Samantha Hopper was a 20-year-old pregnant mother who went missing in September 1998 along with her 22-month-old daughter, Courtney Holt. They were last seen driving a blue Ford Tempo from Russellville to Little Rock, Arkansas, where Samantha planned to drop off Courtney before attending a concert. However, they never arrived at their destination and their car was never found. For 23 years, their disappearance remained a mystery, until a group of sleuths who work on cold cases made a shocking discovery.
How the Car Was Found
The group, called Adventures With Purpose (AWP), uses sonar technology and underwater cameras to locate submerged vehicles that may be connected to missing persons cases. They have helped solve several cold cases across the country, and they were contacted by Samantha’s surviving daughter, Dezarae, who was only two years old when her mother and sister vanished. Dezarae had been searching for answers for decades, and she hoped that AWP could help her find closure.
On Oct. 26, 2021, AWP called the Pope County Sheriff’s Office to report that they had found a car in a body of water in Russellville, about 25 feet from the road. The car matched the description of Samantha’s blue Ford Tempo, and it was submerged in eight feet of water. The sheriff’s office, with the assistance of Elmo’s Crane Service and Battlecross Towing, retrieved the car from the water, and confirmed that it belonged to Samantha Hopper. Inside the car, they also found human remains, which were sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for DNA testing.
The Family’s Reaction
Dezarae and other family members of Samantha and Courtney were on the scene when the car was recovered. They were overcome with mixed emotions of grief and relief, as they finally had some answers after 23 years of uncertainty. They expressed their gratitude to AWP and the sheriff’s office for their efforts in solving the case.
“While it was gut wrenching to have to see the tears stream down their faces as they were told the news, it was also incredibly heartwarming to see the smiles on their faces and the weight release from their shoulders knowing they were potentially bringing their loved ones home,” AWP wrote on their Facebook page.
“The Pope County Sheriff’s Office would like to send our sincere condolences to the family of Samantha Hopper and Courtney Holt,” Pope County Sheriff Shane Jones said in a statement. “We are thankful to have been a small part of helping bring this 23-year-old case to closure.”
The Cause of Death
The cause of death of Samantha and Courtney has not been officially determined yet, as the DNA testing and the autopsy are still pending. However, based on the location and the condition of the car, it is possible that they were involved in a tragic accident that caused them to veer off the road and into the water. There is no evidence of foul play or any other suspicious circumstances surrounding their disappearance.
Samantha Hopper and Courtney Holt are among the thousands of people who go missing every year in the United States. Their case shows the importance of never giving up hope and the power of technology and teamwork in solving cold cases. Their family and friends can now finally have some peace and closure, knowing that they have found their loved ones.
