Twenty-three years ago, a mother and her child vanished without a trace in Arkansas. Today, there’s finally an answer to the mystery.
The car belonging to Samantha Jean Hopper, who disappeared with her young daughter, Courtney Holt, in 1998, has been found submerged in eight feet of water. It was a heart-wrenching discovery made by Adventures With Purpose, a charity that travels across the U.S., solving cold cases that have long gone cold.
The Pope County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the findings in an official statement on Tuesday, describing how Hopper’s blue Ford Tempo was finally pulled from the depths, bringing closure to a mystery that haunted the family for over two decades.
Samantha Hopper was last seen on September 11, 1998. She had been planning a simple trip—one meant to drop off her two-year-old daughter, Courtney, before heading to Little Rock for a performance. But neither mother nor daughter ever arrived at their destinations, and despite searches, both the family and authorities were left with nothing but questions.
Years passed without a single clue. The car, the bodies—everything had vanished. That is, until the determined team at Adventures With Purpose decided to take on this cold case. They located the submerged vehicle, still resting quietly under eight feet of water.
Inside the car, the remains of what they believe are Samantha and her daughter were found. A Pope County official explained that the human remains will now be taken to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for a full DNA analysis. “We want to be certain. But this is a huge step forward,” the sheriff’s office stated.
The sheriff’s office expressed gratitude in their statement: “We are grateful to have played a small part in helping to bring this 23-year-old case to closure and would like to send our sincere condolences to the family of Samantha Hopper and Courtney Holt.”
For Samantha’s surviving daughter, Dezarea, the discovery was emotional but also brought an unexpected feeling of relief. In a moving tribute posted to a memorial page, she wrote that her mother was nine months pregnant at the time of her disappearance. “I was only a small child when it happened. I barely remember my mom,” Dezarea shared. Her sister, Courtney, was just two years old.
“Finally, knowing where they are brings some peace. We’ve been waiting for this day for so long,” Dezarea described, though the pain of loss still lingered after so many years.
As the investigation continues, the family can finally begin to heal. Though decades have passed, the moment of closure has finally arrived for the Hopper family, and the memories of Samantha and her children can rest in peace.
What do you think of this tragic discovery? How would you feel after so many years? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
