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Is Phoenix Coldon Hiding in Plain Sight?
It is not at all uncommon for a young person to want to explore the world outside of the one he or she grew up in. Our parents instill in us things we want to adopt into our own lives and pass on to our children, but no parent is perfect, so there are aspects of life at home that we want to shed as we get older.
Phoenix Coldon was no different. Hailing from Spanish Lake, Missouri, the young woman grew up in a deeply religious family where her family supported her many interests, which included fencing and music. Phoenix was a versatile musician who was skilled at playing the piano, guitar, and violin.
Friends and family describe Phoenix as a polite, friendly, intelligent person who was well-liked by everyone. She loved God and was deeply religious herself. But having been homeschooled beginning in the sixth grade, the 23-year-old was naive and didn’t go out much. This lack of street smarts likely played a role in the events of December 18, 2011.
That day started as a typical Sunday but would turn out to be anything but typical.
That afternoon after church, Phoenix’s mother, Goldia Coldon, watched her daughter go outside and get in her car. Phoenix regularly sat in her car to make phone calls, which Goldia thought was odd. She seemed to want more privacy than even her bedroom could provide. But despite finding it odd, she wasn’t particularly alarmed by the behavior.
Around 2:20 that afternoon, Phoenix’s father, Lawrence, saw Phoenix back out of the driveway in her car and assumed she was going to a convenience store or a friend’s house. It was the last time her family ever saw her.
Hours later, Phoenix’s 1998 black Chevy Blazer was found abandoned in a dangerous section of East St. Louis. She had left her glasses, her purse, a pair of shoes, and her ID inside the vehicle.
Retired police officer Joe Delia participated in a documentary about Phoenix’s disappearance. He…
