Summer 1992, Springfield, Missouri. Janelle Kirby and her boyfriend, Mike Henson, looked forward to meet up with their friends Suzie Streeter and Stacy McCall. They had planned to spend their time together at White Water theme park. But as the late- morning sun climbed, an uneasy silence settled: calls to Suzie and Stacy went unanswered. Concerned, Janelle decided to pay her friends a visit instead. Arriving at their home in East Delmar Street, she made an awful discovery: an unlocked front door and a broken glass lamp shade.

All three women, including Suzie’s mother Sherrill Levitt, had vanished without a trace. And they would never resurface to this day – even after thirty three long years.

Missing Persons Flyer from the official FBI page depicting the three women and age progressed pictures.

The Fateful Night

Close-knitted friends and teenagers Suzie Streeter (19) and Stacy McCall (18) had just graduated high school the day before when they returned from their celebrations on June 7th. After celebrating their achievement all throughout the day with their friends in the surrounding area and Janelle Kirby’s place, the two girls in last minute change of plans decided to return to Suzie’s home for the night, where Sherrill had also stayed the evening. Plans to spend the following day at White Water were made before they left, but this promise will forever stay unfulfilled. By morning, Janelle Kirby set foot into an empty house.

Left behind were their belongings, ranging from vehicles parked on the front porch to valuables like jewelry, money, medication and purses still left untouched at their home. Suzie’s bed had been slept in when police arrived, but no trace of the three women. Sherrill’s dog, Cinnamon, appeared distraught and nervous, leading to the belief the Yorkshire Terrier had witnessed what might have happened to her owner and the two teenage girls. Yet, police claims there were no signs of a struggle.

Attempts to support the investigations were made. Neighbors and friends alike volunteered to help the police search for the missing three all around Springfield, some even hanging posters and passing around flyers in hopes for some clues. To no avail – only a few leads have come up in recent years.

No one could have guessed that Suzie, Stacy and Sherill would vanish without a trace. That fateful night, their disappearances would become known as “The Springfield Three”.

What might have happened to the Springfield Three?

During the police’s investigation, a few leads have come up, resulting in the following theories:

Bart Streeter

As the son and brother of Sherrill and Suzie, Bart Streeter was immediately considered a suspect. He hadn’t spoken to his family in a few months due to previous arguments about Suzie’s former abusive boyfriend. However, Bart had an alibi that both his girlfriend and a neighbor could confirm. After passing a polygraph test, he was removed from the suspect list.

Robert Craig Cox

Former army veteran Robert Craig Cox, who had already abducted and assaulted two girls, had lived in Springfield at the time of the disappearances. Cox had also worked at the same car lot as McCall’s father, possibly linking him to one of the missing women. His girlfriend and his parents had corroborated his alibi, which later turned out to be a lie. In prison during a taped interview, he told a reporter that he knew the three women were dead and that he would only tell the public where they were buried once his mother would pass away. It is uncertain if he is telling the truth or if he is solely seeking for recognition.

Wrong place at the wrong time

Considering Suzie and Stacy weren’t originally supposed to stay at Levitt’s residence, a theory suggests that Sherrill’s was originally the target and the two girls ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time. However, this theory is believed to be unlikely as there is not much known about Levitt’s personal life that could have potentially made her a main target for abduction.

Many questions as to what happened to the three women persist, but as of today, there are no answers. Most likely, the case of Three Springfield Three will remain a mystery.

Sources:

https://www.ky3.com/2025/06/08/springfield-three-33-years-counting-since-disappearance-suzie-streeter-sherill-levitt-stacy-mccall
https://www.springfieldmo.gov/2498/Three-Missing-Women
https://medium.com/@byhannahoneill/the-crazy-case-of-the-springfield-three-where-are-they-491cc3cf946a
https://unresolved.me/springfieldthree01
https://unresolved.me/springfieldthree02
https://unresolved.me/springfieldthree04
https://militaryjusticeforall.com/1978/12

Pictures:

https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/vicap/missing-persons/the-springfield-three—springfield-missouri
https://www.springfieldmo.gov/ImageRepository/Path?filePath=%2fdocuments%5cIntranet%5c72%5c143%2fSherrillLevittcolorresized_201409231426051826.jpg
https://www.springfieldmo.gov/ImageRepository/Path?filePath=%2fdocuments%5cIntranet%5c72%5c143%2fStacyMccallcolorresized_201409231436357874.jpg
https://www.springfieldmo.gov/ImageRepository/Path?filePath=%2fdocuments%5cIntranet%5c72%5c143%2fSuzieStacyGraduationcropresize_201409231430402050.jpg
https://www.springfieldmo.gov/ImageRepository/Path?filePath=%2fdocuments%5cIntranet%5c72%5c143%2fSuzieStreetercolorresized_201409231426054482.jpg
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59393415bebafb202cc26aba/870b1012-0115-470a-9897-5fa241532b47/Untitled.png?format=2500w