Florence woman missing in Tennessee

Knoxville, Tenn., authorities fear foul play could be involved in a case involving a Florence woman who has been missing since Friday night.

Jennifer Lee Hampton, 21, was last seen Friday night at the Days Inn in Knoxville, according to reports.

Hampton, who works at Mama Blue's restaurant in Florence, had been with a team of coworkers in Knoxville to help train employees for the opening of a Mama Blues in that city.

They were staying at the Days Inn.

Jim Lewis, who operates the Florence restaurant, said he, Hampton and the crew had been in Knoxville since Tuesday and opened the restaurant Friday.

An employee last saw her around 9:30 p.m. Friday, Lewis said. He said she had sent text messages to family and friends as late as 10:39 p.m.

Lewis said they would meet at the Days Inn parking lot each morning and head to work. He called an employee Saturday morning and said he'd be a few minutes late. That's when the worker told him Hampton hadn't shown up. Lewis called the front desk and asked if someone could check on her.

A Days Inn worker checked the room and said nobody was in there, but it looked as though it had been slept in, Lewis said. So, they called the police.

"An officer checked it out and said he didn't like the way things looked," Lewis said.

The officer contacted an investigator and police have been on the case since.

Lewis made arrangements for Hampton's family to come to Knoxville. He said police have set up a command center at the hotel. They sent a helicopter up Sunday to search the area and have additional searches planned today.

They collected evidence and gave it to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Lewis said.

"The Knoxville Police Department is doing an outstanding job," he said.

"They are putting all their resources behind this."

Mama Blues employees and friends of Hampton's say her cell phone and purse still were in the room Saturday morning. They said she never goes anywhere without her phone.

Reports from Knoxville media outlets state Hampton's keys, money and vehicle also were at the hotel.

The reports indicate Hampton is about 5-foot-3 and weighs around 110 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

The Knoxville department's Search and Recovery Team is involved in the investigation, according to reports.

They have searched the area on and near the hotel's location on Lovell Road.

Anyone with information is asked to call local authorities or Knoxville police at (865) 215-7014.

Bernie Delinski can be reached at 740-5739 or bernie.delinski@TimesDaily.com.