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Woman found, but answers remain missing

Police locate Chong Chapman in a hospital more than 250 miles away from her abandoned car.

By JACOB H. FRIES
Published October 1, 2005

The 40-year-old Palm Harbor woman who went missing in Georgia was found Friday in a hospital more than 250 miles from where her car was abandoned on the side of Interstate 75.

Chong Chapman could not recall how she got to the hospital during several phone conversations with detectives Friday morning, said Henry County, Ga., police Lt. Jason Bolton. Chapman appears to have no injuries.

"There are still many questions yet to be answered," Bolton said. "All we know is that she believes she got a ride from someone, but that's about it. She doesn't appear at this time to really know herself."

Chapman, who owns a spa in Palm Harbor, has apparently been at a hospital in Brunswick, Ga., since Sept. 22, said Bolton, who did not identify the specific facility.

Detectives ultimately learned of Chapman's whereabouts after reaching her sister in Virginia, whom Chapman had recently called from the hospital.

"It's all very strange," Bolton said. "A mystery."

Before her discovery Friday, Chapman was last seen Sept. 20 leaving a Red Roof Inn about 35 miles south of Atlanta. As she checked out that morning, she tried to give her dog to hotel employees.

Chapman's 2002 silver Mercedes was later found abandoned on I-75 a short distance from the hotel. On Tuesday, when police impounded it, they found a suitcase, a tote bag and Red Roof Inn paperwork inside. The car's windows were rolled down.

Near the car, at the edge of some woods, police discovered Chapman's purse with her money and identification undisturbed. They also found her dog, which ran onto the interstate and was killed as officers tried to capture it, Bolton said.

Investigators searched woods along the interstate, but found nothing leading them to Chapman.

Investigators believe the Mercedes had been parked on the side of the highway at least since Saturday, if not before, Bolton said. Someone reported seeing it on Sept. 20, though that could not be confirmed.

The car was pointed north, toward Atlanta. Brunswick is in the opposite direction, not far from the Atlantic coast.

While investigators in Georgia searched for her, Pinellas sheriff's deputies visited her apartment on Katherine Boulevard on Tuesday and again Wednesday. They found nothing out of the ordinary, said sheriff's spokesman Mac McMullen.

They also went to her business, Suki Spa at 37542 U.S. 19 N, and spoke with property manager Lee Prosser. The spa had been closed for about two weeks.

Pinellas sheriff's deputies were able to find an acquaintance of Chapman's who led Henry County police to Chapman's sister, Bolton said. The sister's name was not made public.

"There's nothing apparent at this time that a crime has been committed," Bolton said. "And if she does not report to us that she was a victim of a crime, we'll probably close the case in a couple of days, some questions still unanswered."

--Jacob H. Fries can be reached at 727 445-4156 or jfries@sptimes.com

[Last modified October 1, 2005, 06:23:30]