It’s been three years since Summer Wells disappeared without a trace – and many questions remain.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation this week released an age-advanced image of little Summer, who disappeared on June 15, 2021, when she was just 6 years old.
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The TBI, which has come under heavy criticism from parents Don and Candus for its handling of the case, claims to have worked through 6,500 leads and tips while interviewing anyone with information.
There is little evidence to help authorities, although some sections of social media have cast doubt on the involvement of Summer’s mother and father in the mystery.
FAMILY DIVIDED
Just six months after Summer’s disappearance, Don and Candus had their three children in care. There is no sign of them returning home anytime soon.
“I see all these families with all their kids and how much they like them and stuff, and we’ve been taken away from all our kids,” Don said. WJHL. “All our children were kidnapped from us by [Department of Children’s Services] and we’re not sure about Summer, but we know where our boys are.”
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Summer was last seen leaving her home on Ben Hill Road in the Beech Creek community of Hawkins County, Tennessee, but it was an appearance by her parents on the Dr. Phil show a few months later that caused her Internet detectives gossiped.
Body language experts The Behavior Dashboardled by Scott Rousewho was trained alongside the FBI, Secret Service, US Military Intelligence and the Department of Defense, questioned the pair about Summer’s troubling disappearance.
While mother Candus confused viewers with her refusal to get involved before walking away, Don was also placed firmly under the microscope by Rouse and Greg Hartley.
Rouse, who lives in Tennessee and is familiar with the case, was eager to examine the couple’s body language and was delighted when Don agreed to record a video.
Having spent time in prison for a range of crimes including firearm possession, domestic assault and driving under the influence, it would have been easy for Rouse and his colleagues to immediately think the worst of Summer’s father.
Many residents of the rural area, where the houses are scattered among each other, have also accused him of irregularities, something that those close to him angrily reject.
DIFFICULT QUESTIONS
“You would look at Don’s past and think this is probably the guy,” Rouse told The US Sun at CrimeCon in Nashville. “However, we didn’t think it was him.”
The expert analyst questioned Summer’s father about the situation while trying to make the experience as difficult and uncomfortable as possible.
“You just start talking,” Rouse explained. “You’re looking for a baseline, in the pace of the speech, in the word choices.”
Then Don was hit with the killer question: What did you do with Summer?
“We didn’t achieve anything,” he recalled.
TURNING THE SCREW
Rouse openly admits that people can lie their way out of many situations, but knows that eventually, by using many “tricks and tools”, they will finally break down.
He says he and Hartley “used everything” in the closet.
Interrogation strategies and elicitation techniques were deployed without impact.
“Don wasn’t hiding anything,” Hartley added. “He wasn’t scared.”
Timeline of Summer Wells’ Disappearance
2021
15th of June
Summer Wells reported missing around 6:30 p.m. Investigators worked throughout the night in the surrounding area.
June 16
Endangered child alert issued and soon upgraded to Amber Alert.
On June 25th
Police are looking for a red Tacoma truck that may have seen something. Police never revealed whether the witness was found.
June 27th
The search has been reduced. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says it has “500 leads” in the case at this time. The number of tips soon reaches more than 1,000.
July 27th
Don and Candus’ three children are taken away by child protective services.
October 31st
Daddy Don was arrested and pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.
November 12th
Don and Candus appear on the Dr. Phil show and have their body language examined by experts.
2022
February 4th
Summer’s 6th birthday coincides with investigators revealing that the Wells family is no longer cooperating.
15th of June
Investigators say they conducted more than 170 interviews based on tips they received.
October 31st
Don was released from prison.
May 2024
A thousand days have passed since Summer’s disappearance, but the cops are no closer to finding her or whoever was involved.
“He was a little nervous when we met, just from a social standpoint,” Rouse continued.
“He was also in the system and we looked like police officers. Whenever you deal with cops, you’re in the system, you’re going to be nervous.
“Here’s the thing: everyone is a good liar. We can all lie about how many drinks we had last night.
“But when it comes to being part of someone’s death, the stress level increases.”
When Don did not break down during two hours of fierce interrogation, Rouse and Hartley were convinced of his innocence.
The footage, however, was captured by Dr. Phil, who managed to convince the Wells family to go to Los Angeles and film a new interrogation session in front of a live TV audience.
“If someone can keep that same baseline, they could be the best actor you’ve ever seen,” continued Rouse.
“But even the greatest actors aren’t that good at lying. Don waited, he had nothing to do with what happened to this missing girl.”
The US Sun contacted the TBI and received an email response.
“We posted a video [Friday] morning about the case on our social media platforms,” a spokeswoman said in an email response. “That is the extent of what we have to provide.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
