Photos of Stansbury.

At the corner of Charlotte Street and Tenth Street Thursday night, the Cue Center for Missing Persons will hold a candlelight vigil in her honor as part of its Road Tour Stop. It begins at 7 p.m.

“The Cue Center plays a tremendous part in assisting law enforcement with missing people,” said Captain Andy Jackson of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department.”

The Cue Center has helped in the search of Stansbury, who was reported missing on December 14, 2006, seven days after she was last heard from by her family. “They act as a liaison with law enforcement and families,” Jackson said.

In the nearly seven years since Stansbury's disappearance, Roanoke Rapids police, with assistance from varying law enforcement agencies, including the Halifax County Sheriff's Office, have done numerous searches for the woman, who was 24 at the time she was reported missing, the most recent one at an undisclosed location last month. Jackson declined to go into specifics because the investigation is still active.

Jackson sees the vigil as a way to refresh the case and possibly bring in new leads. “All tips we get we look at as hopeful. The big thing is she has not contacted her parents and not seen her children since December of 2006. She has not been arrested or ran across by law enforcement since 2006. Her mother wants to know where her child is. We believe individuals know exactly where she is and the family needs closure.”

There have been several persons of interest in the case, none that Jackson wished to disclose, however. “In our opinion, in light of how long this has gone on, we do believe something sinister happened to Shonda. However, we know the elements of human trafficking per the case in Cleveland. It's the time that makes it difficult. She could be very alive and well like she was on the twelfth.”

December 12, Jackson said, was the last time Stansbury was seen in Roanoke Rapids, when she was spotted in the 900 block of Henry Street, three days after she was seen in the Great Falls Trailer Park and West Side Grocery area off West Tenth Street on December 9.

The last possible sighting of her in Halifax County was on the evening of December 22. A motorist, getting ready to make a left turn onto Highway 158 and head to Littleton off Highway 903, called to report a woman fitting Stansbury's description being chased by two black males. The trio was headed toward Highway 158.

In trying to make a 911 call from a cell phone, the signal was picked up in Warren County and then transferred to Brunswick County, Va. The call was finally placed to Halifax County and by the time the woman got to Littleton, 12 minutes had passed. “The woman wanted to help her but felt threatened,” Jackson said.

One man chasing her was described as standing 5 feet, 8 inches tall and had dark skin. He wore a ball cap, had big arms and a stocky build. He was wearing a white T-shirt.

The second man had a lighter complexion and a medium build, standing 5 feet, 6 inches tall. He possibly wore his hair in dreadlocks. He was wearing boots, possibly Timberlands.

The events of that night, which transpired around 11:30 p.m., and why they might have occurred have never been resolved, Jackson said. The only possible explanation is Stansbury's past. “Shonda was known to abuse alcohol and drugs and often found herself in the company of others who would do the same thing.”

There is no way to tell if there was a rape attempt. The witness said, “She was running and hollering.”

Widespread searches have been done in that area as well as Roanoke Rapids Lake. There have been searches done in Wilson County in 2007 after tips came in from two sources seeing a woman talking to someone in a champagne truck — the clothing description matching what she was wearing the last time she was seen. “We never developed anything positive,” said Jackson.

Stansbury stands 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has light brown hair, blue eyes and light skin.

She was wearing a gray blouse and blue West Coast Choppers jacket. She has a rose tattoo with Coby on her left breast and an ankle tattoo with a ribbon and heart that says Brianna. She has a birthmark around the lower part of her back. At the time of her disappearance she was missing four front teeth. Her toes point outward.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Jackson at 252-326-3938; Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444 or Halifax Central at 252-583-1991.