New lead in the search for Mattie Mizell

Cleveland police are asking for help in finding a potential witness in the missing person's case of Mattie Mizell.

Authorities have obtained a photograph of a copper/orange colored late model F150 crew cab pickup truck or a 2019-2020 Ford Ranger Sport that was observed traveling on NOK Drive on Jan 1. Police say the driver of the vehicle may have seen Mizell walking on the roadway and may be able to provide new information to assist the search efforts. Police ask that the driver of this vehicle or anyone having knowledge of such a vehicle to contact the Cleveland Police Department at 706-865-2111.

Mizell was last seen on the cameras from Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies on NOK Drive next to Babyland General Hospital at 3:30 p.m. on Jan.1, according to Cleveland Police Chief Jeff Shoemaker.

Police have been searching since Saturday evening in the areas of Allison Drive, Doug Allison Heights, Cantrell Road, U.S. 129, Hilltop Road, Hulsey Road, and Ga. 75 North. Shoemaker said Monday morning he believes this is a search effort rather than a recovery at this time.

Mizell, who authorities say suffers from dementia, is described as a 5'3” Black female who weighs 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was wearing blue pants, and a purple/blue hoodie with black shoes with white soles when she left her home on White Street. Authorities had no luck finding Mizell over the weekend despite working into the night on both Saturday and Sunday. 

The Cleveland Police Department has been joined in the search effort by White County Sheriff’s Department, Cleveland Fire Department, White County Fire Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, White County Board of Education, Georgia Bureau of Investigations, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Georgia State Defense Force, and a host of citizen volunteers.

The community has been asked to search the outer areas of their property to include garages, porches, shrubs and brush areas, vehicles, or any area that a person may use for shelter in the rainy weather. In addition to this, the sides of the roadway, culverts, drain areas, etc. Police are also asking local business owners to check their surveillance footage and bring forward any footage that could show Mizell.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cleveland Police Department at 706-865-2111 or dispatch E911 at 706-865-0911.