’ parents were not notified of her absence until after classes had been dismissed for the day.
As Alexis had no history of running away, Ayanna and LaRon initially believed she had refused to attend her classes because of the argument she and her mother had had the previous night. At 3:00pm, shortly after learning of her daughter’s absence, Ayanna contacted local police. It took them approximately an hour to respond.
Upon arriving at the Patterson home, police agreed with the potential scenario presented by Alexis’ parents. However, given she hadn’t yet returned home, they felt that something else may have caused her to disappear after she was seen on the playground.
THE SEARCH:
Upon speaking with some of Alexis’ classmates, it was learnt that a red truck had been spotted parked near the school for most of the week. Never appearing to drop off or pick anyone up, it vanished after the young girl went missing and has never been seen again. As a result, it’s never been identified and police have not been able to conclude if it’s connected to the case or not.
Kenya learnt of his daughter’s disappearance via local news coverage. On May 6, 2002, he was released from prison and questioned by police, who say he has been fully cooperative with the investigation. Ayanna and LaRon were also brought in for questioning, with LaRon of specific interest due to his criminal past. In 1994, he had been involved in a bank robbery that resulted in the fatal shooting of a police officer in Glendale, Wisconsin. For his testimony, he had been granted immunity in relation to this.
On May 14, 2002, investigators announced that Alexis’ disappearance was the result of suspicious circumstances and had been reclassified as a criminal investigation. Months later, they would state they believed foul play to have been involved.
Approximately a year after Alexis vanished, LaRon was subjected to a polygraph, which he reportedly failed. The questions he was asked have never been publicly released.
