The Unsolved Disappearance of Jamie Fraley
Jamie Fraley was a 22-year-old woman from North Caroline. She struggled to gain weight and had mental health problems for most of her life leaving her dependent on friends and family. Despite these problems, Jamie was described as intelligent, sweet and spirited. At the time of her disappearance, she had enrolled in college and hoped to become a counsellor and to help others.
In 2006, Jamie began dating Ricky Simonds, a local with a history of drug abuse and prior arrests for theft. In 2008, when the pair were engaged, Simonds was arrested and held in jail. Jamie wrote to him daily and waited for his release.
Two doors down from Jamie's apartment lived Ricky Simonds Sr and his girlfriend Kim Sprenger. Simonds Sr had been arrested for strangling his ex-girlfriend, he had been charged with manslaughter but had been released early. Simonds Sr was a maintenance worker in Jamie's apartment complex and had developed a friendship with her, it was suggested that he flirted with Jamie who did not reciprocate these actions.
On 8th April 2008, Jamie called her aunt and visited her health provider due to intense stomach pain. She took medication and continued her day which included dog-sitting for Kim Sprenger. By the evening Jamie was still feeling unwell; Sprenger offered to help her to get a prescription for pain medication. Jamie also got a lift to the hospital with Simonds Sr, he dropped her off outside.
Jamie spent about 3 hours in the ER before calling a friend to collect her. Several witnesses saw her re-enter her apartment at around midnight. The next morning, Jamie's health care provider knocked on Jamie's door but got no answer, she assumed Jamie had gone out and left. For an unknown reason, the health care provided did not tell Jamie's family until two days later, possibly because it was not uncommon for Jamie to go a few days without checking in. On 11th April, Jamie's family found out she had not been seen or heard from in two days. They reported her as missing.
Police found no signs of a struggle at Jamie's house although did notice her purse and keys were still there which suggested Jamie may not have intended to leave the house for long. They found dried vomit and the laces from Jamie's favourite pair of shoes were missing. Jamie's family desperately attempted to call her mobile phone and eventually a man picked up and explained he had found the phone ringing in the middle of the road. It was speculated that the phone had been thrown from a moving vehicle. Jamie always had her phone with her and the disappearance began to be treated as suspicious.
Police began questioning neighbours, all of whom expressed worry and co-operated fully except for one; Ricky Simonds Sr. He was noted to be 'cold' and provided limited information. Police grew suspicious of him and obtained a warrant to track his movements. Instead of finding Jamie, they found he seemed to be stalking Kim Sprenger, his now ex-girlfriend. They warned Kim who told them she was afraid of him and that he was violent, she gained a restraining order against him.
On 7th June 2008, Kim Sprenger noticed a foul odour in her car. On 9th June she checked her trunk and found the decomposing body of Ricky Simonds Sr and called the police. Under the body, officers found a knife and theorised Simonds planned to ambush Kim and kill her but had accidentally locked himself in the trunk and died from heatstroke. Several of Simonds' friends recalled him saying he was going to give Kim 'the surprise of her life,' shortly before he was last seen alive.
Simonds' unexpected death caused Jamie's case to go cold- he was the only person of interest.
