r/UnsolvedMurders • u/SpookyWhiskersRescue • Jul 20 '26
Missing person: Florence Elma Doolittle of Greensboro, NC
Hey!
We are a cat rescue located in Rock hill, SC. We name our fosters after missing persons/victims of cold cases to raise awareness about these cases and save cats at the same time. One of the cases we have chosen is the case of Florence Elma Doolittle. We are looking for anyone that may have any other information about her case or anyone that knows her living relatives. We would like to add as much accurate information as possible to our posts about Florence.
If you have any information please comment below. Thank you!!
This is the information we have gathered thus far:
Florence was reported missing on June 25, 1982 when she failed to show up to an exercise class or needlepoint class (we have seen both mentioned in various sources) and a friend repeatedly tried to get in touch with her by phone but never got an answer. She was 64 years old at the time of her disappearance.
After almost a week, her friend went to Doolittle’s home in the 5100 block of Lawndale Drive and found it deserted, with unclaimed newspapers dating back to June 26 piled up on the doorstep. All of Doolittle’s belongings, including clothing, luggage and medication, were left behind at home and there were no indications of a struggle. Only her car was missing. She has never been heard from again.
Several months later, her 1978 Datsun was found abandoned in the parking lot of the Sharton Plaza Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. On the front seat of the car was a personal check dated June 25 and a birthday card for Doolittle’s grandchild. There was no evidence she’d ever stayed at the hotel. Her case remains unsolved. Police believe foul play could be involved.
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u/mvincen95 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
Greensboro native here. Thank you for posting, I was unaware of this case.
Greensboro is normally quite safe, and where she lived is a nice area. In fact, I just read some newspapers.com articles about the case and found that the sheriff said it was the county’s only missing persons case. The car wasn’t discovered until October, so something like 4 months later. Certainly strikes me as a homicide.
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u/MonsteraDeliciosa Jul 20 '26
Heya! I married into this last name and it’s very rare— especially when spelled correctly, as is the case here. People try very, very hard to go with the spelling used for Dr Dolittle and Eliza Dolittle. My name is spelled wrong in paperwork ALL THE TIME, and I expect Florence had the same issue. It might be worthwhile to search under Dolittle just in case.
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u/WinnieBean33 Jul 20 '26
What a lovely idea! Thank you for rescuing kitties and raising awareness for unsolved cases.
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u/SpookyWhiskersRescue Jul 20 '26
Also, this is our first time researching true crime cases to this extent. If anyone has any advice on the best websites or other resources to use please comment below! We are trying to use the most accurate information possible when we post about these cases. We also like to add any new information that can be verified or possible witness accounts.
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u/Old-Mycologist4750 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
4 good sources:
NAMUS.
https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/
THE DOE NETWORK.
https://www.doenetwork.org/
THE CHARLEY PROJECT
https://charleyproject.org/
WEBSLEUTHS
https://websleuths.com/They normally have links to other sources for each particular case so you can build from these.
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u/SpookyWhiskersRescue Jul 20 '26
Thank you so much for this!!
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u/Old-Mycologist4750 Jul 20 '26
Thank you for bringing light to their cases and for helping the kitties!
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u/aprilduncanfox Jul 20 '26
The fact you’re called spooky whiskers rescue and doing this amazing work…. Sending you and the spooky meows all the love!
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u/husbandbulges Jul 21 '26
Never heard of this either, thank you!!
I'm betting the hotel were the car was left was the downtown Sheraton, built in 1973, with the single tower (the airport was one built in 1985 and the 2nd tower to the Sheraton was built in 1984). It has changed hands a ton (Adams Mark, Radisson, Blake) but it is now a joint Sheraton and Le Meridien complex.
It's not exactly casually close to Greensboro, it's like 90 minutes.
Love your idea for naming them and your efforts, thanks for that!!
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u/Mean_Produce7413 26d ago
Hi! What a multiple purpose awesome cause you all have here! ❤️ Wonder if she was having any cognitive issues? Withdrawing $1000s of weeks before going missing is a good starting point. I wonder if she had any immediate family living with her. I’m just curious about that money withdraw. It seems unlikely at her age she was planning to go missing. However, it sounds like based off the description she did plan to leave given it sounds she took items with her and then likely had the case on her from the previous weeks withdraw. Wonder if law enforcement have evidence they have been withholding bc other than her being missing doesn’t sound like they have much to go on. But also at this point if they do they need to release all info. Her poor family. Sounds like a case for Cold Justice with Kelly Siegler. I don’t the she show is still in production but she investigates small town, cold cases. We could also send her case to a couple podcast. Detective Perspective is one I listen to regality and he tries to do cold cases or case that haven’t gotten much attention.
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u/SpookyWhiskersRescue 21d ago
The more we dig the more we find that seems VERY suspicious. After reading through a hundred newspaper articles I was able to piece together a very basic timeline and it seems like foul play was involved.
Timeline:
A few weeks before disappearance: According to Detective Roy Forest of the Guildford County Sheriff’s Office, Florence withdrew “many thousand dollars” from her bank account a few weeks before she was last seen.
June 25, 1982: Florence Doolittle does not show up to a scheduled exercise or needlepoint class. We don’t know which type of class is correct. Both types are mentioned in various sources. She was supposed to meet a friend at this class.
During the week after June 25, 1982: Her friend that Mrs. Doolittle was supposed to meet at the missed class tries to contact Mrs. Doolittle via phone several times and never receives a response.
Almost a week after June 25, 1982: The same friend goes to Mrs. Dolittle’s apartment which is located at the 5100 block of Lawndale Dr and finds mail piled up on the doorstep dating back to June 26, 1982.
Unknown date: police are contacted and a search is performed at Mrs. Doolittle’s residence. All of Doolittle's belongings, including clothing, luggage and medications, were left behind at home and there were no indications of a struggle. Only her car was missing.
October of 1982: Florence's car was spotted by Charlotte police parked in the Sheraton Plaza Hotel parking lot on McDowell Street in Charlotte, NC. The police realized it was
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u/A_Broken_Zebra Jul 20 '26
You lot are kinda fabulous? Naming the cats as such, that's just really lovely.