Rose Maria Patterson

Patterson, circa 2015

  • Missing Since 08/02/2015
  • Missing From Gastonia, North Carolina
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Female
  • Race White
  • Age 43 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'2, 139 years old
  • Medical Conditions Patterson has a long-standing addiction to crack cocaine.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair.

Details of Disappearance

Patterson's son reported her missing on September 2, 2015, after he had been unable to make contact with her for a month; they usually spoke to each other every day. She was last known to have been in the area of U.S. 321 South in Gastonia, North Carolina, particularly near Clyde Street and Johns Lane. She also had associates throughout Gastonia, as well as in Dallas and Matthews, North Carolina.

For decades prior to her disappearance, Patterson had been addicted to crack cocaine and had multiple run-ins with the law because of this. She lived with her steady boyfriend until the summer of 2014, when he died, after which she became homeless. Despite the problems in her life, she regularly kept in touch with her son and his wife, who lived in South Carolina.

In the summer of 2015, Patterson's son and daughter-in-law asked her to move to South Carolina to live with them. She agreed and said a man named Chris was going to give her a ride there.

A few days after this, her son got a call from his mother's phone, but he didn't pick up at the time and forgot to call her back. A few weeks later, his aunt asked him when was the last time he'd heard from Patterson. He made repeated attempts to call her, but each call went unanswered and would go directly to voicemail. On September 2 he reported her missing.

Both Patterson's son and the police believe drugs were involved in her disappearance. According to her son, one relative "hated" her, and this person was asked to take a lie detector test; her son believes this person may know something about what happened to Patterson. Her case remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency

  • Gastonia Police Department 704-854-6651
  • Crime Stoppers of Gaston County 704-861-8000

Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated September 9, 2020; casefile added.