Missing Tennessee girl found 670 miles away in North Carolina man’s home, cops say

A North Carolina man is facing a felony child abduction charge after deputies discovered he was living with a girl reported missing in west Tennessee, according to investigators.

A tip provided by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Memphis led deputies to the girl’s location, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said in a March 2 news release.

“Deputies ... were able to locate the missing female juvenile (in) Stoneville, NC. The juvenile was accompanied by 27-year-old male Dakota Wayne Vettor of the same address,” the sheriff’s office said.

“The juvenile was placed into the custody of the Rockingham County Department of Social Services until the parents of the juvenile could come pick their daughter up.”

Stoneville is about a 670-mile drive northeast from Memphis.

Court documents report the girl vanished from her parents’ home Saturday, Feb. 28, and was reported missing the next day.

How she got to Vettor’s home was not revealed. The drive is about 10 hours.

Vettor was arrested and is being held without bond, officials said. His first court appearance is March 10.

“This matter is still under investigation at this time by both the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee. More charges are expected,” the sheriff’s office said.

Stoneville is about a 110-mile drive northwest from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published March 3, 2026 at 5:50 AM.