Crime
Help find missing 14-year-old Alia Shempert, last seen getting into black Tesla
The Memphis Police Department is actively searching for 14-year-old Alia Shempert, who was reported missing on Friday afternoon after she was last seen getting into a black Tesla with an unidentified male in the Berclair neighborhood.
Alia was last seen around 4:25 p.m. on July 18, 2025, in the 4300 block of Jamaica Drive.
Authorities say she entered the vehicle—described as a black or gray Tesla—occupied by a white male and several other individuals.
The circumstances of the encounter remain under investigation.
Alia is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighing approximately 160 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.
At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a black shirt, black pants, and pink Puma slippers.
Disturbingly, Alia’s personal belongings—including her phone, iPad, and Cash App card—were discovered discarded in the street near the area where she was last seen.
The Memphis Police Department’s Missing Persons Bureau is leading the investigation and is urging the public to come forward with any information that may assist in locating Alia.
If you have seen Alia Shempert or know her whereabouts, please contact the Memphis Police Department at (901) 545-COPS (2677) or the Missing Persons Unit at (901) 636-4479.
Crime
Former Texas Worship Minister and Christian Musician Jon Sheptock Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A married Christian musician and former worship minister who once performed at a rally for former President Donald Trump has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) charges, authorities confirmed.
According to officials, Jon Sheptock, a former minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church, was taken into custody on September 26 by detectives from the Montgomery County Constable’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.
He faces charges of possession and production of child pornography following a detailed investigation into allegations of long-term misconduct.
The arrest was based on testimony from a woman who alleged that Sheptock stole a photograph of her approximately nine years ago, when she was 17 years old.
The victim told investigators that after sending her the image, Sheptock demanded explicit photographs and later sent her a video depicting a violent assault, warning that he “did not want that to happen to her.”
Court records further indicate that Sheptock showed the victim nude images of both adults and minors on his computer.
Investigators allege that the misconduct continued as recently as October 2023, when Sheptock reportedly sent a text message to the victim containing a nude image of young girls.
Before his arrest, Sheptock was widely known as a Christian recording artist and motivational speaker.
His now-deleted website biography stated that he was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other, yet went on to describe himself as a “thriving Christian recording artist and speaker.” He has been married for 26 years and is the father of three daughters.
In a public statement, First Montgomery Baptist Church confirmed that Sheptock was immediately removed from all ministry responsibilities following his arrest.
The church emphasized that Sheptock did not hold any position involving direct contact with children, and there is no indication that minors associated with the church were involved or affected.
Sheptock gained wider public attention in January 2022, when he performed the national anthem at a rally for then-President Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
If convicted, Sheptock faces a potential prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the Montgomery County Constable’s Office Human Traffic.