Investigation: What Happened to Sara Ebersole?
Sara Ebersole has been missing since 2023.
Who Was Sara Ebersole?
Sara Ebersole was born on September 18, 1996, the youngest of seven siblings. She grew up in Sarasota, Florida, primarily raised by her maternal uncle and aunt. As a teenager, she occasionally stayed with her older sister in Dunnellon, and in 2014, at 18 years old, she got married and moved there with her husband. The marriage was brief. The couple finalized their divorce on November 5, 2015.
Sara was not defined by her hardships. She loved the beach — any free time she had was spent between Daytona and Sarasota. She wanted to travel and entertained the idea of opening a small, cat-friendly coffee café near the water. She was always eager to try new things. She was also a mother. Ebersole had a young daughter and had been involved in legal and custody disputes with the child’s father since the girl was one year old.
At the time of her disappearance, Sara was living with a roommate on Northwest 60th Avenue in Reddick, Florida, and worked as an exotic dancer.
The Night Sara Vanished
The evening of March 2, 2023 began like many others. Sara got off work around 7:00 p.m. and sent a text message to her sister asking for a ride home — but her sister was unavailable at the time. At 7:50 p.m. she sent another text, telling her sister to say “hi” to her children.
What followed was the last confirmed communication anyone would have with Sara Ebersole.
Her final text to her sister was sent at 10:11 p.m., saying she “was getting into a random truck with some cowboys” and that she hoped “they took her on a ride.” Shortly after, Sara was captured on security footage at approximately 10:00 p.m. at the Circle K gas station located at 17980 North Highway 441 in Reddick, Florida.
According to investigators, Ebersole was given a ride from the convenience store to a residence at 18080 North U.S. Highway 441 in Reddick, where she and James Robinson were dropped off. She spent time with Robinson, who lived in one half of the subdivided residence, as well as James Schaller and Teesha McDermitt, a couple who lived in the other half.
Then, the timeline fractures.
Around 1:24 a.m. on March 3, Robinson texted Tyrone Morman, mentioning Ebersole was at his home. Morman inquired about meeting her and later arrived at the residence in a blue 2017 Hyundai Sonata. He left with Ebersole around 4 a.m.
Witnesses described the driver as a Hispanic male in his mid-thirties with long dark hair and a thin build. Although the witnesses believed the car might be an Uber, police determined that Sara had not called for one that night.
Investigators know Sara was watching YouTube until 2:40 a.m. After that, someone accessed her account, deleted her search history, and attempted to reset her Snapchat password, triggering a reset email. Power Trial Lawyers MCSO later confirmed Sara used her phone until approximately 2:40 a.m., after which the phone was reset and wiped.
Sara Ebersole was never seen or heard from again.
The Investigation
A sheriff’s office document states deputies were called on March 5, 2023 in reference to the disappearance. Detective Ryan Stith was assigned the case ten days later. Ocala Gazette Sara’s roommate had initially attempted to file a missing person report on March 3, but was reportedly told to wait a week.
By December 20, 2023, there had been no contact from Ebersole with friends or family, no financial activity on her accounts, and no social media activity.
Tyrone Morman Named Person of Interest
For nearly a year, the investigation moved largely in silence. Then, on the first anniversary of Sara’s disappearance, authorities made a significant announcement.
On March 3, 2024, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office announced that Tyrone Morman, then 28, was considered a person of interest in the case. Investigators determined Sara had left with him on the night she was last seen.
Morman initially told investigators he was out of town at the time of Sara’s disappearance and had never had any contact with her. Witnesses, however, contradicted those claims.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Morman’s phone. He claimed he had broken it and thrown it away — before eventually turning it over, leading to his arrest in December 2023 for giving law enforcement false information. He was released the next day.
During the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace program, panelists noted that while deleting data is not illegal, lying to law enforcement about possessing a phone can lead to obstruction charges.
During a search of Morman’s phone, detectives found information suggesting Morman and Ebersole were together at a 24-hour convenience store in the northwest part of Marion County in the early morning hours of March 3, 2023. Morman remains a person of interest but has not been charged. He has declined to cooperate further with investigators.
A Key Witness Lost
On May 18, 2024, James Michael Robinson — the last man known to have seen Sara at the residence — died of a drug overdose. He had reportedly told family members that Sara had gotten into Morman’s car. His passing removed a key witness from the investigation.
Additional Threads
On October 24, 2024, Sara’s sister Michelle Tullis stated that Robinson had told her he and Morman carried Sara — possibly unconscious — to the car. This account, while not independently verified by law enforcement, has become central to advocates’ understanding of what may have transpired.
In August 2024, Sara’s ex-husband, Thomas Allen Ebersole, was arrested on unrelated charges involving a minor. Authorities found no connection to Sara’s disappearance.
A Family Fighting for Answers
Sara’s sister, Michelle Tullis, has been the relentless public face of the search.
Tullis has maintained an active social media presence, posting regular updates and appeals for help. She has also created a GoFundMe campaign titled “Bring Sara Home: Billboard Campaign Fund and Awareness.”
In April 2025, Michelle led a peaceful protest on the median of U.S. Highway 441 in Micanopy, holding placards and standing beside a large message board displaying Sara’s last known photo. She continues to call for Morman to cooperate with law enforcement.
“It’s been a living nightmare — not knowing exactly what has happened to Sara,” Tullis said. “I spend the majority of my days advocating for her and keeping her humanized to the public.”
Then, in late 2025, a breakthrough in the reward.
An anonymous donor came forward to offer a $35,000 reward for information leading to knowledge of what happened to Sara — a substantial increase from the previous reward of $4,000.
Where Things Stand
More than two years after Sara Ebersole walked out of a Reddick residence in the early hours of March 3, 2023, she has not been found.
No confirmed sightings have emerged since that night. Tyrone Morman remains the sole person of interest and has not been charged with anything related to Sara’s disappearance. Key evidence gaps persist, including the full contents of Morman’s phone and surveillance from the convenience store.
Since her disappearance, there has been no activity on Sara’s social media or financial accounts. She took nothing with her.
How to Help
Sara Gail Ebersole is described as approximately 5’1”–5’2”, roughly 116–120 lbs., with brown/dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. She has a tattoo of Kokopelli, a fertility deity, on her lower right hip. She was wearing a gray cardigan with embellishment or a black faded hoodie with a hockey goalie logo and the words “Goalie Academy” on the front the night she disappeared.
If you have any information — no matter how small — please contact:
Detective Ryan Stith: (352) 368-3542
MCSO Non-Emergency Line: (352) 732-9111
Crime Stoppers of Marion County (anonymous): (352) 368-STOP (7867), reference Case #23-71
Sara is someone’s daughter, sister, and mother. She loved cats, the ocean, and dreamed of a little café by the water. She deserves to be found. Her family deserves to know.
— TheColdCases.com