Melissa Moreland
Physical Description
Height: 5’2”–5’5”
Weight: Approximately 105 pounds
Hair Color: Light brown
Eye Color: Green
Distinguishing Clothing/Items: Hampshire High School class ring, burgundy-banded watch
Melissa Moreland was 21 years old when she went missing from Paw Paw, West Virginia, on October 23, 1987. That evening, she left her father's house, and her family believed she planned to stay overnight with a friend. She was later seen at a local gas station in town, the last confirmed sighting of her. After that, Melissa was never heard from again.
At first, there wasn’t immediate alarm. Melissa had occasionally spent short periods away from home in the past. But as the days stretched on with no phone calls, no visits, and no word, her family knew something was wrong. She was officially reported missing soon afterward.
Two years before Melissa vanished, she had been the victim of a violent assault. She bravely testified against her attacker, Dwight David Blair, alongside another woman. Though Blair was originally charged with more serious offenses, he ultimately served only a few months behind bars after a plea deal. Melissa disappeared several months after his release. While the connection between her disappearance and the earlier attack remains unclear, Blair has not been officially named a suspect.
Melissa’s case has remained unsolved for over three decades. No solid leads have surfaced.
What You Can Do
If you know anything about what happened to Melissa Moreland or where she might be, please contact the Morgan County Sheriff's Department at 304-258-1067.
She is listed in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under case number MP33131.
Melissa’s case remains open. Even the smallest piece of information could help bring long-awaited answers to her family, who have spent far too many years living with uncertainty.