Cold Case Files: Decade old mystery remains in Arkansas disappearance of 15-year-old Cassie Compton

Nearly a decade has passed since the disappearance of 15-year-old Cassie Compton, yet the small town of Stuttgart, Arkansas, remains without answers. What began as a quiet Sunday evening in September 2014 quickly turned into a chilling mystery, leaving family, friends, and law enforcement searching for clues that could explain what happened to the teenage girl.

On September 13, 2014, Cassie spent the day at a demolition derby in DeWitt with her friend Hunter Snyder and his family. After the event, she stayed overnight at their home. According to Hunter’s mother, Tracey Snyder, Cassie was quieter than usual throughout the visit.

The following day, she remained with the Snyders before being dropped off at her home on 15th Street at approximately 6:05 p.m. Her mother, Judy Kimsey, was sick in bed, while Kimsey’s fiancé, Brandon Rhodes, was present in the house.

Sometime between 6:25 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Cassie left home with only her black LG smartphone. From there, the accounts of what happened next differ.

Kimsey’s recollection suggests that Rhodes was cooking dinner while she rested in bed. At some point, Cassie mentioned she was going to the store, but she never returned.

Brandon Rhodes

Rhodes tells a different story. He claims he left to buy cigarettes, using Kimsey’s car despite lacking a valid driver’s license. While he was gone, Cassie reportedly texted her mother, saying she was heading out “to get a smoke.” Rhodes, however, was gone for several hours. When he finally returned, he immediately went into the bathroom and vomited, remaining inside for over an hour.

This version of events is backed by Hunter and Tracey Snyder, who stated Cassie texted Hunter between 7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., saying she was going to buy cigarettes. That message is believed to be the last communication from Cassie before she disappeared.

At 9:14 p.m., Rhodes began making calls to the Snyder residence, asking if Cassie was there. He called three times that night, but each time, the answer was the same—she was nowhere to be found.

By the morning of September 15, Kimsey realized her daughter had not returned. She began contacting Cassie’s friends, growing increasingly concerned when none had seen her.

Authorities were soon alerted, but there remains some uncertainty about who officially reported Cassie missing—some sources say it was her mother, while others claim it was Tracey Snyder. Rhodes later stated that he rode his bicycle to the police station the night Cassie disappeared, only to be told he had to wait 72 hours before filing a report. However, no official records confirm this claim.

Click to enlarge

Initially, the Stuttgart Police Department treated Cassie’s disappearance as a runaway case, delaying an official search. As a result, no AMBER Alert was issued. It wasn’t until law enforcement realized she likely had not left voluntarily that the Arkansas State Police and FBI became involved.

Investigators seized cell phones belonging to both Kimsey and Rhodes and conducted a search of Cassie’s bedroom. Law enforcement and volunteers scoured various locations, including a one-block radius of her home, the local cemetery, and the Stuttgart Airport—reportedly based on cell phone pings. Authorities also searched reservoirs, dumpsites, and the area behind R.W. Manufacturing, following a theory that Cassie’s remains could have been transported on foot or by bicycle.

During an October 2014 search, authorities discovered a collection of seemingly random items beneath the Bayou Meto Bridge, approximately 15 miles from Casscoe. These items included a half-empty Gatorade bottle, men’s shirts, a teddy bear, a girl’s sweater, men’s toiletries, and two carrying bags. Investigators later determined these items had been placed under the bridge the night before they were found.

Despite exhaustive searches, no significant breakthroughs were made.

As the years passed, several potential leads emerged, but none led to Cassie’s whereabouts. A false report in November 2014 claimed that a teenage boy had posed as Cassie, only to be quickly debunked. Additionally, multiple alleged sightings of Cassie at local stores failed to be confirmed.

Perhaps one of the most bizarre twists in the case came in January 2021, when a TikTok video surfaced showing a young woman with blackened eyes sitting in the back of a vehicle while two men spoke off-camera. Social media users speculated that the woman in the video could be Cassie. The FBI, Stuttgart Police Department, the Morgan Nick Foundation, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children all worked to verify the girl’s identity. Ultimately, it was confirmed that she was not Cassie but a Los Angeles woman named Haley Grace Phillips, who had been robbed prior to the recording.

Despite the disappointment, the viral video renewed public interest in Cassie’s case.

Brandon Rhodes remains a person of interest in the case, though authorities have not publicly revealed any direct evidence linking him to Cassie’s disappearance. Since she went missing, Rhodes has been arrested multiple times, including for drug offenses in 2015 and theft and firearms possession in 2019.

In 2019, Rhodes wrote a letter to KATV, stating he wanted to help bring closure to Cassie’s case. However, he later denied having any involvement in her disappearance.

Cassie’s mother initially believed Rhodes was responsible for what happened to her daughter. In the years since, however, she has expressed uncertainty, saying she no longer believes he was involved. Cassie’s brother, on the other hand, remains convinced that Rhodes played a role in her disappearance.

The Stuttgart Police Department continues to receive tips about Cassie’s case, but none have led to a definitive answer. Law enforcement has not ruled anyone out as a suspect.

As of today, Cassie Compton remains missing. Her family, friends, and those who continue to follow her case still hold onto hope that someday, the truth will come to light.

Anyone with information regarding Cassie’s disappearance is encouraged to contact the Stuttgart Police Department or the Arkansas State