Wilbanks: ‘I was running away from myself’

Took taxi to Atlanta
On Monday, Belcher provided a chronology for Wilbanks’ disappearance. He said Wilbanks bought a Greyhound bus ticket to Austin, Texas, a week before running away April 26. That day, she cut her hair and had a taxi pick her up at the local library and take her to the bus terminal in Atlanta.

She never made it to Austin, instead getting off in Dallas and buying a ticket to Las Vegas. She spent some time there, mostly hanging out at the bus station, before going to Albuquerque, N.M., authorities said.

It was in Albuquerque that she called Mason and police from a pay phone, saying she had been kidnapped.

Belcher said Wilbanks told authorities that “a Hispanic man and a white female jumped her from behind” and abducted her.

“At this point, she did violate Georgia law by advising [us] of that information that she was kidnapped,” Belcher said.

Mason appealed to the prosecutor not to bring charges. “Her cutting her hair and getting on a bus and riding out of here ain’t none of Danny Porter’s business,” Mason said. “And that’s not criminal as far as I’m concerned.”

Lasseter said city officials would like to hear from Wilbanks’ family to see if “we should work with this lady on some recourse other than legally.”

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