Samantha Nicole Burns
Physical Description
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 110 pounds
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Hazel
Distinguishing Features:
Chicken pox scar on the right side of her forehead
Mole on her neck
Tattoo of a butterfly on her lower back
Pierced ears and tongue
Clothing and Personal Items
Clothing Last Seen In: Fuzzy orange sweater over a tank top, low-cut rider jeans with flared legs, light tan suede mule-type shoes
Jewelry: Heart-shaped gold ring with a diamond center, diamond stud earrings
Accessories: Leopard-print purse, lilac-colored cigarette lighter
Vehicle: 1999 burgundy Chevrolet Cavalier with a tiger sticker in the rear window (found burned)
On the evening of November 11, 2002, Samantha Burns, a 19-year-old Marshall University student, was last seen after visiting friends at the Marshall University Courtyard Apartments in Huntington, West Virginia. At 9:45 p.m., she called her mother to say she was on her way home to East Hamlin. She never arrived, and that call was the last anyone heard from her. Her 1999 burgundy Chevrolet Cavalier, identifiable by a tiger sticker in the rear window, was found ablaze in a secluded area of Wayne County at 3:30 a.m. the next morning. Despite extensive investigations, Samantha's whereabouts remain unknown.
In the days following Samantha's disappearance, authorities identified two suspects: Chadrick Fulks and Branden Basham, who had escaped from a Kentucky jail on November 4, 2002. The pair embarked on a multi-state crime spree, during which they confessed to abducting and murdering Samantha. In 2005, both men pleaded guilty to federal charges of carjacking resulting in death related to Samantha's case. They were sentenced to death for this and other crimes, including the murder of Alice Donovan in South Carolina. Despite their confessions, Samantha's remains have never been found.
In December 2024, President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of Fulks and Basham to life imprisonment without parole, as part of a broader federal policy shift on capital punishment. This decision was met with frustration by Samantha's family and community, who continue to seek closure.
What You Can Do
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Samantha Nicole Burns, please contact the West Virginia State Police at 304-528-5555.
Samantha is listed in the NamUs database under case number MP411.
Even after all these years, Samantha's disappearance remains unresolved. Her story matters, and any new information could help bring long-awaited answers to those who still search for her.