She Ran A Bed And Breakfast And Was Involved In A Lawsuit Against Some Investors, But After Meeting With Her Attorney In 2003, She Mysteriously Disappeared

Maren Winter  - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only
Maren Winter - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only

In 2003, Janet Fairhurst of Eagar, Arizona, was 59 years old. She had two adult children, who both lived out of state, as well as a beloved pet dog – which she reportedly took wherever she went.

As for work, Janet ran a bed and breakfast in Eagar. She and a group of investors owned the business together, in addition to some property located in New Mexico.

However, Janet eventually became involved in a lawsuit against some of the investors in the group. Then, in August 2003, she mysteriously disappeared and was never seen or heard from again.

She was last seen on August 4, 2003, in Eagar. That day, she reportedly met with her attorney – who was her last known contact.

Afterward, a few weeks passed by, and her loved ones were unable to get in touch with her. So, they ultimately contacted authorities and asked the police to conduct a wellness check on her.

Once investigators arrived at Janet’s residence, she was nowhere to be found. Also missing was Janet’s dog, as well as her vehicle.

According to Springerville police officer Bill Johnston, if Janet had just run out to do an errand, her home appeared as though she’d planned to go right back. However, he stated it’s also possible something happened to Janet inside her own home, and an unknown individual subsequently took her vehicle.

Then, on August 25, Janet’s car – a blue 2003 Dodge Caravan – was discovered abandoned in central El Paso, Texas. The vehicle was found in the 600 block of Dallas Street, which is approximately five hours away from Janet’s home in Eagar, Arizona.

However, it is unclear precisely when Janet went missing, according to Phoenix Police Sgt. Darren Burch.

Maren Winter – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

“She simply vanished, and no one really knows the exact day she disappeared,” he said.

Foul play is reportedly suspected in Janet’s case due to the suspicious circumstances that authorities discovered during their investigation. Still, few details about Janet’s disappearance have been made publicly available.

So, the exact circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain unknown, and her case is still unsolved over two decades later.

Back in 2012, Johnston stated that he wanted to solve the mystery to provide both closure to Janet’s family as well as restore peace of mind to the Eagar community.

But, since then, there have been few additional reports or updates on the investigation of Janet’s disappearance.

At the time she vanished, Janet was between five feet and five foot five, and she weighed about 150 pounds. She had brown eyes, and her ears were pierced.

Silent Witness previously offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and/or indictment of the person(s) responsible for her disappearance.

If you have any information regarding Janet’s case, you are urged to contact the Eagar Police Department at (928) 333-4240 or Silent Witness at (480) 948-6377.

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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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