Above: Acacia Bishop in 2003 (left) and an age-progressed image to 11, circa 2012 (right)

Acacia Patience Bishop

Last seen in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 25, 2003

Vital statistics: White female. Born on October 29, 2001. Blond hair, blue eyes. She has a birthmark the size of a tennis ball on the side of her abdomen and her ears are pierced. She was able to say one syllable words at the time she was abducted. Last seen wearing a pink sundress printed around the bottom with white daisies or sunflowers. Was one at the time.

Circumstances: She was initally abducted by her non-custodial grandmother, Kelley Jean Lodmell, from her great-grandparents' Salt Lake City home at 6:00 p.m. on May 25, 2003. A photo of her is posted below. Lodmell is bipolar and schizophrenic; she has a criminal record for things such as drunk driving, threats with a dangerous weapon, aggrevated assault, and disorderly conduct. She also has a history of substance abuse. She had previously taken Bishop without permission and hid her in a basement and was only allowed supervised visitation as a result; she escaped with Bishop this time when the supervisor, Bishop's great-grandmother, left the room for a moment. The two were later seen in in Idaho Falls, Idaho on May 26, close to the Broadway overpass and green belt, next to the Snake River. That day Lodmell went to a nearby hydroelectric plant and told them Bishop had fallen in the river. She claimed that she had dropped her while they were dangling their feet in the river. The plant was shut down and divers searched the water for several days, but there was no sign of Bishop. Lodmell confessed to the police she had jumped in the river with Bishop in a murder/suicide attempt. However, she also sent a letter to Bishop's parents saying she was alive and being cared for by others. Bishop's parents believe she is still alive; Lodmell puchased diapers and milk shortly before Bishop vanished and refered to her in the present tense in letters. They are offering a reward for her safe return. Lodmell was tried for kidnapping, but was ruled not guilty by reason of insanity. She was committed to a mental hospital and while she may be released if she is not considered a danger to the community anymore this is doubtful as she does not follow treatment plans or admit she is mentally ill. Investigators continue to believe Bishop was the victim of a homicide.


Above: Kelley Lodmell in 2003

If you have any information as to Acacia's whereabouts, please contact the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office at 801-743-7000. Any information received can be kept confidential.


Information used to compile this casefile came from the following resources:
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
The Doe Network
The Charley Project
Polly Klass Foundation
Acacia Patience Bishop - Kidnapped May 25, 2003
Utah Department of Public Safety
NamUs National Missing Persons Data System
The Deseret Morning News
The Salt Lake Tribune
Child Protection Agency of America (site now defunct)
Child Seek Foundation (site now defunct)
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