Tammy Arthur & Chad Peters Missing From Corpus Christi Texas Since November 2018
TAMMY KAY ARTHUR
IDENTIFIERS
White Female
Current age: 32
4 ft 11
90 lbs
Long thick brown hair
Brown eyes
Tammy is under the care of a physical therapist to treat three fractured bones in her back
History of Anxiety and Substance abuse
Last known location: Corpus Christi Texas
Last date of contact: November 9th, 2018
Multiple tattoos:
Three skulls on upper thigh with Austin, Mason and Kylee
Queen on inner wrist
Large red star with small stars on upper right arm
Blue butterfly and stars on left upper arm
Green clover on top of foot
CHAD MICHAEL PETERS
IDENTIFIERS
White Male
Missing age: 38
Current age: 40
5 ft 10
175 lbs
Short dark hair, balding
Green eyes
Last known location: Corpus Christi Texas
Last date of contact: November 9th, 2018
Multiple tattoos:
Four-Leaf clover on calf
Sun on shoulder blade
Right arm is a sleeved tattoo
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION
Lunar Silver Metallic 4 -Door 2018 Honda CIVIC LX
Not actual vehicle -showroom image
CIRCUMSTANCES
June 2018, Chad Peters and his girlfriend Tammy Arthur relocated from Ohio to Odessa, Texas. The move appears to be a decision they made to make a new start and put distance between the people and places that had once fueled their addictions. Those closest to Tammy and Chad report they both battled with addiction issues in the past, but it is unknown if any substance abuse was active at the time of their disappearance. It is worth mentioning that several months prior to their disappearance they had made more positive choices in leaving addiction issues behind and had been clean.
While living in Ohio, Tammy had some encounters with the law and was on probation; however, she had received approval to make the move to Texas to start a new life, a move that would also put her closer to her parents.
When they arrived in Texas, both Chad and Tammy spent a few weeks in Odessa, and later spent a brief time with Tammy’s parents. Eventually, the couple relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas and it is believed they had been residing there just prior to their disappearance.
While they were residing in Corpus Christi, both Chad and Tammy were in regular contact with their family and friends and appeared to be doing well. Tammy was employed and earning income. Chad had graduated lineman school in Ohio prior to relocating and once in Texas, Chad joined a Union.
During the week of October 22nd, 2018 the Union had sent Chad to a job in Bruni, Texas. The town of Bruni is situated between Corpus Christi and Laredo, Texas. Bruni is approximately 100 miles Southwest of Corpus Christi and about 40 miles east of Laredo which is near the US/Mexico border.
During their week stay in Bruni, Texas, Tammy and Chad were staying in a motel and it is alleged that while Chad was dispatched on the job in Bruni, inclement weather had slowed down or prevented work entirely.
While they were in Bruni, Texas, Tammy had contacted her mother asking about requirements for crossing the border into Mexico. Tammy stated they wanted to go over the border into Mexico and heard they could go for the day with a day pass. Tammy’s mother stressed to her not to go into Mexico without a passport as they may not get back across. Tammy told her mother they would not go.
Although the two of them were making strides in their new life, their income was most likely not yet stable. Chad and Tammy’s living expenses were likely supplemented by funds Chad received from selling some of his property in Ohio after relocating to Texas.
On or about, October 28th, 2018, Tammy contacted her mother via phone. During this conversation, Tammy stated that she and Chad were headed to the Dallas airport and were flying into the Tampa area with plans to go on a five-day cruise. This trip appeared to be a last-minute plan, as neither Chad nor Tammy had previously mentioned any vacation plans.
During the aforementioned phone call, Tammy asked her mother to arrange to have their birth certificates over-nighted to their hotel they would be at in Tampa, Florida, in case they needed them for the cruise. A few hours later, Tammy allegedly messaged from the Dallas Airport and said the birth certificates weren’t necessary, as their ID’s were sufficient.
The only details Tammy mentioned was that the cruise was five days in length. No itinerary or destination was mentioned by Tammy.
On October 30th, 2018, Tammy sent a text saying they were on the cruise ship, the water was so blue, and everything was fine. She stated and they would be docking the next day and would be sight-seeing.
October 30th, 2018 is the last time Tammy had contact with her mother.
No photos of the time spent on the cruise were ever seen.
At the time of this entry, it is unknown if the detective working the case, or the FBI checked a passenger list to confirm they had ever gone on a cruise, or if they had ever been registered or checked in the hotel in Tampa.
After their disappearance, Tammy’s mother did some research on which cruise line they may have taken, based on Tammy’s statements. According to her research, the only cruise line that would have been departing on October 29th, 2018, was Royal Caribbean.
November 1st, 2018 – Tammy and Chad’s lease at their apartment was said to have expired. It is unclear what plans they had made for their new residence. Did they move out of the apartment before leaving on the alleged cruise or wait until they returned? It is known that they had not decided on where they were planning to live. They had not secured a new lease.
November 3rd, 2018, Chad sent Tammy’s mother a text stating that if she wants to contact Tammy, to call Tammy on his phone because hers was lost or stolen on the cruise.
If the pair were on indeed on a 5-day cruise, that would have put their arrival back in the United States on approximately November 3rd, 2018.
November 2nd, 2018, Tammy contacted the probation office as required and had paid on her fines on November 5th, 2018.
According to Tammy’s mother, approximately, Mid-November she saw a post on social media from Chad’s family saying Chad was missing. If the timeline of Mid-November was approximate, this would fall about a week or so after she was made aware of Tammy not having her phone. During this week or so time period, Tammy’s mother had not heard from Chad or Tammy, but there was nothing concerning as they had just returned from the cruise and she assumed they were busy working.
After seeing Chad’s family’s post on social media, Tammy’s mother reached out to them. It was then that she was told that Chad had not been in contact with his father since the middle of October. The family made several attempts to call him, but his phone was going to voicemail. Chad’s family found this concerning, as Chad had consistently kept in contact with his father.
Tammy’s mother then grew concerned and made several attempts, several times a day, to contact Chad and Tammy on Chad’s phone, but it went directly to voicemail.
After getting no response when calling Chad’s phone, Tammy’s mother initially thought that since Tammy had previously mentioned going into Mexico, that the couple had crossed the border and been detained because they had no passports.
Chad’s family contacted Corpus Christi police to report Chad missing. Tammy’s family filed a missing person’s report for Tammy after the holidays. Because Tammy had previously mentioned going to Mexico, her mother reached out to Mexican Authorities assuming the two had crossed the border and been detained or encountered trouble.
The FBI agent from the local field office in Corpus Christi contacted Tammy’s mother and stated Tammy and Chad were seen on video crossing in and out of Mexico several times.
She was also told by the FBI agent that the last time they were seen on video was November 7th, 2018 crossing into Mexico with their car loaded down with their belongings. Because they didn’t appear to be in distress, the FBI considers their move to Mexico to be voluntary.
Because they had recently moved out of their apartment, it could be assumed that is why their vehicle had all of their belongings.
No specific time-frame was given by the FBI on what dates they were alleged to have made these numerous trips back and forth.
When the family contacted the landlord at their old apartment, they were informed the two did indeed move out, and confirmed some larger sized items were left behind but it’s possible those items would not fit into their vehicle.
Tammy’s mother was listed as a reference on the car the couple had purchased. The investigator for the finance company contacted Tammy’s mother because a payment had not been made on the car. The last payment made on the vehicle was in September 2018. An October payment was never made on the car.
March or April 2019. Tammy’s mom contacted the vehicle investigator – the car was seen in Corpus Christi in September 2018 in Corpus Christi on a traffic camera.
On the evening of November 9th, 2018, Tammy spoke with a friend of hers on the phone. The friend stated Tammy sounded in good spirits and did not seem distressed. During this call, Tammy mentioned that they were in Bruni, Texas and they were going to get something to eat. Because Bruni is such a small, isolated area, the two of them would have most likely traveled outside of Bruni in order to go out to eat.
A year later, Tammy’s mother was made aware of a voicemail that Tammy had left with Chad’s friend. It is alleged that the voicemail was made on the date of November 9th, 2018. This date and time have not been confirmed. It is possible the voicemail may have after the call that took place with her friend.
In the aforementioned voicemail, Tammy called one of Chad’s friends and left a message on his answering machine. Tammy’s message stated she and Chad were staying in a motel in Mexico and the drug cartel had stolen their car, taken their belongings, their ID’s, their passports, and took Chad. Tammy went on to say that she has his phone (assuming this would be accurate as this was brought up previously that her phone was lost/stolen) Tammy’s voice appeared shaken and said she was worried sick about Chad and asked his friend to please call her back on Chad’s cell phone in the morning. To our understanding, no one ever returned Tammy’s call.
This was the last time Tammy was heard from. Chad’s last contact with his family was mid-October, and one other contact with Tammy’s mom in early November to let her know Tammy’s phone was lost/stolen.
In late December of 2018, a family friend received a phone call from a Mexico phone number. Another friend of theirs that speaks spanish called the number. The female who answered the phone stated that she did not know Tammy or Chad and denied allowing any Americans access to her phone.
It is alleged that there was a sighting of the couple at the end of December. Allegedly the two were seen about twenty minutes inside the Mexico border. The eyewitness stated that the couple was seen talking to a farmer asking for work to earn money to get back across the border. This sighting has not been confirmed to be Tammy or Chad.
The circumstances of Chad and Tammy’s disappearance are murky at best - the family has more questions than answers and the investigation process that follows is further complicated by the fact that their disappearance possibly occurred on Mexico soil. To add insult to injury, the initial investigator handling Tammy’s missing person report was indicted on unspecific charges and her case had sat idle with no active investigating. Furthermore, search efforts are also limited when an individual goes missing in another country - and can be further complicated if cartel involvement is a possibility.
I have many questions about this case, as most people probably do:
RECAPPING THE TIMELINE
DEEPENING THE QUESTIONS
November 7th the FBI says their car was last seen going into Mexico.
As mentioned, the borders have camera’s that scan every plate going through the border, both ways.
A search through the electronic storage would give dates and times the car crossed the border – then the videos are reviewed. However, we don’t know what was seen, other than they had belongings in their car.
Were they truly relocating, or was their car full of belongings because they were between housing after moving out of the Corpus Christi apartment?
When the FBI says they crossed several times, how MANY is several? Three times or twelve times? Were both of them in the vehicle every time? Was anyone else seen in the vehicle?
November 9th Tammy told her friend they were in Bruni, Texas
Could it be possible Tammy WAS in Mexico but didn’t want to tell her friend?
Is it possible the friend asked, where are you living and she told the friend they were living in Bruni, Texas but at that moment in time they were in Mexico?
During that call, Tammy allegedly told her friend that they were going to get something to eat. Did something happen during that time?
Also, did anyone look into the check in/check out dates of the motel in Bruni, Texas? Did they have cameras?
November 9th, voicemail is also alleged to occur, date/time unconfirmed
The voicemail is concerning. Tammy chose this person to call for a reason. Those reasons are possibly to ask for money or some type of assistance.
This may be the one person who would have been concerned about Chad and who Tammy felt she could confide in and get them out of a bind without anyone else knowing.
Perhaps calling her mother stating the cartel was involved wasn’t something she felt comfortable doing?
While she didn’t make her specifics needs known on the voicemail, there was a reason she felt comfortable contacting this person. No one has found proof of the cruise they were alleged to be on, but if they weren’t going on a cruise, why would they request their birth certs to be over-nighted to a hotel in Tampa?
Transcript of Tammy’s voicemail
“Hi Tom, this is Tammy Arthur…um…I’m calling about Chad. I’m very worried about him. He went to work today over here in Mexico. We’ve been staying at a hotel…the Mexican Cartel stole our car, (voice begins to tremble) took him, won’t give us back our visas..or…not our visas..our passports…our IDs…our birth certificates…can you please call me back in the morning on his phone….he don’t even have his phone… I kept it here today. Please call me back Tom, I’m worried sick about him. Thank you. ”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Tammy and Chad’s family continue to share flyers throughout social media in hopes someone will recognize them and provide information that will lead to their whereabouts. The family has set up a Go Fund Me account to raise money for a private investigator that will dedicate more time and effort into Tammy Arthur’s disappearance.
If you have any information you feel may be helpful in this case, please contact any of the agency’s listed below. If you would prefer to remain anonymous - CrimeStoppers has an anonymous Tip Line available 24/7 - there is a link in the agency contacts section below for Crime Stoppers website.
Remember, when submitting any tip, please be sure to provide the case number.
AGENCY CONTACTS
Corpus Christi Police Department
(361) 886-2802
Agency Case Number 1812050074
NamUs Regional Program Specialist
Michael Nance
(918) 527-0080
Michael.Nance@unthsc.edu
Crime Stoppers
Call 888-TIPS (8477)
Online Form https://new.tipsubmit.com/en/
Main Websitehttp://www.cctexas.com/crimestoppers
SUPPORT BRINGING TAMMY & CHAD HOME
If you would like to contribute to the family’s fundraising efforts to hire a private investigator, you may do so by following this link:
Shareable Flyer Below
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End of Tammy and Chad’s entry - any updates will be posted below this line