August 13, 2025 • 11 mins
In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: In January 1999, Daphne Jones — a 22-year-old pregnant college student — vanished from her New Orleans apartment just days before heading home to D.C. The scene she left behind raised more questions than answers. The lights were off—but the TV, heater, and iron were still on. Food sat out and her suitcase was packed. Anyone with information about this case should contact the New Orleans Police Department at 504-244-4600.
This is the story of Daphne Jones.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host, Hunter, and today we're
highlighting a case that is over two decades old and
happened in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January third, nineteen ninety nine.
(00:23):
On that day, a twenty two year old pregnant college
student vanished without a trace, leaving behind only questions and
a family's relentless search.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
For the truth. She was scheduled to fly back home
to Washington, d C.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
But she never made it to the airport, and what
investigators found inside her apartment only deepened the mystery. Her
case remains unsolved to this day. This is the story
of Daphne Jones. Daphne Felicia Jones was born on July sixteenth,
(01:04):
nineteen seventy six, into a loving family who would later
become her greatest advocates. She was an intelligent young woman
with big dreams, and after graduating high school in Washington,
d C. Daphne had made the decision to pursue her
education at the University of New Orleans. At twenty two,
(01:26):
she was working part time as a hostess at Brennan's
restaurant while juggling her college work. She was the kind
of young woman who seemed to have her life together, responsible, hardworking,
and determined to build a future for herself. But in
the fall of nineteen ninety eight, Daphne's life took an
(01:47):
unexpected turn when she discovered that she was pregnant. The
pregnancy changed everything for Daphne. She had been living in
the university dorms, but decided to move into her own
apartment as she prepared for motherhood. By January nineteen ninety nine,
she was two months pregnant in facing a difficult situation.
(02:13):
According to her family, Daphne had told him that the
father of her unborn child was pressuring her to get
an abortion, but Daphne had made her choice. She wanted
to have her baby, and her family supported her decision completely.
Her mother back in Washington, d c had offered Daphne
(02:34):
a lifeline come home. She said, I'll help you raise
this child. It was a plan that gave Daphne hope
for the future. By early January nineteen ninety nine, Daphne
had made her decision she would leave New Orleans behind.
(02:55):
She had purchased her plane ticket for January ninth, nineteen
ninety nine. She was scheduled to work her final shifts
at the restaurant and then started a new chapter of
her life back home. But first she had to have
a difficult conversation with her boyfriend. She needed to tell
him that she was leaving New Orleans January third. It
(03:21):
was a Sunday that would change everything. Daphne called her
grandmother that morning and told her that she was going
to tell her boyfriend that she was moving out. It
was a conversation she'd been dreading, but one that needed
to happen. Later that day, Daphne was scheduled to work
her three pm shift at Brennan's restaurant. It was supposed
(03:43):
to be just another day at work, but Daphne never
showed up. Instead, at the time she should have been
taking customers to their tables, Daphne was on the phone
with her cousin, and she was very upset.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
The phone call.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
With her cousin would be one of the last times
anyone would hear from Daphne Jones. She was clearly distressed
during the conversation, but the details of what had her
so upset remain unclear. When Daphne failed to show up
for work, it just wasn't like her, but it wasn't
(04:26):
immediately alarming. However, as the hours passed and turned into
a full day, her family began to worry. Daphne was responsible,
always communicated, She didn't just disappear. The next afternoon, January fourth,
(04:46):
Daphne's family made the decision to check on her. What
they found out her apartment would haunt them forever. Daphne's aunt,
Helena Smith, got the landlord to open the apartment. When
she stepped inside, she immediately knew that something was wrong.
All of the lights in the apartment were turned off,
(05:09):
but the heater, television, and iron were still on. There
was also food sitting out, as if Daphne had been
in the middle of eating or preparing a meal. It
looked like someone had left in a big hurry. The
scene at Daphne's apartment told a story without words. Whatever
(05:32):
had happened, it happened fast. She was last seen wearing
a yellow pullover jacket, blue jeans, sneakers, and a silver ring.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
When she vanished.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
On Daphnie's right shoulder, she had a tattoo of a
Chinese symbol. Despite extensive searches and investigations, Daphne Jones seemed
to have vanished into thin air. The New Orleans Police
Department launched an investigation into Daphne's disappearance. They interviewed friends,
(06:08):
family members, co workers, trying to piece together what had
happened on that January afternoon. They learned about the pressure
Daphne had been facing to terminate her pregnancy. They learned
about her plans to return home to Washington, d C.
They also learned about the upset phone call with her cousin.
(06:31):
But despite all of these leads, the investigation stalled. There
were no witnesses to Daphne's actual disappearance, no one had
seen her leave her apartment, and no one knew where
she had gone. As months started to pass by, Daphne's
family refused to give up hope.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Like so many other families do.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Her mother became an advocate for finding answers about her
daughter's disappearance. She even appeared on The Doctor Phil show
and highlighted the racial disparities in missing person's coverage. She
wanted to know why her daughter's case wasn't receiving the
same media attention as Schandra Levey's, a white woman who
(07:17):
had also gone missing around the same time. It was
a heartbreaking plea from a mother who just wanted her
daughter to come home. As the years passed, the toll
on Daphne's family became more and more immense. Her mother
never stopped fighting, but the stress and grief took their toll.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
In two thousand and eight, nine.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Years after Daphne's disappearance, her mother died of pancreatic cancer.
Daphne's grandmother, who had been the last family member to
see her alive, carried tremendous guilt about that final goodbye.
She had had an ear feeling when Daphne got out
of the car at her apartment, but she.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Had driven away.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
That guilt had heavily weighed on her until her death
in twenty twelve. Daphne's father also passed away in the
recent years, never knowing what had happened to his daughter. Today,
Daphne's case remains officially unsolved. The New Orleans Police Department
(08:27):
continues to list her as an endangered missing person, but
with no leads, the case has grown cold. Daphne's family
believes she was murdered likely by someone who knew about
her pregnancy and her plans to leave New Orleans, But
without a body, without witnesses, and without concrete evidence proving
(08:53):
what happened to Daphne only remains a mystery. Today, Daphne
Jones would be forty eight years old. Her unborn child
would now be twenty five, the same age Daphne was
when she first moved to New Orleans. What kind of
mother would Daphne have been. What kind of life would
(09:16):
she have built for herself and her child in DC?
These are all questions that, unfortunately will never be answered.
At the time of her disappearance, Daphne stood five five
and weighed one hundred and thirty pounds, with brown hair,
brown eyes, and she also had pierced ears. Her story
(09:41):
underscores the ongoing issue of missing persons cases that don't
receive adequate media attention or resources for investigation. Her sister,
Danielle Jones Reese, and the remaining family members continue to
seek answers. She says, at this point, we just want
(10:01):
to know what happened. We just really want to know
what happened to her that day. Someone out there knows
what happened to Daphney. My thoughts and prayers are with
her loved ones, and I hope they're still able to
receive justice for Daphne one day and the closure that
they deserve. Anyone with information about her case to contact
(10:25):
the New Orleans Police Department. You can find their contact
information in the description box below. As we close out
this episode, don't forget to hit the follow button to
stay updated on Daphne's case and others like it. Be
sure to subscribe to Hunting for Answers on YouTube and
follow us on Instagram and TikTok for more true crime
(10:48):
content and case updates. If you're watching us on YouTube,
drop your thoughts on this case in the comments below.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
We'd love to hear from you. Thank you, thanks so
much for joining us on another episode. Until next time.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network. For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network,
visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen
to your favorite shows.
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host, Hunter, and today we're
highlighting a case that is over two decades old and
happened in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January third, nineteen ninety nine.
(00:23):
On that day, a twenty two year old pregnant college
student vanished without a trace, leaving behind only questions and
a family's relentless search.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
For the truth. She was scheduled to fly back home
to Washington, d C.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
But she never made it to the airport, and what
investigators found inside her apartment only deepened the mystery. Her
case remains unsolved to this day. This is the story
of Daphne Jones. Daphne Felicia Jones was born on July sixteenth,
(01:04):
nineteen seventy six, into a loving family who would later
become her greatest advocates. She was an intelligent young woman
with big dreams, and after graduating high school in Washington,
d C. Daphne had made the decision to pursue her
education at the University of New Orleans. At twenty two,
(01:26):
she was working part time as a hostess at Brennan's
restaurant while juggling her college work. She was the kind
of young woman who seemed to have her life together, responsible, hardworking,
and determined to build a future for herself. But in
the fall of nineteen ninety eight, Daphne's life took an
(01:47):
unexpected turn when she discovered that she was pregnant. The
pregnancy changed everything for Daphne. She had been living in
the university dorms, but decided to move into her own
apartment as she prepared for motherhood. By January nineteen ninety nine,
she was two months pregnant in facing a difficult situation.
(02:13):
According to her family, Daphne had told him that the
father of her unborn child was pressuring her to get
an abortion, but Daphne had made her choice. She wanted
to have her baby, and her family supported her decision completely.
Her mother back in Washington, d c had offered Daphne
(02:34):
a lifeline come home. She said, I'll help you raise
this child. It was a plan that gave Daphne hope
for the future. By early January nineteen ninety nine, Daphne
had made her decision she would leave New Orleans behind.
(02:55):
She had purchased her plane ticket for January ninth, nineteen
ninety nine. She was scheduled to work her final shifts
at the restaurant and then started a new chapter of
her life back home. But first she had to have
a difficult conversation with her boyfriend. She needed to tell
him that she was leaving New Orleans January third. It
(03:21):
was a Sunday that would change everything. Daphne called her
grandmother that morning and told her that she was going
to tell her boyfriend that she was moving out. It
was a conversation she'd been dreading, but one that needed
to happen. Later that day, Daphne was scheduled to work
her three pm shift at Brennan's restaurant. It was supposed
(03:43):
to be just another day at work, but Daphne never
showed up. Instead, at the time she should have been
taking customers to their tables, Daphne was on the phone
with her cousin, and she was very upset.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
The phone call.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
With her cousin would be one of the last times
anyone would hear from Daphne Jones. She was clearly distressed
during the conversation, but the details of what had her
so upset remain unclear. When Daphne failed to show up
for work, it just wasn't like her, but it wasn't
(04:26):
immediately alarming. However, as the hours passed and turned into
a full day, her family began to worry. Daphne was responsible,
always communicated, She didn't just disappear. The next afternoon, January fourth,
(04:46):
Daphne's family made the decision to check on her. What
they found out her apartment would haunt them forever. Daphne's aunt,
Helena Smith, got the landlord to open the apartment. When
she stepped inside, she immediately knew that something was wrong.
All of the lights in the apartment were turned off,
(05:09):
but the heater, television, and iron were still on. There
was also food sitting out, as if Daphne had been
in the middle of eating or preparing a meal. It
looked like someone had left in a big hurry. The
scene at Daphne's apartment told a story without words. Whatever
(05:32):
had happened, it happened fast. She was last seen wearing
a yellow pullover jacket, blue jeans, sneakers, and a silver ring.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
When she vanished.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
On Daphnie's right shoulder, she had a tattoo of a
Chinese symbol. Despite extensive searches and investigations, Daphne Jones seemed
to have vanished into thin air. The New Orleans Police
Department launched an investigation into Daphne's disappearance. They interviewed friends,
(06:08):
family members, co workers, trying to piece together what had
happened on that January afternoon. They learned about the pressure
Daphne had been facing to terminate her pregnancy. They learned
about her plans to return home to Washington, d C.
They also learned about the upset phone call with her cousin.
(06:31):
But despite all of these leads, the investigation stalled. There
were no witnesses to Daphne's actual disappearance, no one had
seen her leave her apartment, and no one knew where
she had gone. As months started to pass by, Daphne's
family refused to give up hope.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Like so many other families do.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Her mother became an advocate for finding answers about her
daughter's disappearance. She even appeared on The Doctor Phil show
and highlighted the racial disparities in missing person's coverage. She
wanted to know why her daughter's case wasn't receiving the
same media attention as Schandra Levey's, a white woman who
(07:17):
had also gone missing around the same time. It was
a heartbreaking plea from a mother who just wanted her
daughter to come home. As the years passed, the toll
on Daphne's family became more and more immense. Her mother
never stopped fighting, but the stress and grief took their toll.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
In two thousand and eight, nine.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Years after Daphne's disappearance, her mother died of pancreatic cancer.
Daphne's grandmother, who had been the last family member to
see her alive, carried tremendous guilt about that final goodbye.
She had had an ear feeling when Daphne got out
of the car at her apartment, but she.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Had driven away.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
That guilt had heavily weighed on her until her death
in twenty twelve. Daphne's father also passed away in the
recent years, never knowing what had happened to his daughter. Today,
Daphne's case remains officially unsolved. The New Orleans Police Department
(08:27):
continues to list her as an endangered missing person, but
with no leads, the case has grown cold. Daphne's family
believes she was murdered likely by someone who knew about
her pregnancy and her plans to leave New Orleans, But
without a body, without witnesses, and without concrete evidence proving
(08:53):
what happened to Daphne only remains a mystery. Today, Daphne
Jones would be forty eight years old. Her unborn child
would now be twenty five, the same age Daphne was
when she first moved to New Orleans. What kind of
mother would Daphne have been. What kind of life would
(09:16):
she have built for herself and her child in DC?
These are all questions that, unfortunately will never be answered.
At the time of her disappearance, Daphne stood five five
and weighed one hundred and thirty pounds, with brown hair,
brown eyes, and she also had pierced ears. Her story
(09:41):
underscores the ongoing issue of missing persons cases that don't
receive adequate media attention or resources for investigation. Her sister,
Danielle Jones Reese, and the remaining family members continue to
seek answers. She says, at this point, we just want
(10:01):
to know what happened. We just really want to know
what happened to her that day. Someone out there knows
what happened to Daphney. My thoughts and prayers are with
her loved ones, and I hope they're still able to
receive justice for Daphne one day and the closure that
they deserve. Anyone with information about her case to contact
(10:25):
the New Orleans Police Department. You can find their contact
information in the description box below. As we close out
this episode, don't forget to hit the follow button to
stay updated on Daphne's case and others like it. Be
sure to subscribe to Hunting for Answers on YouTube and
follow us on Instagram and TikTok for more true crime
(10:48):
content and case updates. If you're watching us on YouTube,
drop your thoughts on this case in the comments below.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
We'd love to hear from you. Thank you, thanks so
much for joining us on another episode. Until next time.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network. For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network,
visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen
to your favorite shows.
Host
Hunter Gilmore
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