In a harrowing case that has captured national attention, the tragic murder of 19-year-old Ashanti Billie has led to renewed calls for justice and awareness around missing persons. Billie, who disappeared on September 18, 2017, while working at a sandwich shop on a naval base in Virginia Beach, was ultimately found dead in a wooded area behind a church in Charlotte, North Carolina, just days after her disappearance.

Surveillance footage confirmed Ashanti’s arrival at the base, but she never made it to her shift. Five days later, her abandoned car was discovered, with her belongings inside but no sign of her. The investigation quickly led to Eric Brown, a retired Navy veteran who had been harassing Ashanti prior to her kidnapping. Brown was arrested in November 2017, charged with her kidnapping and murder, but has yet to stand trial due to a diagnosis of schizophrenia that has deemed him incompetent.

Ashanti’s family, devastated by her loss, has transformed their grief into advocacy, leading the charge for the Ashanti Alert, a national system aimed at helping locate missing adults. The alert became federal law in December 2018, designed to serve as a counterpart to the Amber Alert for missing 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren.

Despite the passing of this critical legislation, the implementation has been slow, with Virginia being the only state currently utilizing the alert system. As Ashanti’s case remains unresolved, her family continues to push for broader awareness and funding to ensure that no other family has to endure the pain they experienced. The Ashanti Alert stands as a beacon of hope, aiming to prevent future tragedies and ensure that missing adults, particularly young women of color, aren’t overlooked.

As the community grapples with this deep loss, the urgency to bring Ashanti’s alleged 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁er to justice remains paramount. The fight for Ashanti, and for all missing individuals, continues.