Family prays for safe return

The mood around the small Lauderdale County town of Waterloo has been far from festive since residents learned Sunday that a former high school homecoming queen has disappeared.

"You just don't think of something like this happening to someone you know. It's got the entire town in a shock," said Jennifer Price, director of the Waterloo Senior Citizens Center and a former schoolmate of Jennifer Lee Hampton.

The 21-year-old Hampton disappeared from a Knoxville, Tenn., motel late Friday night or early Saturday morning, authorities said. She is employed by Mama Blue's Buffet in Florence, and traveled to Knoxville with her boss, Jim Lewis, and two other coworkers to help open a restaurant.

Lewis, who operates the Florence and Decatur restaurants, said they were staying at the Days Inn on Lovell Road in west Knoxville.

"They had stayed together pretty much and had been exchanging text messages and phone calls," Lewis said of the three workers from Florence. "When Jennifer didn't show up Saturday morning, we started looking for her."

He said the last time any of the Florence group had heard from Hampton was Friday about 11:30 p.m.

Knoxville police were called to the motel, and after an initial search of the room, immediately called for investigators. Police officers said some evidence from the motel room indicates foul play could be a factor in Hampton's disappearance.

Darrell DeBusk, a public information officer with the Knoxville Police Department, declined to discuss the type of evidence discovered, but said it was critical to the case.

DeBusk said the evidence was turned over to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

"At this point, we can't rule out anything one way or another," DeBusk said. "That's why the tests (are) so crucial. The tests will really dictate where we go from here."

He said police have conducted searches in the past two days in the area around motel. Lewis said crime scene tape still secures Hampton's motel room.

Hampton's mother and stepfather, Cynthia and Tim Senn, and other family members arrived Monday in Knoxville.

A friend who drove the family to Knoxville said they had been busy Tuesday putting up flyers about Hampton's disappearance.

Mama Blue's officials have offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to Hampton.

One family friend said Cynthia Senn is not eating and has been saying over and over how she just wants her daughter home.

The family may be in Knoxville, but they're not waiting and hoping alone.

Many friends and acquaintances in Waterloo are waiting eagerly for any news.

"It's been a very surreal feeling around school the last couple of days," said Waterloo Principal Ray Harrison. "We're a small school, so a lot of the kids and the teachers knew her, and in fact she has a niece in kindergarten. So this has really affected our school."

Several photographs of Hampton are on pages in the 2007 Waterloo yearbook, "The Prowl," which had a theme that year of "Defining Moments." On the "Then and Now" page that depicts photos of graduating seniors, Hampton's mother wrote: "Congratulations! I am very proud of you! You have come a long way and successfully succeeded. Hope all your dreams come true! Love Mama."

School officials said Hampton began classes at Waterloo in the sixth grade.

Assistant Principal Mike Stamps, who taught Hampton for three years, said that as a student, she had a determination about her that evidently followed her into adulthood.

"It was obvious; she was always trying to improve," he said. "When she came to Waterloo she was shy, introverted, didn't talk a lot and was stretched academically. But within a couple of years she came out of her shell and became homecoming queen."

He said Hampton was admired by students and faculty members for her determination and drive.

Morgan Stricklin was the junior representative on the 2007 homecoming court that Hampton reigned over. She said they also had health occupation class together and became close friends.

So close, that they stayed in contact and texted each other Friday night.

"She texted me about 7:30 Friday night," Stricklin said. "She seemed OK; she was cutting up and told me to be careful.

"(She is) the sweetest and most caring person you will ever want to meet. She was just a good person. She never met a stranger. She always had a smile and tried to be nice to everybody."

Price said she often takes the members of the Waterloo Senior Center out to eat, and their favorite place is Mama Blue's Buffet.

"(Jennifer) would come back to where we were sitting and talk with them and make sure they were being taken care of. She would make them feel special," Price said.

Lewis said Hampton, whom he describes as "an excellent, hard-working employee," has been working at the Florence restaurant since it opened in March, mainly preparing salads and serving patrons.

"She's one of those rare employees who make it fun to go to work every day," he said.

Stricklin said she got the news of her friend's disappearance Monday.

"I was shocked. I really couldn't believe what I was told," she said. "I had to go to Walmart and while I was there I ran into several people that we knew and that's all they wanted to talk about. It's just horrible."

Stricklin said she talked with Hampton's older sister, Christy, on Monday.

"She's holding up, just worried to death like we all are," Stricklin said.

Michael May's daughter, Stacy, graduated with Hampton. He said the news has been really tough on his daughter and their family.

"This has really affected Stacy. She breaks down crying thinking about Jennifer, and I didn't sleep much (Monday) night thinking about it. All I could think about was where she was and why."

Price said there have been a lot of prayers on Hampton's behalf in the past few days.

"We made sure to include her in our prayers (at the senior center) Monday, and I'm sure she was in a lot of other people's prayers," Price said.

Lewis sent Hampton's coworkers home from Knoxville on Sunday. He and company owner Steve Barnhill have remained in Knoxville.

"I've been working for 30 years, and this is by far the worst week I've ever encountered," Lewis said. "It's so surreal. It's like I'm not even here. It's like watching this from somewhere else.

"It has devastated all of us. You feel helpless, but all you can do is try to be there for the family."

Stricklin started working at Mama Blue's on Tuesday; Jennifer helped her get the job.

"She's been on my mind since I got that call (that she was missing) and she will be on my mind even more until she is found," Stricklin said.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.