Anita Scott

Anita Scott was a woman of intellect and quiet devotion, known to her loved ones for her quick wit and generous heart. A graduate of Temple Law School, the 58-year-old White woman, born Anita Panepinto, had not practiced law for many years before she disappeared, instead focusing on her family. She was a devout Catholic who regularly attended Mass and lived with her husband of 19 years, Ridgeley Scott, and their son in a large colonial home on Sycamore Mills Road in Upper Providence Township, Pennsylvania. At the time she went missing, her only child was a senior in high school, preparing for college. Although she had inherited several million dollars from an uncle, Anita lived a modest life, typically carrying only small amounts of cash and a few credit cards.

The evening of Thursday, February 20, 2003, began like any other in the Scott household. After dinner, around 6:00 p.m., Anita told her husband and son that she was going out. She did not say where she was going or when she might be back. According to her husband, her behavior was normal, and there had been no arguments or animosity that day. She walked out of her home and drove away in her silver 1986 Volkswagen Golf, which had a Pennsylvania license plate numbered EGA-7600. It was the last time her family ever saw or heard from her.

Two days passed before Ridgeley Scott reported his wife missing to the police. He explained the delay by stating that Anita had left home without warning on about a half-dozen previous occasions, though she had never been gone for more than 24 hours. However, Anita's own family contradicted this account, saying they were unaware of any prior disappearances. The search for Anita soon led to a discovery in downtown Philadelphia. Her Volkswagen Golf was found at a metered parking spot on 22nd Street near Market Street. The car had received at least three parking tickets before it was towed by authorities on February 25, 2003.

The discovery of the car offered few clues and only deepened the mystery. Investigators from the Pennsylvania State Police found Anita’s eyeglasses, purse, and checkbook inside the vehicle, but her wallet was gone. The car was processed for evidence, but the only fingerprints found belonged to family members, and there were no signs of a struggle or foul play. The location where the car was parked was noteworthy; it was near the former residence of the uncle from whom she had inherited her fortune. Both her husband and son fully cooperated with the investigation.

In the years since she vanished, authorities have monitored her bank accounts and credit cards, but there has been no activity. The lack of financial transactions has troubled investigators and family alike. The Delaware County District Attorney's office speculated that Anita may have left of her own accord, planning to start a new life elsewhere. Her husband, Ridgeley, has always disagreed with this theory. "I think the last thing she would do is voluntarily leave when her son was about to graduate from high school and begin his college career," he stated in an interview, adding his belief that she was the victim of foul play.

Friends and family have been left to wonder about the woman they thought they knew. Her best friend, Lorma Crow, described feeling a great loss and questioned how well she truly knew Anita, suggesting she "kept herself pretty compartmentalized." Ridgeley Scott described his wife as the love of his life and his soul mate, even as he acknowledged unorthodox aspects of their marriage, such as having separate bedrooms and bank accounts. He has since sold the large home they once shared and moved to a smaller house.

The case of Anita Scott remains an open and unsolved endangered missing person investigation. Her family and friends are left without answers, holding on to memories of a private but caring woman who vanished without a trace. As of March 2007, no suspects have been named, and no arrests have been made.

Anyone with information concerning the disappearance of Anita Scott is asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police at 610-566-8445.