73.3 F
Ocala
Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Search continues for Marion mother missing for over a year

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is still actively investigating the March 2023 disappearance of 27-year-old Sara Gail Ebersole, and detectives are seeking any information from the public that may help find her.

Marion County Sheriff's Office still looking for missing mother last seen in March 2023
Sara Gail Ebersole, a mother of a 6-year-old girl, has been missing since March 2023.

According to the sheriff’s office, on March 2, 2023, Ebersole was given a ride from a convenience store to a residence located at 18080 N U.S. Highway 441 in Reddick. She was dropped off at the home with another individual, identified as James Robinson.

Ebersole spent a portion of that night with Robinson, who lived in one-half of the subdivided residence. A couple, identified as James Schaller and Teesha McDermitt, lived in the other half of the residence.

Marion County Sheriff's Office still looking for missing mother last seen in March 2023
Sara Gail Ebersole was last seen in early March 2023.

MCSO recently stated on social media that Detective Ryan Stith’s investigation into Ebersole’s disappearance has led to new leads, including this one: sometime after midnight on March 3, 2023, Ebersole left the residence in Reddick with a man named Tyrone Morman.

Tyrone Morman
Tyrone Morman, 28, of Micanopy

During an interview with Detective Stith, Morman initially stated that he “never had any contact” with Ebersole. He further claimed that he was not in town at the time of her disappearance. However, MCSO stated that witnesses refuted Morman’s claims, and a search warrant was obtained for his cellphone.

Morman told investigators that he had “broken his phone and threw it out.” Detective Stith spoke with a witness who advised that Morman still possessed his cellphone, and another warrant was obtained to search Morman’s home and seize that phone, according to the sheriff’s office.

Morman eventually turned the cellphone over to investigators, and he was arrested on December 20, 2023, for providing false information to law enforcement.

MCSO stated that during a search of Morman’s cellphone, detectives found information suggesting that he had been at a 24-hour convenience store with Ebersole in the northwest part of Marion County in the early morning hours of March 3, 2023.

26 year old Marion County mother still missing after 8 months
This photo of Sara Gail Ebersole was taken on March 2, 2023.

Morman is considered a person of interest in the disappearance of Sara and will not speak with the detectives; we are hoping that there are people in this community who may know things that could help us find out what happened to Sara,” stated the sheriff’s office on social media.

If you have any information that might help detectives locate Ebersole, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office asks that you call Detective Ryan Stith at 352-368-3542.

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call the Crime Stoppers of Marion County at 352-368-STOP(7867) and reference 23-71 in your tip.