On May 3, 2002, what started as a normal day turned into a tragedy when 7-year-old Alexis Patterson disappeared in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Alexis, a bright and happy first-grader, was last seen walking to school with her stepfather, LaRon Bourgeois.
When Alexis didn’t return home at her usual time, her mother, Ayanna Patterson, became worried.
Her worry quickly turned into panic and grief when she learned that Alexis had been marked absent and never made it to school that day.
Since that tragic day, no sign of Alexis has ever been found, dead or alive.
Alexis Patterson’s case remains one of Milwaukee’s most haunting unsolved mysteries.
Her sudden disappearance has left her family and community searching for answers over two decades later.
Where is Alexis Patterson?
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| Alexis Patterson |
Background: A Bright Future Cut Short
Alexis Patterson was born on April 4, 1995, to Ayanna Patterson and Kenya Campbell.
Although her parents separated when she was very young, Alexis found stability and love living with her mother and stepfather, LaRon Bourgeois.
They lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on the 2200 block of N. 49th Street.
Despite the changes in her family structure, Alexis thrived.
She was an excellent student at Hi-Mount Community School, known for her perfect attendance and straight-A grades.
Her teachers often spoke of her beautiful smile, which made her a favorite among her classmates.
On the evening of May 2, 2002, Alexis, Ayanna, and her stepbrother went to a local supermarket, Jewel-Osco, to buy cupcakes.
It was Alexis’s turn to bring snacks for her classmates the next day, and she was excited about sharing the treats with her friends.
A 15-second surveillance video from the supermarket later confirmed their visit.
The footage showed a happy and content Alexis with her family.
However, that night, Alexis didn’t finish her homework.
Ayanna, who always emphasized the importance of education, decided that Alexis couldn’t take the cupcakes to school because she hadn’t finished her homework.
Alexis was devastated and visibly upset the next morning because of this development.
However, as usual, she still got ready for school, and her stepfather, LaRon, walked her towards Hi-Mount Community School.
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| Alexis Patterson |
Disappearance: The Last Steps of Alexis Patterson
The morning of May 3, 2002, started like any other day.
LaRon Bourgeois walked Alexis to school, a routine that was quite unusual for him.
In a 2017 interview, while he was imprisoned on drug-related charges, LaRon said that Alexis was very upset about not being able to bring the cupcakes to school.
He tried to comfort her, promising to bring the cupcakes later that day.
The walk from their home to Hi-Mount Community School was short—just 242 steps.
This was a distance that Alexis could practically walk with her eyes closed.
But on this day, something went terribly wrong.
LaRon claimed that he walked Alexis to her school but didn’t make sure she went inside.
According to him, he handed her over to the crossing guard, and watched as she ran towards the playground.
He then returned home, where he stayed for most of the day.
Later that day, when Alexis didn’t come home by her usual time of 2:50 PM, Ayanna grew worried.
By 3:00 PM, her concern turned to panic.
LaRon reportedly suggested that perhaps Alexis had been kept after school for some reason.
When Ayanna rushed to the school, she learned the devastating truth: Alexis had been marked absent and never arrived that morning.
The search for Alexis began immediately.
Her family, school officials, and the Milwaukee community desperately tried to piece together what had happened.
Witnesses gave conflicting reports, with some children claiming they saw Alexis on the playground that morning.
Others were unsure if they had actually seen her that morning or if they were recalling events from earlier times.
The actual events of that morning remain shrouded in mystery.
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| LaRon Bourgeois, Alexis' Stepfather |
Investigation and Theories: Piecing Together the Puzzle
The investigation into Alexis Patterson’s disappearance faced many challenges and contradictions.
However, there are some theories about what may have happened to her.
1) Foul play by Stepfather - LaRon Bourgeois’s account of that morning raised several questions.
In his 2017 interview, LaRon mentioned that it wasn’t typical for him to walk Alexis to school.
He also said that he had planned to bring her cupcakes later but didn’t follow through.
This particular detail seemed very odd given the circumstances.
Why didn’t he bring the cupcakes?
Did he already know Alexis was missing?
Sheriff David Clark, a veteran homicide investigator, expressed doubts about LaRon’s version of what really happened.
Clark’s theory was that Alexis was never dropped off at or near the school.
He believes that LaRon might be involved in her disappearance, though he couldn’t prove it.
This suspicion was compounded by LaRon’s criminal history.
In 1994, LaRon was involved in a bank robbery that resulted in the death of a police officer.
Despite these concerns, there wasn’t enough evidence to charge LaRon in connection with Alexis’s disappearance.
Adding to the confusion, both Alexis’s mother, Ayanna, and LaRon took polygraph tests.
Ayanna passed her test, but LaRon reportedly failed certain elements.
According to reports, he particularly failed questions related to his knowledge of Alexis’s whereabouts.
Although polygraph results are not admissible as evidence in Wisconsin, the failed test added another layer of doubt.
2) Abduction by Stranger - Another troubling detail was the presence of a red truck parked beside Alexis’s school.
Witnesses reported that the truck had been parked near the school for about a week before Alexis disappeared.
It was never seen again after she went missing.
There were also reports of a woman who had been spotted talking to Alexis outside the school in the days leading up to her disappearance.
These leads were investigated, but they never led to a breakthrough in the case.
Two weeks before Alexis vanished, parents at Hi-Mount Community School received a letter warning about a man trying to abduct a boy.
This, combined with the reports of the woman talking to Alexis, raised concerns about a possible abduction.
However, no concrete evidence emerged to support this theory.
On May 13, 2002, ten days after Alexis disappeared, her case was officially changed from a missing person to a criminal investigation.
The reason for this change was not made clear, but it signaled that the police believed something more sinister had occurred.
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| Ayanna Patterson |
Potential Sightings and Ongoing Developments: A Glimmer of Hope
As the years passed, potential sightings of Alexis Patterson were reported, but none led to her being found.
The most significant lead came 14 years after her disappearance.
A man from Bryan, Ohio, named Joshua Miller, contacted the Milwaukee Police Department.
He believed that his ex-wife, Lisa Miller, might be Alexis Patterson.
Joshua’s suspicions were based on several factors.
1) Lisa had no memory of her life before the age of 10.
2) Stories about her background seemed inconsistent.
When Ayanna Patterson was contacted about the possibility, she was struck by the physical similarities between Alexis and Lisa.
These similarities included matching birthmarks and scars.
However, there were also discrepancies, particularly in their ages.
Lisa was older than Alexis would have been.
Additionally, Lisa had documentation, including a passport and birth certificate, showing she was born in Belize and not in the United States.
Despite these differences, Ayanna was convinced that Lisa could be her missing daughter.
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| Age progression of Alexis |
Senator Lena Taylor of Milwaukee also believed that Lisa might be Alexis after seeing her photo.
Within 24 hours, law enforcement was in Bryan, Ohio, to obtain DNA samples from Lisa.
However, the handling of the DNA testing raised concerns.
The samples were processed by a third party and shipped via FedEx.
This led Alexis’s mother to question the validity of the results.
When the official test came back as a negative match, Ayanna refused to accept the findings.
She believed that the toothbrush used for Alexis’s DNA sample, which had been stored since 2002, might not have been a reliable source.
Ayanna later conducted her own DNA test, which she claimed was a match, but these results were never publicly confirmed.
Even with the conflicting DNA results, the possibility that Lisa Miller could be Alexis Patterson remains one of the most compelling leads in the case.
However, without definitive proof, Alexis’s whereabouts continue to be a mystery.
Aftermath and Call for Help: Keeping Alexis’s Memory Alive
The disappearance of Alexis Patterson has left an indelible mark on her family and the Milwaukee community.
Ayanna Patterson’s life was forever changed, and she has continued to search for answers, despite the passage of time and the lack of new leads.
The family’s struggle was compounded by the media’s focus on other cases, which overshadowed Alexis’s story on a national level.
In 2003, LaRon Bourgeois was charged with battery and disorderly conduct after allegedly abusing Ayanna.
Their marriage ended in divorce in 2005 and LaRon died from a drug overdose years later.
Despite the challenges and setbacks, Ayanna Patterson has never given up hope.
She continues to believe that her daughter is alive and out there somewhere.
The case of Alexis Patterson remains open, and her family and supporters still seek the public’s help in finding her
If you have any information about Alexis Patterson’s disappearance please contact the authorities.
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