Name: Melissa Jo Sermons
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: May 3, 1992
Location Last Seen: Lakeland, Polk County, Florida.
Date of Birth: August 13, 1965
Age: 26 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 175 lbs.
Hair Color: Strawberry blonde
Eye Color: Green
Nickname/Alias: Jo; Pauline Crouse
Distinguishing Marks/Features: A scar on her nose and pierced ears.
Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Available
Clothing: A black shirt, turquoise pants, gray boots. Black watch with rope chain. Gray purse with two straps.
Jewelry: A horseshoe ring with diamonds.
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Sermons was last seen in Lakeland, Florida on May 3, 1992.
She attended a rodeo during the evening hours with Elwin Lawrence Costine Jr. (nicknamed "Larry") in Dade City, Florida.
Around 02.00, Larry and Jo went to breakfast with a friend. It is believed they arrived back at his trailer around 04:15 Sunday morning. Authorities determined that Sermons never returned to her own Lakeland residence after the date. She has never been seen again.
Both of Sermons and Costine's families filed missing persons' reports with law enforcement when they failed to locate them by the following day.
Costine was discovered deceased inside of his trailer home on Moore Road in Lakeland on May 5, 1992, two days after he and Sermons were last seen. He was a victim of homicide. One of Larry’s guns was missing, however there was no sign of a struggle or robbery. There was no trace of Sermons inside Costine's residence.
Foul play is suspected in her case. Costine's murder remains unsolved as well.
Agency Name: Polk County Sheriff's Office
Agency Contact Person: Detective Larry Roberts - Homicide Unit
Agency Phone Number: 863-534-6379
Agency E-Mail: lroberts@polksheriff.org
Agency Case Number: 9251864
NCIC Case Number: M-563323141
Polk County Sheriff's Office
FDLE
Unsolved Mysteries
NamUs
Added: Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 05-18-2022 - By: Htmlcnvtr
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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