Jessi Machell Short was 25 when she vanished from Shenango Township, Pennsylvania. She was last seen on or about January 27, 2013, after spending a few nights at her mother’s home; her mother, Linda Whitesell, reported her missing on February 10, 2013 after about two weeks without contact. Jessi is described as a white female, brown hair, brown eyes, 5 feet 2 inches, about 130 pounds. When last seen she was reportedly wearing a white long-sleeved terrycloth shirt, a dark hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and gray work boots.

Jessi did not drive and often walked or relied on others for rides. She was the mother of a young son and struggled with severe addiction to opiates and crack cocaine, with repeated relapses and prior rehabilitation attempts. Her addiction led her into a high-risk lifestyle; she engaged in sex work in parts of Shenango and traveled to locations in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Butler County and nearby areas of Ohio. Some tips over the years have suggested foul play, including an unconfirmed account that she was with a group near a creek and disposed of in a river, but those leads have not been substantiated and the case remains unsolved.

Does anyone who knew Jessi or saw her in late January 2013 have information to share?