Amber Nicole Crum was a toddler who disappeared from Texas in 1983. Some accounts spell her middle name as Nichole. Her photo is shown age-progressed to 35 years.
Case[]
Amber was last seen at around 9:45 a.m. on December 26, 1983, in Dallas, Texas. She was inside the pickup truck of her mother’s live-in boyfriend, James Britton "Britt" Monroe. The truck was parked outside a McDonald’s Grocery on Murdock Road, about two blocks from their home. Monroe stated that he left Amber in the car for 2-5 minutes while he went inside to purchase paper towels and soft drinks. When he came back, Amber was gone.
Amber may have been abused prior to her disappearance. Various witnesses claimed to have seen bruises on Amber before she vanished, and there was a photo of her with a hand-shaped bruise on her face.
Amber’s mother, Stephanie Hughes, confessed that she found Amber cold with her eyes open and unblinking around 9:30 p.m. on Christmas night and stated that she believed Amber was dead. However, Hughes later recanted this statement and said that Amber was alive on Christmas night. She claimed that police pressured her into making her first statement. Another witness said that he talked with Monroe on the phone the morning of December 26 and heard Amber talking in the background.
Monroe was charged with Amber’s murder three weeks after she disappeared. However, the charges were dismissed by a judge due to lack of evidence. Police have stated that Monroe made inconsistent statements in regard to Amber’s disappearance and they do not believe he has told them everything he knows. Monroe maintains his innocence.
Monroe and Hughes separated after Amber’s disappearance and Hughes moved to Indiana. Amber’s father was in Kentucky when she went missing and he is not a suspect in her case.
Serial Killer David Elliot Penton is a person of interest in Amber’s case, as well as in the disappearances of Ara “Neecee” Johnson, Angelica Gandara, and Shannon Sherrill. Penton was convicted of the murders of three young girls in Texas, a 9-year-old girl in Ohio, and his own infant son. He has been incarcerated in Ohio since 1987. Cellmates of Penton claimed that he confessed involvement in the disappearances of Amber, Angelica, and Neecee, however, he has not been charged in any of their cases.
Characteristics[]
- Blonde hair.
- Blue eyes.
- Pierced ears.
Clothing[]
- Purple snow jacket.
- Hooded Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt.
- Blue long-sleeved shirt.
- Blue jeans.
- Brown Earth shirt.
Exclusions[]
Crum has been ruled out has being the following:
- Bear Brook Jane Doe (2000)
Sources[]
- Amber Crum at NamUs
- Amber Crum at NCMEC
- Amber Crum at the Charley Project
- Amber Crum at the Doe Network