Bethany Leanne Markowski disappeared on March 4, 2001. She was 11 years old. She has never been found. We publish The Green Light — a free monthly zine for child advocacy, cold case updates, and safety resources for Tennessee families. Subscribe below. It is free. It always will be.
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Bethany's story, April updates, and how you can help right now
Published 6 months ago • 3 min read
April 7, 2026
25 years later — and the search is still on
Bethany Leanne Markowski. Born February 1, 1990. Missing since March 4, 2001. She would be 36 years old today.
Hello friends and supporters,
April is here, and it matters more than most months.
If you have not read it yet, it is the most important thing on our website right now.
Bethany's case is still open. The TBI and FBI are still working it. No one has ever been charged.
Her mother Jonnie built this entire foundation on the belief that someone, somewhere, knows something, and that keeping Bethany's name in front of people is how we find that person.
If you know anything about Bethany's disappearance, please call 1-800-TBI-FIND or submit an anonymous tip at bethanymarkowski.com/tips.
The full case narrative: who Bethany was, what happened on March 4, 2001, what investigators found, what still doesn't add up, and what Jonnie has built from the loss. The most complete account of this case we have ever published. Read it. Share it.
There is no 24-hour waiting period in Tennessee. Police must take your report immediately. This step-by-step guide covers every agency to call, your legal rights, and what not to do in the first 24 hours. Save it before you need it.
Three Tennessee teenagers filed a federal lawsuit against xAI in March 2026 after AI tools were used to create explicit deepfake images from their school photos. This guide explains what's happening, what the law says, and exactly what to do if your child is targeted. Every Tennessee parent needs to read this.
Jonnie testified at the Tennessee legislature — and it made the news
Last week, Jonnie stood before Tennessee lawmakers alongside Casey Robinson to represent at least nine other families of missing persons and homicide victims. She was there to support SB 2649 — a bipartisan bill that would create a dedicated cold case division within the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, spanning three regions and led by a director with at least five detectives.
Right now, families like ours have no guaranteed path to keep their cases actively investigated after years without a resolution. This bill would change that. It would require local law enforcement to submit unresolved cases to the division after 10 years, and give families the right to formally request a review.
NewsChannel 5 covered it. Jonnie told reporter Kelsey Gibbs:
"I never quit on Bethany."
She also shared something that's impactful to us every time we hear it. Before Bethany disappeared, she had been going around asking her cousins and family members: "What if daddy doesn't bring me home this time?" NewsChannel 5
She didn't come home.
The bill is now moving to the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. We will keep you updated on its progress. If you want to support it, contact your Tennessee state senator and tell them you support SB 2649.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Bethany Markowski Foundation will be sharing resources, warning signs, and conversation guides all month.
More than 90% of child abuse is committed by someone the child already knows. This month we are sharing warning signs, conversation guides for parents, and Tennessee resources for families who need help. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for daily content throughout April.
GiveButter campaign update:
We are still building toward our $5,000 goal and every dollar funds the free programs we are building for Tennessee families. The Tennessee Families of Missing Children Handbook. The free online child safety courses. The next event.
If this newsletter moved you, please consider giving today.
$25 keeps us going for a day. $50 funds a chapter of the Handbook. $100 helps us reach 10 more families.
Want to do more than donate?
We need volunteers badly! Social media, grant research, video production, web help, event coordination, and case research. Remote roles available. No nonprofit experience required.
from The Bethany Markowski Foundation, a Tennessee 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free child safety education, support for families of missing children
Bethany Leanne Markowski disappeared on March 4, 2001. She was 11 years old. She has never been found. We publish The Green Light — a free monthly zine for child advocacy, cold case updates, and safety resources for Tennessee families. Subscribe below. It is free. It always will be.
The Green Light, October 2026 A new tip. A new Case Board. Trick-or-treat safety. And Bethany is still missing. The Green Light, October 2026. VOL. 1 / ISSUE 5 / OCTOBER 2026 FREE / FINDBETHANY.ORG THEGREENLIGHT A ZINE FOR CHILD ADVOCACY FROM THE BETHANY MARKOWSKI FOUNDATION / LEBANON, TENNESSEE New on the site this month: How to Talk to Children About Safety — plus three new community spaces we're calling The Case Board. This month also brought a real tip on Bethany's case, passed along to...
The Green Light, September 2026 A new monthly habit. A database in the works. Fall safety. And Bethany is still missing. The Green Light, September 2026. VOL. 1 / ISSUE 4 / SEPTEMBER 2026 FREE / FINDBETHANY.ORG THEGREENLIGHT A ZINE FOR CHILD ADVOCACY FROM THE BETHANY MARKOWSKI FOUNDATION / LEBANON, TENNESSEE New on the site this month: Case Updates — a single page we'll update monthly with exactly where Bethany's case stands. This month: still open, still active, nothing new to report — plus...
The Green Light, August 2026 A documentary question. Back to school safety. The case page, rebuilt. And Bethany is still missing. The Green Light, August 2026. VOL. 1 / ISSUE 3 / AUGUST 2026 FREE / BETHANYMARKOWSKI.COM THEGREENLIGHT A ZINE FOR CHILD ADVOCACY FROM THE BETHANY MARKOWSKI FOUNDATION / LEBANON, TENNESSEE New on the blog this month: Is There a Documentary About Bethany Markowski? — every TV feature, news story, and podcast that has covered her case, in one place. Short answer: not...
