Sara Gail Ebersole mysteriously vanished in March 2023 after leaving an apartment in a man's car around 4:00 AM
The young mother left behind all of her belongings, including her beloved daughter.
Two years later, this unsolved cold case continues to torment Sara's family.
What really happened in those early morning hours?
Why is the last person to see her alive avoiding the police?
And how does a young woman simply disappear just like that, without any trace in 2023?
Sarah’s missing person case is filled with troubling details, unreliable witnesses, and a family desperately looking for justice.
Let's get into the details.
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| Sara Gail Ebersole |
Who is Sara Gail Ebersole?
Sara Gail Ebersole was born in Sarasota, Florida on September 18, 1996
She was the youngest of seven siblings and had spent much of her childhood under the care of her maternal uncle and aunt.
When she was a teenager, she moved in with her older sister in Dunnellon.
In 2014, at the age of 18, Sara married Thomas Allen Ebersole.
The couple then moved to his apartment in Dunnellon, which was just one block away from Sara's sister's house.
The marriage was very short as they divorced just over a year later, in November 2015.
Within a year after her divorce, Sara started a relationship with Joseph Merlyn Mayton, who later became the father of her only child.
Sara gave birth to her daughter Cora Dahlia in 2018 when she was 22 years old.
Over time, Sara’s relationship with Mayton became increasingly toxic as he was possessive and abusive.
He reportedly monitored her movements and harassed her anytime he wanted.
Court records show that Sara got a restraining order against Mayton after he physically abused her while she was pregnant.
He also repeatedly violated her privacy by illegally accessing her email, text messages, and even her phone's GPS location data.
This digital stalking continued even after their separation, forcing Sara to change her phone number multiple times.
By early 2023, Sara was living in Reddick, Florida with a roommate.
She worked as an exotic dancer at the time to support herself and her daughter.
Despite the challenges of single motherhood and an ongoing custody battle with Mayton, friends described Sara as a devoted mother.
According to Sara's sister Michelle, she prioritized her daughter's well-being above everything else and wouldn't abandon her just like that.
This and many more reasons have made Sara's family suspect foul play in her sudden disappearance.
Sara Ebersole's Last Known Movements
Below is a detailed timeline of the events that happened on the day Sara Ebersole vanished.
Evening of March 2, 2023
Sara finished her night shift as a dancer around 7:00 PM at Cafe Risque where she worked.
She immediately texted her sister, Michelle, asking for a ride home from her work
When Michelle couldn't come, Sara decided to find another way back home.
Sara was later dropped off at home by an older customer from work, according to her sister Mitchell.
Upon arriving home, Sara spoke with Mitchell and walked her roommate's dog.
Her roommate was out of town that day so Sara was home alone.
Around 10:00 PM
Security cameras at the Circle K gas station on Highway 441 in Reddick show Sara leaving with two men she didn't know well.
They were driving a black pickup truck.
Ten minutes later, Sara took a photo with one of the men named James "Bubba" Robinson near another gas station down the road.
At exactly 10:11 PM, Sara sent her sister a text message: "Getting into a random truck with some cowboys."
Sadly, these would be her final known words.
The driver then dropped Sara and Bubba off at Bubba's home - a small house divided into two apartments.
Bubba lived on one side, while a couple, James Schaller and Teesha McDermitt lived on the other side.
Sara hung out with the couple and Bubba for several hours that night until another friend joined them.
Early Morning of March 3, 2023
At 1:24 AM, Bubba texted another man named Tyrone Morman, telling him that Sara was at his place.
Morman asked if he could come over to see Sara, and Bubba agreed.
After some time, Morman arrived in a blue Hyundai car.
A few moments later, Sara reportedly became unconscious so she was put into Morman's car by Bubba.
Around 4:00 AM Morman drove out of Bubba's house with an unconscious Sara in his car.
No one has seen Sara since that moment and Morman has refused to tell her loved ones where he took her to.
When Sara didn't come home or call anyone, her roommate reported her missing to the local police department on March 5, 2023.
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| Sara Ebersole and James "Bubba" Robinson at a gas station on that night |
The Search And Investigation
Marion County Sheriff's Office quickly started an investigation into Sara Ebersole's disappearance after her roommate reported her missing.
Deputy K. Turner was the first officer who responded to the initial missing person report.
He conducted a thorough search of Sara's residence at 19220 Northwest 60th Avenue in Reddick.
During this search, officers noted several critical details:
1) Her bed appeared untouched since March 2, 2023.
2) Her personal items like her toothbrush and makeup brushes were missing, but there were no signs of forced entry or a struggle.
3) Investigators discovered that the money Sara earned from her last night of work - approximately $1,000 in cash - was missing.
4) The shoe that she wore out that night was discovered in her room but the clothes she wore were not there. Mitchelle later said in a Facebook comment: "We believe the shoe made it home when she made it home. We don't know what state she was in when she arrived home, and we don't know how she was no longer there," she said. "There were no dirty clothes or a sign of a struggle," she added.
5) Her cigarettes and lighter were still out on the porch
6) Documents proving her daughter's name change from Dahlia Marie Vann to Cora Dahlia Mayton - which Sara kept in a sealed envelope - were also missing.
7) A binder containing records of Joseph Mayton's criminal history - including case files dating from 2000 to 2019 - was also missing from Sara's residence.
In the days that followed, detectives interviewed everyone who saw Sara in the hours before her disappearance.
This included the two men in the black pickup truck who had given her a ride from the Circle K gas station.
The men were later identified as Leonard Anderson and James "Bubba" Robinson.
Detectives also spoke extensively with James "Bubba" Robinson, as well as the other residents of the house, James Schaller and Teesha McDermitt.
This was the last place where Sara had spent several hours before vanishing.
Robinson confirmed that Morman was the last person to see Sara.
“I gave Marion County Tyrone Morman’s name when they first talked to me about Sara. I told them he drove her and that I helped carry her to the car!” said James "Bubba" Robinson
Despite these efforts, there was no concrete lead about Sara’s disappearance.
Several people confirmed him as the last person seen with Sara.
Also, Sara's phone records showed that there was no activity on her phone after 4:00 AM, the time she left with Morman.
Furthermore, traffic cameras captured his blue Hyundai Sonata leaving the area around the time of her disappearance.
When Investigators asked Morman about his whereabouts that night, he reportedly gave conflicting stories.
This made detectives to become increasingly suspicious.
In April 2023, forensic experts processed Morman's Hyundai for evidence.
They also reviewed security footage from a 24-hour convenience store where Sara was reportedly seen with Morman in the early morning hours of March 3, 2023, as reported by Fox35orlando news.
Detectives also collected DNA samples from Sara's home and car.
Sadly, these efforts have yielded no immediate breakthroughs.
During the investigation, Morman initially claimed to have thrown away his phone.
However, detectives later confirmed that he still had the phone and never discarded it.
This lie made detectives believe that Morman was trying to mislead the investigation or probably hide something.
In December 2023, Morman was arrested for giving false information and the police obtained search warrants for Morman's phone records, GPS data from his vehicle, and financial transactions.
Throughout the investigation, law enforcement conducted multiple ground searches in areas tied to the case.
This includes the Reddick residence where Sara was last seen, stretches of Highway 441, and nearby wooded areas.
K-9 units and volunteer search teams thoroughly searched these locations but found no physical evidence linked to Sara's disappearance.
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| Sara Ebersole's last picture night she disappeared |
Suspicions Surrounding Sara's Ex-Boyfriend
From the very beginning, family members believe that Joseph Merlyn Mayton—the father of Sara’s daughter, Cora—is somehow involved in her disappearance.
Sara and Mayton were not on good terms, combined with an ongoing, bitter custody dispute.
This has led to suspicions that he may have played a role in her vanishing.
Court records show that Sara obtained a restraining order against Mayton after he physically abused her during her pregnancy.
Even after their separation, Mayton continued to violate Sara's privacy.
He hacked into her email, monitored her texts, and even tracked her location through her phone.
This made her change her phone number multiple times to escape his surveillance.
In the months before her disappearance, tensions were really high between Sara and Mayton due to a bitter custody battle over their daughter.
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| Sara Ebersole the night she disappeared |
After Sara went missing, Mayton immediately filed for full custody of Cora.
Sara’s family, particularly her sister Michelle, disagreed with the idea and fought back
She believed that Mayton was not fit to raise the child due to his history of erratic behavior, legal issues, and alleged psychological abuse.
Due to this, Michelle filed for temporary guardianship of Cora.
She cited concerns over Mayton’s past behavior and the unresolved nature of Sara’s disappearance.
However, the court dismissed her petition, and Mayton was granted custody.
After Mayton had taken custody of his child, daycare staff reported concerns about Cora’s well-being in late 2023,
This reportedly led to a child welfare investigation.
Though details remain confidential, Sara’s family has publicly expressed fears about Mayton’s treatment of the girl.
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| Joseph Merlyn Mayton |
Mayton’s Troubling Behavior After Sarah's Disappearance
Since Sara vanished, Mayton’s actions have only deepened suspicions:
1) Fleeing Florida: Shortly after gaining custody, Mayton abruptly left Florida.
He reportedly moved between Indiana and Kentucky, at times living in hotels.
2) Arrest for Assault: In March 2023—just weeks after Sara disappeared—Mayton was arrested for assaulting a 75-year-old man.
During the arrest, he asked police to "delete some items from his phone."
This shocking move raised questions about what he may have been trying to hide.
3) Strange GoFundMe Campaign: In April 2024, Mayton created a GoFundMe for his daughter Cora.
He claimed that he needed financial help to “protect” Cora from Sara’s family.
Michelle found this disturbing and called it manipulative.
Sara’s relatives remain convinced that Mayton knows more than he has disclosed.
They’ve reportedly found many inconsistencies in his statements and have urged police to thoroughly check where he was the night Sara vanished.
They also say that Mayton had picked up Sara from her home severally.
Did Mayton’s obsession with controlling Sara lead to violence?
Why did he leave Florida so abruptly after gaining custody?
What was on his phone that he wanted the police to delete?
These unanswered questions have made Sara's family strongly suspect Mayton in her disappearance.
Ongoing Efforts and Latest Developments in Sara Ebersole's Case
As Sara Ebersole's disappearance stretches into its second year, investigators and family members continue to push for answers.
In early 2024, forensic analysts re-examined digital evidence from Sara's devices using enhanced data recovery techniques.
Investigators have also partnered with federal agencies to expand their search beyond Marion County.
Sara's family has also taken an increasingly active role in keeping the case alive.
Her sister Michelle launched a petition in November 2024 demanding law enforcement in Marion County to regularly update missing person flyers.
She believes that regular updates can increase the chances of finding missing persons.
The family has also organized multiple community searches, covering areas along Highway 441 where dogs previously alerted to possible human scent.
Even though the Marion County Sheriff's Office has officially named Tyrone Morman as a person of interest in Sara's disappearance, he has continued to refuse interviews with investigators through his lawyers
This refusal has left investigators with very few leads to follow.
In May 2024 Sara's case took another terrible turn.
James "Bubba" Robinson - one of the last people to see Sara alive - died of a drug overdose.
Detectives had planned to re-interview him about some inconsistencies in his initial statements.
But his unexpected death has now further complicated the investigation.
The family maintains an active social media presence through the "Find Sara Ebersole" Facebook page, which shares regular case updates and has gained many followers.
A $20,000 reward remains available for information leading to Sara's whereabouts.
Most recently, in June 2024, a private investigator who was not contracted by Sara's family claimed to have uncovered potential evidence.
This discovery suggested that Sara may have been transported outside Marion County in the days following her disappearance.
This information has reportedly been turned over to law enforcement for verification.
Authorities emphasize the case remains solvable and urge anyone with information to come forward, no matter how insignificant.
You can contact Detective Ryan Stith at (352) 368-3542 or Marion County Crime Stoppers at (352) 368-STOP.
The family continues to hold out hope that sustained public attention and investigative persistence will eventually bring answers about what happened to Sara.
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