1996

Saturday, January 13, 1996 – Arlington, Texas

• 3:00 PM: Amber Hagerman, 9, and her 5-year-old brother Ricky ride their bikes near their grandparents’ home on Highland Drive.
• 3:10 PM: Amber continues alone to the abandoned Winn-Dixie grocery store parking lot at 1600 block of East Abram Street—a common spot for neighborhood kids to play.
• Witness: 78-year-old Jimmie Kevil sees a man get out of a black pickup truck, forcibly grab Amber off her bike as she screams, and drive off. He calls 911 immediately. “I saw her riding up and down the vacant lot,” “She was by herself. I saw this pickup. He pulled up, jumped out and grabbed her…When she screamed, I figured the police ought to know about it, so I called them. I wish I had known more. I done all I could do.” Kevil described the man as “not big, but very fast.” He was white or Hispanic, and his truck was dark. But he was too far to give much more detail.
• 3:18 PM: Police arrive on scene within minutes. Amber’s pink bike is found abandoned in the parking lot.
• Evening: A full-scale search begins, involving local law enforcement, Texas Rangers, the FBI, and volunteers.

January 14–16, 1996

• Search intensifies. Thousands of fliers are distributed. National media begins coverage.
• Suspect description: White or Hispanic male, 20s to 30s, under 6 feet tall, medium build, dark hair. Vehicle: black full-size, single-cab pickup, no chrome or striping.

Wednesday, January 17, 1996

• Before Midnight: A security guard at an apartment complex discovers the nude body of a young girl face-down in a creek behind Forest Hollow Apartments, roughly four miles from where Amber Hagerman was abducted.
• Shortly After: Tarrant County Medical Examiner is called to the scene. Police chaplain and officers notify Amber’s parents, Donna Whitson and Richard Hagerman, around 1:30–2:00 AM.
• Initially, Amber’s father refuses to believe it is her, telling reporters at 2 AM: “She’s still alive.” The family then retreats inside, visibly distraught.  Source

Thursday, January 18, 1996

• Medical Examiner’s Office officially identifies the body as Amber Rene Hagerman and rules the death a homicide.
• Cause of Death: “Cut wounds to the throat.”
• Police spokesman Dee Anderson says the time of death and duration in water are still unknown.
• Notably, apartment maintenance workers had been in the area earlier Wednesday and saw nothing, suggesting the body arrived during a heavy storm that evening.
• Investigators believe the rising creek moved Amber’s body to that location.  Source

January 19, 1996

• Autopsy: The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office Confirms sexual assault, lacerations on the neck. No clothing was recovered.  Source
• New Witness Emerges: A witness reports seeing a black pickup truck cruising the parking lot just before the abduction. Police express hope that if this witness saw the abductor, they may be able to create a composite sketch.
• Law Enforcement Response: More than 50 Arlington Police officers and federal agents remain on the case, working nearly around the clock. Dee Anderson: “We will find the person who did this. We never want another little girl… to go through what this family has been through.”

January 20, 1996

• Amber’s Funeral was held at the First United Methodist Church of Arlington. Source

January 30, 1996

• Officials with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office reveal that Amber was alive for 48hours after her abduction.They stated at the time that maintenance workers had been near the creek just hours earlier and did not see Amber’s body. Authorities believed that her body had been carried to that location by rising water during a rainstorm later that day. They described the area where Amber was found as “very secluded.”
• A Psychological Profile suggested the Suspect was approximately 25 years or older, carries a knife, erupts violently, probably lives alone, possibly recent lost in his job or had a family dispute.
• Arlington officials planted a tree in memory of Amber Hagerman near the scene of her abduction. Amber Hagerman’s killer has never been caught. There is a $75,000 Reward for information leading to a conviction. If you have any information concerning Amber Hagerman’s Abduction and Murder, Please call the Arlington Texas Police Department at: (817) 459-5700

1996–2003

• DNA was collected, but degradation from the water limited its usefulness. 
• Over 4,600 leads are reviewed by Arlington Police. The case remains open but unsolved.
• Amber’s case captures national attention; calls for a better system to locate missing children intensify. After Amber’s murder, a local Texas mother named Diana Simone couldn’t stop thinking about how the 9-year-old vanished so quickly without a trace. Simone called a local radio station and proposed a system in which radio broadcasts would immediately interrupt programming to share urgent information when a child was abducted. Just fourteen days after Amber’s abduction, she followed up with a formal letter, suggesting that if the system were ever implemented, it should be named in Amber’s honor — “Amber’s Plan.”
• October 1996: Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters and police develop the first “AMBER Plan”, named in Amber’s honor.
• July 5, 1997: First AMBER Alert is activated in Texas.
• 2003: U.S. President George W. Bush signs PROTECT Act, establishing the national AMBER Alert program.

2006 (10-Year Anniversary)

• Arlington Police renew appeal to the public.
• A $10,000 reward is posted for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

2016 (20-Year Anniversary)

• Police receive hundreds of tips from across the country.
• Authorities confirm DNA evidence exists and may be re-tested with modern methods.

2021

• January 2021 (25th anniversary), investigators released new photos and emphasized continued efforts. They confirmed the preservation of DNA evidence and plans to submit items for new forensic testing circles later that year

2024

• January 2024, Arlington Police reiterated their ongoing dedication, detailing continued collaboration with national crime labs and advanced forensic technique. Arlington Police, still working the case, emphasize they have not given up and request any memories or tips—even ones that seem insignificant.

Current Status

• The case remains officially unsolved. However:
• Forensic experts are re-examining DNA using modern techniques (e.g., familial DNA, genetic genealogy).
• Public tip line remains open: 817-575-8823
• Amber’s legacy through the AMBER Alert system has helped recover over 1,200 missing children.

KEY LOCATIONS

• Winn-Dixie lot (1600 E Abram St)- Abduction site
• Forest Hollow Apartments area – Body found
• Arlington, TX Police Dept. Active case handlers
• Creek site Evidence recovery area

Timeline & Circumstances

• January 13, 1996 (3:10 PM) – Amber and her 5‑year‑old brother Ricky rode their bikes near their grandparents’ home. Ricky returned home; Amber continued to the Winn‑Dixie parking lot.
• A 78‑year‑old neighbor, Jimmie Kevil, witnessed a man forcibly pull Amber off her bike into a black pickup truck as she screamed. He called 911.
• Four days later, her naked body was found with severe neck lacerations in a creek about four‑six miles away; she’d reportedly survived up to 48 hours after the abduction.

Suspect & Evidence

• Described as a white or Hispanic male, in his 20s–30s, under 6 ft tall, medium build, with dark hair. The vehicle: a non‑chromed, solid‑black, single‑cab pickup with no rear window bars.
• Over 7,000 tips have been submitted, yet no arrests have been made.
• DNA evidence was collected from her body, though creek water may have degraded it. Investigators are moving forward with advanced genetic genealogy testing

DNA & Forensic Evidence Status

• Police have repeatedly confirmed the existence of DNA material, despite creek water degradation, and its inclusion in advanced genetic genealogy efforts .
• Investigators submitted the evidence to labs and have stayed informed on emerging forensic methods .

Legacy: Creation of AMBER Alert system

• Inspired by Amber’s tragedy, Diana Simone conceived a real‑time broadcast alert to help recover abducted children.
• Within weeks, broadcasters and law enforcement in Dallas–Fort Worth implemented the system. The first AMBER Alert went out in Texas in 1997, and it became a federal program in 2003.
• Since then, the system has been credited with rescuing over 1,200 children across the U.S.

Inspiration: The Amber Alert system was born out of the tragic abduction and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, Texas, in 1996.

Initial Idea: Diana Simone contacted a local radio station with the idea of using emergency alerts to help find abducted children, similar to how weather alerts are used.

Establishment: Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters and local police teamed up in 1996 to develop the first AMBER (America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alert plan. This was launched in October 1996 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

National System: The system spread, and eventually, the PROTECT Act was signed in 2003, establishing a national Amber Alert system overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Effectiveness: The AMBER Alert program has played a significant role in the safe recovery of many children. As of December 31, 2024, the program has contributed to the recovery of 1,268 children, with wireless emergency alerts leading to the rescue of at least 226 children.

Expansion: The system has expanded to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It has also been implemented in other countries.

Amber Alert Timeline:

1996

• After the abduction and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, Texas, local law enforcement and broadcasters created the first AMBER Alert system.
• The name “AMBER” stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response.
• The first AMBER Plan was developed in the Dallas–Fort Worth area as a regional emergency alert system for abducted children.

1996–2001

• Gradual expansion across the United States.
• By the end of 2001, only four states had adopted statewide AMBER Alert programs.

2002

• The first White House Conference on Missing, Exploited, and Runaway Children took place.
• Deborah J. Daniels was appointed the first National AMBER Alert Coordinator at the U.S. Department of Justice.

2003

• April 30: The PROTECT Act was signed into law.
• Formally established the role of National AMBER Alert Coordinator.
• Directed efforts to develop and enhance AMBER networks across the U.S.
• Emphasized eliminating geographic gaps in alert coverage.
• Set criteria and guidance for issuing alerts.

2004

• U.S. Department of Justice issued federal guidance to law enforcement, broadcasters, and transportation agencies to standardize AMBER Alert practices.

Key Milestones Summary Source

• 1996 – AMBER Alert system launched in Dallas–Fort Worth in response to Amber Hagerman’s murder
• 1996 – 2001 Slow national adoption; only four states had statewide programs by 2001
• 2002 – National AMBER Alert Coordinator appointed; White House conference held
• 2003 – PROTECT Act passed; federal support and coordination initiated
• 2004 – DOJ issued national guidelines for AMBER Alerts