Missing Since: 1997-12-22 Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Ricketts was last seen in Des Moines, Iowa at 9:30 a.m. on December 22, 1997. She left home to do some Christmas shopping, driving a gold 1994 Geo Prizm, and never returned. She has never been heard from again. Later that day, at 2:10 p.m., a fire broke out at her duplex in the 4000 block of Dubuque Avenue and caused $7,500 worth of damage to a bedroom. Firefighters were unable to determine the cause of the blaze, and investigators aren’t sure if it was related to her disappearance. Ricketts’s boyfriend said that on December 24, a woman claiming to be Ricketts called him on his cellular phone and said she was fine and didn’t want to be found. However, Ricketts never resurfaced, and on January 7 she was re-listed as a missing person. Her boyfriend refused to cooperate with the investigation and hired an attorney. Ricketts is a military veteran and lived in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma prior to moving to Des Moines. She left behind two daughters and one son. Authorities believe she may have been taken against her will. Her case is classified as a possible homicide. Investigating Agency Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse 800-346-5507 Source Information Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse Iowa Cold Cases The Des Moines Register Updated 3 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated July 5, 2017; details of disappearance updated.