Unsolved Ohio: Woman missing since 2022 under ‘very suspicious’ circumstances

TROTWOOD, Ohio (WCMH) – In December 2022, an Ohio woman was last seen in security camera footage at ex-boyfriend’s apartment complex. While her car was found a short time later in a town she had no known connections to, she remains missing with police calling her disappearance “very suspicious.” 

Cierra Chapman, a mother of one son, vanished at 30 years old. At the time of her disappearance, she was living with her sister on Cambridge Avenue in Dayton.

“Cierra was a lovely mother,” said Cierra’s aunt, Regina Chapman. “She was family-oriented. We did a lot of vacation times, spent time with the family. … She loves working on cars. She loves her animals.”

On Dec. 29, Cierra’s sister told Regina that she had not been able to get in contact with Cierra for a couple of days, and all her phone calls were going to voicemail. 

“[Cierra] hadn't checked on her cat,” Regina said. “She hadn't checked on her son. So I was like, OK, we're going to call the police at this point. This is something to be worried about.”

Cierra’s sister reported her missing that day. As police began their investigation, they discovered security camera footage of Cierra on the morning of Dec. 27 at Autumn Woods Apartments in Trotwood – the complex where her ex-boyfriend lived. 

Major Brian Johns of the Dayton Police Department stated during a January 2023 news conference that Cierra's ex-boyfriend said the pair had recently broken up and were exchanging belongings that morning. Cierra’s vehicle was captured driving away from the complex at about 4:30 a.m., however, police did not specify if Cierra could be seen in the vehicle. 

On Jan. 6, 10 days after Cierra was last seen, her car – a silver Cadillac SRX with the license plate number JVQ8612 – was found in a residential area of Middletown. Cierra’s purse and other personal items were located in the vehicle. Police have not publicly disclosed exactly where the Cadillac was found in Middletown, but did say they did not find any evidence in her car. 

“She is not from Middletown, had no reason to be in Middletown, so it’s very odd that her car would be found in Middletown, Ohio,” Johns said at the conference. “So it is a very suspicious missing persons case.”

Cierra’s ex-boyfriend gave a verbal statement over the phone but had not seen police in person as of January 2023 despite them asking him to meet. The Dayton Police Department told NBC4 they are limited in the information and updates they can share due to the ongoing investigation. Cierra has not been in contact with anybody, and there has been no activity on her bank account since the day she was last captured on camera, police said at the news conference. 

“This is very strange behavior for her, so we’re worried something bad has happened to her,” Johns said in January 2023. 

The Dock Ellis Foundation, a nonprofit that helps recover missing people of color, has been involved with Cierra’s case since a few days after she was first reported missing. Director of Missing Persons Michelle Luster said attention on Cierra’s case has faded as time has passed. 

“Everybody was focused on bringing Cierra home, and then it just stopped and the family's going on two years of not knowing,” Luster said. 

Regina said Cierra would have never left her son, who is now 16 years old. She asked anyone who may have information about her niece’s disappearance to come forward and contact law enforcement so her family can get closure. 

“I worry a lot and every time I hear anything it makes me nervous,” Regina said. “If I hear they found remains, I get nervous. When her son calls me and talks to me, he's missing his mom. He wants his mom and that's the hardest part.”

At the time of her disappearance, Cierra was 5 feet 5, 123 pounds, and had brown eyes and black hair. She was last seen wearing a short-sleeved Tommy Hilfiger shirt, blue jeans and black boots, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. As of Thursday, she would be 31 years old. 

The FBI is assisting with the investigation and offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the recovery of Cierra as well as information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person responsible for her disappearance.

Anyone with information on the disappearance of Cierra Chapman may call the Dayton Police Department at 937-333-1070 or Miami Valley Crime Stoppers' anonymous tip line at 937-222-7867.

If you’re a family member of an individual with an unsolved missing persons or homicide case in Ohio, reach out to aboldizar@wcmh.com.