BILLINGS – The Billings Police Department is seeking more help from the public in the case of a missing Billings woman.
Laura Johnson, 49, hasn’t been heard from or seen since September 4, according to her son, Jonathon Johnson. She is described as 5’4″, about 140 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes.
The department issued a press release seeking anyone who may have seen a white 2012 Chevrolet Silverado crew cab pickup truck in the evening hours of September 14 or during the day of September 15.
The department released this image of the vehicle:
The department described the truck as being “of interest in the disappearance of Laura Johnson.”
A press release states investigators have already identified the vehicle and are just looking for where it might have been on those dates.
Anyone with information is asked to call the department’s Investigations Division at 406-657-8373.
(October 2, 2018) BILLINGS – The son of a Billings woman is reaching out to the community to help locate his mother who reportedly has been missing for three weeks.
Laura Johnson, 49, hasn’t been heard or seen from since September 4, according to her son, Jonathon Johnson.
Her son said Laura is 5’4″, about 140 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. If you see her, call the police.
The Billings Police Department has been in contact with Johnson’s family for weeks but has not opened an active missing person case. The department has assigned a detective to the case, Lt. Brandon Wooley told MTN News on Tuesday.
Jonathon , who lives in Vancouver, Washington, posted onFacebook a week ago to spread the word about his missing mother. In his post, he said his mother was involved in an abusive relationship. He also confirmed his mother has a history of drug addiction.
“We aren’t from around there, so I just wanted to reach out to people and see if maybe somebody has seen her,” said Jonathon.
He said his mother recently moved to Billings from Nevada with her boyfriend and found a job at Papa John’s as a driver. However, she hasn’t shown up her job in recent weeks, he said. He said his mother is usually active almost every day on social media, and none of his four brothers have spoken to her, which he said is unusual.
MTN News contacted officials in Clark County, Washington, where Jonathon said he filed a missing person report with police.
According to information obtained by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Laura also sometimes goes by the name of Laura Braaten. Sgt Brent Waddell said Laura’s phone pinged to a location in the Salmon Creek, Washington, area where there is a methadone clinic.“
There is nothing that jumps out as “alarming” in this case, particularly because Johnson is an adult and can disappear if she chooses, Waddell said.
“Unfortunately people with addiction issues, heroin issues, those people tend to do whatever it takes to fulfill their needs. It’s not uncommon for them to disappear for days or weeks at a time,” said Waddell.
Waddell also said there was nothing in the missing person’s report filed in Clark County about an abusive boyfriend.
However, that is something that Jonathan says is a concern when it comes to his mother. And because of that, Wooley said Billings police will continue to collect interviews from family members and witnesses in order to come to a conclusion on the case.
“Based so far on what officers have learned she doesn’t meet the criteria for missing person classification,” Lt. Wooley said in an email on Thursday, Sept 27.
By Tuesday, October 2, Lt Wooley had the same message for MTN News.
“We are all worried about her and I’m just hoping somebody sees her and she’s safe,” said Jonathon.
- Reported by Andrea Lutz
