In 1999, This 20-Year-Old Vanished Following A Disagreement With Her Boyfriend: Then, Years Later, It Came To Light That A Columbia University Graduate Student Had Stolen Her Identity

Facebook - pictured above is Brooke
Facebook - pictured above is Brooke

In 1999, Brooke Leigh Henson lived with her parents in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. The 20-year-old did not finish high school and instead dropped out in the tenth grade. But, she was known as a fun-loving young woman who loved being outdoors and going on hikes.

After Brooke’s parents left for a concert on the evening of July 3, 1999, though, her life took a tragic turn.

That night, while home alone, Brooke decided to host a party with numerous friends as well as her boyfriend, whom everyone called “Shaun.” But, at some point during that evening, Brooke and Shaun reportedly got into a disagreement.

So, by the time the 20-year-old’s parents arrived home at 2:00 a.m., they found their daughter sitting outside on the porch. Then, while talking, Brooke told her parents about the fight and claimed that she planned to walk to a convenience store known as Willis’s to buy cigarettes. The store was located on the corner of Poinsett Highway and Hawkins Road.

Before she could leave, however, Brooke reportedly got into another verbal disagreement with Shaun. In turn, she did not depart for the convenience store until 2:30 a.m. and was last seen walking down Henderson Drive.

The 20-year-old also left behind a note before leaving home. It was for her boyfriend and read, “Follow me if you care.”

Tragically, though, Brooke never arrived back home that evening, and she was never heard from or seen again.

She and Shaun reportedly had a very turbulent relationship, and when Brooke went missing, her boyfriend and his friends would not cooperate with the investigation.

Shaun also had a lengthy criminal record, primarily consisting of assaults and drug-related offenses. So, authorities do consider him a person of interest in Brooke’s case, although he has never been named a suspect.

Facebook – pictured above is Brooke

Following Brooke’s disappearance, it also came to light that someone had been using the missing 20-year-old’s identity to commit fraud.

States away, in New York City, one woman actually used Brooke’s name, date of birth, and social security number to enroll in graduate classes at Columbia University’s School of General Studies.

The woman registered for courses in psychology and criminology, and it took two full years before anyone realized she was using a stolen identity.

The identity theft was finally discovered in June 2006 after the woman used Brooke’s name to apply for a job.

Then, upon reviewing the woman’s application, her prospective employer decided to conduct an internet search and realized that the real Brooke was actually a missing person.

So, authorities were contacted, and investigators identified the woman as Esther Elizabeth Reed.

Once Esther was confronted, she tried to claim that she was really Brooke and had just left her home voluntarily. Investigators did not believe her story, though, and set up a DNA test to find out the truth.

Esther did not show up to take the test, though. Rather, she decided to flee– taking only her cat, hairbrushes and combs, and toothbrush with her.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Esther had a lengthy history of identity theft. She would use the identities to enroll at different colleges and universities.

Although Esther did complete coursework at some prestigious colleges using the stolen identities, though, the woman herself never actually finished high school.

Instead, Esther took the GED exam, passed it, and then used Brooke’s name to take the SAT test prior to attending Columbia.

Esther also claimed to be a European chess champion and ultimately ran up credit card debt, obtained passports, and took out more than $100,000 in student loans under all of her stolen identities.

After Esther fled, she continued to run from authorities for two and a half years. Then, in February 2008, she was arrested in Chicago, Illinois, and charged with possession of false identity documentation, mail and wire fraud, and identity theft.

In August of that year, Esther pleaded guilty to the identity theft and federal fraud charges. So, by February 2009, she was ultimately sentenced to four years in prison.

Esther has since stated that she did not intend to harm anyone through her crimes and claimed to have only taken Brooke’s identity in order to escape a tough past.

Authorities do also believe that Esther was simply taking advantage of Brooke’s disappearance and was not actually involved in the 20-year-old’s case.

This means that even after Esther’s arrest, Brooke’s disappearance has, unfortunately, remained unsolved.

According to her loved ones, it was extremely out of character for Brooke to take off without warning. Her family also claims that investigators only began conducting searches of the area three years after she was reported missing.

At the time, the authorities reportedly believed that Brooke had left at her own will. So, they seemingly expected that she would return home shortly afterward.

Since then, though, investigators have admitted to believing that foul play was involved in the 20-year-old’s disappearance.

Brooke’s boyfriend, Shaun, ultimately died in September 2019. His death was also under investigation. However, the scene reportedly had no indicators of foul play.

Most recently, investigators have stated their belief that Brooke was murdered, and they reportedly have a suspect in her case. The suspect’s identity has not been made public, though, and it remains to be seen if the person will be charged.

In the meantime, Brooke’s loved ones have created a Facebook page entitled Justice for Brooke Leigh Henson to raise awareness about her case and continue fighting for justice.

At the time of Brooke’s disappearance, she was five foot four, weighed 104 pounds, and had dyed-brown hair and blue eyes. She went by the nickname “Brookey,” was not known to normally wear a lot of makeup, and was last seen wearing brown or dark green shorts, a tan tank top, and black sandals. According to the Facebook page, a $5,000 reward is currently being offered for information about Brooke’s case.

If you have any information regarding Brooke’s disappearance or whereabouts, you are urged to contact the Travelers Rest Police Department at (864) 232-7463 or the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at (803) 737-9000.

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Katharina Buczek graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Arts. Specializing ... More about Katharina Buczek

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