Full Name: Alexis S Patterson

Alternative Name: Lexi or Pie

Case Status: Missing

Record ID#: 0211

*The names “Jane Doe”  and “John Doe” are English names used when the person’s true name is not known. If used above, the name refers to a person of unknown identity.

Date of Birth*: April 4, 1995
Birthplace:
Age at the Time: 7
Age Group: Child (6 to 9 Years Old)
Biological Sex: Female
Hair: Her black hair was braided into two French braids and then pulled into a Ponytail. No special beading or hair adornments at the time.
Eyes: Brown
Skin Complexion:
Shoe Size:
Ethnicity: African or Black
Nationality: United States
Languages Spoken:

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Physical Build:

Height:

Weight

Distinguishing Marks:

• Beauty Mark or Mole, Physical Abnormality, Pierced Ears, Scar

Medical Condition:
Physical Abnormality: Bump on her left pinky finger.
Dental Condition:
Scars & Other Marks: Scar under her right eye. Beauty Mark (Mole) above left eye.
Piercings: Ear
Tattoos:

Other Descriptors:

Clothing

• Red Hooded Jacked with Horizontal Grey Stripes on the Sleeves
• Purple Shirt
• Light Blue Jeans
• White & Blue High-Top Nike Tennis Shoes

Possessions:

• Pink ‘Barbie’ Backpack

Date of the Disappearance*: May 3, 2002

Description: In the heart of Milwaukee’s Washington Heights neighborhood, where modest homes line quiet streets and kids once dashed to school without a second thought, a single morning walk shattered one family’s world forever. It was May 3, 2002 and seven-year-old Alexis Patterson, affectionately called “Lexi” or “Pie” by those who adored her, set off for Hi-Mount Community School. Just a block from her home at the corner of North 49th and Garfield Streets, Lexi was the picture of cuteness: a bright-eyed first-grader with an infectious smile, a passion for all things pink, and a budding love for roller skating. She was bossy in that endearing way only a five-to-nine-year-old girl can pull off, already thrilled at the idea of being a “big sister” to her baby half-sister, Dysoni, born just six months earlier.

Lexi lived with her mother, Ayanna Patterson, stepfather LaRon Bourgeois, and Dysoni in a close-knit home buzzing with the everyday chaos of family life. An excellent student with a perfect attendance record, Lexi was wrapping up first grade on a high note. But beneath the surface of this ordinary scene simmered the undercurrents of a world not yet fully gripped by stranger-danger paranoia. The late ’90s and early 2000s marked a turning point in America—milk carton kids fading into memory as AMBER Alerts loomed on the horizon—but for outgoing souls like Lexi, warnings from parents often bounced off with minimal impact. She was the type to chat up anyone, helpful and cheerfully friendly.

Two weeks before that fateful Friday, an email rippled through Hi-Mount parents: a man had tried to snatch a young boy near the school. Then, just a week later, Lexi was spotted chatting with an unknown woman behind the school building. Ayanna, ever vigilant, pulled her daughter aside for a stern talk about stranger safety. But two days later, and there she was again, giggling with the same mysterious woman. Ayanna’s issued another warning, hoping this time the message would stick. But just a few days later, Lexi was gone.

Thursday, the night before Lexi vanished, mother and daughter briefly bonded over a shopping trip before returning home, where they had a passing argument over Lexi’s failure to complete her homework on time. She was meant to provide cupcakes at school the following day for the class snack, but her mother told her that would not be happening as her punishment for not doing her work. Lexi was naturally upset, but her parents expected things to blow over eventually as most arguments like this do.

Around 8 a.m. on Friday, LaRon walked Lexi the short trek to school, watching as she crossed the street under the watchful eye of a crossing guard. She melted into the throng of chattering kids into the school, backpack slung over her shoulder—a red hooded jacket with gray stripes over a purple shirt, blue jeans hugging her legs, white Nike sneakers on her feet. Lexi, apparently still upset over the cupcake fiasco, skipped her classes entirely for the first time that year. Classmates later reported seeing her crying on the playground before and after school bells rang.

But Hi-Mount’s policy was lax: no calls to parents until two absences in a row. So Ayanna didn’t know anything was wrong until 3 p.m., when Lexi didn’t come home. Ayanna scooped up Dysoni and raced to the school, only to learn her daughter had ghosted the day entirely. Police were summoned by mid-afternoon, but Alexis had slipped away without a trace.

At first, police leaned toward the simplest explanation: a runaway, sulking to dodge more scolding. Lexi was obviously still distraught, after all. But with no history of bolting and her concerningly trusting nature, they quickly set up thorough searches of the surrounding areas including alleys, parks, and nearby lagoons. Unfortunately, Wisconsin did not have the Amber Alert system until 2003, a year after Alexis vanished (Link). May 6, the search intensified as police brought in greater search forces and incorporated a helicopter. Just 10 days in, on May 13, the case flipped to suspicious, launching a full criminal probe. Why they were comparatively quick to shift to a criminal perspective and where their sources of information were coming from has not been revealed. Unfortunately, by September Police Chief Arthur Jones said that despite tips still arriving, nothing new had been revealed in a while. A team of volunteers known as Operation L.A.P. (locate Alexis Patterson) was brought together and continued searching for some time. The name was later changed to Location Assistance Professionals as it expanded its offerings beyond the Patterson case.

Police and journalists adopted a rather pessimistic perspective early in the case and by August were stating that Lexi might never be found. However, it is not clear why they leapt to (and repeated) this conclusion so quickly. Lexi’s mother continues to insist she believes Lexi is alive and there is no evidence available to prove otherwise.A team of volunteers known as Operation L.A.P. (locate Alexis Patterson) was brought together and continued searching for some time. The name was later changed to Location Assistance Professionals as it expanded its offerings beyond the Patterson case.

Comic book artist Alonzo Washington, a father of seven himself, believes that missing Caucasian children unfairly receive greater media coverage than missing Black children. In 2006, he planned to add Alexis to the list of several missing black children incorporated into his comics as an attempt to spread exposure to their faces and stories. Her photo and profile were to be placed in centerfolds and on trading cards sold within the comics. (There are several stories from 2002 – 2006 (Link, Link) stating that this would happen, but we can’t find evidence that they were actually produced; if someone can confirm it is appreciated).

Key Details:

1. The Red Truck: Investigations revealed a suspicious red truck was seen loitering around the school in the week preceding without ever dropping off or picking up a child. The truck was not seen again after Lexi vanished, and police have never formally linked it to the case.
2. Tape Trouble: Later in the year, police required copies from the press of their recordings of video coverage for reasons unknown.
3. Timeline Tangles: Police have found it difficult to establish a time frame for Alexis’ disappearance. Since she failed to attend classes (unusual for her), many believe she vanished before school started. Some police officers were quoted saying she never made it to the school at all and LaRon was involved in the disappearance, but police did have witnesses who reported seeing her at school (the crossing guard and classmates). There were even some reports that classmates saw her in the playground after school as well, which would mean she vanished much later.
4. Kenya’s Alibi: Lexi’s birth father (Kenya) was not a person of interest. During the early months of 2002, he faced various criminal charges related to battery and driving infractions and remained in prison until May 6, 2002. He proved cooperative with police and assisted with the investigation voluntarily.
5. LaRon: Lexi’s step-father was questioned due to his criminal background as well. In 1994, he was the getaway driver of a bank robbery that ended in the death of a cop. LaRon testified for immunity at the time and was able to avoid conviction. He failed a polygraph but this is inadmissible in court. In April 2003, during a volatile break-up, Ayanna stated that he was abusive, tangled in drugs and prostitution. He passed away in January 2021 at age 52 of a suspected overdose.
6. River Rumor: In August 2002, an unknown caller phones a local TV station to report that Alexis’ body was thrown into the Milwaukee River close to Estabrook Park; however police conducted an underwater search and found nothing.
7. Ohio – DNA Test: In Bryan, Ohio, a young couple (Joshua and ‘L’) were involved in a nasty custody battle over their child. Joshua and his new fiancé inform police and news media they had seen pictures of Alexis and now believe L may have been Alexis Patterson, fully grown. She reportedly had no memories or documentation of her life before the age of 10 when in California. She shared three of the same distinguishing features as Alexis including the scar, birthmark, and bump on her pinky. She also looked similar to Alexis’ age-progressed photos according to a witness who saw side-by-side comparisons. She herself denied being Alexis and was very distressed about the situation, and eventually a DNA test ruled her out.

Multiple Victims?: No

Rumored or Actual Sightings:

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Date the Body was Recovered:

Description: Unknown

Time of Death:

Cause of Death:

Recovered Remains (if partial):

Suspected Homicide?: No

Multiple Victims?: No

DNA Tested (No Match):

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Description: Investigations revealed a suspicious red truck was seen loitering around the school in the week preceding without ever dropping off or picking up a child. The truck was not seen again after Lexi vanished, and police have never formally linked it to the case.

License Plate:

Description: