Elizabeth Thomas' disappearance came several weeks after a student reported seeing an kiss between Tad Cummins and the teenage girl. On March 13, authorities issued an Amber Alert for Elizabeth of Columbia, Tenn., after her parents reported her missing.
A federal criminal complaint filed by the FBI describes the timeline of the girl's disappearance is as follows:
- Jan. 23 – A 12-year-old Culleoka Unit School student reports Cummins, 50, and Elizabeth, 15, were kissing in his classroom.
- March 13 – Elizabeth is picked up by a friend in Culleoka, Tenn., at about 7:30 a.m. and gets dropped off at a Shoney's restaurant in Columbia.
- March 13 – Cummins leaves a note to his wife that he is travelling to Virginia Beach, Va. or the Washington, D.C. area to clear his head. He is seen on surveillance camera at 8:32 a.m. pumping gas at a Shell Station in a Nissan Rogue before heading in the direction of the Shoney's.
- March 14 – Cummins' wife reports him missing, and says money, two handguns and clothes are missing.
- March 15 – Investigators believe Cummins and Elizabeth stayed at an Oklahoma City hotel. Surveillance cameras show Cummins and Elizabeth at an Oklahoma City Walmart that afternoon.
- March 16 – Cummins books a motel for two days in Guymon, Okla. Surveillance cameras show Cummins and Elizabeth at another Walmart, where they purchase several items, including women's razors, chocolate, cheese cubes and K-Y Jelly, a personal lubricant.
- Wednesday – A tipster tells authorities Cummins and Elizabeth are staying at a small cabin in Cecilville, Calif.
- Thursday – Law enforcement officials stake out the cabin for hours. Cummins is arrested at 9:30 a.m. and charged with the federal offense of transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Read more from our news partner, The Tennessean, here