On December 14, 2005 at 8:45 a.m. Melissa James was to arrive at the Newark, NJ airport from Las Vegas to spend the holidays with her family. Her mother arrived at the airport around 9:00 a.m. to pick her up. Melissa’s mother spoke with Melissa the day before to get her itinerary. She also tried to call Melissa the night before her flight to confirm her flight number. When her mother spoke with Melissa earlier, she was in a restaurant eating and said she would call her before she boarded the plane with the flight number. Melissa didn’t call as she said she would, however, her mother figured she was busy packing and preparing for her trip. Before Melissa’s mom went to bed that evening, she sent her a text message that she would meet her in the baggage claim area. As such, Melissa’s mom went directly to baggage claim when she arrived at the airport figuring Melissa received her text message.
Melissa’s mom got lost on her way to the airport causing her to arrive at the airport a little late. She thought it was strange that Melissa didn’t call her cell phone to let her know she had landed. She also thought that maybe the flight was delayed. However, when she arrived, she noticed that Melissa was not around and that her flight did, in fact, arrive on time. After having Melissa paged but not getting a response, she asked the man at the counter to check the passenger roster. He informed her that Melissa never got on the plane. At first thought, Melissa’s mom concluded that she probably missed her flight and figured she would hear from her soon with her new arrival time. Unfortunately, Melissa’s mom never heard from her again. After placing countless phone calls and text messages, Melissa’s mother knew something was terribly wrong.
Melissa’s mother was informed the next day that around the same time she was at the airport on the morning of the 14th, her daughter Melissa’s body was found in the desert, burned in the trunk of a car. Melissa was murdered the afternoon of December 13, around 3 hours after speaking with her mother. According to the police reports, Melissa was beaten, tortured and murdered before she was put in the trunk of the car and burned. Two people that she worked for, and thought were her friends, are in custody for her murder.
It its unfathomable to imagine anyone wanting to hurt Melissa. She was a very loving woman both beautiful on the inside and out. She always thought of others before herself. Melissa’s passion in life was dance. At the age of 19 she started Dance Unlimited. She had many, many students and she poured her life into them. She loved them and they loved her. Melissa also did modeling, promotional work and local commercials in Panama City Beach, Fl.
Melissa was 28 years old when she died. Words cannot express how much her family and friends miss her.
|
 |
| Melissa at Panama Beach |
|
|
 |
| Teaching @ Dance Unlimited |
|
|
 |
| Melissa Recital - 2002 |
|
|
|