Up and Vanished Weekly

Episode: VANISHED: Joanna & Shariece Clark
Air Date: October 29, 2025
Host: Maggie Freleng
Guest: Alvin Williams (Affirmative Murder)
Producer: Tenderfoot TV

Episode Overview

This episode explores the mysterious disappearance of Joanna Clark and her 15-year-old daughter, Shariece Clark, in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2017. Despite prompt concern from family and an obvious person of interest, no arrests have been made. Maggie Freleng and Payne Lindsey are joined by Alvin Williams, a true crime podcaster from Baltimore, to discuss the circumstances, suspicions, community context, and ongoing theories around the case. The episode serves as a deep dive into the complexities of missing persons cases, domestic violence, and systemic failures in crime investigations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Case Context & Initial Reactions

• [04:47] Maggie Freleng: Introduces the case, highlighting its strangeness—both a mother and daughter disappearing within hours.
• [04:46] Payne Lindsey: Reveals this is "local lore" in Baltimore and notes ongoing community efforts to keep attention on the case (such as "honk for justice" events).

Day of the Disappearance

• [06:15] Rob (Narrator): Provides a timeline—on Feb 7, 2017, Joanna misses a second shift at work; Shariece is likewise absent from school. A welfare check finds younger children cared for by the ex-boyfriend’s teenage son; neither Joanna nor Shariece have been seen since Saturday.

The Atmosphere in Baltimore at the Time

• [08:39] Payne Lindsey: Describes a "crazy time" in Baltimore—multiple disappearances, high violence, rumors of serial killers, and a culture of silence regarding police involvement.
  • "There was a string of those types of situations. Then this happened. Then two months later, a pregnant woman. So it was like a crazy time. Baltimore is the home of, like, people having stop sign tattoos on them that says, stop snitching."

The Role and Character of Dennis Queen

• [10:14] Rob (Narrator): Joanna had a protective order against Dennis but financial hardship forced her to allow him to stay for childcare. He is the father of six of her children, not Shariece.
• [12:31] Payne Lindsey: Emphasizes the way poverty traps people in dangerous situations—Joanna needed childcare to keep working.
  • "Poverty can be such a dangerous enabler for domestic violence... when you don't have money, you don't have as much freedom to make decisions."
• [14:01] Payne Lindsey: Community rumors suggest inappropriate behavior from Dennis towards Shariece, a pattern of treating her differently, and a confrontation before the disappearance.

Police Investigation & Digital Trail

• [15:25] Rob (Narrator): Both mother and daughter's social media went dark after Saturday; Shariece’s phone pings downtown that night, but no sightings. Joanna’s last activity was calling a friend from a bus post-date.
• [16:00] Payne Lindsey: "Every part of their life stopped on February 4. From a public standpoint, that's work, that's school, that's social media, contacting family."

Dennis Queen's Public Statements & Suspicions

• [16:21] Maggie Freleng interviewing Dennis: He denies involvement, says he "loves them both" and would "never harm" them. When asked what he’d say to the perpetrator, he threatens them instead of expressing hope or grief.
  • [17:10] Payne Lindsey: "You can tell a lot about somebody... I know what the wrong answer is. And his answer was like a, why I oughta type of thing. Like, 'I'll tell you like this. Don't let me find you.'"

Theories and Hypotheses

Could Joanna and Shariece Have Voluntarily Left?

• [23:59] Payne Lindsey: Dismisses the idea, due to lack of funds and strong family/community ties.
  • “Disappearing without a trace intentionally is a costly venture... The idea that I would think she would ask her brother to beat him up before she would try to move to another state...”

Did Dennis Commit a Double Homicide?

• [26:20] Payne Lindsey: Suggests Dennis may have harmed Shariece at home before Joanna returned, possibly while drunk, and then harmed Joanna. Unclear how the bodies would have been moved or why children didn't notice, but notes proximity of a nearby river.
• [29:10] Maggie Freleng: Notes Joanna had a community—she could have sought safe haven if she chose to leave.

Third-Party/Random Crime Theories

• [28:14] Maggie Freleng: Raises the possibility Joanna and Shariece left temporarily and met violence (e.g., from a stranger like a truck driver), though considers it unlikely due to her support network.

Why Didn’t Dennis Report Them Missing?

• [32:05] Payne Lindsey: Points out Dennis never called police. Either to avoid attention or because he’s hiding something; in any case, troubling for someone with such close ties to the victims.

Media Coverage and Pressure

• [33:54] Payne Lindsey: Observes that, unlike the widely-covered Chris Watts case, this received little sustained attention. Suggests national focus might have led to more scrutiny (and potentially answers).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• [08:39] Payne Lindsey: "We like invented [stop snitching]. Like, the snitching culture has been so bastardized and twisted into such a... such a crazy thing."

• [14:01] Payne Lindsey: "Her brother said... Dennis Queen was being inappropriate with Shareese... she was telling him, 'you need to move out after this weekend.' So it was a Saturday when they disappeared..."

• [16:12] Rob (Narrator): "Every part of their life stopped on February 4. From a public standpoint, that's work, that's school, that's social media, contacting family."

• [17:10] Payne Lindsey: "When you hear the wrong answer, you know it's the wrong answer."

• [23:59] Payne Lindsey: "Disappearing without a trace intentionally is a costly venture... I'm always like, I try not to give these people, these abusers, that much credit that somebody felt like they needed to go to the other side of the world to get away from you."

Notable Timestamps

• [04:47–06:15]: Introduction of the case details—how and when Joanna and Shariece were discovered missing.
• [08:39]: Discussion of Baltimore’s violent context and impact on investigations.
• [10:14]: Unpacking the dynamic between Joanna and Dennis Queen, including the restraining order and family structure.
• [14:01]: Community rumors about Dennis's treatment of Shariece.
• [15:25–16:12]: Digital investigation indicates both women’s lives stopped abruptly.
• [16:21–17:10]: Dennis Queen’s on-camera statements and Payne’s breakdown of his suspicious responses.
• [23:59–29:20]: Theories explored—runaway vs. violence at home, poverty factors, possibility of outside harm, and missing support for disappearance theory.
• [32:05–33:54]: Discussion on the lack of action, comparison to the Chris Watts case, and the difference media pressure makes.

Conclusion & Call to Action

• The episode ends with a realistic but somber assessment: after all these years, solving the case likely requires a confession, a body, or a courageous witness.
• [38:31] Maggie Freleng: "I desperately hope the Clark family gets answers soon, but it's been nearly a decade."
• [38:55] Joanna's mother (via clip): "I am aware they're gone, but you... Gotta give them back. You gotta give them back. I'm not stopping."

Victim Descriptions and Contact Info

• Joanna Clark: Age 33 at disappearance, 5'3", 140 lbs, hazel eyes, dirty blonde hair, multiple tattoos.
• Shariece Clark: Age 15, 130 lbs, brown eyes, dark brown hair, nose piercing.
• Contact: Baltimore Police Department, 410-396-2100.

Episode Takeaways

• Systemic issues (poverty, ineffective policing, media bias) contribute to cases staying unsolved.
• The culture of silence in affected communities hampers investigations.
• The role of public awareness and continued advocacy is vital.
• Listeners are urged to keep the memory of Joanna and Shariece alive, share their story, and contact authorities with any information.

For further coverage:

• Listen to Alvin Williams on Affirmative Murder podcast.
• Stay connected via @avweekly on social media for updates and missing persons alerts.