 Denise
Hartigan was born February 22, 1979 in Oxford, Mississippi to
parents Adam and Alicia Hartigan. Denise’s childhood was that of a
normal, happy, little girl and she appeared delighted with the birth
of her sister, Rita in 1980.
Childhood friends often marveled at Denise and Rita’s close
relationship. The closeness of their ages meant they participated in
many of the same after school activities such as dancing class, and
Brownies. The girls were never seen arguing or competing with each
other, but were often seen whispering as though conspiring against
the world.
Denise was an unremarkable student, but was well behaved and
maintained adequate grades. In high school she was popular enough
with her classmates to be elected Prom Queen. On prom night, after
she had been crowned, her boyfriend Grant Sexton proposed and Denise
accepted.
Denise's happiness was short-lived for only a few weeks later,
her sister Rita disappeared without a word. The story around town
was that 17-year-old Rita had run off to be with a Marine she had
recently met when he was passing through town. Her parents
reportedly disapproved of the match and had forbidden Rita to have
contact with him, so she ran away from home.
Denise was devastated by her sister's absence and began to pull
away from family and friends, but she managed to graduate high
school, in spite of her despair. She enrolled at Northwest Community
College and took a few classes while living at home. But in January
1998, she abruptly dropped out of school and and walked away from
her mother and ailing father, her fiancé, her friends and her life
in Oxford. Little is known of Denise's activities since she left
town.
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