Tiffany Daniels Disappeared. Was It Human Trafficking?

On August 12, 2013, Tiffany Daniels disappeared from Pensacola, Florida. Tiffany was only 25 years old when she was last seen. She was an artist, a free spirit, and was loved deeply by her many friends and family.

In the almost three years since Tiffany was last seen, her family and friends have struggled through many disappointing leads and even battled scam artists.

Below we examine three of the most perplexing elements of the investigation from tonight’s episode of Disappeared.

Learn more about the case at the official Facebook page: Help Find Tiffany.

Watch every episode of Investigation Discovery’s Disappeared online now.

What was Tiffany planning to do the week after she went missing?

Tiffany’s roommate at the time of the disappearance noted that he had heard a strange series of noises at the front door around 3AM. He was unable to explain what exactly he heard, but he and Tiffany’s family insist that she is not typically a morning person. The early morning noises and the time at which Tiffany left the house for work struck everyone close to her as odd. And while her roommate insisted that he didn’t see Tiffany again that day, police discovered that she did return to her house mid-afternoon while her roommate was home and on the phone in his bedroom.

We also still do not know why Tiffany alerted her supervisor that she would be gone for several days. Tiffany’s close friends and family do not know why she would make plans without telling anyone. Tiffany was always spontaneous, but it’s uncharacteristic of her to make longterm plans without thinking to share that information with her family. Tiffany had told her family and friends about her current artistic projects, plans to visit her boyfriend in Austin, and an upcoming dance party at her house. Overall, the true details of Tiffany’s unusual morning schedule and her sudden departure remain a mystery to investigators.

Whose fingerprints are on Tiffany’s car?

Nine days after Tiffany had been missing, a jogger spotted her car just outside the entrance to Fort Pickens parking lot. Inside the car was a jug of water, peanut butter, clothes, a purse, a wallet and Tiffany’s bike with sand in the wheels. Thankfully the toll road leading the beach helped to provide a timeline. Tiffany’s vehicle passed the toll at 7:51PM on Monday, August 12th, which is just three hours after she left work.

Sadly there are no security cameras at the parking lot and the toll did not take photos of video. Tiffany’s car was at the beach, but it’s unclear if Tiffany was driving or in the vehicle at all when the car parked. Tiffany’s car had two fingerprints on the door that do not match her, her friends or her family. Police ran the prints through a database, but could not find a match.

Klaas Kids, an organization that seeks to stop crimes against children, helped organize an extensive search across miles of surrounding beach area. Initially, Although some suspected that Tiffany might have gone swimming alone in the dark that night, nothing has washed ashore to indicate that Tiffany drowned.

Was Tiffany spotted in Louisiana along Interstate 10?

In a terrifying turn, police began getting tips that Tiffany was seen at various locations across Interstate 10. Tiffany’s mother got a particularly eerie tip, describing an older Hispanic man with two younger women. One of the younger women appeared to resemble Tiffany and when the waitress confronted her about the similarities, the trio of women abruptly left the restaurant. Unfortunately, the tip came in after security-camera footage in the restaurant had been tapped over. Tiffany’s mother continues to wonder if her daughter was accurately spotted that day.

Following the tip, Klaas Kids explained to the Daniels that their daughter could have fallen victim to a human trafficking ring. Florida ranks 2nd or 3rd in the list of states with the highest human trafficking rates. And Interstate 10, where Tiffany had supposedly been spotted, is known as a major corridor for traffickers.

As a personable young woman with a willingness to meet new people, Tiffany could have inadvertently fallen prey to someone looking to exploit young women. And while Tiffany is an adult, it’s not uncommon for women to be tricked, drugged and manipulated into a trafficking ring.

Despite it all, Tiffany’s friends and family are hopeful that someone will come forward with information that can help solve the case. Please report tips to the PPD 850-435-1900.

Watch every episode of Investigation Discovery’s Disappeared online now.

Read more: Pensacola News Journal, Huffington Post