Lisa Shuttleworth

A 19 year old daughter should not have to reflect on the past about her mother and how dear she was to her, and a 14 year old son should not have to worry about not being able to remember his mother's voice. Children should not have to wonder where their mother is and why she can't be found, but this is exactly how the last five years have been for the two children of Lisa Shuttleworth who has been missing since September4, 2003 from Beech Island, SC.

Lisa was supposed to pick up her son, Ryan, at the bus stop after school that afternoon, but in her stead an older family friend was there to meet him. Returning Ryan to his home, they found it locked and no sign of Lisa, although her car, along with a car she had borrowed, were still in her driveway. After Lisa's parents were called they all entered the house and found no signs of struggle, and the only thing missing was her purse. It looked as if Lisa planned to return shortly, even a pot of tea was on the stove, her jewelry on the kitchen counter.

Lisa was a single mother, an excellent mother according to family sources, her two children knew they were loved, well taken care of, and that she would never leave them of her own free will. So what happened to Lisa?

Lisa was divorced from the father of her children and it's said that he could be violent at times. Lisa also had a boyfriend at the time who sources say had a bad argument with her the night before she vanished. Both men had trucks that were not available to be searched at the time. One of the trucks was located recently and sprayed with luminol to detect the presence of blood. There was blood reportedly in the truck, but was determined to be "male blood".

As in most cases, suspicions and rumors abound and questions go unanswered while there is an open investigation. Law enforcement officials in Aiken County, SC claim that this is a "very open investigation". As of this writing, there have been no ground searches conducted and the pond behind Lisa's home has not been drained.

Five years have gone by and evidence may now be cold, but that doesn't stop Lisa's children, family members and close friends from giving up hope that one day their questions will be answered and justice will be served.

Grandparents shouldn't have to step in to raise their grandchildren, but Lisa's parents did just that. They have taken Krystina and Ryan into their home and loved them and provided for them for the last five years.

"She's my mom, when my mom was gone, she was here. She hasn't left my side."

Krystina is showing all the signs of being a beautiful copy of her mother, with a lot of her same features. She has plans to attend college and work in the area of criminal investigations to help others investigate missing persons cases as well as her mother's case.

Family and friends have passed out fliers and even have gone so far as to consult a psychic in order to help find Lisa Shuttleworth. They have registered Lisa with NCMA and set up a website, Bringing Lisa Home. Any information, no matter how insignificant you think it might be, should be reported to:

To help, call: Crimestoppers of the Midlands: (800) 559-TIPS

Aiken County Sheriff's Office: (800) 922-9709