Heather Ann MacCrossen

Ex-Cafe Risque dancer missing for 17 months

Published: Friday, January 30, 2009 at 11:40 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, January 30, 2009 at 11:40 a.m.

A search is under way for information on a former Café Risque dancer who was last heard from while at the Greyhound bus station in Gainesville in August 2007.

Heather Ann MacCrossen was 26 when her family heard from her in a phone call from the bus station on August 17, 2007. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office said the former Newberry resident’s family formally reported her missing in December. The search for MacCrossen has included a fruitless search for any activity on her Social Security number or credit cards.

“It is difficult for a legal resident to live for any period of time with no Social Security number activity,” said sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Steve Maynard. “Because there has been no activity, this is an indicator for us that something bad may have happened.”

Among those questioned about MacCrossen is her former boyfriend, Andrelo Witcher, 30, who is serving a 15-month state prison sentence for fleeing from a law enforcement officer in Columbia County. His prison record includes a 21-month sentence for a Duval County conviction for lewd and lascivious assault on a child between the ages of 12 and 15.

MacCrossen’s case has been assigned to Investigator Thom Kinsey, who said Witcher has been questioned about the young woman’s disappearance.

“Her ex-boyfriend denies knowing where she is at,” Kinsey said. “We have no reason to believe he has done anything at this time, but it is very concerning,”

While MacCrossen did not request a restraining order to keep Witcher away from her, Kinsey said the couple apparently had a violent relationship.

“In 2006 deputies took a sexual battery report involving him [Witcher] and Heather [MacCrossen], and that went to the State Attorney’s office” to be prosecuted, Kinsey said. “The State Attorney, due to Heather not cooperating, did not move forward on the case.”

Shortly before her disappearance, MacCrossen's relatives said she fled to Michigan to escape Witcher and arrived with two black eyes and told family members she was terrified of her former boyfriend.

MacCrossen reportedly returned to Florida to deal with a misdemeanor traffic ticket issued by the Florida Highway Patrol in Columbia County.

MacCrossen’s mother "spoke to her on the phone at the Greyhound bus station in Gainesville, and she said had arrived safely,” Kinsey said. “But then she missed her [traffic] court date, so a failure to appear notice was issued by Columbia County.”

Kinsey said the MacCrossen family apparently tried searching for her over the Internet for month and eventually reported MacCrossen as missing after an unusual incident.

“The got a phone call from one of her friends who said that in October 2008 an officer had come to their house to make a death notification,” Kinsey said. The claim could not be verified with any local law enforcement agencies. In December one of MacCrossen’s cousins filed a missing person’s report with the Sheriff’s Office.

“We are at a point where we need more information,” Kinsey said. “Hopefully she told somebody where she was going.”

Anyone with information about MacCrossen is asked to contact Kinsey at 384-3320 or 955-1818.