Family of woman missing for 33 years seeks closure

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- Thirty-three years ago a Zanesville woman vanished without a trace, but a dedicated group of people are working to keep her story alive. 

Barbara Frame was home with her three kids when she got a message that she needed to meet with her lawyer. Recently divorced, Frame left her home to go to the meeting, but she never returned. Frame’s kids are now adults, but they’ve never forgotten their mother and want to know what happened to her.

“They crave for closure. That is something that they live through everyday wanting closure for their mother. They believe, with information they’ve received, that she is deceased, but they would like to have closure, proof, verification that she is gone,” said Lilly Paisley, a Private Investigator.

Lilly Paisley was hired by Frame’s children to breathe new life into their mother’s case. Paisley usually holds awareness events on the day of Frame’s disappearance, but noticed a decline in attendance over the last few years. Paisley wants to remind the community that there is a family that still needs closure and how important it is for the family to know they’re supported.

“What is important for me with the community is there has been a tremendous amount of support from the community. Numerous people have..they want to know what happened to Barbara. The family has so much support. I know that the children really don’t realize how many people in the community do support them and want them to have closure.”

Paisley said there are retired cold case workers who are reviewing the case to help find the missing piece of the puzzle. She hopes that there will no longer need to be awareness events for Barbara Frame because the case will be solved and justice served instead.

“What is important is when you look into the eyes of her children and when they were with us on a few of the searches to see that void to see that pain and agony in these children looking for their mother it’s kind of hard to say ‘we’ve done this for two years and we’re done. We just can’t help you anymore.’ because what if it were your mother? And that’s what I say to a lot of people. What if it was your mother?”