Disappearance of Deanne Marie Hastings

Date: November 3, 2015.

Where: Spokane, Washington

Who: Deanne Marie Hastings

Deanne attended her first day of cosmetology school at Spokane's Glen Dow Academy, returned home, and then left her home around 9:30 pm. Deanne's fiancé, Mike Tibbetts, says he came home and found a note saying that she had run to the store. Her credit card was used the following morning at the Latah Trading Company not too far from her home, and surveillance video shows Deanne in the store around noon the following day. Witnesses say that Deanne was asking for help and said that she had been drugged and abducted. Police and paramedics came on the scene, spoke with her for a while, and decided to let her go. She went inside the store, bought vodka and birthday candles, and was seen leaving the parking lot towards a coffee shop.

Her vehicle was found parked in a parking lot in downtown Spokane, but nowhere near the Trading post or any other grocery store, and officials think the vehicle was left there the night she vanished.

Her purse, cellphone, and wallet were found in her vehicle, but some of her credit cards were missing. When officials tracked her financial records, they found that three people had been using her credit cards. All three were recognized and questioned, and declared they found the cards in a coat later recognized as belonging to Deanne - but no other information related to these individuals has been released.

An individual identified as Randy Riley was caught and charged with possession of stolen property and identity theft after it was found he had been using her stolen credit cards. He claims that he was not involved in her disappearance. He claims that he encountered her that night while she was walking on South Inland Empire Way, and states that she was very drunk and belligerent.

Surveillance video shows Deanne walking with Riley and his friend by a nearby storage facility. Riley claims they left her on the side of the road, only 300 yards from her home. He says the following day, he found her coat along that roadside with her wallet inside and used her cards. Riley says he threw her other cards and ID out near the deli, where they were later found, to make it look like she was still walking around. He spent a few months in jail and was released, and has not been named a suspect in the case.

It should also be noted that Deanne had a history of trying with mental illness and had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She may have been having difficulties with her medications shortly before her disappearance, but neither her fiancé nor any friends noticed anything off with her.

Although Riley was interviewed extensively, he has not been officially named a suspect in the case. I think he has to know more than he is letting on, and may have some proof as to what occurred to Deanne after he claims he last saw her. I would love to hear more about the police and paramedic reaction to the store, what she said, and why they decided to let her go. Based on the situation it does not seem like this is a suicide or voluntary disappearance - Deanne was very happy at the time and delighted to soon be married to her fiancé. She has not been seen or heard from since.