The case is classified as an . While physical searches in 2025 yielded no results, authorities continue to solicit tips. Information can be reported to the Kentucky State Police at 800-222-5555.
Based on an anonymous caller’s tip, law enforcement conducted a large-scale search of a wooded area near a farm outside Barbourville, KY . teen paige
Investigators cleared a large area of brush and used a backhoe to dig 6 to 8 feet deep in an area roughly the size of an Olympic swimming pool. The case is classified as an
Forensic investigators and specialized labs, such as Othram , have been utilized in similar cold cases across Kentucky (e.g., the Linda Bennett case), though no formal DNA identification has been linked to Johnson recently. Current Status Based on an anonymous caller’s tip, law enforcement
A man previously identified as a person of interest in her disappearance recently appeared in a Maryland court on unrelated kidnapping charges involving another minor in December 2025, drawing renewed scrutiny to his past connection to Johnson's case. Key Stakeholders & Authorities
The case of Paige Johnson remains one of Kentucky’s most prominent cold cases. Recent investigative efforts in late 2025 have revitalized public interest, centering on a massive search operation in southeastern Kentucky triggered by anonymous tips. Despite extensive excavation, her whereabouts remain unknown.
Paige Johnson, then 17, was last seen in Florence, Kentucky. She was reportedly dropped off at a street corner by a "father figure" who claimed he was taking her to a train station.