Girl Vanished at a Shopping Mall in 1995 — 12 Years Later, A Chilling Secret Is Unearthed

Part 1: The Mysterious Disappearance

On an autumn afternoon in 1995, 18-year-old college student Jessica Thompson went shopping at Westfield Shopping Center with two close friends. After splitting from the group to browse jewelry and visit a bookstore, Jessica vanished without a trace. Her family, friends, and police searched tirelessly, but every lead ended in disappointment. The pain and mystery lingered for years, turning Jessica’s case into one of Columbus’s most haunting unsolved disappearances.

Part 2: A Shocking Discovery After 12 Years

In October 2007, during renovations of an old storage area behind the mall’s food court, construction workers uncovered a large metal box buried beneath a layer of concrete. Marcus Williams, a veteran security officer, immediately called the police. Inside the box were Jessica’s personal belongings: her driver’s license, class ring, engraved bracelet, and a diary. The final entries in the diary mentioned Jessica feeling watched by someone with the initials “R.H”—matching Richard Hullbrook, the mall’s head of security at the time.

Part 3: The Investigation Reopens

Detective Patricia Rivera led the renewed investigation. Secrets began to unravel: Hullbrook had unusual authority over hiring and firing staff, and had ordered suspicious maintenance work right after Jessica disappeared. Former security guards revealed they had been instructed to follow Jessica under the guise of theft prevention—even though she had never acted suspiciously.

Interviews with friends, family, and former coworkers confirmed Jessica had repeatedly called mall customer service to report being watched by security. All complaints were forwarded directly to Hullbrook—the very man she feared most.

Part 4: Expanding the Case & The Confession

Rivera’s team discovered Hullbrook was linked to several other disappearances at nearby malls. His accomplice, Carl Morrison, owned a construction company that helped Hullbrook bury victims beneath new building foundations. Police found a safe in Hullbrook’s home filled with personal items from multiple victims—proof that he was a serial predator.

Confronted with overwhelming evidence, Hullbrook confessed: he had stalked Jessica for months, lured her into a storage room, and killed her in a panic when she tried to escape. He buried her body at a construction site outside the city and hid her belongings under concrete at the mall.

Part 5: Justice After 12 Years

Jessica’s remains were found exactly where Hullbrook said they would be. Evidence from her diary, witness statements, financial records, and Hullbrook’s own journal exposed the full scope of his crimes. The case shocked the community, prompting dozens of women to come forward about past encounters with mall security. Hullbrook was sentenced to life in prison without parole, and Morrison received 25 years for his role as an accomplice.

Jessica’s family finally laid her to rest beside her grandparents. Their long ordeal ended with justice. They founded the Jessica Thompson Foundation to support families of missing persons and raise public awareness about safety in public spaces.

Part 6: Legacy & Lessons Learned

Jessica Thompson’s case is not just a story of a horrifying crime, but a powerful reminder of the dangers that can lurk behind authority. Thanks to her family’s perseverance, the police, and Jessica’s courage in documenting her fears, the truth was uncovered, bringing justice not only to her but to other victims as well.

Westfield Shopping Center changed ownership, and a memorial garden was built to honor Jessica and the other victims—a solemn reminder: Never stop searching for the truth, and always speak up when you feel unsafe, because justice is patient and persistent.

Jessica Thompson—buried for 12 years, but her voice helped save others. Justice, at last, prevailed.