What happened to Demiah Appling? After more than a month of searching, authorities said they found a missing girl dead. Demiah Appling was 14-years-old. Deputies in Dixie County, Florida, said on Friday that this was a homicide, and they are trying to figure out who killed her.
Appling was reported missing from Dixie County back on Oct. 24.
Demiah Appling
Her last confirmed sighting was on Oct. 16 at approximately 9:30 p.m. in the Suwannee Gardens neighborhood, deputies have said. That is in Old Town, Florida.
What happened to Demiah Appling?
“Investigators believe that Demiah left the area in a vehicle around that time,” authorities said during the missing person case.
Deputies voiced concern even back then, saying her disappearance was suspicious and they think she could be in danger.
“New information reveals that Demiah was last seen wearing navy blue ‘Nike’ slides, white striped/SpongeBob SquarePants shorts, a black t-shirt, and a gold necklace with a heart-shaped charm,” deputies said in a Nov. 4 update. “She had her cell phone with her.”
Appling was finally found dead on Dec. 5 in neighboring Gilchrist County.
“When Demiah was reported missing, Sheriff Butler immediately recognized the importance of finding Demiah and assigned a team of investigators to concentrate their efforts on locating her,” deputies said. “In addition, the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office partnered with multiple agencies that assisted in the investigation and provided additional resources to aid in finding Demiah’s killer. Sheriff Butler would like to recognize the hard work of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, The Florida Department of Corrections, the District 8 Medical Examiner’s Office, and the State Attorney’s Office for their assistance on this case. All agencies’ combined efforts led us to discover Demiah’s final resting place. Our work here is far from over. The Dixie County Sheriff’s Office will continue their investigation and partnership with other agencies to ensure that the people responsible for Demiah’s death are held accountable.”
Officials confirm the body of Demiah Appling has been found
On Friday, December 16, authorities said they found a missing girl, Demiah Appling, dead after more than a month of searching. Authorities, who announced that her death was a homicide, said that they are still trying to find the suspect responsible for her death.
Appling was reported missing on October 24, after she was last seen getting into a vehicle at 9:30 pm on October 16, 2022. On November 4, officials concerned about the teen’s safety issued a description asking anyone to come forward with information on the disappearance. At the time, Dixie County officials said:
“New information reveals that Demiah was last seen wearing navy blue ‘Nike’ slides, white striped/SpongeBob SquarePants shorts, a black t-shirt, and a gold necklace with a heart-shaped charm. She had her cell phone with her.”
Appling’s body was reportedly found across a river in Gilchrist county. Police are yet to disclose the cause of death. Private investigators Tammi Jones and Lori Mille, who teamed up with law enforcement to assist with the search, commented on the tragic outcome, saying:
“We were hoping that she would come and just walk through the door and her grandmother would smile again. But unfortunately, that’s just not the case.”
14yo #DemiahAppling’s death is being investigated as a homicide
Missing from Dixie County #Florida since Oct 24, FDLE ME has confirmed human remains found in Gilchrist County Dec 5 are those of Demiah
Missing from Dixie County #Florida since Oct 24, FDLE ME has confirmed human remains found in Gilchrist County Dec 5 are those of Demiah
After the body was discovered, Dixie County officials thanked multiple law enforcement agencies who assisted with the search for the missing teen.
“When Demiah was reported missing, Sheriff Butler immediately recognized the importance of finding Demiah and assigned a team of investigators to concentrate their efforts on locating her.”
They added:
“Sheriff Butler would like to recognize the hard work of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, The Florida Department of Corrections, the District 8 Medical Examiner’s Office, and the State Attorney’s Office for their assistance on this case.”
Authorities stated that this is an active investigation, and they are ardently working towards finding the person responsible for Demiah Appling’s death.
The Dixie County Sheriff’s Office wants anyone with information to reach the tipline at (352) 498-1245.
[Image via Dixie County Sheriff’s Office]Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
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