No Witness Protection : Kelsey Collins

In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: In May 2009, 18-year-old Kelsey Collins disappeared on her way to visit her boyfriend—just weeks after bravely testifying in federal court against the man who trafficked her. With her phone suddenly going dark and no trace left behind, suspicion and fear quickly began to settle in. Anyone with information about the Kelsey's whereabouts should contact the Everett Police Department at 425-257-8400 or their local authorities. 

This is the story of Kelsey Collins. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

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's case
took place May two thousand and nine in Everett, Washington,
just nine days after her eighteenth birthday. The teen left

(00:22):
her home to visit her new boyfriend in Seattle, about
an hour away on public transit. She carried only a
small black purse, her phone, and a few dollars in cash. However,
she never arrived at her destination. What makes this disappearance
even more chilling is the timeline of events just weeks

(00:45):
after she had testified against her former pemp in court.
This is the story of Kelsey Collins. Kelsey Emily Collins
was born on April thirtieth, nineteen ninety one one. By
May two thousand and nine, she was an eighteen year
old student at Mariner High School in Everett, Washington. At

(01:08):
the time of her disappearance. She stood about five feet
four inches tall, with chin length, white brown hair that
was naturally curly but usually straightened. She had green eyes,
pierced ears, and a pierced nose. Kelsey had several distinguishing marks,
including a two to three inch surgical scar on her

(01:31):
lower rib cage, a surgical scar across her lower abdomen,
and a two inch scar across her left hand an
index finger. She sometimes went by her middle name, Emily,
which was actually her legal name until it was changed
when she was seven years old. Kelsey was also in

(01:51):
special education classes due.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
To a learning disability.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
She could read at a fifth grade level and had
third grade level math skills.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
But those who knew Kelsey.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
Remember her as extraordinarily empathetic and caring, a young woman
who never missed an opportunity to help anyone in need. Unfortunately,
this caring nature would make her a target for predators.
When Kelsey was just sixteen years old, she was arrested

(02:25):
for prostitution. But Kelsey wasn't a willing participant. She was
a victim of sex trafficking. Her trafficker was a man
named Jnico Tyrrell Johnson and a woman named Lisa Miles.
In two thousand and eight, when Kelsey was seventeen, she

(02:47):
made a courageous decision that would change everything. She agreed
to testify against Johnson in federal court. Johnson was being
charged with interstate sex trafficking of a minor, a serious
federal crime that could result in decades of jail time.

(03:11):
For Kelsey, this testimony represented a chance at a new
life free from the nightmare she had been enduring. But
as we'll learn, speaking out against her trafficker may have
cost her her life. May ninth, two thousand and nine,

(03:31):
it was just nine days after Kelsey's eighteenth birthday. The
day before Mother's Day, at five point thirty pm, Kelsey
left her home in Everett, Washington. She told her family
she was going to Seattle to meet up with her
new boyfriend, about thirty miles away. She planned to travel

(03:52):
by public transportation. She was traveling light, with only a
small black purse containing her phone, her MP three player,
her hair brush, identification, into a few dollars in cash.
According to reports, she made it to her destination and
then vanished without a trace. The timing of Kelsey's disappearance

(04:19):
seemed to be too much.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
Of a coincidence for loved ones.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
Just weeks before she vanished, Kelsey testified against Johnson in
federal court. Her testimony was crucial in the case against
her former pin. The last communication from Kelsey came around
eight o'clock PM on May ninth, just two and a
half hours after she left home. Her cell phone was

(04:46):
turned off at that time and has remained off ever since.
As the hours turned into days, Kelsey's family grew increasingly desperate.
For weeks, whenever they called her phone, it would ring
and then go straight to voicemail.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
And this wasn't like Kelsey.

Speaker 1 (05:10):
Despite her trouble past, she maintained very close contact with
her family. She wouldn't just disappear without telling anyone where
she was going. Over the years, several search efforts have
been launched to find Kelsey. In November twenty twelve, acting
on a tip, Seattle Police and King County Search and

(05:33):
Rescue volunteers scoured an area near the Jefferson Park golf
course in the Beacon Hill neighborhood.

Speaker 2 (05:41):
They found nothing.

Speaker 1 (05:44):
Multiple leads have been investigated, multiple searches have been conducted,
but Kelsey Collins still remains a missing person. Her disappearance
has had a profound impact on her family, especially her mother,
Sarah Collins. Sarah has transformed her grief into action, becoming

(06:09):
a powerful advocate against sex trafficking. She works to raise
awareness about the dangers that young people face and the
inadequate protection offered to those who testify against their traffickers.
Sarah's message is clear, the system failed her daughter. Kelsey

(06:31):
was brave enough to testify against her abuser, but there
were no protections in.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
Place to keep her safe afterward.

Speaker 1 (06:41):
So what did happen to Kelsey Emily Collins Today? More
than fifteen years later, Kelsey's case remains unsolved. Today, Kelsey
would be thirty four years old. My thoughts and prayers

(07:01):
are with the family and friends of Kelsey, especially as
they continue their search for answers. Anyone with information about
her whereabouts should contact the Everett Police Department or their
local authorities. Their contact information can be found in the
description box below. As we close out this episode, don't

(07:23):
forget to click the follow button to stay updated on
Kelsey'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 updates. Thank you
so much for joining us on another episode.

Speaker 2 (07:44):
Until next time.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network. For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network,
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