Vanished Only Months Apart: Where are Layla Santanello and Hollynn Snapp?
On June 27, 2023, Layla Santanello went missing in Kingsport, Tennessee. Four months later, Hollynn Snapp disappeared in the same area.
What happened to Layla and Hollynn and where are they?
Layla Santanello was born on August 5, 2002, in Neptune Township, New Jersey, to Jennifer Santanello and George Emmett. When Layla turned three, she and her mother relocated to Florida, and a year later, they moved to Tennessee. Layla’s mother revealed that Layla had been battling addiction to Fentanyl and Heroin.
Hollynn Snapp was born on August 24, 2004, and was adopted by her mother, Heather Snapp, in 2014. Heather disclosed that Hollynn faced challenges with her mental health and had been in different treatment centers since she was 14 years old. Additionally, she grappled with addiction to Methamphetamine.
In March 2023, Hollynn relocated from Chuckey, Tennessee to Kingsport, Tennessee to reside with her biological aunt. Described as a very trusting individual, Hollynn functions at the level of a ten-year-old.
Hollynn and Layla have several similarities. Both were grappling with substance abuse issues, were in vulnerable states when they disappeared, and share similar petite statures. Layla stands at 4'10" tall and weighs 135 pounds, while Hollynn is 4'8" tall and weighs 110 pounds.
Notably, even though Hollynn and Layla had common acquaintances and moved in similar social circles, there is no indication that they were acquainted with each other. Despite investigators not finding a link between their cases, public suspicion has grown due to the striking parallels. This has given rise to speculations of a potential serial kidnapper or killer in the Kingsport area.
The Disappearances
In early June 2023, Layla lost custody of her daughter, Nova Grace, to her mother and grandmother. Following this, she resided with her boyfriend, Michael Thompson, at his mother’s residence at 562 Dale Street.
On Friday, June 23, 2023, an argument between Layla, Michael, and other family members prompted Layla to leave the residence and stay with friends.
On Saturday, June 24, 2023, Jennifer Santanello received messages from Michael Thompson, using Layla’s Facebook account. This wasn’t unusual, as Layla’s phone had been confiscated by the police four months earlier when Michael was arrested for possession of schedule I and II drugs, as well as having contraband in a penal facility. Since then, they had been sharing a single phone to stay in touch with friends and family. In these messages, Michael was inquiring if Jennifer knew Layla’s whereabouts and if she was in jail, as he was having difficulty reaching her.
In the evening, upon realizing that Michael had used her Facebook account to contact her mother, Layla reached out to Jennifer to assure her that she was safe and staying with friends. She explained that she had to borrow a phone to reach out. Jennifer sensed that Layla might have been hesitant to disclose her exact whereabouts due to Michael having access to her profile and messages.
On Monday, June 26, 2023, Michael texted Jennifer once more, reminding her that Layla shouldn’t be “out there” alone. While Jennifer acknowledged his concern, she still believed that Layla was staying with friends and preferred not to disclose her exact location to Michael. Jennifer also mentioned that Layla had contacted her early in the morning, around 6 am.
However, Michael also reached out to Layla’s father, George, who resides in New Jersey. Concerned about the information Michael shared, George contacted Jennifer. Together, they agreed to wait until Tuesday at 8 am to see if Layla would check in with Jennifer again. However, George, unable to sleep, made the decision to report Layla missing during the early hours of Tuesday.
Once law enforcement officers became involved, they were able to verify Layla’s location from the weekend until Tuesday afternoon.
According to investigators, Layla had checked into the Americourt Motel on Monday night. Witnesses observed her displaying erratic, confused, and paranoid behavior. When police officers arrived at the motel in response to an unrelated disturbance, Layla became frightened and fled into the woods behind the motel.
On the morning of Tuesday, June 27, 2023, witnesses working at the warehouse situated behind the motel confirmed seeing Layla emerge from the woods at around 6:15 am.
Initially, investigators believed that the last sighting of Layla occurred around noon at the Marble Slab Creamery. An employee recounted that she was seated on the outdoor patio, appearing frightened and paranoid. The employee provided her with ice cream and a cell phone to make a call. Layla then informed the employee that she intended to walk across the street to a Five Below retail store to purchase a pair of shoes, but she did not follow through with her plan. However, recent information (March 2024) indicates the woman seen at Marble Slab Creamery wasn’t Layla. Therefore, her last confirmed sighting was in the wooded area behind the Americourt Motel.
Jennifer hadn’t heard from her daughter in over 10 days when she and Layla’s stepmother, Brittany Zeitler, received multiple CashApp payment requests from Layla’s account. The requests ranged from $1 to $97 and the attached note to the request claimed that Layla would be released if her family paid the specified amount. However, Jennifer noted that the individual using Layla’s account to send requests couldn’t answer personal questions that only Layla would know the answers to.
On August 4th, 2023, the Kingsport Police Department (KPD) conducted a search of the Dale Street residence.
On October 5, 2023, while Jennifer Santanello was actively searching for Layla, Hollynn Snapp, who typically maintained daily communication with her family, suddenly ceased all contact. According to her mother, Heather Snapp, Hollynn was involved in an altercation at a party that night and subsequently vanished.
On October 15, 2023, Hollynn was reportedly seen in the Bell Ridge Drive area in Kingsport, but has not been seen since. Both her mother and foster mother continue to post on social media platforms to raise awareness and spread the word about her disappearance.
In January 2024, Jennifer and her family announced a reward of $2,000 for any information that could help locate Layla.
On February 14, 2024, Michael Thompson faced charges related to identity theft, theft under $1000, and illegal possession or fraudulent use of credit or debit cards, as well as extortion. It was discovered that Michael was the person responsible for sending payment requests to Layla’s family through Layla’s CashApp account. However, investigators have not found any evidence linking him to Layla’s disappearance.
As of February 2024, the latest update regarding Layla indicates that investigators are optimistic about their progress. They have informed Jennifer Santanello that there is “a small group of individuals who know Layla’s exact location.” Layla’s family is hopeful that one of these individuals will eventually come forward.
On March 4, 2024, Heather Snapp posted the following update to her Facebook page:
“So I feel it’s time to update everyone. We know that Hollynn’s case is being handled by Sullivan Co Sheriff’s Office and the TBI and her saving grace for this was because she met the criteria of the Holly Bobo act. Hollynn Snapp was last seen on Bell Ridge drive, Kingsport, TN in a severely beaten state. A large 51 year old man is to blame and took advantage of a 19 yr old girl who had the mentality of a 10yr old, she was 4'9" and 80 lbs. Needless to say it’s very unlikely she survived and the man was aided in the disposal of her body. If you have any information regarding my daughter please help us in reaching out to my PI Steven Fischer our family would sincerely appreciate closure and justice for Hollynn.”
The investigating agencies have not officially confirmed this information yet.
Both women have been added to TBI list of Missing and Endangered Young Adults and the corresponding alert has been issued in accordance with the Holly Bobo Act.
Hollynn Snapp and Layla Santanello are still missing! If you have any information regarding either one of them, please contact the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office at 423–279–7330 or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1–800-TBI-FIND.
Please note: This article will undergo periodic updates to incorporate emerging information related to these ongoing cases. There may be revisions to the timeline and case details for accuracy and completeness.
Last Update: March 7, 2024.
