KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – As the three-year mark since Layla Santanello vanished looms, her family remains on a determined quest for answers, clinging to the hope of her safe return. Layla, who was just 20 at the time of her disappearance, has left a hole in their lives that remains unfilled.
This anniversary of Layla’s disappearance brings a new development. On Friday, the Kingsport Police Department disclosed fresh insights, revealing that the lead detective now suspects Layla may no longer be alive.
Layla’s mother, Jennifer Santanello, shared her ongoing anguish with News Channel 11 on Sunday, expressing the relentless heartache of not knowing her daughter’s fate.
“She’s still somewhere out there,” Santanello remarked. “Hope is both a blessing and a burden; it elevates you, but also weighs you down. I miss her deeply. Three years feel like an eternity. I long for the day she walks through our front door again.”
Investigators from the Kingsport Police Department have updated their findings, contradicting earlier beliefs that Layla was last seen at the Americourt Hotel. They now state she left the establishment the evening she went missing and subsequently spent time with a group of people.
Investigators believe those individuals know what happened to Layla but have not shared that information with police. For Jennifer Santanello, every passing season brings new heartache.
“Every winter, the idea of her being out there in the cold–and I know how nonsensical that sounds–I understand that it’s not realistic, but every winter I worry about her being cold,” Santanello said. “It’s something that drives me crazy.”
Despite investigators’ belief that Layla is dead, her family says their mission remains the same: to bring her home.
“I still want to bring her home,” Santanello said. “Regardless of what state she’s in. I still want to bring her home. That’s the most important thing. So I will continue searching. I will continue getting out there into the woods. And I’m searching blind because law enforcement; they’ve kept it very close to the vest. The areas that they believe she may be in, and I, and we get out there and we blindly search hours on hours, days after days.”
Layla’s stepmother, Brittany Zeitler, said the family continues to raise awareness in hopes that someone with information will finally come forward.
“For anybody that does know anything as regards to what happened to Layla, even if they feel it’s a small little piece, it’s not an important piece or even a name, whatever the case may be, just let let yourself free, set yourself free,” Zeitler said.
To mark the three year anniversary of Layla’s disappearance, the family hosted its annual Layla’s Hope event to honor her and keep attention on the case.
Layla’s grandmother, Connie Wells, made an emotional plea to anyone withholding information.
“I beg that they come forward and help us get past the grieving, the wonder, the nightmares. Help us. Please, I beg of you.”
Kingsport police continue to urge anyone with information about Layla Santanello’s disappearance or whereabouts to contact the Kingsport Police Department.