PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Parkersburg Police Chief Matthew Board says his department is not ruling out foul play in connection with a young woman’s disappearance.
Gretchen Fleming, 27, of Vienna, was reported missing by her family Dec. 12. She was last seen at the My Way Lounge & Restaurant in Parkersburg in the early morning hours of Dec. 4.
Board said on Tuesday’s MetroNews “Talkline” it’s strange for a woman to go to a bar and not come home that night.
“What we’re looking at is concerning. A young lady goes 9-10 days without contacting her family or any activity on social media. That is alarming,” he said.
The community held a vigil Monday night with about 150 people in attendance.
Board said the public has helped provide tips which has led to a number of leads, but he said he wants the information to keep flowing.
“The community has rallied around this effort to get answers and to provide us with information we need, but I don’t want that to stop,” he said. “If somebody knows something, I encourage them to reach out to us.”
Police have not confirmed who Fleming may have been in contact with the night she went missing.
“There’s been no activity by her whatsoever, not on social media from her end,” Board said. “On our end with social media, people have used that as an avenue to give us tips.”
Matthew Board, Parkersburg Police Chief, talks with @HoppyKercheval about the disappearance of Gretchen Fleming. Have they made any progress with the search? WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nEhk6 pic.twitter.com/eCjUKw2n44
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) December 20, 2022
Fleming is described by family and friends as being shy and sweet. She was living with her grandparents, returning home from North Carolina, where she went to college and lived for a few years.
Fleming’s 28th birthday is on Christmas Eve.
Anyone who has information on Fleming’s whereabouts is asked to call the Parkersburg Police Department at 304-424-8444 or contact Detective J.M. Zimmerman directly at 304-424-1072.