Jessica Diane Vanzant Dietzel was 21 when she was last seen in Albany, Georgia, in February 2020. Surveillance footage recorded her at an Enmarket on Clark Avenue on February 13 wearing a light blue Nike shirt, leggings and black Nike slides, carrying a mustard-colored bag. Her mother’s last direct contact was by Facebook on February 4, but the last known activity on Jessica’s account came on February 18 when she used an acquaintance’s phone to log into Facebook Messenger and sent messages saying she was scared and that she knew she was in too deep; that activity was traced to the area near the former Deep South Motel in Albany. Her mother reported her missing on March 1 after Jessica did not contact anyone for her daughter’s third birthday.

Investigators have identified Gary Potter as a person of interest; property including his truck was searched and a hair was recovered that could potentially belong to Jessica, though Potter denied knowing her and was reportedly uncooperative. Jessica’s ex, Kenneth Dietzel, was also under scrutiny because he had been released from jail days before her disappearance and allegedly had a history of harassing her.

Authorities say they believe she was involved with dangerous individuals around the time she vanished, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Albany Police Department are handling the active investigation.