Missing
Sapphire T. Wiggins
Wiggins, approximately 2014; Kevin Shelton
Date and time person was reported missing : 09/15/2014
Missing location (approx) :
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Missing classification : Endangered Missing
Gender : Female
Ethnicity :
Black
Age at the time of disappearance: 23 years old
Height / Weight : 5'1, 110 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A black shirt and black pants.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: African-American female. Black hair, brown eyes. Wiggins has the following tattoos: the name "Jamil" on her right cheek, the letter "K" or the name "Kevin" on her ring finger, a puzzle piece on her left wrist, the letter "S" with a heart on her right forearm, and a rose on her right thigh. She has a mole on the back of her neck. Her ears are pierced.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Wiggins was last heard from when she spoke to her sister on the phone in Atlantic City, New Jersey on October 15, 2014. She left her vehicle behind at her home on north New York Avenue and has never been heard from again. She also left a six-year-old son. There was no evidence of a struggle inside her residence.
At the time of her disappearance, Wiggins was dating Kevin Shelton. They had been seeing each other for approximately six months and Wiggins said she wanted to marry him, but Shelton was already married and had two children by his wife of thirty years. It's unclear whether Wiggins was aware of this.
A photo of Shelton is posted with this case summary. Three days after Wiggins had last contact with her family, Shelton was founded hanged inside his estranged wife's home in Runnemede, New Jersey. His death was ruled a suicide.
On October 17, two days after Wiggins's disappearance and the day before his death, Shelton's blue 2002 Porsche 911 drove the Atlantic City Expressway to Exit 12 in Hamilton Township, then to Bridgeton and into Hopewell Township in Cumberland County. He then drove to Elk Township in Gloucester County before returning to Atlantic City.
At 10:39 a.m. the day of his death, Shelton called his son and said he was "in trouble" and "things got out of hand" and that he would be going to prison for ten to fifteen years. He drove a gold 2003 Ford Escape to the Vineland, New Jersey area before returning to Runnemede and taking his life. Blood from both Shelton and Wiggins was found inside Shelton's Porsche. He left a suicide note asking for God to have mercy on him. The note didn't mention Wiggins, and instead addressed Shelton's wife and children, saying he loved them.
Authorities believe Wiggins was the victim of foul play, possibly at Shelton's hands, and is deceased. They think her remains could have been disposed somewhere along on the routes Shelton took immediately before his death. He grew up in Hopewell Township and was thus very familiar with the area.
Wiggins had dreamed of becoming a police officer, but later spoke of a career in acting. Her family describes her as an outgoing woman. Her case remains unsolved.
Other information and links : ncy
Atlantic City Police Department
609-347-5767
September 2021 updates and sources
A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe.
By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends.
Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
