Layla Santanello went missing on June 25, 2023. According to her family, Layla was struggling with fentanyl addiction at the time of her disappearance. Two weeks before her last sighting, Santanello lost temporary custody of her two-year-old daughter to her mother, Jennifer Santanello. The unsettling events began on June 24, three days before Layla disappeared, when her boyfriend messaged Jennifer (mother) from Layla’s Facebook account, asking if she was in jail or the hospital. Later that night, Layla messaged her mother, assuring her she was safe but without a phone. Her final message was, “I love you so much more.”

Layla had recently fallen out with her boyfriend and, after staying with friends for a few nights, checked into the Americourt Motel on June 25. Witnesses described her as disheveled and paranoid, “trying to hide in the shadows.” Friends later revealed she had secretly started seeing another man, prompting her to flee her boyfriend’s home without shoes or belongings.

On June 26, guests at the hotel saw Layla going door to door in distress, declining offers of help. That morning, she had an altercation with an unknown person and told a friend, “I have to take care of something.” Motel staff threatened eviction due to the commotion, and she walked into nearby woods around midday. Warehouse workers later reported spotting Layla from a distance. Given her apparent panic, her family believes she was running from someone she encountered at the motel.

Timeline of Layla Santanello’s Disappearance:

June 23,2023

• Layla, staying with her boyfriend Michael and his family, has a major argument and leaves.

June 24, 2023:

• 8:00 – 9:00 PM: Layla’s boyfriend messages her mother, Jennifer, from Layla’s Facebook account, asking if she was “in jail” or at the hospital, as he didn’t know where she was.
• Later that night, Layla herself messages Jennifer from the same account, stating she is fine but does not have a phone and is using someone else’s to contact her. “I’m fine, Mom I’ve been with a friend. I don’t have a phone to text or call. I’m using someone else’s.”
  
• Jennifer responds, “Ok. I love you.” Layla replies with her final message to her mother: “I love you so much more.”

June 25, 2023:

• Layla checks into the Americourt Motel in Kingsport, Tennessee. Witnesses report she appeared disheveled and paranoid, as if she was “trying to hide in the shadows.”
• Layla had recently fallen out with her boyfriend and had been staying with friends before moving into the motel.

June 26, 2023:

• 6:15 AM: Layla is seen going door to door at the motel, appearing distressed. She declines help from several people who offer her a phone or a ride home.
• Layla tells a friend, “I have to take care of something.”
• A reported altercation occurs at the motel between Layla and an unidentified person. Due to the disturbance, Layla is threatened with eviction from the motel.
• 8:00 AM – 10 AM: she is seen walking into a nearby wooded area.
• Employees at a nearby warehouse notice Layla appearing paranoid and panicked.
• 12:00 PM: Possible Siting: Layla was inside a local ice cream shop located a 2003 N. Eastman Road. Layla spoke with an employee and stated she was going to a nearby store to buy shoes. Layla never made it to the store to buy shoes and her last known direction is unknown. Note: Detectives and Agents believed Layla was last seen at the Marble Slab Creamery early on in the investigation, based on several witness statements. Detectives and Agents followed the lead and eventually learned that the woman who was seen at Marble Slab was not Layla
• Michael sends Jennifer terrifying messages, emphasizing Layla’s vulnerability on the streets. That night, Layla’s father considers filing a missing persons report but decides to wait until morning.

June 27, 2023:

• 2:00 AM: Layla’s father files a missing persons report. Police visit Michael’s house, where he and his family cooperate. Meanwhile, Layla is seen at the Americourt Hotel in Kingsport, Tennessee, acting paranoid and afraid before running into the woods
  
• Surveillance footage from a storage facility captures Layla, now barefoot, heading south toward the Kingsport Greenbelt, far from her last known location.
• This sighting revises earlier assumptions that Layla was last seen at an ice cream shop heading to a Five Below store.
• After this sighting, Layla’s trail goes cold.
• Layla’s stepmother, Brittany Zeitler, and her father reported her missing in the early hours of June 27.

June 28, 2023

• Family court appearance was set for June 28 – two days after Santanello’s father reported Layla missing to police. Layla does not appear in court, a major red flag.
• Jennifer’s ex-boyfriend investigates a hotel room linked to Layla but finds no trace of her. Michael and two other men are seen lurking around the hotel.
  

June 30, 2023:

• Layla’s dad’s girlfriend in New Jersey receives a Cash App request from Layla’s account. Jennifer starts sending small amounts, trying to confirm Layla’s identity. The person eventually claims to be Layla’s kidnapper and makes ransom threats.

July 2023:

• Authorities and Layla family begin reviewing surveillance footage to establish an accurate timeline.
• Law enforcement initially dismisses the Cash App messages but begins investigating when demands escalate to $2,000. The transactions are later traced to Michael’s address.

Two Weeks After Disappearance:

• Layla’s family receives strange Cash App requests from Layla’s account, requesting money with cryptic messages, including “twlmg” (interpreted as “they won’t let me go”).
• A threatening message demands money: “For 15 mins or you’ll find her in peaces [sic].”
• Jennifer sends small amounts of money to communicate, hoping it is Layla.
• Authorities later determined the messages were a hoax by an acquaintance who accessed Layla’s account.

July 10, 2023:

• Layla’s stepmother receives strange Cash App requests from Layla’s account

July 26, 2023

•  1:39 PM Layla’s stepmom Brittany Zeilter received cashapp requests from Layla account started on July 10th and went on until August 12th.

August 2023:

• Layla’s family expresses concerns that her disappearance may be linked to the case of another missing woman, Hollynn Snapp, who vanished three miles away.

August 3, 2023:

• Layla is officially classified as a missing and endangered adult. Her family launches a social media campaign and organizes a vigil.

August 5, 2023:

• Layla’s 21st birthday is marked by a candlelight vigil attended by her father.

September 20, 2023

• Mother offers $2,000 reward for information on missing Kingsport woman, Layla Santanello Link

August 5, 2023:

• Layla’s 21st birthday is marked by a candlelight vigil attended by her father.

August 7, 2023:

• Law enforcement provides an update to Layla’s parents, confirming her sighting at the Americourt Hotel and a mistaken identity case at the Marble Slab Creamery.

Late August 2023:

• Authorities execute a search warrant at Michael Thompson’s home and collect evidence. Michael is questioned but provides little useful information.

October 30, 2023

• The families of Layla Santanello, 21, and Hollynn Snapp, 19, said the missing women ran in the same social circles and may know each other Link 
• 21-year-old Layla Santanello has been missing since June and when her mom Jennifer found out another woman went missing in Kingsport, she said she was devastated. 19-year-old Hollynn Snapp was last seen on October 15th and less than 2 1/2 miles away from where Layla was seen last. Hollynn is 4’8” tall, 110 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Layla is 4’10 tall and weighs approximately 135 pounds. with blonde hair and brown eyes.
  
  Jennifer said through social media she found out Layla and Hollynn Snapp had similar friends. “We don’t have any confirmation that they knew each other but apparently they did run around in some of the same circles,” added Hunt.

Note: Local PD issues a statement: There has been no evidence to connect Layla’s disappearance to any other missing person’s case.

November 11, 2023

• The family organized a community search involving any interested members of the Kingsport community. The search covered the Greenbelt area behind East Stone Commons Shopping Center.
• Vigile was held later in the day Link

February 14, 2024

• Layla’s boyfriend, Michael David Thompson, was indicted by the Sullivan County Grand Jury on charges including:
• Identity theft- Theft under $1,000 – Illegal possession or fraudulent use of a credit/debit card – Extortion
• Evidence showed that Thompson impersonated Layla on CashApp, requesting money from her family and friends after she disappeared.

March 2024:

• Police inform the family that they have gathered significant information regarding Layla’s case but do not disclose details publicly.
• for the first several months of this investigation, it was believed that Laylas last known whereabouts were the Marble Slab Creamery, which is a 15 minute walk from the Americourt hotel and the area she was last seen. The hard work of KPD and TBI would eventually reveal that this was a false sighting. The young girl seen at the ice cream shop that day was not Layla, but another woman who had similar physical characteristics.

June 27, 2024 – One-Year Anniversary Vigil

• A candlelight vigil was held at Borden Park in Kingsport, Tennessee, to mark one year since Layla disappeared. Community members gathered to honor her memory and raise awareness about her case.

Current Status 2025:

• Layla remains missing.
• Her family continues to search for answers, believing she may still be alive.
• Ground searches have been paused throughout the holidays and cold winter months, but will resume in March 2025.
• Authorities urge anyone with information to contact the Kingsport Police Department at (423) 343-9780
• Family Links

Official Timeline:

As of February 10, 2025, the disappearance of 21-year-old Layla Santanello from Kingsport, Tennessee, remains unsolved. Below is an updated timeline of key events related to her case:

June 27, 2023: Disappearance

• Morning: Layla was last seen at approximately 6:15 a.m. in a field adjacent to the Americourt Hotel, located at 1900 American Way, Kingsport, Tennessee.
• Report Filed: Later that day, a family member reported Layla missing to the Kingsport Police Department, expressing concern for her welfare.

August 4, 2023: Search of Residence

• Authorities executed a search warrant at 562 Dale Street, the shared residence of Layla and Michael Thompson, as part of their ongoing investigation.

August 15, 2023: Multi-Agency Search

• A coordinated search operation involving multiple agencies was conducted in and around 2003 N. Eastman Road, near the East Stone Commons shopping center, in an effort to locate evidence related to Layla’s disappearance.
• 1 p.m., the KPD provided an update on the search. During the briefing, members of the KPD said that specialized equipment and technology were being used in the search for Santanello and evidence, along with around 100 first responders. Corporal Brandon Johnson with the KPD said the search of the roughly 320-acre area had not yielded any new evidence. Update
• KPD stated they had obtained and served more than 30 search warrants, and searched for 562 Dale Street where Layla and her boyfriend Michael Thompson lived.

Agencies joined the KPD in the search:

• Sullivan County Emergency Management
• Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)
• Kingsport Fire Department
• Kingsport Life Saving Crew
• Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office
• Bristol, Tennessee Fire Department
• Hawkins County Rescue Squad
• Church Hill Rescue Squad
• Washington County, Tennessee Rescue Squad
• Johnson City Fire and Rescue
• Unicoi Rescue Squad

February 14, 2024: Grand Jury

• Michael David Thompson was indicted by the Sullivan County Grand Jury on charges including identity theft, theft under $1,000, illegal possession or fraudulent use of a credit or debit card, and extortion. Evidence indicated that Thompson impersonated Layla and sent Cash App requests to her family and friends after her disappearance. Authorities clarified that there was no evidence linking Thompson to Layla’s disappearance. https://www.kingsporttn.gov/kpd-e-news-release-kpd-arrest-man-for-posing-as-missing-person/

March 4, 2024: Police Update

• Kingsport Police Officers located and arrested Thompson for the warrants. Thompson was taken to the Sullivan County Jail where he was booked in for the charges. Thompson’s bond was set at $15,000.
• The Kingsport Police Department released a comprehensive FAQ addressing various aspects of the investigation, including actions taken, agencies involved, and clarifications on rumors. They emphasized that the case remained a priority and encouraged anyone with information to come forward.

February 10, 2025: Current Status

• Detectives and Agents believed Layla was last seen at the Marble Slab Creamery early on in the investigation, based on several witness statements. Detectives and Agents followed the lead and eventually learned that the woman who was seen at Marble Slab was not Layla. They confirmed that information through phone records as well as identifying the woman and interviewing her.
• Despite extensive investigative efforts, Layla’s whereabouts remain unknown.
• The Kingsport Police Department continues to pursue all leads and urges anyone with information to contact them at 423-343-9780 or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

If you have any information regarding Layla Santanello’s disappearance, please reach out to the authorities using the contact information provided above. Kingsport TN Official Update

Video by Jennifer Santanello Link

(00:00) My 22-year-old daughter mysteriously vanished almost 18 months ago. Today, we are not a whole lot closer to answers about what happened, where she went, or where she is right now. The last thing that she said to me was, “I love you so much more.” I’ve had a lot of requests recently for the full story, with all the sordid details. I used to tell the story once a week, and then I realized that doing so was… but I’m going to do it today. I am Jennifer Santinello. Layla Santanello is my only daughter. If she were here, she would be 22.

(00:38) There was a lot going on when she vanished. Just a few months earlier, I had learned that she was using certain substances and struggling with substance abuse. Just a month earlier, she and I were in court because I had applied for temporary custody of her daughter, who was two at the time. In fact, the day after she went missing, we had a court date scheduled that she obviously didn’t make it to. On Friday, June 23rd, 2023, Layla, who was staying with her boyfriend, who lived with his mother and his brother, had an argument. I don’t know if it was with her boyfriend, whose name is Michael, or with another family member. I’ve heard different stories about the argument. It was a big blowout, and she packed her stuff and left.

(01:17) On Saturday, June 24th, 2023, around 8 or 9 PM, I was fixing supper when I got a text message from Layla’s account on Facebook, but it wasn’t Layla—it was Michael, and he was looking for her. The thing about that that gets confusing is that people don’t realize that Michael and Layla were sharing a phone. A few months earlier, Michael had been arrested, and he had Layla’s phone on him, while his own phone, which only worked with Wi-Fi, was left with her. Because Layla’s phone was taken in as evidence, they shared a phone for months. So, getting a message from Michael on Layla’s account wasn’t weird—it happened often.

(02:25) Anyway, Saturday night, I’m cooking dinner, and I get a message from Michael. It just says, “Do you know if Layla is in jail?” I have questions. Why would she be in jail? Why is she not with you? These two were connected at the hip—you never saw one without the other. They had serious codependency issues. I start to panic. At the time, my niece was living in my basement. She also struggled with substance use, but she was clean at the time. I had helped her detox a couple of months earlier. So, I went downstairs and showed her the text message. I asked her to check her jail app to see if Layla had been booked somewhere, and she also called around to people Layla might be with. We couldn’t find her—not in jails, not in hospitals, not with friends.

(03:25) On Sunday morning, I woke up to a message from Layla. She said she was staying with friends and that she was fine. She seemed upset that I was worrying about her and told me not to worry. The very last thing she said to me was, “I love you so much more.” These messages would later be proven to be 98% from her. We know where she was on Sunday morning, who she was with, and what device she used to send the messages—it all lines up. So, at this point, I felt better. I figured she would call me at some point and tell me what was going on. She was short with me and didn’t answer my questions fully, but I knew Michael could see her messages, so I wasn’t expecting a full explanation.

(04:26) Monday morning rolls around, and I get terrifying messages from Michael. He says, “You don’t know the terrible things that could happen to her out here on the streets. She doesn’t need to be out there on her own.” He was laying it on thick, trying to manipulate me into finding her for him. He also contacted Layla’s biological father in New Jersey, using the same manipulation tactics. Layla’s grandmother and I had been in touch all weekend. On Monday night, Layla’s father and I talked about what to do. Should we call it in? Should we make a big fuss? I was hesitant—I worried that if she was hiding, she would hide better, or if someone had her and we made a public fuss, they might get rid of her. I also didn’t want to embarrass her. I told her father, “If I don’t hear from her by 8 AM tomorrow, it will be a full 48 hours since we last spoke, and then we can report it.”

(06:34) That night, her father couldn’t sleep and called the police to ask if he needed to wait 48 hours. They said no—there’s no waiting period for reporting a missing adult. He filed the report from New Jersey, and at 2 AM on June 27th, detectives showed up at Michael’s house. He and his family cooperated. But what we didn’t know was that Layla had not actually disappeared yet. While we were making the report, she was at the Americourt Hotel in Kingsport, Tennessee, acting paranoid and afraid. Witnesses saw her hiding in the laundry room. At some point, law enforcement pulled into the hotel’s parking lot, and witnesses saw her run into the woods behind the hotel.

(08:12) The next afternoon, the detective told me they had footage of Layla at the Americourt Hotel on Monday night, so we assumed she was still there. On Wednesday morning, I expected her to show up for court—but she didn’t. That was the first red flag. Later that day, I sent my ex-boyfriend to the Americourt Hotel to check a specific room. He saw Michael Thompson and two other men hanging around, seemingly staking out the hotel. Michael claimed he had been knocking on the room’s door all day, even calling the cops to break it open, but no one answered.

(12:32) That night, Layla’s dad’s girlfriend in New Jersey got a Cash App request from Layla’s account. I started sending small amounts of money, asking, “Layla, baby, where are you?” At first, the messages sounded like her, saying, “I just want to come home.” But when I asked to hear her voice, the messages changed. The person claimed to be her kidnapper and started making ransom threats. We contacted law enforcement. At first, they didn’t take it seriously, but when the amount requested went from $100 to $2,000, they began investigating. Eventually, they traced the Cash App activity back to Michael Thompson’s address.

(18:17) Authorities raided Michael’s home, questioning him for 16–18 hours. He took a polygraph, but it was inconclusive due to drug use. In February 2024, Michael was indicted for fraud related to the Cash App scheme. Police still have a theory about what happened to Layla, but they lack physical evidence to search certain properties. We are still searching for answers. It has been almost 18 months, and we are still here, sharing her story and trying to bring her home.