Moline Police Give Trudy Appleby a Voice in Social Media Posts

On Aug. 21, 1996, Trudy Appleby was reported missing. Since then, Moline Police has asked for the community’s assistance regarding any information related to the disappearance of Trudy Appleby. But nothing like they just did.

Now, the Moline Police Department is in another realm as far as social media goes. Whether they are showing off tricks on a skateboard, posting snarky Die Hard references, or doing donut eating contests, they're always finding ways to inform and entertain when appropriate.

This weekend, Moline Police Department announced a thought-provoking and emotional social media campaign.

#Trudytakeover

Yesterday, Sunday, August 21, 2022, marked the 26th anniversary of the disappearance of Trudy Appleby.

"Beginning tomorrow at 8 am we will have a Trudy Appleby takeover of our social media. All of our posts will be written from a first-person's perspective, her perspective. We are going to let her, tell you her story."

Social Media

If you followed along yesterday, you got your heart stepped on about once an hour with some "1st hand recollections" of that day. It was a dramatic glimpse into what the police and witnesses know happened.

Comments rolled in thanking the department for keeping her memory alive and also doing so in an unconventional way.

Nice series Moline Police Department! I sincerely hope these move the heart of those that know to please finally come forward for the family and community. -Jody Teague

Trudy Speaks

For 26 years we've seen all these stories about Trudy Applebee. We remember the giant billboards, the posters in every store, the t-shirts, and the candlelight vigils.

This was a brilliant move on the Moline Police Department's part. This tactic hit a lot differently. Instead of the obligatory "anniversary news coverage", they struck a chord emotionally. They took the facts, as they know them, and put them into a story as if Trudy was able to tell it to us herself.

I remember the day she went missing and the day after, all the talk and rumors and accusations against this one or that one .. and still after all this time no one has the courage or the conscience to stand up and tell the truth-Jamie Matlick Ackerland

Some posts were harder than others to read. Especially as a parent.

I hope this campaign lands where they intended it. Hopefully, it brings more answers and inevitably brings Trudy home.

Nice work, MPD. Here's a look at all of the Moline Police Department's social media posts.