The Missing Humboldt Five: Where is Sheila Franks?

 

Sheila Franks, 37, was last seen on February 2, 2014, getting into a car with a man by name James Jones. In June 2019, a femur belonging to her was found near the Eel River, nearly five years later, along the same waterway where Danielle Bertolini's remains were located.

A wonderful mother of two, Sheila had reportedly been living with Jones before her disappearance, again linking her to both Danielle and the person of interest. Their relationship was said to be have been one marred with violence. Her purse and credit cards were also found in a storage unit associated with Jones.

Despite Jones' run in with the police for drug offenses and domestic violence, no homicide charges have been filed against him. 

Sheila Frank's disappearance deepened the sense of a possible serial element or opportunistic crimes occurring in Humboldt’s rural area. As of 2025, her case still remains open with the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and Fortuna Police Department. 

The Missing Humboldt Five: Where is Danielle Bertolini?

February 9, 2014, saw the disappearance of 23-year-old Danielle Bertolini, after she accepted a ride near Swains Flat, close to Fortuna, California. Her skull was discovered on March 8, 2015, along the Eel River and later confirmed via dental records, classifying her case as suspicious.

Danielle’s disappearance offered the first break in the case of the Humboldt Five, as her remains were found in the same area where Sheila Franks’ femur would later be discovered. A local named James Jones, who was with Sheila shortly before her disappearance, also gave Danielle a ride on that fateful day of February 9, marking him a person of interest in both cases.

As of 2025, Danielle Bertolini's case remains open at the Humboldt County Sheriff's office. No suspects have been arrested, and her childhood friend Kristen Seavey is determined to change that. 

The Missing Humboldt Five: Where is Christine Walters?

On November 14, 2008, 23-year-old Christine Walters walked into a copy center in Eureka, California, looking scared and disheveled. She had scratches and claimed to have been followed, yet was negative for drugs. 

Two days earlier, a couple had found Christine naked and confused on their Arcana porch. This was after Christine had attended an ayahuasca ceremony at a spiritual center in Arcata. The couple phoned the police and she was taken to the hospital for treatment. Investigators said she was evasive when spoken to, and instead mentioned there were demons who could hear her and were trying to get her. Christine's personal belongings, including her backpack and identification, were later recovered at the spiritual center. 

Despite being classified as endangered, Christine Walters disappeared again with no trace. Her case remains open, with growing interest through podcasts and true crime forums, though no solid leads have surfaced.

The Missing Humboldt Five: Where is Karen Mitchell?

In November 1997, 16-year-old Karen Mitchell vanished while walking down Broadway in Eureka, California after visiting her aunt’s shoe store. 

A witness described a light-blue 1977 Ford Granada driven by an older white male near the scene, which prompted cadaver-sniffing dog searches and investigations along the West Coast, but no leads panned out. 

Notably, both Robert Durst, and serial killer Wayne Adam Ford were hinted at, but later ruled out as a possible suspects in Karen’s disappearance. Despite renewed searches in 2004, and appeals in national media, the case remains unsolved.

Karen Mitchell's disappearance highlighted the sudden vanishing of young women in Humboldt County, contributing to the pattern that would include Jennifer Wilmer, Christine Walters, Danielle Bertolini, and Sheila Franks.

The Missing Humboldt Five: Where is Jennifer "Jade" Wilmer?

In September 1993, 21-year-old Jennifer "Jade" Wilmer disappeared while hitchhiking near Willow Creek, California. A free spirit who dropped out of St. John’s University, she had had been planning to attend College of the Redwoods or find farm work before vanishing.

Jennifer left behind a note saying she had begin farm work, but police dismissed her departure as a runaway case due to her counterculture lifestyle.

Investigations into Jennifer's disappearance were sluggish. Her roommates were initially uninformed, and her details weren’t even added to the national missing database until her parents fought for it. 

Jennifer was declared dead in 2002, though her remains were not found. Her mother championed "Jennifer’s Law", mandating unidentified remains enter the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.

Despite many efforts, no trace of Jennifer Wilmer has been found, and her case remains active with Trinity County authorities. Her disappearance marks the beginning of the figure known as the Humboldt Five due to the geographic and demographic connections to four more missing women.

Missing Persons: The Case of the Humboldt Five

 

The term "Humboldt Five" was coined to describe five missing women whose disappearances occurred in Humboldt County, California, or nearby areas, between the years of 1993 and 2014. While law enforcement has not officially grouped them, true-crime researchers and the media often refer to them collectively due to geographic patterns, similar victim profiles, and linked persons of interest. Below are the women who make up the missing five:

Jennifer "Jade" Wilmer (September 1993)

Jennifer disappeared after hitchhiking in Willow Creek. Known as a free spirit, her case grew cold until her mother’s advocacy led to "Jennifer’s Law," which has improved unidentified remains reporting.

Karen Marie Mitchell (November 1997)

Last seen walking in Eureka, Karen’s case included a witness spotting a 1977 Granada which she was seen getting into. Despite extensive searches, no leads emerged, although suspects like Wayne Adam Ford and Robert Durst were linked to the case.

Christine Lindsey Walters (2008)

Christine vanished after being found disoriented near Arcata, claiming she had been followed. She was last seen looking very disheveled and acting very paranoid, while looking over her shoulder. Authorities consider her an endangered missing person  .

Danielle Brooks Bertolini (February 2014)

Last seen accepting a ride near Fortuna, Danielle’s skull was discovered along the Eel River in 2015. Investigators labeled her case suspicious, and she was associated with one person of interest.

Sheila Sherrell Franks (February 2014)

Sheila disappeared from Fortuna in the same year as Danielle. A femur was found by the Eel River in 2019, which was identified as hers. She was last seen with the same person of interest linked to Danielle, thus their cases were connected, and their families teamed up to locate them.

These cases are frequently grouped as the Humboldt Five due to the overlapping timelines, rural locations, and similar victim profiles. While they remain unsolved (apart from partial remains in the last two), their persistent connections keep public and investigator interest alive.