Reward increased in Chelsea Woods disappearance

Authorities have increased the reward to $10,000 for information in the disappearance of a Clinton woman who has been missing for more than two years, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office said.

Chelsea Woods, 38, has been missing since Aug. 28, 2022. The sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s help as the case remains unsolved, offering the reward for information leading to her recovery or to the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of anyone responsible for her disappearance.

According to a sheriff’s office incident report previously cited by Fox 16, witnesses said Woods was “talking all sorts of crazy” before running out of her home and into nearby woods on the day she was last seen. Authorities said she had made a 911 call before fleeing into the wooded area behind her residence north of Clinton.

Deputies conducted a welfare check at Woods’ home three days later and found an open door and her cat inside, but no sign of her. Officers searched the surrounding area and called out to Woods using a patrol vehicle’s public address system, but received no response.

Some of Woods’ personal belongings were later located, but she has never been found, the sheriff’s office said.

At the time, Lt. Derek Adams, who oversees investigations for the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department, said the case remained a top priority.

Woods is described by authorities as having brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Mark Lewis or the investigative unit at the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office at (501) 745-2112.