In 2019, This 22-Year-Old’s Purse Was Found On A Bridge In Pittsburgh The Night She Disappeared: She Was Never Found, And Her Family Continues Searching For Answers
The evening of Monday, December 30, 2019, started off like any other day for Tonee Turner. The 22-year-old from the Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh stopped at a tea shop known as Dobra Tea. Then, she hopped on a city bus at about 6:00 p.m. to head home.
The bus driver, who saw Tonee often, remembered how she got off at her usual stop on Giddings Street. But what exactly happened after the 22-year-old exited the bus has remained a puzzling mystery. Tonee never arrived at work the following morning, and her loved ones never saw her again.
The Recovery Of Tonee’s Purse
Later that same evening, a Pittsburgh firefighter was riding his bike down the Homestead Grays Bridge when he stumbled upon an abandoned purse on the pedestrian walkway. Even more bizarrely, there was also a ceramic pot and a pair of shoes lying beside the purse.
The cyclist surveyed his surroundings and realized no one else was on the bridge who might have left the items. So, he decided to take the purse home– leaving the ceramic pot and shoes behind.
Once the cyclist made it inside, he inspected the purse’s contents for any identifying belongings. Inside, he found keys, a cell phone, a water bottle, and a journal.
So, the following morning, he decided to call one of the contacts in Tonee’s phone and got in touch with the 22-year-old’s aunt. He detailed what happened– how he found the items on the bridge– and claimed he was just trying to return the purse to its rightful owner.
At that point, Tonee’s aunt revealed that the phone belonged to her niece. Then, that Tuesday morning, the man traveled to the 22-year-old’s family to drop off the items.
Upon meeting, the firefighter informed Tonee’s loved ones that he had also spotted a ceramic pot and a pair of shoes next to the purse. Unfortunately, though, he claimed that he was unable to bring them all back while riding his bike and assumed all of the items would still be on the bridge.
Facebook – pictured above is Tonee
Strangely, though, after Tonee’s family followed up on the man’s account and returned to the bridge, all of the items were gone. It still remains unknown who removed the shoes and ceramic pot from the bridge, in spite of numerous pleas for anyone with information to come forward.
Additionally, since the items were never recovered, whether or not they really belonged to Tonee remains unconfirmed.
The Search For Tonee
After receiving Tonee’s purse from the cyclist, one thing was certain– the 22-year-old had been near Homestead Grays Bridge. This thoroughly confused her family since Tonee would never normally walk around that part of town.
However, it was also possible that Tonee had left her purse on the bus and someone else had picked it up. And according to the 22-year-old’s family, this would not be too shocking since she was prone to losing her phone.
So, on Tuesday morning, Darlene Johnson– Tonee’s mother– attempted to contact her daughter’s home. After receiving no answer, though, she was forced to start calling friends and family members to see if anyone knew where her daughter was.
On Monday evening, the night Tonee disappeared, the 22-year-old had been texting with her sister, Sydnee. After Tonee got on the bus home, though, her sister did not hear from Tonee again for the rest of the evening.
Apparently, this did not concern Sydnee, either. She knew that both she and Tonee had to be up early for work the following morning. So, Sydnee assumed they would just speak again the next day.
Tuesday morning, though, Tonee failed to show up for her shift at Studebaker Metals– a jewelry shop in Braddock, Pennsylvania, where she worked full-time as a metal fabricator. This was very uncharacteristic for the 22-year-old, who never missed work without contacting her supervisor first.
So, once Tonee’s family realized that she had never arrived at work that day, they contacted the Pittsburgh Police Department to report the 22-year-old missing.
Facebook – pictured above is another photo of Tonee
No one knows for sure whether Tonee arrived back at her home on Monday night. No neighbors recalled seeing the 22-year-old, and her roommate had been out of town.
But, a red coat that Tonee was reportedly wearing that day was discovered in her home. This suggested that she did arrive home safely but went back out at some point.
Tonee’s family did travel to her home after reporting her missing. And while there, they searched for clues in the 22-year-old’s journal.
Despite there being some entries detailing sad feelings, the young woman did not express any motives to take her life. Since her belongings were found on the bridge, though, this possibility could not be entirely ruled out.
This possibility also pushed Tonee’s family to search underneath the Homestead Grays Bridge for any clues about what might have happened. While both authorities and loved ones conducted a widespread search, though, no evidence of the 22-year-old was ever found there.
According to Tonee’s sister, Sydnee, it was hard to believe that the 22-year-old would have even taken her life at that point in time.
“She was going through the very normal ups and downs of being a young adult, finding her place in the world. She was at a high point,” Sydnee said.
By Thursday, investigators began to backtrack Tonee’s movements prior to her disappearance and visited the tea shop Dobra Tea. While there, authorities spoke with employees who regarded Tonee as a regular customer. They also recalled how the 22-year-old did not socialize much.
“She was pretty quiet, but she’s not usually super talkative,” one of the employees said.
Then, on Friday, investigators received a tip regarding a possible sighting of Tonee in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. The 22-year-old was not known to frequent that part of town, but her loved ones still followed up on the clue anyway.
They spent the entire day door-knocking, passing out flyers, and asking residents if they had spotted Tonee. Unfortunately, though, nothing came of these efforts.
The 22-year-old was well-known throughout her community. So, at the same time, the news of her disappearance was spreading like wildfire. A candlelight vigil was held on Saturday, and over 100 people attended to pray for Tonee’s safe return.
Those who knew her described Tonee as a talented artist and lover of music who had a magnetic personality.
“She was able to meet a person, and they would instantly love her,” one friend, Alexandra Aks, said.
Tonee’s mother was there, too. And while she appreciated the outpouring of love and care, the reality of the situation started to become too heavy to bear.
“I am starting to fear the worst because of the time that’s gone by without hearing from her… I don’t know how I’m going to go on without her here.”
Tonee’s sister, Sydnee, did try to remain strong and optimistic. She turned to the media and hoped to raise awareness about the case– appearing for numerous radio and television interviews.
As time continued to pass by, though, Tonee’s case was no longer being featured in news headlines, and no breaks in the investigation ever came.
One year after the 22-year-old’s disappearance, her loved ones hosted a silent march to honor Tonee.
Then, in a 2021 interview, Sydnee revealed how while she still had hope, she was not pleased with the Pittsburgh Police Department’s handling of her sister’s disappearance.
“I feel as though they could have pushed more… I think they really leaned on this idea that she committed suicide,” Sydnee said.
Pittsburgh Police Department investigators have confirmed that Tonee’s case is still open, and the investigation remains ongoing. However, authorities revealed there had been little progress made.
At the time of Tonee’s disappearance, she was five foot three, weighed 130 pounds, and had black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a gray shirt that read “Habla Español” on the back, gray cargo pants, and a black zip-up jacket. Tonee also had a spiral tattoo on her left shoulder, as well as ear, nose, and bottom lip piercings.
If you have any information regarding her disappearance or whereabouts, you are urged to contact the Pittsburgh Police Department at (412) 323-7800.
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