LIBERTY, MO — Police in Liberty are asking the public to help find 30-year-old Taylor L. Merkel, who was last seen Sunday morning after being dropped off at work.
Authorities say Merkel was dropped off at 7 a.m. in the 2200 block of South Withers Road. She has not been heard from since, and investigators are trying to determine where she may have gone after arriving at work.
The Liberty Police Department has released a description of what Merkel was wearing when she was last seen. Officers say she wore a white T-shirt and khaki pants and was carrying a clear backpack with a white bow.
Last known sighting came at 7 a.m. in the 2200 block of South Withers Road
Police say the Liberty location on South Withers Road is Merkel’s last confirmed sighting. The department has not said whether she reached the workplace building, left shortly after arriving, or had any other contact that morning.
The timing matters because it gives investigators a narrow window to work from. Merkel was seen only once, at the point when she was dropped off, and there has been no confirmed update since then.
That has prompted a public appeal from police, who are relying on anyone who may have seen Merkel or noticed something unusual near the business district on Sunday morning to come forward.
What police say Merkel was wearing and carrying
Liberty police included Merkel’s clothing and belongings in the alert because those details may help witnesses recognize her. She was last seen in a white T-shirt and khaki pants, a simple description that could match many people unless paired with the item she was carrying.
Officers said Merkel had a clear backpack with a white bow. That distinctive detail may be especially useful for anyone who was in the area around South Withers Road or nearby roads early Sunday.
Police have not released additional identifying information in the public notice, and they have not said whether there are any signs of foul play. At this stage, the department is focused on locating Merkel and confirming her movements after the drop-off.
Family, friends and witnesses are being urged to contact Liberty police
Anyone with information about Merkel’s whereabouts is being asked to call Liberty police at 816-439-4701. The department’s request suggests investigators want even small observations, such as a possible sighting, a vehicle description or a time-stamped detail, if someone noticed Merkel in the area.
Police have not said how long they have been searching or what steps have been taken so far. The public notice does not mention a missing-person classification beyond the appeal for help, but it makes clear that officers want help quickly.
For now, the case centers on a single known fact pattern: Merkel was dropped off at work Sunday morning and has not been heard from since.
Liberty residents asked to stay alert for new information
As the search continues, police are asking Liberty residents and commuters to keep an eye out for Merkel or anyone who may have seen her on Sunday. Cases like this often depend on a single witness remembering a detail that seemed minor at the time.
The department has not issued any broader public safety warning, and it has not said whether officers believe Merkel may still be in the Liberty area. The available information is limited to the last confirmed sighting and her description.
That means the public can play a direct role by checking whether they were near the 2200 block of South Withers Road around 7 a.m. Sunday and by contacting police if they remember anything that could help investigators.
How to recognize Taylor L. Merkel if you saw her on Sunday
Merkel is 30 years old, and police say she was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and khaki pants. She was also carrying a clear backpack with a white bow.
If anyone believes they saw her after the drop-off at work, Liberty police want that information passed along at 816-439-4701. Officers are trying to piece together the hours after 7 a.m. Sunday and are asking the community to help fill in the gaps.
The public notice leaves open only one certainty: Merkel’s last known location was in Liberty, and police are still searching for answers about where she went next.