Katharina Buczek
By 1988, Annie Laurie Hearin had been married to her husband, Robert Hearin Sr., for 48 years.
Robert was one of the wealthiest businessmen in Mississippi. He was the president of School Pictures– a company that sold franchises to photographers throughout the U.S. to capture children’s school portraits.
But, on July 26, 1988, the business empire that rose the Hearin family to local fame also led to the abduction of Robert’s wife, Annie.
That day, the 72-year-old socialite had hosted a bridge club party at her home in Jackson, Mississippi.
The early afternoon came and went, and by 3:00 p.m., everyone– including the Hearin’s housekeeper, had left the property.
About 90 minutes later, at 4:30 p.m., Robert also returned home. And although he noticed his wife’s car parked in the driveway, he realized that Annie was nowhere to be found.
Robert began reaching out to friends and family members, asking if anyone knew where his wife was. Time was of the essence since Annie required daily medications.
Once it became clear that no one had seen the 72-year-old, Robert contacted the police. And from there, the motive behind Annie’s abduction began to unfold.
Drops of blood were discovered inside the Hearin’s home, and a ransom note was found lying by the front door.
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