Aretha Chism was 31 when she was last seen on January 1, 1999, in Victorville, California. She was living in the Victorville area and was believed to be homeless at the time. Described as about 5 feet 5 inches tall, 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, she may also have used the names Aretha Novell Chism or Aretha Matthews.

Her family reported they had not seen or heard from her since that date. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department classifies her as an endangered missing person and maintains her dental, fingerprint, and DNA records, but few public details and no significant leads have emerged over the years. Her case appears in NamUs and the California Department of Justice missing persons database.

Did anyone in the Victorville area around New Year’s 1999 have contact or information about Aretha Chism?