Ayellah Gbo Dzata Marshall was 17 when she was last seen on February 1, 2005, leaving a medical facility in Hawthorne, California. She had left her infant daughter in her parents’ care and did not return; she had a history of running away and drug involvement while attending Hawthorne High School, so early inquiries considered a runaway theory.

In 2010 investigators recovered Ayellah’s high school ID card among items found in the home of Lonnie David Franklin Jr., the man later convicted in multiple murders and known as the Grim Sleeper. Police also found hundreds of photos and videos of unidentified women in that residence, which prompted questions about whether Ayellah could be among his victims. She has not been officially linked to his crimes and her disappearance remains unsolved.

Her family and law enforcement continue to seek answers about where she is and whether there is any connection to Franklin. If anyone knew Ayellah, saw her around Hawthorne in early 2005, or has information about the items found in Franklin’s home, please come forward.