Deputies Say 93-Year-Old NC Woman Was Kidnapped By Family Member
Deputies Say 93-Year-Old NC Woman Was Kidnapped By Family Member HOKE COUNTY, N.C. — A 93-year-old Hoke County woman is the subject of an urgent missing-person investigation after deputies said she left home with a family member for an errand and did not return. The Hoke County Sheriff’s Office is looking for Catherine Peterkin, who was last reported leaving her home in the 100 block of Claras Place on Thursday, according to WRAL News. Deputies told the station they believe Peterkin was kidnapped by a family member, and they are asking the public to help locate both Peterkin and a vehicle connected to the case.
Peterkin was last seen in a white 2021 Jeep Cherokee registered to Mary Chandler, WRAL reported. Authorities said anyone who knows where Peterkin or Chandler may be should call 911 immediately or contact the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office. The case began as what appeared to be a family-approved errand, according to the public information released so far. WRAL reported that Peterkin left with a family member to run errands. Another family member, described as Peterkin’s guardian, contacted the sheriff’s office after Peterkin failed to return.
That timeline is central to the investigation. Deputies have not publicly released a detailed account of where Peterkin and the family member were expected to go, how long they were supposed to be gone, or when relatives first became concerned. But the sheriff’s office’s request for public help shows investigators are treating the disappearance as urgent and are focused on finding the SUV in which Peterkin was last seen.
The sheriff’s office has not publicly released any information suggesting Peterkin has been harmed. No medical condition, clothing description, license plate number, or detailed travel route was included in the WRAL report. Authorities also did not publicly announce any criminal charges in the information available Friday afternoon. Because the investigation is active, officials are asking the public to share information directly with law enforcement rather than relying on social media posts alone.
For Hoke County residents, the most important detail released by investigators is the vehicle: a white 2021 Jeep Cherokee registered to Mary Chandler. Deputies are asking anyone with information about the location of Peterkin or Chandler to contact emergency authorities. The official Hoke County website lists the sheriff’s office main number as 910-875-5111 and instructs residents to dial 911 in emergencies.
The circumstances make the case especially concerning because Peterkin is 93. Missing-person investigations involving older adults often move quickly because time, weather, transportation, access to medication, and communication can all become important factors. Officials have not said Peterkin was experiencing any health issue, and no such claim should be assumed. But her age alone is a major reason law enforcement and relatives are seeking immediate public attention.
North Carolina has a statewide Silver Alert process for certain missing adults, particularly cases involving people believed to have dementia or another cognitive impairment. Under the state’s process, local law enforcement first investigates a missing-person report and determines whether the case meets criteria before contacting the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons. It was not immediately clear from the public reports whether a Silver Alert had been requested or issued in Peterkin’s case.
The public notice from the sheriff’s office and the WRAL report both emphasize the same immediate goal: locate Peterkin and the vehicle. In missing-person cases, information from drivers, neighbors, store employees, gas station workers, and residents who remember seeing a vehicle can help investigators narrow a timeline. Even small details, such as a sighting of a white SUV matching the description or information about where Peterkin and Chandler may have traveled, could be useful to deputies.
Hoke County is a largely rural county in the Sandhills region, where travel between homes, businesses, medical offices, banks, churches, and neighboring communities can involve county roads and highways that pass through less densely populated areas. That geography can make public awareness important in a search, especially when investigators are trying to identify a vehicle’s last known location.
The sheriff’s office has not released a possible motive, and authorities have not said whether the situation involves a family dispute, a guardianship disagreement, a misunderstanding, or another circumstance. At this stage, the publicly confirmed facts are limited: Peterkin left home Thursday with a family member, did not return, her guardian contacted deputies, and investigators are looking for the white Jeep Cherokee registered to Chandler.
The use of the word “kidnapped” by deputies gives the case a serious legal and public-safety dimension, but officials have not released enough information to explain what led investigators to that belief. In responsible reporting, that distinction matters. The sheriff’s office’s assessment is being reported as an official law enforcement statement, not as an independent conclusion about what happened.
Family-related missing-person cases can be complicated because the people involved may know one another, may have permission for some contact, and may share personal or legal responsibilities. In this case, the sheriff’s office has publicly referenced a guardian, meaning investigators are likely working to clarify who had authority to take Peterkin from the home, what permission was given, and whether that permission was exceeded. The public record so far does not answer those questions.
For now, deputies are relying on public assistance. Anyone who believes they have seen Catherine Peterkin, Mary Chandler, or the white 2021 Jeep Cherokee should call 911 immediately. Residents who have information but are not facing an emergency can contact the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office at its main number, 910-875-5111, according to the county’s official contact page.
The search remained the central focus of the case in the latest public reporting. Until authorities provide an update, the sheriff’s office is asking residents in Hoke County and surrounding areas to stay alert for the vehicle and report any credible information that could help bring Peterkin home safely.
North Carolina Insider compiled this report from the sources listed below. All facts are attributed to their original outlets.
