South Carolina authorities are searching for 49-year-old Sabrina Heinz after her company car was found abandoned on the shoulder of I‑77 in Blythewood on Jan. 30. Heinz was last seen Jan. 28 at a Shell station in Winnsboro; her employer located the vehicle via GPS and found personal items and her phone inside. Family members say she had no known medical issues and doubt she stopped voluntarily. Investigators have intensified searches and urge anyone with information to call 803‑576‑3000.
Missing South Carolina Mother’s Car Found Abandoned on I‑77; Family Says She Didn’t Pull Over Voluntarily
Sabrina HeinzRichland County Sheriff's Department
Authorities in South Carolina continue searching for 49-year-old Sabrina Heinz after her company vehicle was found abandoned on the shoulder of Interstate 77 in Blythewood. Heinz was last seen on the evening of Jan. 28 while working at a Shell gas station in Winnsboro, and investigators and family members say the circumstances of her disappearance are troubling.
Timeline and Discovery
According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Heinz was last observed around 10 p.m. on Jan. 28 at the Winnsboro Shell station. When she failed to show up for work two days later, on Jan. 30, her supervisor reported her missing and the employer activated the company vehicle’s GPS monitoring system.
The GPS led authorities to the vehicle parked on the shoulder of I-77 in Blythewood. Deputies found personal belongings inside the car, including Heinz’s phone. Sgt. Molly Nations described the scene to WIS‑TV:
“It was turned on, but because there was no gas, it was not cranked, but as if it had just run out. The key was still on. She means a lot to her family, and it’s very important to us that we bring her home safely.”
Family Concern and Search Efforts
Heinz’s daughter, Sage Goodwin, told local outlet WACH on Feb. 5 that the family has no knowledge of any medical condition that would explain her disappearance. "My only thing is, I just want her home. It's day 8 now and it's scary," Goodwin said.
After reviewing photos of the vehicle, Goodwin said she does not believe her mother stopped voluntarily. "I honestly feel like someone pushed her over or she was running from something," she told WACH. Law enforcement has intensified the search, checking both sides of the interstate in the area where the car was found.
Description And How To Help
Authorities describe Sabrina Heinz as 5'2" and 160 lbs. She was last seen wearing a short-sleeve collared red shirt layered over a black long-sleeve top and black pants. Anyone with information about Heinz’s whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the Richland County Sheriff’s Department at 803-576-3000.
People magazine reached out to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and to Samantha Heinz on Feb. 6 for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Help us improve.
